In this post: Remaning physically and psychologically functional in Kathmandu.
Sleep, Health and Wellbeing
A silent night in Thamel does not exist. Even in more remote or suburban areas of Kathmandu, such as Patan, you will be kept awake by the growling and barking of stray dogs. I sacrificed the chance for (some degree of) silence when I chose a hostel in a central location – three months of appalling Bon Jovi and Bob Marley covers (the same ones every night) coming from two adjacent live music bars. Then dubstep until 1am most evenings. Then the street vendors with the tiny violins every single morning – all playing the same few bars of the same song – for ever. Constant and unrelenting car and bike horns – and ‘The Song.’ You will come to know ‘The Song’ after a short amount of time – the less I say about it, the better. If you’re lucky, you won’t have a dying kitten incident, either. It’s a loud affair.
Creatures of the night also fall into the ‘sleep’ category – this means bed bugs. If you find that your dwelling is overrun, get out of there. No amount of DIY fumigation can solve this issue. I had a few weeks of getting a couple of bites every night; nothing severe. I eventually had to use the Chinese-strength bug spray left to me by a volunteer friend from Hong Kong. It initiated a successful insect holocaust and my bathroom was a roach graveyard every morning for the next week – the bedbug bites also gradually ceased.
If you feel you need a medicinal sleep aid, the 'pharmaceuticals' part of this post may be for you.
Without a doubt, one of the best things about Kathmandu is the cheap and ready availability of every pharmaceutical agent imaginable. You can find almost anything if you know the medical or commercial name of the product – from hydrocortisone and erythromycin to doxycycline, flucloxicillin and amoxicillin. The latter four in this list are some you may want to read up on: The first, for chest infections. The second for spirochete related infections (malaria treatment, for those wanting to visit Chitwan – Lyme Disease may also be present due to stray dogs carrying ticks). The latter two are for dermal and bacterial afflictions such as infected cuts. A seven day course of any of these should be no more than 200 NRs (and remember, a seven day course is usually the minimum duration for taking antibiotics at a dosage of one to four pills daily).
If you are looking to visit Chitwan in high mosquito season, take a preventative anti-malarial, easily found at a pharmacy. Don’t be convinced to risk it and take Doxycycline if you think you’ve contracted malaria – it may not be enough to prevent a recurrent affliction.
Pharmacies even range to stocking things such as Xanax (something American readers may be more familiar with) and Diazepam (a commercial name for Valium). I’ve even heard mention of forms of ketamine being available, but none of the above are something I’d encourage – although Xanax and Diazepam can be used as a short term solution to sleep issues if you’re getting existentially unravelled due to insomnia.
If you’re on regular medication, it’s easier to bring it with you – although no doubt, if you run out or lose your stash, you’ll be able to replace it at these pharmacies if you know the medical name of the product.
Before you come to Kathmandu, use your brain and get your shots. These will most likely include rabies, some hepatitis jabs, possibly Japanese Encephalitis and typhoid (make sure you’re covered for TB – most adults should be). In the UK, rabies is the most costly injection, at £150 for the required three-shot course. Country-specific information is easy to find online or at a GP or Pharmacy – it might also be a good idea to check that you’re up to date with Tetanus jabs too. Common medications such as Ibuprofen are easy to grab at a pharmacy (don’t risk the ones at the supermarket) – the higher strength ones may actually knock you out to some degree, so avoid them if you have a demanding schedule.
Central Thamel from my window, the night before the national election and a complete curfew by 10pm. The only night of silence.
Pharmaceuticals
Without a doubt, one of the best things about Kathmandu is the cheap and ready availability of every pharmaceutical agent imaginable. You can find almost anything if you know the medical or commercial name of the product – from hydrocortisone and erythromycin to doxycycline, flucloxicillin and amoxicillin. The latter four in this list are some you may want to read up on: The first, for chest infections. The second for spirochete related infections (malaria treatment, for those wanting to visit Chitwan – Lyme Disease may also be present due to stray dogs carrying ticks). The latter two are for dermal and bacterial afflictions such as infected cuts. A seven day course of any of these should be no more than 200 NRs (and remember, a seven day course is usually the minimum duration for taking antibiotics at a dosage of one to four pills daily).
Although never truly quiet, Thamel is more relaxed before the tourist season (which starts in October and ends in December). This is a top down photo of the first Pharmacy you reach when entering Thamel from the airport. The main road from Thamel to Basantapur Durbar square is almost entirely pharmacies for the first kilometre. They are geared more towards locals, and the owners may have limited English.
If you are looking to visit Chitwan in high mosquito season, take a preventative anti-malarial, easily found at a pharmacy. Don’t be convinced to risk it and take Doxycycline if you think you’ve contracted malaria – it may not be enough to prevent a recurrent affliction.
Pharmacies even range to stocking things such as Xanax (something American readers may be more familiar with) and Diazepam (a commercial name for Valium). I’ve even heard mention of forms of ketamine being available, but none of the above are something I’d encourage – although Xanax and Diazepam can be used as a short term solution to sleep issues if you’re getting existentially unravelled due to insomnia.
If you’re on regular medication, it’s easier to bring it with you – although no doubt, if you run out or lose your stash, you’ll be able to replace it at these pharmacies if you know the medical name of the product.
Up to date rabies shots are absolutely essential if you plan on volunteering with animals in Nepal - make sure you're up to date with them regardless, as you'll be coming into contact with animals whether you're working with them or not.
The Stupa at Boudhanath, the holiest Mahayana Buddhist area outside of Tibet. Don't miss it.
Finally, as you might expect, there are a number of yoga and meditation classes and retreats available to those who are wishing to try them. As I am averse to spiritually and culturally destitute Americans in yoga pants and 'ethnique' apparel, I've often avoided such events, much to my detriment. I decided on my last weekday to try a meditation class that I'd been wanting to take for months. The class consisted of only myself and a very nice Norwegian girl who was heading for the Annapurna circuit. None of the loud, overbearing types of whom I am pathologically afraid. Our instructor was an Australian woman who'd been livng in Nepal for a couple of years. Her guidance was calm and accessible, and the atmosphere (for me) was ideal as there were only three people in the room (sometimes as many as thirty can turn up). The class was held in the Mahayana Buddhist Centre (next to Namao Buddha restro: when facing Pub Maya/Ambassador Garden Hotel, turn left and follow the path past Namao Buddha, and you're in the courtyard of the Buddhist centre - it's also a hotel and yoga retreat). It starts at about 6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and is free (but please donate at least 300 NRs, as the centre runs only on donations). Contact the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition for more via their website.
A giant spinning prayer wheel at the central monastery in Boudhanath. The monastary and stupa get their own blog post (coming up) because they're just so good.
I didn't look into the possibilities of yoga and other 'spiritual' practices while in Kathmandu because I have something of an isolationist approach to my inner existential workings; however, there are endless yoga and meditation retreats in every corner of Kathmandu city - Boudhanath is another area that will be of interest, as many of the monastaries and Buddhist centres there are geared towards taking on foreign visitors and students. If you really want to commit to some degree of 'spiritual' training, you'll be looking for Kopan Monastery. I could write extensively about the monastery, but feel it would be better for people who are interested in serious practice of the Mahayana way (Kopan are FPMT members) to start with their website and go from there.
This is the last in my fumbling and fragmented guide to life in Kathmandu. I'm only able to offer you advice based on the experiences I've had, and I've tried to write for readers, not as a personal account of my time in the Big Stink. If you have comments and suggestions, drop me a line! I'm secretly really nice.
More detailed blog posts about life in Kathmandu are due to follow. They include:
This is the last in my fumbling and fragmented guide to life in Kathmandu. I'm only able to offer you advice based on the experiences I've had, and I've tried to write for readers, not as a personal account of my time in the Big Stink. If you have comments and suggestions, drop me a line! I'm secretly really nice.
More detailed blog posts about life in Kathmandu are due to follow. They include:
- Volunteering in Nepal: what they won't tell you.
- ESL in a developing nation.
- The Harati Devi Stupa.
- Boudhanath and Thangka.
- Volunteering with animals.
- Patan.
- Landscapes of Nepal.
- Nagarkot.
- Sons of Mahayana - looking back at my time on Shree Gautam Buddha Ling, and how I (and anyone else) can and will continue to support them.
0 comments:
Post a Comment