Sunday, November 14, 2010

Where am I going?



Who: My sister and I plan to go together. The two of us are very close and we both share simliar interests. She is the perfect person to share the experience with.

When: I plan to go the summer after I graduate in 2013.

Where: The main attraction I would like to visit in Nepal is the Kathmandu Valley. This consists of three main cities which are all of historical and cultural interest; (1) Kathmandu (2) Laltipur (Patan) and (3) Bhaktapur (Bhadgaon). This area is situated at a high altitude and cover a large geographical area. I would love to hike around this area. My parents traveled in this region for a long period of time when they were younger. They fell in love with it and i'm hoping I will to.

Why: Learn about the culture, experience new things and see the Himalayas.

Budget: The average flight though Expedia.com is set at around $2,500 roudtrip. Including air fare my expected budget is $4,500 each. This will include other transportation costs, accomodation and food.
Period: I plan to spend one month circulating around the Kathmandu Valley.

Cost of my travels:

Cheap Deal: longer flight
Roundtrip: from  C$1614
- Special Fare 
6:10 pm Depart Toronto (YYZ)
Arrive Kathmandu (KTM) 8:15 am  +2 days
Wed 18 May
Duration: 28hr 23mn

Jet Airways 229  / 264
Connect in Delhi (DEL)
Total stops: 2

More expensive: shorter flight
Roundtrip: from  C$3339
11:15 pm Depart Toronto (YYZ)
Arrive Kathmandu (KTM) 8:10 am  +2 days
Wed 18 May
Duration: 23hr 13mn
Air Canada
Air Canada 858

Qatar Airways 12  / 352
Connect in London (LHR), Doha (DOH)

The cheaper flight would make it harder to adjust to the time change, however, because my sister and I are on a student budget we realistically would have to opt for the cheaper, longer flight.
Toronto to Kathmandu:



How should I prepare for this trip?

    What to pack?


·         Modest clothing (be respectful of locals)
·         Hiking gear
·         Light, breathable items that don’t need to be washed or well taken care of
·         Running shoes for touring around cities (lots of walking is to be expected)
What to bring?
·     Passport
·     Other forms of identification
·     Camera
·     Video Camera
·     Ipod
·     Journal to document trip
·     Ear plugs


 What reservations should I make in advance?
·    I should prepare for this trip by making my hotel reservations in advance; as a foreigner I feel like this will help lower the chances of being ripped off and taken advantage of by the locals. When you are traveling in a place where people can visually tell you are a foreigner, you must take extra measures to protect yourself. Also, if I need to take a local flight or train somewhere I would have to research information concerning the location of the airport or train station and the time of travel offered/available.
What should I know about Nepal before going there and how can I access this information?
·    Nepal Lonely Planet – I should read travel books about Nepal to better prepare myself for what to expect. Acquiring knowledge concerning safety issues, accommodations, currency exchange, major tourist attractions and food will help me experience Nepal in the best way possible. Loney Planet books are among the most highly rated travel guides. 

 
How am I going to pay for this trip?

·    I am currently saving up money for this trip and my parents said they would pitch in a bit of money so my sister and I can experience things that we wouldn’t be able to experience on a student budget.

Accommodation - Where do I expect to stay? What is the cost?

Kathmandu is one of the most highly toured cities in Nepal. Despite this, I am expecting the  hotels to be of much lesser quality than what we are used to in Canada. I would like to stay in hostels, meet fellow travelers and experience a different standard of living all together. Accommodation in foreign destinations such as Nepal can be a form of culture shock. Although I aim to get away from what I am comfortable and used to, I would like to feel safe where I am staying at the same time.


Common example of a hotel that can be found in Kathmandu:
Hotel Poon Hill:
This hotel is located in a quiet area of Kathmandu that is perfectly located for tourists who are looking to experience base camp tours and hikes into the Himalayan Mountains.













It includes:
» Restaurent and Bar Facilities
» 24 hours running hot and cold water
» Wall to wall carpeting.
» All rooms connected with telephone service.
» 24 hour cable television network in the lobby.
» International and Domestic telephone service.
» Fax and E-mail facilities with full Internet Access.
» Free Room Service.
» One-day laundry service.
» Free safe deposit boxes and luggage storage.
» Postal Service.
» Beer- garden on the roof top
Cost per night: price range varies a lot based on location and the quality of hotel you are looking for.


Top Rated Hostels in Kathmandu:
Encounter Nepal (p) Ltd.

It includes:

Family run hostel, nice garden, free WIFI and internet and airport pickup. Rooms cost $20.00 US  and breakfast is included. 4 minutes north of Centre of Thamel.




Dorms From €9.03

Privates From €7.52
76% of people were pleased with their stay at this hostel









Elbrus Home

It includes:
The hostel lies in the middle of tourist hub Thamel. It is 5 minutes walking distance from Royal Palace & Tourist bus station, Kantipath. Neat, clean rooms including bathroom with hot & cold shower for 24 hours. It is walking distance to all tourist destinations: tourist market,airlines,travel agency,restaurants etc. It has a travel desk to provide travel information to tourists.

 


Privates From €7.52

87% of people were pleased with their stay at this hostel.










I plan to stay in hostels similar to the ones seen above. They are both highly recomended and the cost of staying in a hostel for a month would be around $600 dollars (average of 20 dollars a night). Living in such conditions will hopefully make me appreciate the life I have in Canada by experiencing how most of the world really lives. In my opintion, it is important to expose yourself to such conditions in order to properly put things into perspective. I hope for my time in Nepal to open my eyes to a world that isn't sheltered. Living in North America for my whole life has provided me with a very skewed depiction of how most poeple live.

Transportation - How will I get from point A to point B in Nepal?

When my parents visited Nepal many years ago they walked and biked everywhere and highly recommended we do the same. I believe walking places as opposed to being driven around will enlighten my knowledge about the Nepalese culture. Hiking is a large part of the reason I want to go to Nepal. I am a very active person and I hope to experience Kathmandu in a personal way which is purely unique to me.



Transportation Service in Nepal:

Traveling around the Kathmandu Valley: 

- Taxis - I plan to use taxi services only when my sister and I need to go somewhere that is not within walking distance. I will arrange to have us picked up with the airport by contacting the Taxi Service at Dharma Path (Ph: 4224374).




- Public Buses - Buses in Nepal are generally packed with people. They are not very safe and people always seem to be literally hanging off of them. Local buses come about frequently, thus my sister and I may utilize them on occasion if the weather is bad and we don't feel like walking or biking.



- Car rental - Valid driving license and passport are required.


- Bike rental - My sister and I are going to bike nearly everywhere because it is the best way to see all the different aspects of Kathmandu. Many bikes are available for rental in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Prices vary according to bike quality and rental time ($1 a day and up). Bargaining is appreciated and a small deposit is usually





The Himalayas

The Himalayas are the world’s tallest mountains; they are more than five miles above sea level. The Himalayas include Mount Everest which is the tallest mountain in the world. Everest rises 29,028 feet above sea level on the border between India and Nepal. These mountains attract people from all over the world. Generally speaking, only healthy people can travel to these regions because of the high altitude which makes it very hard to breathe. To prepare for this I will have to stay in shape during the months leading up to my trip so that I am able to accomplish all of my goals while I am visiting Nepal.





As a visitor I will act accordingly to the following stipulations:

-         I will fully engage myself in the Nepalese culture regarding food choice, festivals, traditions etc.
-         I will respect all aspects of the local culture.
-         I will follow all mandatory dress codes and dress respectively according to local tradition.
-         I will also try to attain a base knowledge of Nepalese traditions before my travels to better understand the meaning behind foreign traditions.






What do I want to experience and why?

During my time in Nepal I hope to see a good portion of the Himalayans. I also hope to shop for jewellery and other items which are unique to Nepal. I am planning to document my entire trip by writing in journals and capturing the essence of Nepal through photography.  My motivation to go on this trip is to learn and absorb the features of the Nepalese culture which one can only experience if they are a tourist. Learning about Nepal from a book is much different than actually submerging yourself in the culture. Taking part in various activities fosters a new way of learning; it is far more engaging and personal.







Saturday, November 13, 2010

What are my expectations?

I think this journey to Nepal will be a very unique and educational experience. I hope to try new things and acquire a greater understanding of the Nepalese culture and their many traditions. I am anticipating to see the world in a new way. I have always wanted to hike through the Himalayas and witness their overwhelming beauty for myself; my parents hiked to the base camp of Mount Everest when they were around my age and to this day they talk about their wild times in Nepal.



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Works Cited:

http://www.hostelworld.com/
http://www.himalayas.dk/
http://www.bharatonline.com/nepal/travel-tips/local-transportation.html
http://www.expedia.ca/daily/enc4105/home/?mcecid=splash_en&EntryUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eexpedia%2Ecom%2Fdefault%2Easp&rfrr=-27622

Images Cited:


Entry 1: Where am I going?
http://www.wordtravels.com/Travelguide/Countries/Nepal/Map
Entry 2: Cost of my Travels:
http://www.webresourcesdepot.com/free-vector-world-maps-collection/
Entry 3: How should I prepare for this trip?
http://www.tinyfotos.com/images/c9zziyu9pb0371spqo8j_thumb.jpg
Entry 4: Accommodation
http://proficientnepal.com/trek-tour-package.aspx
http://inandouttours.com/trekking-in-nepal/ghorepani-poon-hill-trek.php
http://paws.hwstatic.com/propertyimages/3/334/5.jpg
http://paws.hwstatic.com/propertyimages/2/20533/2.jpg
Entry 5: Transportation
http://image06.webshots.com/6/9/36/49/81393649VOhCxX_fs.jpg
http://images.travelpod.com/users/aazephyr/2.1230426600.maruti-800-taxi.jpg
http://www.livewiremedia.org/wt/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/nepal-bus.jpg
http://www.trailblazertrekking.com/images/car_nepal.jpg
http://www.trektibet.com/images/dhading_mountain_bike.jpg
Entry 6: The Himalayas
http://www.whatistrue.com/2004/himalayas.jpg
http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/himalaya_signature.jpg
http://www.geographicguide.net/earth/pictures/himalayas-asia.jpg
http://www.walkthroughindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Himalayan-Mountains-Ranges.jpg
Entry 7: As a visitor I will act accordingly to the following stipulations:
http://www.choicesadoption.ca/images/minisite/image_nepal2.jpg
http://www.hotelnepalaya.com/culture/1.jpg
http://stitchesoftime.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/ghandrung.jpeg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/32/100412648_096897f784.jpg
Entry 8: What do I want to experience and why?
http://www.texrahdesigns.com/More_Photos/jewelry_wall.gif
http://www.tibetartwork.com/images.files/B0131-Handmade-Tibetan-Jewelry-Turquoise-Bracelet2.jpg
http://realadventures.com/listingimages/1129/1129462/m_1129462a.jpg
http://sassyhongkong.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/little-girl_nepal.jpg
Entry 9: What are my expectations?
http://www.kameda-lab.org/private/flags/img/nepal.jpg