A Bit of Culture
Cultural differences are for me abundantly mesmerizing and whenever I face them, I see the limits of myself in the life I have lead. In Nepal, cultural differences are most probably not going to lead to cultural shocks. Nepali people are one of the nicest and most easy going ones in the world, and most of the time they help you grasp the culture. Since I left Nepal, I have always been essaying to write about my experiences over there. Among all the aspects of this country, in this article, I would like to enlighten you on the cultural sides of Nepal.
Driving in Nepal
The first one and the most fun one for me is driving in Nepal. It is worth mentioning that roads in Nepal are not the best roads in the world. Most of the times, even in a short journey, you will find roads that are bumpy or under constructions. Thus, it usually takes longer to travel from one city to another. For me, 200 km from Pokhara to Lumbini took around 6 hours. The driving in itself is fascinating (not during the first days, of course). Nepali drivers drive fast with senescent cars and buses. They overtake in the most dangerous times and ways. During the first days, when I was traveling from Kathmandu to Pokhara, for once and twice I was very sure that we are going to crash with the vehicles coming towards us during the times the driver was overtaking.
But, I was a fool not knowing the power of honking and the charming brakes among Nepali drivers. Drivers in Nepal communicate with each other via honks. You may not get what they are telling each other in the most pernicious situations, but after some time, you will be assured that you will be safe and sound. So when they face each other, they honk continuously and always with the power of their brakes they find their way back to where they were. What I realized was that they make it clear to every engaged vehicle in that very situation that they are in a problematic condition and they need to get back to normal. And it always goes well.
Pay Less by Buying Fewer Items in Nepal
The second cultural point which is also very fascinating to me is of use when you go shopping. According to my culture (and I was fool to think that it was the case all around the world) when you go shopping if you buy more items of the same product, you will get it for cheaper. But, with fascination, I bought 15 eggs with 150 NRP (1.5 $) and when I asked the price for the whole package (with all 30 eggs) I realized that it would cost 330 NPR (3.3 $). I ponder we are greatly acquainted with the culture that if you consume more, you will get discounts. But, my guess is that in the Eastern cultures you should live in the present moment, and stay for now. I don’t want to over-analyze that but I believe all the Buddhism, meditation, and the happiness that comes as the result of these teaching are intermingled with each other.
Always Bargain in Nepal (You Will Never Know the Exact Price)
The third hint is probably the most life saving one for the travelers who are traveling on a strict budget. To cut the story short, you seriously need to bargain and talk and talk. You should never exhaust. So, for instance, you want to buy a laughing Buddha. The first price you get is 1500 NPR (15 $). If you insist enough and talk and talk, you will succeed to bring the price down to 500 NPR, and you will be happy. But guess what? You can still buy them for cheaper. So what I did was that I would stay there and talk to them and tell them that I want it for cheaper. They would decrease the price to a third of the primary price.
But, afterwards, I would pretend that I will find it cheaper somewhere else, or I have seen the cheaper prices somewhere else, or that I would visit them later when I make up my mind about the price they have offered me. Then is the time. That’s when they would decrease the price again. Therefore, most of the time I would buy the items I wanted for one-fourth of the initial price. However you may be happy that you got that item for cheaper, there is always a tint of sadness that we can never know the fair prices of the items.
Sometimes You May be Allowed Not to Pay
You may find some public places that they would charge you. But you can always find a way to bypass that. I personally found a back way for Monkey Temple in Kathmandu. You can easily find it on Mapsme. Also, we were asked to pay to enter Pashupatinath, but we refused saying that we live in the vicinity and this is on our way to go to the bus station. By the way, that was the truth. The fact is that no one cares. They charge randomly and there is always a way to enter these areas that are not blocked by police.
Chinese temple in Lumbini, Nepal
Timetable in Nepal
You should know that this is not very much respected and cared for. So you may have delays in almost everything. Your bus may leave an hour later. And you may be told to be arriving in the destined city at one hour, but you may end up being there two hours later, simply because the roads are under construction.
Pokhara bus station
You May or May Not Smoke
Through an unregistered law (or registered) smoking cigarettes are kinda forbidden. I was told by my Nepalese friends to hide if I want to smoke. And we saw some polices in Pokhara, asking some Nepali people to drop their cigarettes. I was told that they would fine you if they see you smoking. Nothing happened to us.
Pokhara is the Touristic Hub of Nepal
Pokhara is the touristic hub. You may feel like you are not in Nepal. And it is very addictive as you will get used to the whole chilling out. You get all those clubs, bars, the music and of course the lake. The most interesting part of the city is the Lake Side. So along the lake there are all these restaurants, cafes, with music and boats. The nightlife is very active in Pokhara and you can enjoy all the options available to you. And believe me, there is no limit to them. We would simply go to the lake and enjoy the serene atmosphere, watch the reflection of the lights far away on the other side, and listen to the music of the cafes. See the video below to get an idea.
In Pokhara, you can go to World Peace Pagoda on the top of the mountain, from where you can get the view of the city and you will feel the peace near the temple.
Also, you can do all the fun activities such as paragliding over the city and so on and so forth.
You should keep in mind that you are better not to buy your stuff in Pokhara as it is the touristic city in Nepal and the prices are slightly higher than other parts of the city.
Colorful boats in Pokhara
You will find all these amazing colorful boats in Pokhara
Kids in Nepal
I personally loved them and loved playing music for them and with them. I loved playing with them as I generally get along well with children. You may find them pushy a little as well. They may ask you to give them money at the beginning of your encounter or at the end of a nice meeting, which will eventually shatter your experience. I had several nice talks with them, but almost every time, in the end, they would ask me for money.
Beef is Not That Much Popular
I was fascinated not to see too many butcheries and meat of various kinds being sold in Nepal. So basically, Nepali people have respect for cows and they find it offensive to eat the meat. However, I saw some shops selling chickens, but the interesting part was that you could find only one or two chickens on the counter. But I should mention that you can easily find non-vegetarian foods everywhere in the country.
You Will Find People Happy
The people are generally happy people, the one who takes life easy. I found out that this drives from Hindu and Buddhist religions. You will find the people very nice and down to earth. When we were walking in the streets (even the touristic spots such as Thamel) we encountered people who would simply approach us and start a talk. We were told, for several times, that we are their guests and that’s enough for them. Also, you may hear them shout at you the sentence “you are the king of the world”.
Respect People
The form of saying “hi” or “thank you” or “goodbye” in Nepali is by touching your palms against each other and saying “Namaste”. I loved doing it every time. They like it and you feel good by saying it.
Nepal’s Monastries
I fell in love with the monasteries in Nepal. There are all kinds of them. You may find monasteries with various architectures and with numerous nationality. In Lumbini, I even saw, with fascination, German Monastery. Therefore, soak yourself in these amazing monasteries all around Nepal. Also if you want to learn the basics of meditations and mindfulness, you can always visit these monasteries. You can find many people who show a propensity for meditation and mindfulness and Buddhism in these monasteries.
Chinese temple in Lumbini
Photography in Some Monasteries
In Lumbini, when I was staying in the Korean Temple for a couple of days, I realized that when we wanted to take photos in some other monasteries, it was forbidden. I’m not saying you should check it every time you enter a monastery. But you can always be wary.
Lumbini Monastic Site
You Don’t Have a Place to Sleep?
In Nepal, it is always possible to sleep in the open air. But, there is usually another option. You can always ask the monasteries to give you a roof. Monks are nice people and they would help you if they could. In Lumbini, I realized that even some monasteries have spaces like dormitories to offer to the tourists. Some of them charge you a very small amount but they also provide food for you. Moreover, there are always other monasteries which would simply provide a space for you to spend the night.
The Dust is Everywhere
The roads and cities are most of the time under construction and you will find dust everywhere you go. Even after a short time spending in the city, you will feel the dust in your lungs. So my suggestion to you is to buy a cover for your mouth as soon as you could. The prices for such covers range from 150 NPR to 600 NPR.
Internet in Nepal
Simcard and Internet are cheap in Nepal. You can easily find a sim card at the airport. I installed a 10 Gig Internet for 1000 NPR (10 $).
To Keep in Mind in Chitwan National Park
It may not occur to all of us to confront a rhino without any notice. This may happen to you in Chitwan National Park. You normally reside in a touristic spot, you may get your room and book your excursions for the next day. But early in the morning, when you go out of your room to order breakfast, you may not believe your eyes. Yes! Sometimes the rhinos come to the village and they are nice creatures. For me, the first time I saw one in the hostel yard, it was a mixture of panic and excitement. That ginormous body !!!
