Coming to Nepal? The Most Complete, Practical Guide to “What to Pack and What to Leave at Home?” Written by: Amanda Summers Introduction The items here were taken from Nepal: A Tourist's Manual, eBook, written by Amanda Summers. This 300 page guide to Nepal is unlike any other guidebook. Ms. Summers writes in first person, from the prospective of a traveler who’s run out of savings and lives on only a small American pension in Nepal. When Ms. Summers got to Nepal and saw the Himalayas she knew she was home. That was over 5 years ago. Since then she has written an eBook, Nepal: A Tourist’s Manual, and started an NGO, Kay Garnay for Nepal, to help rebuild her village after the earthquakes of 2015. She now runs a guest house in the ancient village of Changunarayan, Bhaktapur, Nepal. Contact Amanda Summers at the following: +977 015141181 or 9849930812 http://FrugalTravelsNepal.blogspot.com http://StarViewNepal.com http://NepalWebMall.com FrugalTravelsNepal@gmail.com http://KayGarnay.org Chapter 1 What to Bring to Nepal What to Bring to Nepal Please don’t think I expect you to bring everything from this list. I hope you will give these things some consideration, depending on the length of time you’ll be in Nepal and the activities you will want to explore. Here’s the list, in no particular order: Dealing with Mosquitoes Electronic Mosquito repellant Electronic mosquito devices can come as a necklace, bracelet or even room size electric repellant units. Just make sure it doesn’t need electricity in order to work. I would not suggest bringing anything that indiscriminately kills any and all bugs like a bug zapper. It’s a ‘live and let live’ society. The issue of whether or not to get vaccinations is discussed at length in my book. You can find products like the following chemical, mosquito repeller in most mini-marts. However, you will find yourself without electricity many times. You will also want to consider that you’ll want your window open on most nights. Electronic Mosquito repellant: Avon 'Skin So Soft' This product works great to deter the bugs. Because insects breathe through their skin the oil in Avon’s Skin so Soft literally drowns the bugs. Bedbugs and fleas are a problem in many lower end guest houses, not just in Nepal, either. Additional tips on this subject, such as how to inspect the room for bedbugs, are covered in the guest house section of Nepal: A Tourist’s Manual. Hand Sanitizer Get a little bottle of alcohol based hand sanitizer. You will need it. There is seldom a sink with soap in public bathrooms. It is available, but you probably won’t want to shop for it on your first day. Body wash that you do not need to rinse off You can find these in pump bottles from the pharmacy or at medical supply stores. You will find at times the water issue is so bad you will feel like you have to wash, rinse and then wash the dirty water off again. So, these body washes are gentle on the skin and will get you clean in times of crisis. There can be problems with hot water out on the trekking trail, not to mention windows seldom close tightly in Nepal, so this will keep you much more comfortable. Dr. Bonner’s organic body wash Biodegradable Shampoo, Body Wash (and Laundry Detergent if you plan to stay a while): It is important to be as eco-friendly as possible in such a pristine place as the high country of Nepal. Use biodegradable products like these during your trek and during any home stays. If you could find them here they would be much more expensive. They are available in health food stores in America/Europe and you may even find one product that will work for all three needs. Make a big donation for a very small price: Bring a few books with you to donate. Nepal is book poor so whatever you bring will be appreciated. Use the free space on your return trip for souvenirs. The best books, in my opinion, are Dr. Suess books, preferably small paperbacks so many children can have a book. Additionally, warm clothing can literally save someone's life. It's easy to find someone on the trekking trail that will be able to use whatever you bring. If you bring the maximum weight limits you can fill the bag with souvenirs for your return trip. There is a section in the eBook, Nepal: A Tourist’s Manual on shopping values. Wrinkle Release spray Nepal is a country where you can dress as casually as you’d like. But if you expect to go to a dress up affair you’ll find this useful. This will prevent the need for ironing clothes. I have not seen it anywhere here in Nepal. Downy brand has it in a travel size. Memory Stick/USB memory card Bring a good memory stick and memory card and bring an extra one. Do not plan to buy such items in Nepal. First, they are not at a bargain price, and second, there are many quality control issues with them, such as counterfeits. There is more about this in my book. Ear Plugs If you forget to bring earplugs you can ask the flight attendant for a pair. You will probably only need them for the few days of hypersensitivity as part of the jet lag effect. People in Asia tend to be quite a bit noisier in the mornings, from 5:30 onward, and the dogs can annoy you all night on occasion. Zip-lock bags of varying sizes (taken out of the box): You will use them for many things, tooth brush storage, snacks for temple kids, etc. I get raisins, cashew and almonds and put them in the bags. This is one way to feed the poor without supporting the begging industry. Please do not give money to beggars. My personal exceptions are the frostbite victims and lepers that have lost fingers and toes and a blind man that plays drums in Thamel. My ego wants to feel special sometimes, so I make these exceptions. Charcoal tablets and Apple Cider Vinegar Charcoal and apple cider vinegar are excellent for digestive bacteria problems, but they can be difficult to find here. Pick up a good brand of apple cider vinegar at the health food store like Braggs along with charcoal pills. Take a dose as soon as you feel rumblings as if problems are on their way and periodically as needed. Dental Floss By the time you find it here it will be time to go back home. Yes, it is available in the western supermarkets in Lazimpat, Patan, Darbar Marg (where you can find a Western Style KFC) and Thamel, among other places, but you will not want to pay that much for it and it’s usually not the best quality and breaks while you are using it. Many of the imported items are very pricey and poorly made, imported from China. Please do not bring the single use, individual sticks with the floss already on it. They end up on the street. Special Shampoo for Blonde Hair It is difficult to find a beautician who can color blonde hair, so if you are blonde I suggest getting it done at home before leaving. Surprisingly, no one seems to understand '40% volume peroxide.’ However, if you can bring a shampoo that will keep the color from turning red from the high iron/crap content it will help. Bring no more money than you need for your visa in cash and a bit for a few days of getting settled-Lots of small bills There are ATM machines throughout Kathmandu, so only bring enough for the tourist visa and a little emergency money that you should be able to take back home with you. If you want to convert it after you arrive you will have to pay a commission. Weigh your sense of security if you need to, but too much will just be something else to worry about. Keep in mind that a tourist visa costs $2 per day. Any time you use any kind of currency that isn’t Nepali you will pay more, so try not to spend them, but be sure you bring lots of small money, like 20 $1’s and $5 bills to bring it up to $50. Extra Credit Cards Rupees come out of the ATM machines without any extra conversion charges. Just bring an extra credit/debit card, preferably 3-4 that have lots of different icons on the back (More credit card safety and savings tips in my eBook). You will be able to find these lovely ATM lounges in Kathmandu where you are likely to find an ATM machine that takes whatever card you are carrying, but do not expect to be able to get your money out once you get outside the Valley if you notice an issue in Kathmandu. Even in 2016, I’ve had guests who had issues in Pokhara with credit cards that worked fine in Kathmandu. Check to make sure the cards you bring have these icons as pictured here and hopefully a few more. Better yet, bring one Visa Card and one MasterCard so you have the most icons. A recent, color photo of your child If you are traveling with a child you should have a picture of him/her no matter where you are going just in case they get lost. You might think that in Nepal you really don’t need this sin e your hild pro a ly doesn’t look a lot like the Nepali children. I suggest giving it some thought and bringing one anyway. You are most likely not to need it since it is actually a safe place to bring children. Any high tech items Bring any personal item that will make your stay comfortable. For example, I wish I’d have brought my electric toothbrush. I still miss it. I’d been looking for a window/razor blade scraper for months when two people were kind enough to bring me a toothbrush and window scraper. You just never know what won’t be here. If in doubt about bringing something you can email the Google KTMKTM newsgroup or some of the others listed elsewhere. Many of the postings go like this, “Does anyone know where I can find a single edge razor blade window scraper in Kathmandu?” So, you could easily ask any question you are in doubt about. Note: Just about any electric product will work here with only a 300 rupee adapter. However, I blew up my Cuisinart food processor by plugging it directly into the outlet. Cell phones and computers are usually fine. Broken Equipment If you have a fairly new digital camera or other electronic in need of repair, but it is too expensive to repair in the West see if they have a corporate presence here and bring it. One of my former assistants turned out to be a ‘thrower’ and destroyed my Canon camcorder/digital camera. About four parts were bad and the total was only $50, a small price to pay for it. Damage elsewhere was a bit more costly. Even if there is no corporate presence here you can still bring such things and have them fixed. Just look around in the ‘New Road’ area. Feminine Urinal Straw For women: If you plan to budget travel and take a local bus out to Pokhara or Chitwan, especially if you take a night bus, you’ll enjoy being able to urinate without pulling everything down and squatting. I haven’t seen these here in Nepal, but I’ve had guests who brought them and were quite pleased. Clothing Styles Please dress modestly, which if you think ‘loose’ you will fit right in. Mini skirts are inappropriate. Nothing fancy. I wouldn’t even suggest bringing many things, just be able to layer well. Sometimes while taking the motorcycle to Kathmandu, when we’d leave it would start raining. We’d buy a couple of raincoats and start again, but within 5 minutes we would be hot and need to take the raincoats off. Then by the time we would get to our village we would be caught in the rain again; T-shirt, sweater, jacket. My favorite and final tip Empty BIC Cigarette Lighters Throw this type of lighter, good quality but unable to refill, into your suitcase (not carry-on). You will see people on the street fixing shoes, selling loose cigarettes and such. Many of these young men can refill such cigarette lighters for a small charge, 20-30 NRs. Watch how the man does it and learn to refill your lighters yourself for when you get home. Chapter II Misc. Items to Either Bring from Home or Pick up in Kathmandu Misc. Items to Either Bring from Home or Pick up in Kathmandu Particularly if you plan to do a hike or trek, consider the following: Multi-tool or pocket knife, a small bit of rope, bungee cord or string, duct tape (you can carry just a small bit at a time by wrapping it around your water bottle), a head lamp or flashlight and a universal sink plug for doing laundry anywhere. Scarf Bring a scarf from home or buy one in Kathmandu. They are great for using as a blanket on the plane, a bag to carry things, towel, and so many more things. Medicine If you take any kind of medicine be sure to find out if it’s available here. If it is available here you can save a great deal. If you have to pay for your own medicines, or have an elderly parent struggling to pay for their meds you may be able to buy some to bring back. Prescriptions from a doctor are seldom needed, however, it would be good to bring. Regardless of the cheap price, I would suggest bringing all the meds you will need while you are here, but be sure to stock up on what you need to take back home. Counterfeit medication issues are discussed in my eBook. If you are on daily prescriptions of course you should bring them, but do not bring any of the ‘just in case’ meds. Not only are just about any medications cheaper, but you will find that you can just walk up to the pharmacy, tell them you have a sinus headache for example, and purchase the number of pills you want and even buy antibiotics for around 10-15 NRs. each. Serious savings can be had on pharmaceuticals in Nepal. I have to say that most of the hype about foreign medication is propaganda. Do avoid buying drugs from China while you are in Nepal. There are many excellent pharmaceuticals from India available for pennies on the dollar over US prices. See the Health Chapter for information on how to buy good quality medications in Nepal and how to avoid getting counterfeit drugs. Water bottle The little six ounce water bottle they serve on the airplanes is perfect for your trip to Nepal. Keep it filled with bottled water in your purse or backpack. They do sell the new plastic water bottles that do not release toxins in Kathmandu at the trekking stores. Chapter III What to leave at home? What to leave at home You can get just about anything you need for trekking here in Nepal, so unless you already have a great -20 degree or better sleeping bag and your own supplies, plan to buy or rent them here. There are great knock-offs of North Face or Mammut products to be had here for a fraction of the price, as well as Nepali made wool and down jackets, etc. Real bargains! I even found a place you can get a custom tailored 100% high quality down jacket or sleeping bag for $40-50 (details in the Merchants Section). Trekking Supplies Trekking supplies can be rented from around 50 NRs. per day. However, often more high tech goods such as the electronic water purifier Steri-Pen or light weight trekking equipment (or anything state-of-the-art) are the same price or even more expensive here. If you chose Steripen type equipment you should bring them from home due to warranty issues. A Note About Warranty Issues in Nepal Even when an item is a major brand, be sure to have the merchant give you a warranty in writing; usually just a note on the receipt will be sufficient. However, if the item malfunctions you will need to take the item back to same store you purchased it at, so be sure to get a business card. You will also need to understand that even if you take something to the corporate center you will still need to pay something, usually around $10, even if it’s under warranty. Blow Dryer The wattage is too high. I was asked not to iron clothes due to wattage, so these kinds of energy wasters aren’t needed here. If you really need to blow dry your hair be sure to check the load shed schedule to make sure electricity is coming from the main grid, not the inverter. If you want to get your hair done you can go to a beauty shop. While you are at the beauty shop color highlights cost up to $20. I have yet to get a good haircut here. Lighter colors are not usually available in Nepal. Universal Adapter They are very inexpensive here ($3 - $4) and will work to charge your mobile or laptop. They cost can be much more in the West. You probably won’t need anything because you can usually plug things right into the wall. Extra Batteries Two AAA batteries will cost around 30 rupees, so do not bring extras. Unless you need special batteries, plan to buy them here. I would make one suggestion: leave any used batteries at home and either put in brand new batteries before you leave or buy them here. Please do not leave any environmentally hazardous material as waste in Nepal. There just isn’t any way to dispose of such things so it is a real environmental issue. If you can bring rechargeable batteries it would be even better. The unit will easily plug into the adapter purchased here for a few dollars or into the outlet-or directly into the outlet. Padlock Padlocks are available all over and you can find some very high quality locks with four keys for about $2/200 NRs. Pencils, Pens, paper and Notebooks These things are readily available here for a much better price than in the West. Purchasing these things here also supports the local economy. Don’t bring chocolate You can get all that here - Toblerone, Cadbury, Nestle, Mars Bar, Snickers. However, I haven’t seen peanut butter cups or Reece’s Pieces. Peanut butter is also available here. Feminine hygiene products Sanitary napkins are available everywhere, but tampons may be a bit more difficult to find, but not terribly so. They are available in the Thamel, Lazimpat and Patan supermarkets (in Kathmandu). I would not expect to find them out on the trekking trail, but there is a store listed elsewhere in Pokhara where you can find more modern, personal care products. If you are picky, particular brands can be an issue, and you will pay as much as you would expect to pay back home, otherwise there shouldn’t be a problem. Moon Cups, the environmental alternative, is available for around 2,000 NRs. at the Organic Mantra Coffee shop near Darbur Square in Kathmandu, Freak Street, 984 123 4085. Shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, wet-wipes, contact lens cleaner, etc. These are all available here. Don’t think you will save any money on supplies. Imported items are very expensive so expect to pay western prices on anything manufactured, processed, high tech or imported. There is also a problem with inflation so the ‘everything’s so cheap in developing countries’ really is not always true. I don’t mean to sound like your mother by repeating, but don’t bring trekking equipment-except for the well broke in trekking shoes you will wear, whatever you already own and any high tech equipment, as almost all equipment can be purchased much more cheaply here. Shameless commercial If you enjoyed this please consider purchasing my eBook, Nepal: A Tourist’s Manual. All proceeds go to our NGO to help rebuild our village. We use this money for administration costs so we can use all our donations for what our donors want it to be used for. This little eBook is actually just an excerpt from the eBook, Nepal: A Tourist’s Manual, which is over 300 manuscript pages. I offer an unconditional refund, even if your plans change and you cannot come to Nepal. Questions? If you’d like to contact the author please send questions or comments to Amanda Summers at email: FrugalTravelsNepal@gmail.com Volunteer Opportunities Looking to volunteer in Nepal, but do not want to pay a volunteer agency fee? We offer a variety of programs and invite anyone to come spend a few days to a few months volunteering with us. We have a small fee of $5 per day for food/utilities with only 3 hours per day of service. This is your total outlay of expenses other than transportation, insurance, medication, medical and other personal needs. We provide a day trip to Kathmandu by car each week when petrol is available, 24/7 WIFI, electricity, hot water, food and organic coffee or tea. We offer a family atmosphere and several ways you can help. If you can only come for a few days you can visit some government schools and present a youtube video and short presentation on “How My Country Helps Protect Our Planet,” attune some of the villagers with Reiki, teach a massage method or teaching skill for local teachers. Whatever your talent and desire prompts you to do, Kay Garnay for Nepal, our NGO will provide a means to help fulfil it. We can also find you a rural home-stay or other Nepali NGO to volunteer with. Please note: Read why we do not support the orphanage industry. Did you enjoy this little guidebook for Nepal? If you did you will enjoy her blog posts. Follow along with Ama as she explores Nepal and life in the Kathmandu Valley.