| The tiny mountainous country of Nepal is jumped up | | | | though it should not be beyond the reach of any |
| high against the Himalayan mountains and is wedged | | | | reasonably healthy and fit person. Much of it does |
| between India, China and Bhutan. It is remote and far | | | | take place at high altitude so you need to be sure to |
| off the beaten track but well worth visiting. | | | | take enough time and progress slowly to give your |
| My first trip to Nepal took me through the capital city | | | | body a chance to acclimate to the thin air. You should |
| of Kathmandu where I spent a few days in the little | | | | also learn the warning signs of altitude sickness and |
| markets, coffee shops and temples. Kathmandu is a | | | | be prepared to seek medical help or descend to a |
| beautiful old city of winding streets and friendly | | | | lower altitude quickly should any of them develop. |
| people. It has a number of important temples that | | | | The first warning sign is usually a splitting headache. If |
| give a glimpse of a spiritual life that has not changed | | | | that progresses to dizziness or confusion you should |
| for hundreds of years. | | | | descend as quickly as possible or serious harm can |
| When visiting temples, however, you have to keep | | | | follow within a matter of hours. |
| an eye out for the monkeys that run riot. They are | | | | You do not need very much by way of special |
| protected in these religious sites and seem to know | | | | equipment to go tea-room trekking. Outerwear that |
| it, so misbehave outrageously. | | | | is weatherproof and warm is essential as is a warm |
| The highlight of a trip to Nepal comes if you go on | | | | sleeping bag as the nights can get chilly. But since you |
| one of the many tea-room treks this little country | | | | will be staying in lodges you do not need to worry |
| offers. These involve hiking from one little lodge, or | | | | about carrying a tent or stove and you will generally |
| tea-room, to another. The accommodation in these is | | | | buy prepared meals along the way. |
| Spartan and the food is simple, often no more than | | | | Nepal is a poor country so the costs of most things |
| some lentil soup or garlic soup for supper, but the | | | | are quite low. Your meals and lodging will not be very |
| people are warm and the scenery is spectacular. | | | | expensive at all. The main cost is an airline flight to |
| One common trek involves heading up towards | | | | Kathmandu but if you shop around you can usually |
| Everest base camp. You can do this on your own or | | | | find a good deal. I flew via Mumbai to get a cheaper |
| you can hire guides and porters to carry your gear | | | | ticket and also had the pleasure of spending a few |
| so you just walk with a light day pack. Even without | | | | days visiting this fascinating and crowded city. |
| a pack the walking can be relatively hard going | | | | |