Welcome to Trailblazer author Jamie McGuinness' current trekkers updates.
As you may have guessed this is my site but you can easily return/head to Trailblazer.

Current Nepal news relevant for trekkers and travellers

Have a Trailblazer book and want to check for changes or been away from Nepal for a while? Here is the latest on trekking and tourism-related news.

Shameless advert: we run great treks in Nepal, Tibet and Ladakh, see 'Our treks'.

Reviewed and updated 19 Aug 2007.

Airport departure tax

The 2% tourism charge on restaurant and hotel bills has been scrapped for a fairer 565Rs tourism service fee collected at the time of departure. So together with the 1130Rs departure tax, that is 1695Rs total, or if flying to India and other SAARC countries, 1356Rs.

Trekking safety

This is covered by the Nepal security section of Our treks. It is updated frequently.

Understanding Nepal's Maoist problem

On 13 Feb, 1996 the underground Maoist party called a "people's war" with the aim of overturning the semi-feudal, semi-colonial nature of the state. The plan is, of course, doomed to failure and be a disaster for the masses they are trying to assist, but it should have been a wake up call to the government, demonstrating corruption and mis-management had reached monumental proportions, the blame of which can be squarely laid at the feet of the then ruling Nepali Congress party and especially ex-Prime Minister GP Koirala. For all the Prime Minister's and Ministers' talk of high principles, it was they who were emptying the honey pot and are unable extract their fingers, and herein lies the problem.

In 2001 a temporary state of emergency was declared while the politicians is still uselessly bickered among themselves without regard to the country burning around them. In Oct 2002 thankfully the King took over, installing a hand-picked prime minister and cabinet. They failed in their mission and were replaced several times, two lots of peace talks failed as well.

In 2004 the situation slowly deteriorated further without Maoist help. With reckless regard to the situation the main political parties selfishly fought amongst themselves and as a last resort on 1 Feb 2005 the king took over completely for a period of three years. The old politicians never demonstrated that they could give up their corrupt and short-sighted ways, nor admitted that the mess was all their fault. By June 2005 it obvious the political parties were continuing down the path of ruin, and unfortunately so was the King. He has autocratic methods rather than turning the country into a more modern functioning democracy. The human rights abuses got worse, to a completely unjustified level, even in this desperately third world country, and an utterly appalling level by international standards.

Uncertainty has strangled the tourism industry, while the lack of solid business law has always and will continue to prevent the rapid development of the country.

Local comment

For the most accurate although opinionated views and jabs at government, scan the Nepali Times, a weekly of the highest standard.

Dodgy advice

Current: Newly arrived in Kathmandu often your hotel staff are very interested in your trekking plans and if you mention that you are thinking of going alone, the stories come out. "Oh, too dangerous", "oh, you will lose the way", and come and see my friend (who has a trekking company), basically are ALL bullshit. Trekking alone is easy and basically safe, and especially with our guide books, there is little chance of getting lost.

Comment

While it is fashionable to blame crippling debt, international aid, the World Bank and others for the third world status of Nepal, this is wrong. Nepal has only itself to blame (as do most developing countries). Democracy, which arrived in 1990, has not yet bought any significant benefits to the country, and is unlikely to. The parliament has proved to be extremely corrupt with nepotism rife and mostly geriatrics heading it. Coalitions have never worked, neither has a majority since factions spend their time infighting to get a share of the pie. The civil service is barely any better and the top appointments are all politically motivated. The cynics view is that any complaint against the ideas of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank is a veiled complaint that they are cutting off the easy money. Because of this all-consuming greed no debate is ever transparent, nor can any change to the system be viewed simply as an improvement. There are always loopholes, traps and contradictions built in, naturally to the advantage of the arbitrator - the ministry concerned, and it always takes palm-greasing to solve. The only reason Nepal can't be considered a no hope African country is it isn't in Africa.

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