Reality Check

Reality check-

Nepal is the 3rd poorest country in Asia (Afghanistan-1, Burma-2) and the poorest country I’ve ever been to. Coming from the strong economies of Australia and New Zealand it was a bit of reality kick in the nuts. It took a few deep breaths and quick adjusting to get moving again. I’ve been through some very poor areas and Jamaica and Peru, but this is on another level. It’s an ocean of poverty. There is uncontrollable levels of garbage in the streets. The cows and chickens everywhere just rummaging through trash have christened me a temporary vegetarian. There are only vague traffic rules that are more like suggestions. Dropping your guard while walking around is out of the question. The Matrix like skills of dodging vehicles is not unlike walking through a nightclub crowd trying not to spill a drink. Cars, motorcycles, bikes, people and dogs are constantly weaving themselves in, out and all around, so you better bring your A game. Its sensory overload. Intense. The rough and chaotic exterior though is just a veil masking the true inner beauty and soul of the country. Nepalese are faithful and passionate about their Hindu beliefs with special emphasis on peace karma. Ancient shrines or temples where people are burning incense, chanting and spinning prayer wheels are hidden throughout Kathmandu. People are generally nice because, most understand, tourism is the only thing holding their fragile economy from completely collapsing into oblivion. Most of the time, however, it is transparent that they see you as walking dollar signs with arms and legs… At least in the tourist part of Kathmandu.

While cruising around I feel a young guy sizing me up like a lion stalking a heard of gazelle. He (unnaturally) walked up beside me and starts in with small talk, giving it his most charming effort. He said he is an art student and just wanted to work on his English with me on his day off school. I know he’s working an angle, but I have really nothing better to do than to entertain it. I figure there is no harm giving him a few bucks at the end if he shows me some cool local sights in town (though he insists he doesn’t want any money from me). He’s eager to show off his knowledge of the U.S. so just spits out names, places and historical facts with absolutely no context… “George Washington! New York Yankees! Kobe Bryant! 50 stars on flag! Benjamin Franklin!” His name was Vicky… I thought I heard him wrong- Nicky?… No, He corrects me. “Vicky”… Cool brother good to meet you, let’s kick it. He took me to a few temples and historic sights that I would have normally overlooked completely. We went to a good local cafe for some curry and tea and he helped me haggle some prices on trekking gear. When we are about to go out separate ways after about 2 hours he says “I want no money from you, but can you buy some rice and cooking flower for my family?” it took me a second to register it, but like a lightbulb flaring I remember reading somewhere that this exact scenario is something to watch out for as a common scam. (People will ask you for food instead of money, take you to their friends overpriced shop, then sell it back to them when you leave). Because of this “trick” I gave him slightly less that he would have gotten otherwise, but still more than enough to buy enough rice and flower to feed a family of four for a week… An hour later a guy of about the same age starts walking beside me. “Hey nice to meet you, it’s my day off, do you mind if I work on my English with you?” Haha no man, I don’t mind, but my hotel is right here. Next time maybe.

At a temple I went to go see there was another makeshift, ad hoc, tour guide who walked me around the grounds. This time I tell him straight up what I’ll give him in exchange for explaining a few things along the way and he agreed. Half way around the temple grounds he walks me over to a balcony overlooking a row of what appear to be smoke signal stacks. Pointing to some exposed human legs sticking out of the burning wood pile he explains that this is where they cremate people. It was like a jolt of sobriety and shock to the system. 80-90 people a day get cremated right out in the open covered by some crude straw blankets. As we were standing there a hearse of sorts backs in and unloads two bodies. They were on plywood planks and cloaked with flowers. Four men on each side support the planks on their shoulders and take it to the next available smoke stack. The whole time kids are running around and playing almost on top of the bodies. Not oblivious of the tragedy, but immune to it.

A river sits underneath the wood stacks and the piles of ashes are discarded directly into it. (This river flows into the Ganges where millions of people bathe and DRINK from daily) My guide points to a few people down the river a bit looking for gold. They are not panning with a tins for loose flakes washed out of a mountainside, they are sifting the water with their hands to try and find gold caps and tooth fillings.

Further along in the temple I come to a small hut. An old lady was inside doing a prayer offering. As I lean down to look inside she stands up, scoops her thumb into a pile of red paint, walks straight over to me and, without saying anything, smears it on my forehead between the eyes. My guide tells me this is an offering of good karma from her. Kind of standing there stuck and dumbfounded I ask him out of the corner of my mouth if I’m supposed to give a few rupees or anything. He tells me it’s appreciated, but not required. When I do the old lady gives a big smile turns around to pick up a flower lei and places it over my neck then blesses me by dipping her finger into a red die and marks me on the forehead with it. After the tour and I’m giving my guide his agreed upon fee his two friends come over. He introduces me as his buddy from the US. One of the guys eyes light up, he says with excitement and a thick Nepalese accent “oh oh Christopher Columbus!!”… The other guy steps in with just as much enthusiasm, points to by beard and says “no no, no Christopher Columbus… Abraham Lincoln!!”

Bob