Hello

This is the sort of question that gets people shouted at on many branches of the TT, but I'm going to ask it anyway.

I like to smoke a spliff every now and then and it's been a few months since I last had one. Lot of nice people in Thamel keep coming up to me and offering me weed and hash. Exactly how dangerous is it to buy off them? How likely am I to immediately get shopped to the police, or stabbed, or whatever?

To all those who offer sensible answers, thanks. To all those who shout at me - arse.

It should be OK Jim, just suss the guy out, if he looks like a junkie don't do it. Even better if you can find a fellow traveller with some to sell. Smoke in your room.

Bit harsh on the other guy in the room. I mainly want it to take trekking with me (not for the high-altitude bits y'understand, but a spliff after a hard day's walk sounds about right)

While trekking is no problem. I liked one first thing in the morning which seemed to help my rhythm in walking. Kids used to offer charis for sale on the trek. Don't bother with the weed, it's low quality, which is why they make hash out of it.

Nonsense there is some excellent weed in Nepal.

Your right those touts in thamel are dangerous. They might sell you some rat poison. ask someone in the restaurant or guesthouse or out in the countryside will be far better and cheaper.

Basically it's legal in nepal.

what's a chari?

i've never really smoked good quality hash in my life so i might buy that for the novelty. i suppose if I buy weed in Thamel they can't give me rat poison, though they can fob me off with oregano or summat. and wait until I get to the country to buy something nicer.

I spelled it wrong Jim, it's charras, the tar that is hand rolled from the ripe female flower, best quality. If you can wait until you're trekking, then do so as it's cheaper with less middlemen, but also you will receive less offers. I'd buy a tola (11 grams) in Thamel, then more on the trek. It's been a couple of years so maybe someone else can give you more updated info, but 300 rupees should be a reasonable price, 500 tops.

the one weed seller who approached me during my one walk through Thamel asked exactly this: "Excuse me miss - drugs, sex, rickshaw?"

Still makes me laugh.

Anyway I didn't buy the drugs or the sex and the rickshaw part kinda freaked me out so I can't help you with your question. Sorry.

Have you not heard of "special tea"? I recommend trying it.

Chances are that the touts in Thamel will be working for the cops or, will take your money, then walk around the corner & point you out to the police who will arrest you.

The tout gets his money; the police get another arrest and everyone (except you) is happy.

Take due precautions.

Cheers
Zoltan

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<hr>I've never really smoked good quality hash in my life...<hr></blockquote>

Move to Holland.....

see, Zoltan, that's what I was worried about.

a guy yesterday wanted a thousand rupees for a three-gramme lump of hash. It's a pity it took me a moment to convert to pounds and pence and ounces cos I should have laughed in his face

vdvoort - I'd love to

jim, i'm a smoker, trekker, AND live in Amsterdam which qualifies me for absolutely nothing. I'm just thinking, from experience i felt that buying in KTM really risks directly supporting some of seamiest elements of the tourist-induced underworld. I'm not judging - I buy and use on the trail which I am not sure is that much better, but it seems less underworldly.. good luck.

I'm thinking I might wait until I'm out of KTM. A guy today wanted me to go back to his tea-house to try before I buy... yeah, right.

any up-to-date prices, lhotse? the fact that I'm supporting nasty folks by buying it is my least favourite aspect of bering a smoker, but as long as it's kept illegal by short-sighted dickheads the world over that's just the way it is.

I'd wait till I knew a situation or knew fellow travellers before broaching the subject. In the past have been in towns when police do specific clamp downs and have been warned to be on my gaurd. one time I was heading north from delhi when a western woman walked through the train warning westerners that the police are searching. met her and her boyfriend at the next station, the police searched his backpack, found some illegal substances and relieved him of a fair few rupees. he was happy enough with his freedom but a little bit annoyed with the thought of having to cut his trip short by a month or so.

On the trail would seem so much more logical and safer but has anyone got any idea how one might come across it? I walked the Annapurna in '91 but didn't see any telltale signs during the walk, maybe the guesthouses?

When I walked the Annapurna last year, it was growing wild.
We ended up getting some in Lower Pisang, when you cross the river on the way to Upper Pisang there is a pool hall and there was no shortage of charras in there.
The pool hall wasn't finished and there was wood shavings all around us, so wouldn't be suprised if the place was burned to the ground by now...