Replies: 1,196 - Last Post: 16-Apr-2006 04:34 Last Post By: Linda
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Hi Balthasar.2
There is no SAFE or UNSAFE !Everyone is a stranger somewhere - so don't give narrowmindedness or intolerance no chance nowhere.
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Hi Balthasar,Everyone is a stranger somewhere - so don't give narrowmindedness or intolerance no chance nowhere.
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Hiya......6
You should be fine, I would advise you keep your main money stash well hidden with about $20 cash in your pocket, just incase you run into any maoists. As long as you give them a donation, they are fine with you.
There's a voice that keeps on calling me,
Down the road is where I'll always be,
Every stop I make, I'll make a new friend.
Can't stay for long, just turn around and I'm gone again.
Maybe tomorrow, I'll wana settle down,
Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.
The Littlest Hobo.MY TRAVEL PICTURES (Includes some useful politcal/maoist photos, for those interested.)
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I agree that no on can tell you if if is safe, and I can understand your concern. I myself am flying into Kathmandu on the 10th and am concerned, but I have traveled in countries that are in the midst of civil war before and I think the best advice I can offer is to listen to the locals. This is their life day to day and they are the best informed, if a local tells you not to go somewhere listen to them. If they feel an area is safe than more than likely it is. Life anywhere is never a sure thing, use your common sense, and listyen.8
The best advice is to watch the news and get more details from the region. First hand reports are good from the outlying areas. It seems evident that the situation is detiorating to a degree. Risk seems to be increasing, if not to life in a major way, at least to trip disruption or tranquility. "Spring is the time when wars begin" is an old proverb which does apply. Civil disturbances always heat up at this time of year all over the globe.
"He who walks travels fastest" -- Thoreau
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Balthasar,youth is not a period in life, it's a state of mind - anon........ting-aling-aling!
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and finally, a few more warnings from www.fco.gov.uk (the UK foreign travel office). Take note of curfews, especially, where in the past (when I was living there fulltime in 1990, for example) foreign tourists were shot and killed while breaking a curfew (this after the prodemocracy rioting then-the tension now in nepal eerily reminds me of that dangerous time in the early '90's in nepal).11
Shadow,youth is not a period in life, it's a state of mind - anon........ting-aling-aling!
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I have been closely following the news out of Nepal for weeks now and I think I am going to have to put off our time there. I am travelling with my 2 children (age 9 &12) and my husband and think that it would not be very responsible to take them into a situation that may be dangerous. With the US being it's usual helpfull self and recently offering the Govt. 70 million in military aid to fight the Maoists, we feel the anti American sentiment may be higher than before. As we are Canadians and are almost always mistaken for Americans we are afraid that our reception could be not so good. Just don't feel it is fair to take the kids into a situation they cannot possibly understand the potential seriousness of. It is hard to let go of though as we were really looking forward to going there. We are travelling ATW for 10 months and it fit so nicely into our itinerary. It is hard to admit we are cowed by it all but I think it is wiser to admit so. Just wanted to say thanks to all contributers to this thread as all info has been food for thought and helpful in one way or another. Hopefully we can get to Nepal another time, and that it will remain with it's spirit intact as it's people make their way through what must be a terribly difficult time. Namaste, Canaduck
"Reminds me of the time I went to Africa, someone forgot the corkscrew and we had to live on food and water for days."
W.C. Fields
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I have one more comment re bandhs. Usemoi (see post above) suggests that you just have to keep an eye on the news to know when bandhs occur. The fact is, if you are traveling in certain areas, often bands are called quickly without much announcement, and if you are traveling, say, in Chitwan, access to news is scarce in the english language. There aren't a heck of a lot of cybercafes or english language newspapers floating around!14
My husband leads treks in Nepal. He returned to KTM on Saturday (3rd April) having taken 12 westerners up to EBC. Everything was fine, no maoists no hassle (only delay was flight back from Lukla due to weather). He's taking another 14 up there starting next Saturday, again, situation looks fine, but who knows. Annapurna however is much more shaky at the moment in terms of unrest. Pokhara is relatively deserted re: tourists, and nationally the roads are pretty poor. However the weather is warm (although it's raining in KTM today) and the mossies are about - pack your repellent.Posted By: VenessaP -- 28-Jan-2010 15:01
Posted By: VenessaP -- 09-Dec-2009 17:01
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