Just Your Average Week in Nepal

By Señor © 2003

Once again I dared to enter a forbidden zone and once again I survived, barely! One of these days my luck is gonna run out. Until then I'll continue to push the limits and if nothing else my life will be full of adventure. Everyone warned me not to go to the Philippines back in November, but I went and was happy I did so. When people warned me of the dangerous of the Maoist Rebels in Nepal, I simply dismissed such tales as negative press and gross exaggerations of the truth.

I went to Nepal and my trip started off wonderfully. Entering Nepal was a life long dream come true. Just walking the streets of Thamel, the tourist center of Katmandu, was thrilling. The delightful "namaste" greetings and warm smiles I received from the Nepali people eased all my fears of any trouble that might be lurking. I had expected to find warm, kind, friendly people, and even my lofty expectations were surpassed. Felling especially lucky to be in Katmandu, I decided to head over to the "Nepal Casino."

It was a little intimidating at first seeing the crowded tables and trying to convert the foreign currency into dollars to figure out just how much people were betting. To make things a bit more complicated although we were in Nepal bets were only accepted in Indian rupees. Anyway, all the intimidation quickly faded as I realized most of the people were betting 20 rupees a pop or the equivalent of 50 cents! I started my betting at $5 and people thought I was nuts. Within 5 minutes the casino manger came over to offer me a complementary meal and room. A few seconds later my first scotch and soda arrived. Apparently I was the only one in the casino who tipped. Even a 50-cent tip drew the attention of all the waiters. For the remainder of the night they were literally pushing and shoving each other to get close to me just to have the chance to serve me a drink! By the time I made a $10 bet a crowd of over 100 people had surrounded my table. When I hit blackjack the crowd exploded in applause. I now knew what it felt like to be a high roller. I walked away with $40 in my pocket and I believe I was the biggest winner that place had ever seen.

The next day I was of to Pokhara. Pokhara is a quaint town located in the heart of the Pokhara valley. It is famous for its beautiful lakes and is surrounded by the majestic Himalayan mountain range. It is the perfect spot to relax or to set out on one of many world renown treks. I had been warned that these treks were often infested with Maoist rebels, but the trekking guide that I hired told me that all such stories were bullshit, so we were on our way. The trek to Dhampus was challenging, but the exhilarating views made every step worthwhile. As I looked down upon the clouds below me I was literally standing on cloud 9. That night we camped in a rustic but lovely guest house, had a delicious meal of authentic Nepali curry and Tibetan bread and headed off to bed early to prepare for an early morning sunrise trek. I felt so fortunate to be alive, camping in the Himalayas and listening to my newly bought chanting monks CD followed of course by the Dead. Little did I know that "every silver lining has a touch of gray" would be so foreshadowing.

About 4 hours into out trek we were suddenly surrounded by 12 men wearing camouflage and carrying semi-automatic machine guns. Yes, I had come face to face with the Maoist rebels. My guide did not handle the situation too well. His short quickly became wet with urine and he fell to his knees crying hysterically. I, on the other hand was cool as ice. From the waist up that is. My legs were a different story, they were quivering like Jell-O uncontrollably I must have looked like I was having a seizure. I angrily noted the smiles on the rebel’s faces as they stared at my guide and my legs, but I wasn't about to do anything about it. The leader approached me and told me not to worry. The rebels only wanted a small donation to their cause. If I were willing to pay no harm would come to me. To my shock he only asked for 500 Nepali rupees or $6.50. I gladly handed over the money and in return he actually gave me a receipt! He told me if I was approached by any other Maoists I should just show them this receipt and they will allow me to pass with no problems. As suddenly as they had appeared they were gone. Come to think of it they were pretty nice guys!

Within a few hours my legs stopped shaking and everything was back to normal. Now as I sit in a cafe in Hue' Vietnam, reflecting upon my Nepal experience I realize that in a country filled with such gentle loving people even the rebels are nice! Once again I had gone to a country that I "shouldn't" have gone to and once again I was happy that I did so. Granted I had never been so terrified in all my life but when it was all said and done it was all just your average week in Nepal.

Señor is a pants dropper from Samui, Thailand.