Nepal Re-Print (from 2005)

Alright - this is the email I sent out after arrivng home from Nepal last year, and in fear of losing the details I decided to post it. I have yet to check for things like spelling, grammar, and the like, and wish to make it known, with great clarity, that the political opinions expressed and historical notes herein are that of the Nepalese and Tibetan people we spoke with in Kathmandu, lived with, and met along our journey. I am not suggesting that the details are genuinely accurate to the last syllable, just as everyone in Canada would have a different explanation of our surrent, and past, governing bodies, but that they are lucid representations of a strong understanding of Nepal, by the people of Nepal. This is how it was told to us.

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And so, the story of Nepal:

After the most hectic and communist-militants-are-searching-for-and-killing-people adventure in Nepal...we are home safe and sound. There is quite the story to tell, ill give you the brief outline. Kidding, this letter is far from brief....get a coffee and a bagel if you are going to commit to reading it through :)


Nepal is run by a dictator-king, who is only in power because he killed his father to gain the reign of King three years ago. He is a Communist leader of all of the worst sort - gaining power and wealth at the cost and safety of his people, using the army and police forces as his personal hitmen and enforcers of dictatorial powers. The people hate him, but any one who speaks out is, well, killed. Now, he and his delegates decided to hold an election so that the rest of the world would see him as a forward thinking, democratically inclined king. What a great king who opens himself up to public scrutiny and evaluation by the people, right? Only the truth speaks louder than his cloaking frail attempt to win United Nations and powerful nations support - he chose to imprison ALL other candidates for the rule of the nation, kill another candidate, outlaw ALL campaigning actions by anyone, and use leathal force at any juncture where the people opposed his "iron fist" rule, as the papers dubbed it. So, it was a 'democratic' election with nobody else running for his position, and anyone who spoke out was evidently killed or imprisoned. He wanted to make the election SEEM real, but wanted to make sure that there was no opposition to his rule.

So, the election was to be held on FEB 8th. A militant branch of the people of Nepal (Maoists) decided that the only way to make the rest of the world witness and understand this atrocity and to take notice of the veiled attmept to democratically orient Nepal, was to stage an all out (mini) civil war and shut down the country. If they made enough of a mess of the country in a short time, maybe someone would take notice. They staged a week long violent strike, set up road blocks, drizzled the roads with land mines and started to violently take over the county region by region, fighting the Army and the police forces whenever and where ever. Civilians were not safe from their vigor either, as they soley wanted to have it their way. They wanted to shut down the country, and they bluntly stated that anyone found travelling, driving, moving, working, anything-ing during this time period of strike surrounding the election period would be (take your pick) killed, exploded, burned, ..., relentless and copmpassionless slaughter of anyone found defying the force of the Maoists in their defiance of the Nepalese kingdom. The Maoists meant business, and they were willing to fight the army, kill the people, do anything to reach the goal of making the election recognized as fake. They, and the people supported this action, were willing to sacrafice their lives and their fellow Nepalese to take down the authoritative rule of their King. The fake election was the last straw, the Maoists needed to be drastic to make the world listen.

What this meant for Johnny-canadian trekking in the majesty of the Himalaya's, was that for a week nothing in the city was working, running, operating...nothing. In the mountains, there are little 'teahouses' and re-settled villages of dispersed Tibetans (another story...watch 7 years in tibet for the sexy-brad pitt version) all over the place. The Tibetans came over the himalayan range to Northern Nepal to live in peace away from the Chinese communism many years ago, and now many of the main hiking trails pass through these little villages. They are truley a peacefuil and pleasantly loving people.....what a charm to visit them and be a part of their culture for a while...but back to the story... these villages are untouched from the Nepalese rule, basically. To strengthen this point - they are not allowed to vote, by decree of Nepalese law. They are national Nepalese, no charge to that...certified residence and cultural association with Nepal - they are Nepalese - but not allowed to vote. Nobody outside of major cities are, really. It is a decision based on control and developmental availabilities - the Nation is so vast and so grossly unnavigable at many points that to reach every locality for voting would be arduous at best. However, in the Tibetan refugee areas, voting is nascent regardless if they can be reached - they are simply, as yet, to be eligible to vote. So, while we were in the mountains things were relatively untouched by the Maosits, King, Army, anything. We just hiked and drank in the splendor of the greatest mountains on Earth among the (arguably) strongest and peaceful people on Earth. And Yak cheese...glorious, glorious Yak cheese.
Then, as we ended or 9 day sojourn into the mountains, we walked back out into a town sized habitation (now away from the Tibetan culture and seemingly independant lifestyle, and into the strongly Indian-based Nepalese culture and politics - aka Maosits and army and kingdom enforcement....). It was here that we were supposed to meet a jeep and take our 9 hour drive back to Kathmandu. However, remember now that the Maoists had shut down the country (bus driver had already had his hands cut off for attempting to drive during the strike, and rumors of an ambulance with sick passenger inside being stopped and burnt down to the frame were circulating the city) there was no jeep, no transportation, nothing. We were a nine hour drive away from safety of Kathmandu (it was safe in Kathmandu) and had only four days until our flight back to Taiwan. Option number one - wait it out, stay safe in a small town and see what happens. This meant missing our flight, missing work, spending cash upon cash in the small town and trying to stay fed and housed while it was basically illegal to have anything open. Option number two - walk. 100 kilometers from Kathmandu, we chose opption 2.
We started fresh the next morning, deciding to hike our way (three days, it was said, was not enough. It will take four, there is no way to get there in three days was the going sentiment around the city once people figured out that we were deciding such action). Regardless, we were intent upon making it out and taking the walking home version, so we ignored the peoples sentiments and planned our way. We started to walk, part on the road, part (most) through backcountry nepal along trails unmapped, crossing rivers unknown, in the general direction of Kathmandu. This was the hardest hiking of myu life, not so much because of teh terrain, which was hard enough, but because of teh uncerrtainty, the huge goal, and the stress and worry of everything. It all amassed into one long, hard, tiring, day. That first day we put over 45 kilometers of Nepalese land behind us....a grueling and completely trying struggle but well worth it at the end of the day. We ended up in a military strong hold, a grumpy dirty town where we were seen as a public amusement more than a passing person. The food was horrible, the people grumpy and worried, and the Military everywhere.

The second day was supposed to be shorter and easier but it was not. It was harder. harder walking, longer day, less food, more heat, less water... . Nothing was open along the roads we took and there was nowhere to stop for food or sleep at the end of the day, especially not anywhere off the road along any of the trails. The end of the day, it seemed, kept being pushed back and back, into darkness where we couldnt really see what was comming up ahead of us, as we searched for a safe place to rest our bones. So, after the 9 hours of straight walking on the first day, we did another 9+ hours on the second, arriving after dark (amid sounds of bombs exploding ahead on the road we were walking at the time) to a place to eat and sleep.
But, get this - in the mountains there is nothing but Tsampa, rice curry, soup and the basics that can be carried countless kilometers on back. But all of a sudden at the end of this day we came across a place that had fresh fish (trout, no less) and the Eagles blaring on their simple yet effective stereo. We had walked about 90 kilometers in two days, through the ruggedness and uncertainty of unknown-Nepal, our feet sore, our backs aching, our minds racing, our ears trying to ignore the gunfire and bombs, and here we found a fresh fish joint with the Eagles playing. what a comfort...we asked (begged) to stay there (it was not a hotel, and they were afraid enough to be open during the maoist strike, let alone let foreigners and a guide stay there. But, the begging worked and we were given a meal and a bed for the night). Two beautiful but agonizingly difficult (mentally and physically....) days and many upon many hours and kilometers wearing away at our feet and building up our fears and worries, we were safe for a night. We had eaten basically nothign that day, asiode from breakfast of lemon (stale) cake - the kind you can buy in a convinience store, but never do because you know it is dry and horrible - so the fish and rice was gone almost instantly. As was teh secodn helping. And the bread. And the tea...all gone fast.

Then, and I swear I could have kissed all the fish right on the lips when I heard this in the morning, a truck drove by. A TRUCK?!? That meant...."get up, get up.... I think I hear a vehilcle..." We rushed up, scampered down the geravel path, and saw infront of us on the road a (maybe the first) truck full of rice bags, moving north into the distant villages. Vehicles were moving. WE asked the people who let us stay for the night and they were unsore of what was going on.... . We thought we would still have to walk, so ready as we were, we startd to plod our way again, only to be stopped by a group of soldiers (army, not maoists) asking where we were going. "Walking to Kathmandu, from Dhunche..." . and what was the reply? Nah, just wait a minute and a bus will come by to take you the rest of the way. We were beside ourselves....I questioned repeatedly about safety of driving on the roads, and about the Moaists, but the soldier said that the strike was over, the election was finished and the Moaists felt that their effors had payed off. They were happy, so the roads were once again open.

5 minutes later we were sitting on a byumpy bus, driving the finaly 10 or so kilometers back to Kathmandu.

30 minutes later, we were sitting drinking tea on a quaint patio in Kathmandu, eating a fresh omelette and trying to fathom the last three days.

In the end, we walked about 90 kilometers in two days, through (to us) unknown territoy, up and down, along river valleys, through peoples houses, through anything, to get to safety, and all of a sudden everything came together and we were sitting, safely, and assured that everything was going to be fine. It was a weird time, what an experience, what a trip, but certainly for a few days it was a scary and uncertain experience. Getting back, reading the paper, it seems that most in the world took notice and deemed the election a fraud, and condemned the Nepali King, so I guess it worked out the best for the people of Nepal. It was confusing, all the people felt threatened by the Maosists but wholeheatedly supported them in their cause. they were willing to suffer for the global awareness that was to come, and for hopefully the ousting of their unwanted and distrusted king. I dont know the actual number, but many were killed, mostly army and maoist soldiers, but a few civilians and a bunch of vehicles were lost in the forray. Even on the day we were leaving there was a subsequent gun battle, where 500 maoist soldiers stormed an army convoy to regain control of a certain area. It wont end until the King is gone, but I dont see it actually happening too soon. Quite a difficult place to live. Many discussions with the Nepalese gave me many mixed ideas of their plight, but overall they are hopefull.


So, this was very long but if you took the time to read it I hope it conveys a bit of our experience. It was very eye opening and surreal to be caught unwillingly in the middle fo a civil uprising such as this, and althogh the 90 kilometers were grueling and trying, it was quite the experience and we got to witness a side of Nepal I would never hae seen before. And, for the best, Nepal took a step (a weird step, but a step nonetheless) towards more efficient and more democratic country. Ill try to send some pics when I get a chance.

Then, on our 2.4 day stopover in Thailand I got to feed an elephant, on the street, half past midnight. Then it tried to eat my wallet. Weird.

whew. Thats all.

Take care, hope your days are safe!

Trevor