Cultural Considerations

The many cultures found in Nepal are part of what makes this country so unique, and are often what leaves the most lasting impression with visitors tadalisb sx online. With the huge growth in tourism in Nepal, it is easy for aspects of foreign culture to overshadow local customs zovirax online. Below you'll find some background information that will help you prepare for your visit to this remarkable mountain kingdom.

Modesty in Dress : Loose pants or calf-length skirts are appropriate dress for women, short-shorts or skin tight lycra wear degrade not only the wearer but other foreign women by association. For men, knee-length hiking shorts are preferable to jogging shorts, and always a shirt. Modesty and reasonable neatness are especially appreciated when visiting monasteries, religious ceremonies or private homes. Sporting the local dress is a sure way to bridge the gap depakote online. Women's loongis (cotton wrap-around ankle-length skirts) can be bought and sewn together by any tailor along the way.

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Bathing Wear/Intimacy : Himalayan women sometimes bathe bare-breasted, but public nudity is extremely offensive in these cultures, for men as well as women. When bathing, men should wear shorts. Women can wrap a loongi and douse at a village tap or stream.

Bathing in a swimsuit should only be done away from villages. Intimate exchanges such as kissing or cuddling should be kept to your private quarters.

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Feet, Hands and Foot Faux Pas : Remember that feet are considered unclean; never point your feet at or step over another person, religious object, food or eating surface, nor let sacred images touch the floor. Pointing at something with your finger is thought rude; rather, extend your right hand, fingers flat together. When giving and receiving, use two hands if possible, showing respect and appreciation. Women: avoid touching monks, lamas, Brahmin priests and other holy practitioners. Among Hindus, only the right hand is used for eating and passing items. Eating utensils are not shared, nor should you dip into food to be eaten by others. It is rude to offer or eat beef in front of Hindus.

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Language : It is relatively easy to pick up a number of key phrases of the Nepali language, either using books or through speaking with the locals. This will not only help you get by when travelling in Nepal, it will also demonstrate your respect for the local cutlure, and go a long way in bridging the gap between you and the people you interact with. For example, Namaste, said with your palms together, is a preferred greeting when encountering people on the trail, and it will always result in a smile and a "namaste" in return.

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Channel Your Generosity : Giving money, pens or treats to begging children creates a patron-pauper consciousness and should be strictly avoided. Candy ruins their teeth. Instead, give to a school, monastery or temple which benefits the entire community. Handicapped and religious mendicants are traditionally supported by hand-outs, either food or a few rupees are appropriate. It is customary to leave a small donation when visiting monasteries.

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Photography Tips : When photographing people or rituals, imagine the roles were reversed and respect privacy as well as other viewers' enjoyment. Ask before taking pictures of people and religious images, and only promise to send someone their photo if you are sure to follow through. Except when there is a posted charge such as in monasteries in Tibet, paying for pictures only encourages beggar behavior. Avoid using a flash inside monasteries as paint will disintegrate with repeated light exposure.

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The Bargaining Game : Inquire from various sellers, your guide or other travelers to establish a fair price for souvenirs. Paying too much feeds inflation and too little denies a decent return. Not everything is subject to bargaining: respect standard food, fed and entry charges and follow thIe going fixed rates for services.

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Sharing Your Life : Nepalis commonly ask why trekkers come so far to walk in these mountains and experience their simple says. Try to communicate what you find enriching about the Himalaya and help them appreciate what they have. Explain the realities of your home country, good and bad. New friends enjoy seeing photographs of your family, home and everyday activities. Discourage smoking and drug use among young people.

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Treatment of Nepali Staff : Though porters' plights are difficult, recall that human transport is often the only way through this terrain and your holiday is providing jobs. Show your appreciation for staff with thoughtfulness and humor. Tipping trekking staffs and porters at the end of the trip helps make up for relatively meager wages but is voluntary and should only reward those who work hard. Many groups pool tips (roughly US $2-3/day per trekker) and divide it among the staff relative to rank. Sirdars and cooks usually receive minimum Nepalese Rs.500 - 1000 for a week's trek and up to Rs.2000+ for longer; kitchen staff and Sherpas get less, and porters Rs.2-400+ scaled appropriately. If you give clothes to staff, try to wash them out first and distribute them fairly, by lottery or with preference to loyal permanent staff. NOTE: Rs.65=US $1.00.

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Sharing the Trail : Be sensitive to others' enjoyment of the trekking experience. Your idea of a good time may be another's misery. Keep voices low (reserve shouting for emergencies), avoid smoking inside or in close proximity to others, greet travelers with pleasantries and try to avoid feeling competitive in hiking pace or ability. Remember, this is not a wilderness area - you'll be sharing the trail with elderly villagers, mothers with children, skittish animals and revered lamas.

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Environmental Considerations

Waste Management : First of all, try to minimize the amount of garbage you bring with you into the park. For example, remove unnecessary packaging from any food (or other products) purchased before your trek. Any trash that is generated during your trek should be dealt with properly. According to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) headquartered in Namche Bazaar, different types of trash should be handled as follows: all "disposable" trash (paper, wrappers, cloth) should be handed over to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee in Namche Bazaar; "non-disposable" materials (cans, tins, bottles, etc.) must be taken back to Kathmandu; "re-exportable" trash (oxygen bottles, gas canisters, batteries, etc.) should be transported out of Nepal and back to the country of origin as there are no facilities to deal with these materials in the country.

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Human Waste : While its not an especially nice topic of conversation, the issue of human (and animal) waste management in the Everest Region is a serious one. Visitors to the park can do their part by dealing with their waste properly. If a public toilet exists, be sure to use it. If no toilet is present, be sure to dig a pit for your waste. The ideal depth and location of the hole varies depending on several factors (such as soil type, temperature, exposure, pH, etc.). Generally, a hole between 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) is best in temperate climates. At higher elevations, waste breaks down very slowly, so it is best to try to immobilize it by burying it deeper. Be sure to place the hole at least 60 feet from any river or lake (further if possible). To make the waste break down faster than it would naturally, you can add commercially available powders (such as the one we're using from American Innotek) which gel the waste and keep it from leaching into the soil or nearby waterways. At the same time, enzymes in these powders help to physically break down the waste, at which point they themselves become inactive until there is nothing left but inert material.

Once done with the pit, fill it in completely. To encourage improved waste management by lodge owners when trekking, try to frequent those lodges with well maintained toilet facilities. This provides them with the means to maintain these facilities, and will hopefully encourage others to follow suit. Expeditions must look at ways to contain and treat their waste. To date, the best system we have seen involves the collection of waste into large buckets with plastic bags, and the treatment of this waste with a compound to break it down and sterilize it (described in more detail here).

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Fuel : The use of shrubs and trees as fuel by villagers and trekking groups has skyrocketed in the Everest Region in recent years. This is a result of growing demand for fuel for cooking and heating water for hot showers. In the high alpine in Sagarmatha National Park, shrubs such as the juniper, which are hundreds of years old, are quickly being cleared. It is possible to discourage this practice by insisting that your trekking group and staff use only kerosene for cooking. Encourage similar practices among lodge owners by staying away from those lodges which use would for fuel. Trekkers can also encourage efficient use of kerosene fuel. For example, when staying at a lodge, save fuel by ordering food all at once instead of staggering meals. Also, think twice before taking that hot shower. If you absolutely need one, seek out a lodge that uses solar power rather than kerosene to heat water for its showers.

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The Fragile Alpine Environment : The high alpine environment found in the Sagarmatha National Park (especially above 4,000 m, 13,000 feet) is extremely sensitive to the impacts of increased trekker and animal traffic. Shrubs and grasses that inhabit these areas rarely recover once trampled by visitors and livestock. Also, as mentioned above, trees, shrubs and even turf are removed for fuel and for construction. These organisms are a vital part of the fragile mountain ecosystems found in the park, and due to the harsh conditions at altitude, it can take years for these areas to recover. The loss of a stabilizing cover can also lead to increased rates of soil erosion. Such impacts can be minimized by ensuring that your group sticks to developed trails and avoids cutting off switchbacks when ascending steep hills. Also, encouraging the use of kerosene for fuel will reduce the demand for wood as a source of fuel.

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