Friday, April 09, 2010

Nepal Travel Advisory: April 2010

Kathmandu from Syoyambhunath Stupa (monkey temple) - Rene Jungsnickel

So, its been too long that I did not write. Reason - there was nothing to write about. No news - in the world of travel advisories - is definitely good news!

Same is true today too. However, its been far too long, and I felt compelled to write something at least. So, on to the description of the situation in Nepal.

Security: Is good. There is a rise in crime in the city, but even then, it is comparatively very very low. Advice would be to practice normal caution as you would in any city in the world. Most acts of violence in the city happen either in gang clashes (not concerning tourists) or outside nightclubs amongst young drunks. So a word of caution there - if you are into clubbing, do not get into arguments with drunks. Thats common sense too!

Political Situation: There is not much to write about the political situation in Nepal, as no one really knows what the political situation is. Suffice to say that it is confused at the top, the people are politically aware (sometimes I believe a bit toooo aware) but unable to make an impact, resulting in confusion all around. Demonstrations and that brilliant way to make a statement that we have come to love in Nepal - General Strikes, are still popular.. so they could disrupt your travels in Nepal a bit... Again to reiterate, if you are using common sense here, you will never be hurt, unless you are in the very wrong place at a very wrong time, plain bad luck types!

However, these strikes, demonstrations are concentrated in the cities, most of them happening in the capital, Kathmandu. Stay the least possible in Kathmandu if you plan on trekking, and if you are planning trips in Kathmandu, pad your days well.

Keep abreast of developments through resources such as

- this blog
- www.nepalnews.com
- Facebook page dedicated to General Strikes in Nepal
- www.myrepublica.com

Happy travels!

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