One of the many reason that I went was to check the progress of Nepal as a whole, from the rural to urban places. Nepal is one of those country that is politically and culturally unstable. It is a beautiful country no doubts (first hand asking over 50/60 foreigners) but that is only to foreigners. It pisses me off when there is so much room for improvement and many people don't do shit to fix it. Its like whenever Nepal is getting good (Politically: Birendra's era) something bad happens.
Well I will try to include some pictures and comment on the improvements and enhancements that has happened in the sub regions of Nepal
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| The location of Kathmandu |
Kathmandu:
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| Immediately as I got of the plane there was cluster of unguided work taking places, they did not even look like official workers just random squatters hanging around the terminal. Nepal's runaway handles around 40 flights a days (internationally). In the distant you can see a trolley just being left there. Little things shows the country's misguidance. |
Current development plans: Nepal is apparently planning to improve their aviation experience by increasing more domestic flights, there are no plans to increase the main terminals as there isn't much demand for it anyway. Hopefully this means the airport will be staffed and managed properly.
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| This photo was taken 2 hours after the last one. Location: Kathmandu . This type of photo was most common in the portfolio. It shows 2 things, firstly the mismanagement of the land and the amount of housing erected on the location. This does two things: creates overcrowding and increases both air pollution and human pollution in the area. |
Current development plans: None as it was really hard to talk to anyone about it.
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| This photo is about 1.5hrs from the International Airport in a town called Balaju. Nepal is 70% primary production orientated this means they are still at level one of the development process. The two workers seen here are working on the roadside where people dump their daily waste. One main problem is the people that just dump their items wherever they think is appropriate for their convince. |
Current development plans: Nepal has seen an increase in manufacturing production as well as the tertiary sector. Its still imports a lot of its items from TATA (India) and Suzuki/Honda (China et al) but also exports garments and other raw materials. But what I did see was the increase in specialised services such as: Blind Massages in Kathmandu/ Pokhara.
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| Daily riots took place in Nepal, this was on a increase because there is currently a voting taking place where even the votes aren't supportive of the parties that is going up for elections which has caused little parties to take place in localised places. It is currently a mess. |
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| There was no warning sign or the big pit or the worker working there, this shows the "do whatever to get the job done approach" this needs to be eradicated and there should be a new approach of help me help you. This worker get below minimum wage and has to work in condition that is unbearable. |
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| Don't get mistaken we are still in Kathmandu, this workers work in the Botany centre. The workers carry the load called "dhan" which weighs if dry : 18kg and when wet around 25+kg everyday. The centre is really clean and looked after well. This is one of the place that I was really happy some development too place. It was very remote and apparently there is a festival that happens every 12 years to celebrate the goddess there. I was 1.5 years early. |
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| The rise of telecom is very apparent, comparing from the last time I went the amount of people that has a mobile phone has increase drastically. It costs NCell to NCell around 1Rs per minute, this is very cheap in comparison to the rates in the UK but thinking back the network provider has to cater for everyone from the most poorest to the richest. |
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| Just one mile down the road they are constructing a new road, this took place at 5PM, the road were wet and the truck destroyed one side of the house. 3 people inside the vehicle died and no-one in the house was injured. Imagine that. Nepal really need to get cat eyes or some type of reflective installed on the roads for the future. |
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| These are school kids of Prominent Kids Pre school, the most friendliest, fun and funny kids I have had the pleasure to meet. There has been many private school being established as Nepal's education is regarded very highly by others. |
Sunauli (Indian/Nepal Border) / Lumbini
An extract from my diary:
" Tribeni is hot, I've never never felt this hot in my life. I had to carry a towel around everywhere. To describe it, you wipe you sweat with the towel and by the time you lower the towel you are already sweating, can you believe this.. stupidly hot, but the experience is good"
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| Location of the Indian border and Lumbini |
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| Taking the night bus is a No-No. It is written in all the foreign manual of Nepal. However I'm not a foreigner and it being the monsoon season I was quite scared. But that did not matter. Slept most of the night anyway. One thing that I find has improved is the service station in Nepal, I remember before getting or even stopping at a service station was a pain because many of the facilitates provided was very poor. This photo was taken around 2AM in the morning. The facilites and the food was very good and I'm happy that it has improved. |
Current Development plans: You are only allowed 21 minutes break to eat a full plate of bhat and go to the toilet. Upon asking the driver for future development plans he said that they have planned to erect lights and signs to show them the nearest service stations.
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| The binary opposite of culture was very opposite, from the moment I woke up in the bus it felt like I was in a different place, I had been there when I was around 3 and back then everything looked so fine but its like the shows you see on TV where everything is backwards. |
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| This is the great Narayani river, due to the monsoon season the river had flooded. And that is very visible people have said that they could go 20 meters further along the statue and the water levels would not exceed their waist. On view the camera makes the water look dirty, but its actually clean. |
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| This is called "Towa". Food is collected to feed the animal. The garden space is very spacious and big so the animal can roam within the house without going out (in fears of animal being lost) |
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| This new temple that is going to be constructed is going to cost around £500,000. It has had donation from many foreigners and to my surprise majority from the UK. This houses the "Bhramans" which are the spiritual leaders of the past. But nowadays they are just a little cult. They were really nice, when we went to their playground they were playing a western game of football and drop the parcel. |
Current development plans: The temple should be ready by the next time I go and would love to see it come alive. The main problem there was the hot weather (many of the kids were seen minimal clothing) this causes an increase in Malaria, they said that they are planning to get donation for nets.
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| En route I saw some school kids stealing some oranges form the tree. My granddad shouted at them and you can see the little boys expression. Haha priceless but he was joking. Instead he told them to get 2 more. Due to the hot weather children are sent home early. |
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| This is Sunali, unfortunately we aren't allowed to take the picture of the actual border itself due to security reasons (near the Indian side) but here is a video still. Its the only thing that I've seen that is developed in Terai, the bridge also has a little dam that acts a a hydroelectric conversion that powers the lights. The powers from the water is very strong. Nepal is considered the 2nd best (after Brazil) to produce hydro electric power.. but no new news of that. |
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| This lady approached me asking for money, she was deaf but very friendly. I asked her to show her teeth and she did, she was very shy but in a joking fashion. Then gave her 20 Rs, to which she was very happy. |
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| Lumbini is a world heritage site, the road there was very clean, I went by car (thank god there was an AC there) but the local tourist bus drops you off at the main place. |
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| The actual place inside was very good, to my surprise there was little to no pollution. There was still construction taking place for the Buddha museum. But majority of the funding came from China as expected. |
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| The view was magnificent, this was just 1/12 gates that we went to. |
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| This is the development I am taking about, this was the Thai Temple. People were still developing the place. And I think that is a very good sign of development in the area, I could barely walk there (due to the heat) I am very supportive to the workers and their ability to cope there. I asked them and they earn about 1000RS a day with extra due to it being a heritage site and outsiders offering their wages. |
Pokhara:
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| Pokhara on the Map |
Pokhara is a very surreal place to go to whether you are a tourist or a foreigner. Sometimes its hard to believe you are still in Nepal due to 40% of the population being foreigners especially Chinese.
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| There are still places in Pokhara that is very derelict. But this is on the outskirts of the Fewa Tal. The dog in the picture managed to stay there for 20 minutes. |
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| The lights created by the night life in Pokhara is very vivid. Imagine this, there is a hot wind blowing past you, everyone is friendly and approachable and you are little bit hungry. Maybe the last one didn't appetites you as much. |
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| The best meal I had in Nepal for 200 RS this was definitely worth it. |
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| BIN SERVICE IN POKHARA!!! |
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| Bins provided near Fewa Tal to decrease the pollution. |
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| First hand view of aquaculture in Pokhara, the fisherman only comes out at noon to pick up the fishes he has caught. However this has caused environmental problems such as increase in parasites which also increases the o2 hotspot zones. This has led to the increase in the plant known as : Hyacinth. I cannot explain to you the amount of this plant in Fewa Tal but you can already see some sprouting up on the picture. |
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| This picture was taken near the hotspot where the fishermen were fishing and also living. The thing about Pokhara is; you see the extent of rich vs poor if you actually go and find it. Granted yes, it is a tourist built place but there are still signs to backward development and the same mindset as some people in Kathmandu. |
Rural Village: Salyan
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| Abukhareni, Salyan |
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| It was apparent that housing was still very traditional with little huts with quite a distant between each household, as expected due to the livestock that is used by the land. But you can see the satellite dish which made me laugh because they didn't have a TV. |
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| In Nepal they have enforced the use of stronger bridges. So villages nowadays must have bridge to an standard. There has been way too many deaths being recorded due to unstable bridges before. |
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| This guy is digging up a field to grow maize and wheat. The outside almost container like thing holding the goods is called Ali and this is called Khed ropeko. This particular worker, I actually interviewed and here is an extract from my journal. |
He wakes up at 4-5AM in the morning. Using the water from the flowing river, he cleans the buffalo shit that has been piling up from the previous day. Then he feeds the cow. Tea will be ready from the "sauni" and he drink 2 cups and 2 cigarettes. Then he milks the cow, and delivers the milk to the local shops. On return, breakfast will be ready (x2 chana, x2 rakshi, x2 cigarettes). Then he cuts grass and walks the buffalo. Then its time to go to the Mill to de grain the wheat. Then lunch is served- also known as "Thali". He then ploughs and walks the goat, he will take in time to do both of this and this last usually around 9 hours, on a good day. He then gives diet to the goat and looks after the animal. If its necessary he cuts grass. He then gets a quick snack, depending on what is being cooked, either : Chowmein or Samosa. Then its goat feeding and cleaning time for the animals. Then finally it is dinner time. By this time he is exhausted out of this mind, consider it has been 30+degree outside all day. He gets 2 Rakshi everyday (home made alcohol 80%) and Thali which includes meat. He is induced by the alcohol and falls asleep, he says it also helps him ease the pain of the day. And he repeats this everyday. He gets paid 1500/2000RS per month, this is taking into consideration the food the shelter that is provided in the final payment. What a life.
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| Farmer is plucking the wheat to be planted in a different field. He germinates the seed here as its the most desired path of land for growth. |
The main problems I found upon asking to farmers is:
The price they have to pay to the sellers.
The weather especially in Monsoon season
Water shortages and they have no backup water supply
Traditional equipment are still being used makes work more labour intensive.
There is not enough seeds sometimes and fields are left alone because of this.
Manakamana
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| Manakamana on the map |
Decided to walk this son of a beast, takes around 3hrs but managed to do it in 2:30. The last 10 minute is basically 45 degree uphill. Every step takes like 5-10 sec.. anyway here are some development pictures or some things that caught my eye.
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| This is called "Parti Paula" is where the locals or walkers like me come to rest if needed. There is an alternative to this which is a tree version known as "Chautara" which is where workers rest their heavy load, some weight even go up to 100kg. |
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| Souvenir shops still trying to get at people with their home-made things. |
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| Ncell has taken over Nepal, this photo just proves my point. Before there was nothing there. It still amazes me how they managed to erect a big sign up there. Hopefully next time I go Ncell will be the biggest phone provider. And I don't know about tariffs, you cant get cheaper than 1RS per minute, hah. |
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| Unclear on this picture, but all the houses are sponsored by Ncell and are painted purple (Ncell's colour) |
This is not the ending of my report, the rest is still being either written or kept private to my self, haha.
