Kathmandu in Pictures

There are no security guards in view nor are there any signs prohibiting photography. A welcome change from our security obsessed establishment.

Aha...that's me. Happy that I finally made it to the Himalayan Kingdom (I still exist in the old world)....sorry Himalayan Nation.. and am still recovering from the shock of a "no-security" airport.

The "dreaded" swine flu had reached here. Some young doctor placed a gun like contraption on my forehead and then let me pass. I had to fill a screening card and was questioned about my health.

I survived the inquisition and walked out of the Tribhuvan International Airport.

This magnificent structure was our place of stay. Imposing and very well maintained - Hotel Shanker. Situated in the Lazimpat area of the capital, this hotel is very near the erstwhile Royal Palace.








Well manicured lawns and a pleasing arrangement gives a soothing feeling.











Some exquisite work on metal and wood as part of the hotel annexe.











A peek indoors....down the corridor.












Those eyes.....they keep following you...












The ceiling in my room. Looks like some Michaelangelo was at work here...

Kathmandu our base.

I now commence with a travelogue on my trip to Kailash- Mansarovar.

We were to report at Kathmandu on 31st July but had to postpone this by a day. Our departure for Tibet was scheduled for 2nd August. In retrospect this was a bad decision as this denied us rest and hurried the process of our acclimatising causing us some additional discomfort. Mind you Kathmandu is at 1300 mtrs (4300 ft) above sea level. Our next stop was at 3750 mtrs (12400 ft) above sea level.


We reached Kathmandu on 1st August at about 9.30 am (15 minutes ahead of IST). The airport seems a very relaxed place with almost no security there. Photography is permitted and one could click away even on the tarmac. That was a culture shock to me. Well, swine flu panic had set in and we were screened on arrival. The airport building by itself is very unremarkable and in the main arrival hall, tubelights were'nt switched on were not replaced. (surely some Indian sheds masquerading as airports must be like this)


We were met by a representative of Richa Tours, reputed to be one of the best organiser on the Kailash-Mansarovar circuit. After a short drive through the chaotic streets we reached our place of stay - Hotel Shanker near the Royal Palace..(The Royal Palace is now converted to a museum). Hotel Shanker is a magnificent structure and was once the abode of some long forgotten "royal".

We did not have much to do except walk through the streets nearby. Our leisurely walk was interrupted by a heavy shower and we had to scurry back to our hotel. We had to pack all our stuff in a massive duffel bag made available by the tour organisers. No suitcases are allowed on the tour....so if you are planning to go next year...please remember this. You will have to leave behind the suitcases.

We were also given a "Down Jacket" (on a returnable basis) for the yatra. The rustic that I was till then, this term flumoxed me. I could not imagine what is "down" in this jacket. Some one equally ignorant felt it is so called because it is long and extends to one's knees. The joke was on us when we saw those jackets. This thick jacket meant I had to leave some warm clothing back at Kathmandu.

We then had to be ready for our briefing for the trip and precautions that we had to take for easy and early acclimatising.

The most scary part, atleast till then, was the high altitude problem. We were anxious to understand as to how we could overcome this problem. High Altitude problems can hit anyone at any time. Typically one would feel disoriented, tired at slightest effort or movement, breathlessness, blurred vision, headaches, loss of appetite and in some cases tummy upsets.

We were advised to

1. Rest, rest and rest. Lying down helps reduce symptoms and also recover faster,
2. Drink plenty of fluids. The sherpas ensured that we had atleast 3 - 4 litres of water every day,
3. Take Diamox tablets for the first four days....(helps in acclimatising)
4. Keep head, ears and our neck covered...prevents headaches and catching colds

(You may want to look up this article or Wikipedia on this). After this briefing, HAS did not seem so scary. It just required some common sense precaution to be taken. Our sherpas told us later that many just laugh at this and ignore this advice only to face serious problems later.

It was time to tuck in and await the next morning before we could embark on our most awaited and exciting journey.

A Dream Journey

A journey to Mt Kailash and Lake Mansarovar can be called a "Dream Journey". There is an element of fear, the unknown thrill and a little bit of mystique

As I mentioned in my previous post, I always wanted to go to Kailash-Mansarovar but never came to firming my mind on this till last year. I finally decided that I must complete this journey in 2009. It was as if the "elements" were waiting for this to happen. Everything fell in place in the most inexplicable manner. This was the most surprising aspect of the preparations.

First it is important to understand some basics.


This "yatra" begins from and ends at Kathmandu. The entire tour is arranged from Nepal along with the Tibet Tourist Authority. All Indian agencies irrespective of their claims must have a back-end tie up with Nepalese agencies.

Secondly, visa to enter China is issued as a group visit visa on a separate sheet. Your passport is not stamped for entry or exit at the China border. Mercifully, this group visa for Indian passport holders is issued at Delhi and the local agent is helpful to that extent.

All arrangements of travel, guide and stay in Tibet are handled by the TTA. One has to compulsorily travel in jeeps provided by the TTA and each group compulsorily has a Tibetan guide.

There are many links in this chain and it is possible that one gets to hear some horror stories. I am not sure if things get as bad as is made out to be but it is possible that occasionally there could be a slip-up. Things can get a little messy if some member of your group were to fall sick.

Tibet is remote and even today most part of Western Tibet does not have metalled roads. Everything (believe me - this incl. gas cylinders) has to be carried from Nepal. This is not the normal vacation with a lot of flexibility and comfort that we are used to and expect. It is sparsely populated and we halt at very small one-street towns. One has to be prepared to use toilets which in normal circumstances we would have given a clear miss. At some stops the wild outdoors seems a better alternative.

Last but not the least, we have to very careful of adjusting to the high altitude. The average level is 15,000 ft above sea level and our bodies take time to adjust. The first few days are a test of our faith. Thankfully, if the do's and don'ts are followed carefully, our bodies adjust quickly. It is important not to be disheartened by the obvious dis-comfort of the first few days. It is normal as is our adjustment.

The entire yatra from - back to Kathmandu lasts sixteen days.

Let me publish this post and begin with details of our journey immediately in the next post without any delay.

Once in a Lifetime Journey

I returned home last night after what can be rightly termed as a "once in a life time" journey.

This was a journey that I had planned to undertake many years back but had not taken any step towards undertaking it.

Some time last year I spoke to a friend that I wish to complete this journey next year and for the first time I made my intention clear. My friend is an adventure freak and pat came his reply..."Sure...let us make it happen".


From then on it has been one long story of inexplicable twists, turns and co-incidences or miracles if you will. Unknown people came into the picture and all formalities got taken care of and we were busy packing to get on this "pilgrimage" long awaited.

The journey brought in its wake many challenges, many associated with high altitude acclimatising, poor quality of staying accomodation and poor toilet facilities, poor roads (Yes...Western Tibet still does not have proper metalled all weather roads, though this is changing fast), frequent stops by the Chinese Army to check (though there was no harassment).

At the end of it all there was a complete acceptance of all this and more. It did not seem a challenge anymore and there was a realisation that one could live with so much lesser than what we are used to, that life is so much simpler than what we make of it, that a "feverish"mind had no choice but to be calm, serene and content in this environment

Today, the whole adventure seems a dream, a vivid dream no less. As I re-orient myself to sea level from those rare heights, I hope to give shape to my next post on Kailash and Mansarovar. This is to sign off with good wishes to all from a divine spot.

A Dream....A Journey....A Break

Today, I embark on a journey that I have always dreamt of undertaking. This intention is turning into reality as I pack my bags and join a group of friends on our way to Kailash - Mansarovar.

Yes, friends.... I will be away for the next fifteen days exploring that "mysterious land" of Tibet enroute to Mt Kailash and the Mansarovar lake considered one of the holiest places by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists.