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Can't forget Kathmandu!

If there is any destination that truly offers value for money, it has to be Kathmandu

SLICES OF NEPAL (From left) The Narayanhity Palace

A few days ago, while flipping through novels at a bookstore, I happened to cast my eyes on "Forget Kathmandu," that popular tome on contemporary Nepal by the young Nepalese writer, Manjushree Thapa. Her book paints a dismal, albeit true picture of political Nepal.But that is no reason not to visit Kathmandu as you might get to see a different Kathmandu - because you seriously want to lighten up, to enjoy and feel the warmth of a sea of smiling citizens.

With so many holiday packages now available for Kathmandu, planning a trip to the Himalayan city is not at all cumbersome. Most airlines take you on a round trip to Kathmandu from New Delhi for Rs. 6,000! It is even cheaper in airliners like Druk Air.

Our three-day trip to Kathmandu began with a Jet Airways flight. And as we reached the immigration at the city airport, we got a chance to appreciate the benefits of being an Indian in Nepal. While others queued up for clearance, we were out with a friendly nod from the immigration officer.

Later, an official from the Indian embassy told us an interesting story of how he picked his daughter's passport in a hurry and realised his mistake only at the immigration counter. But he managed to travel to India because it was a diplomatic passport!

A casino

Feeling rich

We checked in at The Hyatt close to the airport. No, we didn't carry too much money with us. In Kathmandu, Indian budget holidayers can command the luxury of staying in a five-star hotel only because of the rupee rate. So you feel rich all the time in Kathmandu.

On the advice of the hotel reception, we ended up going to a casino in The Everest hotel that evening. We were told that the casino would send a car to pick us from the hotel for free.

To our luck, we met an old friend there, a regular at the casino, and we got to play for free too, as his guests. And on our free ticket, we won enough to shop in Kathmandu the next day. What's more, if you play at the casino, your food and drinks bill are taken care of. No wonder then, we saw people munching only jumbo prawns and sipping single malts there. Later, while speaking to the casino manager, we gathered that there are hordes of Indian tourists, who go there exclusively to gamble during weekends.

The next morning, we paid a visit to the Pashupatinath temple. Standing in the snaking queue of devotees for quite some time, we were given company by sadhus in saffron, smeared in chandan from head to toe, some of them with a foot-long beard.

The afternoon was spent with a visit to a well-known mall in Kathmandu, Bhat Bhateini. Though not quite as spacious as the malls here, Bhat Bhateini can be the place to pick chic shoes, coats and a wide range of toiletries and of course, litres of fine wine.

Go Karna golf course

Traditional tastes

Invited by a friend, we ended up that night at The Thamel House for a traditional Newari dinner. The experience was incredible. The Thamel House is built in true Newari style with wooden stairs, low ceilings and muted illumination. The welcoming staff is in their traditional attire complete with the narrow Nepali topi and the waist coat. The sitting is on the floor around a wooden table. Because it is so popular, particularly with European tourists looking for local taste, booking beforehand is mandatory. We had some amazing saag, mutton made in the traditional style and its signature dish made of deep-fried boar meat.

Over this fabulous dinner, we planned our next day. A trip to the Go Karna golf course on the edge of the city, a round of the shops in the Thamel area, and the evening at a popular pub called Rum Doodle.

It took us close to an hour to reach Go Karna. After passing through a number of check posts and winding traffic on the narrow road, the first view of Go Karna is a huge line of trees. Traditionally a hunting ground of the Nepali royal family, it is now a sprawling golf course. After trying our hand hopelessly at putting, thankfully watched only by monkeys, we were ready for a quick lunch there.

And off we went straight to Thamel. Touristy as expected, Thamel gives you the feeling of a typical hill station with meandering lanes, box-type shops, specked with little teahouses here and there. From pirated CDs to T-shirts with Che Guevara's face embroidered on them, from woven jackets to Tibetan topis, from masala chai to foot massage kiosks, it is a pan with a variety. To our surprise, we saw a gathering of cross-dressers too. An interesting sight just a few yards from the Narayanhity Palace.

But the experience at Rum Doodle was something else. A noisy pub, it is infested with European tourists, with some swaying to the music while others sipped from their beer mugs.

Pocketsize paper coasters made in the shape of a Yeti's foot, allow you to scribble something, pen your name and paste it on the walls. A gesture Rum Doodle has been doing for ages. So its walls have everyone from an Everester to an unknown tourist marking their presence. We also did the needful.

And to our amazement, we soon saw an elderly gentleman pointing out his name on a coaster on the wall to his grandson. He had signed it after climbing The Everest in the 1960s.

But this is not an exception at Rum Doodle, the owner, Jyoti, later told us. With a flight to catch the next day, we left Rum Doodle early. But the experience, we knew will live on with us.

SANGEETA BAROOAH PISHAROTY

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