Don't tell the missus! Kathmandu.

[Bettyboo]

So my visa ends on the 13th August, but I don't need to be back in Oman until the 19th August, what to do...

I used to travel loads and loved visiting new places, but since I've lived in Thailand I've been nowhere and done nothing (other than the usual bordering countries...). I very much enjoyed my 2 nights/3 days in Sri Lanka; seeing a new destination was fun all over again. Thus, I've decided to have another go, and I thought about it this way:

Flight from Bangkok to Muscat = 20,000 baht (nearly).

Flight to Kathmand (12,500 baht direct with Thaiair, could get cheaper but the plane, 777, and time, leaving here at 10am/getting there at midday, were good) + Flight from K to Muscat (8,000 baht with Oman Air) = 20,000 bahtish. I've seen guesthouses and ok hotels for $15 to $35 that looked just fine; say I spend $50 per day for 6 days, that's only $300 - I'd spend that in Bkk on a heavy night out...

So, my fellows, where to go, what to do and what to see? I'm sure that many of you have visited K, so whatcha think? I don't mind just hanging around reading my book and seeing the main sites and the general valley. Please advise.

[kingwilly]

The only reason to go to Kathmandu is to get to the rest of Nepal, you need at least a week or more.

[Rural Surin]

Nepalese girls are nice...
And very hospitable.

[English Noodles]

^^I have heard plenty of cretins say the only reason to go to Bangkok is to get to Pattaya.

[misskit]

Plenty to do in Kathmandu for a few days. See Boudha Stupa, Pashupathi Temple, and Durbar Square. Go to Bhaktapur for the day. Kathmandu is such an amazing place.

If you just want to hang out and read, catch a bus to Pokhara and stay out by the lake.

[kingwilly]

Plenty to do in Kathmandu for a few days. See Boudha Stupa, Pashupathi Temple, and Durbar Square. Go to Bhaktapur for the day. Kathmandu is such an amazing place.

If you just want to hang out and read, catch a bus to Pokhara and stay out by the lake.

I'm pleased to be corrected then.

How far is Pokhara by bus? I flew there ($60 and about 40 mins, I think).

Lovely lake, great views of mountains.

[ltnt]

Suggest you go to Bali instead.

[The Ghost Of The Moog]

Tell your wife you're going to Nepal, then go and spend the week in Pattaya.

[misskit]

How far is Pokhara by bus? I flew there ($60 and about 40 mins, I think).

Lovely lake, great views of mountains.

Mini bus takes 4 or 5 hours. Tourist bus is 7 or 8 hours.

Great scenery. Don't sit in front, it's scary.

[taxexile]

Kathmandu is a fascinating city, I was there in the eighties and so I suppose much has changed, it is probably traffic choked and much more crowded, but the nepalese were friendly and much easier to be around than their indian neighbours to the south.

The city was filled with backpacking hippy wasters and earnest serious bearded mountain climbing types, although I suspect many of them were just regular trekkers with big boots and things hanging off their belts for show.

The city was medievally filthy, with people emptying bed pans out of first floor windows, the streets covered in animal waste and lots of coughing and spitting, but at the time that all added to the charm of the place.

The temples, shrines and riverside activity should not be missed, and there was a hill, a short bus ride from town, where on a clear morning mount everest could be seen in the distance.

Landing at the airport was rather scary I remember.

Its worth getting out of kathmandu to do some hill walking or trekking, beautiful scenery, especially in the mountains.

[Dillinger]

Flight from Bangkok to Muscat = 20,000 baht (nearly).

Flight to Kathmand (12,500 baht direct with Thaiair, could get cheaper but the plane, 777, and time, leaving here at 10am/getting there at midday, were good) + Flight from K to Muscat (8,000 baht with Oman Air) = 20,000 bahtish. I've seen guesthouses and ok hotels for $15 to $35 that looked just fine; say I spend $50 per day for 6 days, that's only $300 - I'd spend that in Bkk on a heavy night out

If there was a job for Mathematics Teflers, you'd never be out of work Betty.


Why didn't you just get a visa extension ?

your one of those stinkin backpackers, aint ya ?

[Mid]

Plenty to do in Kathmandu for a few days. See Boudha Stupa, Pashupathi Temple, and Durbar Square. Go to Bhaktapur for the day. Kathmandu is such an amazing place.

If you just want to hang out and read, catch a bus to Pokhara and stay out by the lake.

second .

And the lake at Pokhara is special , lie back next to banana trees and look up at snow capped peaks

and UP is the definitive word here .......................

[VocalNeal]

Nepalese girls are nice...
And very hospitable.

[hazz]

Tell your wife you're going to Nepal, then go and spend the week in Pattaya.

From what I understand apart from the beach everything you can, and could in the past do, in pattya you can do even more easily in Kathmandu.

betty, a visa run for a week is stupid, going on holls some where interesting is very sensible. The only issue is do you tell the better half? tell her and she might want to come, don't tell her and she is going to be might suspicious about what you got up to and she will never let you forget?

Personally I recon if you do the latter you really really need to make sure that she never finds out about the trip.... does she ever get to see your passport

[The Ghost Of The Moog]

From what I understand apart from the beach everything you can, and could in the past do, in pattaya you can do even more easily in Kathmandu.

In Nepalese brothels, (and in north Indian roadside brothels featuring trafficked Nepalese girls for the edification of Indian lorry drivers), there is often an element of coercion and indenture.

In Pattaya the girls are more or less there of their own free will.

[Bettyboo]

Thank you for the suggestions.

I seem to have a plan of sorts; maybe book a hotel online for 2 nights so that I can see the temples, culture and ambience of K, then either get a flight or a minivan to Pokhara and relax for about 3 days, read and get ready for the next bout of boring Middle East work - although I hope the upcoming job is more interesting than the last.

I don't like heights and flying and dodgy minivan rides, but have just picket up 60mg of zanax (and some 'jellies' from Sri Lanka, but don't tell anyone about those)...

[Bettyboo]

Nepalese girls are nice...

I taught a few on MA courses. They were very nice, one in particular kept inviting me to Nepal, I wonder if I still have her email address somewhere. They did some presentations on K which were fascinating; mask festivals, birthplace of Buddha, etc.

Suggest you go to Bali instead.

A nice suggestion for another time because ultimately I'm going to Muscat and K has a very nice and cheap connection. Also, I don't like flying or multiple stops, and Bali is in the wrong direction with crap connections. I will get to Bali one day, I miss Australia...

spend the week in Pattaya

Not my favourite place, although folks say if you know the area well you can live their well. Also, wanna get out of Thailand and see somewhere new.

Its worth getting out of kathmandu to do some hill walking or trekking, beautiful scenery, especially in the mountains.

It'll be raining season with some good days and some bad (probably meaning I'll need to fly to Pokhara rather than minivan), so probably no trekking. If the weather is nice one day than perhaps a half day trek into the local hills.

Mathematics Teflers

stinkin backpackers

Sometimes, I feel that you don't hold me in the highest regard... It hurts...

does she ever get to see your passport

Nope, and I've only a few pages left. I'll probably have to get a new one this year in Oman. She doesn't mind me going places, it's just that she prefers me here to being alone and the 8 week break became 6 weeks and has ended up being around 3 weeks... She gets lonely, but I get bored. Even once the house is built, I'm not sure I want to be back in Thailand fulltime. We'll see...

Ironically, there are still many places around here that I want to see: I've never been to Ankor, Vietnam or Burma (other than visa runs)... Once I stop working in the Middle East and start living here again, I'll make sure I get around more locally. Over the last 10+ years, I've really not been best managing my live/travel mix; we live and learn...

[kingwilly]

If the weather is nice one day than perhaps a half day trek into the local hills.

I'll probably be shown to be wrong again, but as far as I know, they dont really do half day treks, ya need minimum one week or so to walk around Annapurna Mountain. (well worth it)

[Bettyboo]

Not this time then KW, maybe next; this is just a short relaxing trip on the way to somewhere else...

I'll do a pic thread. I hope the wifi connection is good, so I can watch the cricket.

[slackula]

So, my fellows, where to go, what to do and what to see?

Why not take your better half with you and enjoy Kathmandu together?

Your threads are a bit weird, you talk about missing your better half and then post about your deceptions to arrive back later than scheduled and leave earlier, hiding your passport in case she sees the visa stamps etc.

Why not just say, "I want to see Kathmandu, wanna come with me?" If your goal is to see temples and shit then cool, if you just want to play around with Nepali chicks or something you can save the airfare and do it here.

[stickmansucks]

A good reason to go to Kat it to get high ? Nowadays is the grass still green and cops still quiet ?

[Bettyboo]

Your threads are a bit weird

I'm hurt!

[Dillinger]

Why not take your better half with you and enjoy Kathmandu together?

Your threads are a bit weird, you talk about missing your better half and then post about your deceptions to arrive back later than scheduled and leave earlier, hiding your passport in case she sees the visa stamps etc

I'm glad you'v seen that too. Something is very wrong here I feel. Maybe I'm too sceptical but if I was workin for that long away from the love of mylife I wouldnt be takin 2 book readin hols either side of the long lonely trek back.

Maybe I shouldnt over-analyse or talk aloud and just enjoy the forthcoming piccy thread

[kingwilly]

I'm glad you'v seen that too. Something is very wrong here I feel. Maybe I'm too sceptical but if I was workin for that long away from the love of mylife I wouldnt be takin 2 book readin hols either side of the long lonely trek back.

Thought same, but it's up to him.

[English Noodles]

Betty, I hope you get busted by your Mrs, simply because of your very irritating insistence of referring to Kathmandu as K.