Tourism is one big smile in Nepal By Geoff Andrew

A holy Kumari princess. Photos: Harun Kurt Eichbauer

The varied buildings in Kathmandu's
 famous Durbar Square

Brunei is, of course, home to many, many people from the mountainous Himalayan land of Nepal as that is the home country of the Gurkha soldiers and their families.

For the last week, Nepal has in turn played host to Norhayati Abu Bakar and husband Harun as they continue eastwards across the Indian sub-continent as part of their "Bringing Brunei to the World" expedition.

I know well from my own travels to Nepal in the early 90s what a beautiful country Nepal is and how friendly and hospitable the ever-smiling Nepalese people are.

Norhayati and Harun have been discovering for themselves the truth of this observation.

They crossed from India into a country, which welcomes tourists not only because it is their tradition to provide a warm welcome to visitors, but also because tourism plays a very important role in the national economy.

One of the poorest countries in Asia, this nation of 23 million people is reliant on the money generated by tourism. Whereas many Bruneians will be aware of the magnetic attraction of the Himalayan mountains for trekkers and climbers, there may be limited familiarity with the lower-lying natural and urban opportunities.

Pokhara National Park is perhaps better known, but Norhayati chose to sample the many and varied delights of Royal Bardia National Park. She found the flora and fauna resembled the jungle in Ulu Belait, with trees, bamboo, rattan and flowers all similar to those back home. Wildlife too offered close comparisons having observed wild boars, lemurs, deer, eagles and parrots, but also pythons and the occasional elephants and rhinos. All could be witnessed either close-up or from the safety of tall watchtowers.

Meeting local people reflecting varying cultures and traditions is a continuing highlight during the expedition and in this part of Nepal, the Sonaha River provides an insight into ways in which fish are caught. "Finger fishing" involves standing waist-deep in the flowing stream for hour upon hour using hands and fingers to feel for fish and prawns under stones on the riverbed. Fortunately, the 23-degree water temperatures results only in a painful back, rather than frostbite.

After a two-day interlude in the relaxing atmosphere of the park, easterly progress had to be made towards the capital city of Kathmandu, climbing all the way to an altitude of 1700 metres. Occasional rests for their vehicle Jambo to cool down enabled the unfolding sights below to be viewed more clearly. The icy waters flowing down from the glaciers of the high peaks indeed present a magnificent backdrop to any road journey in this part of Nepal.

Arrival in Kathmandu for all first-time visitors offers an attack on the senses. The sights, the sounds and the smells all provide a long-lasting memory - 15 years and counting in my own case.

The city's history goes back nearly 2000 years, but the golden age is perhaps only six centuries old with the erection of temples and other buildings around the famous Durbar Square. The Square now combines both beauty and squalor.

The beauty is exemplified by the intricate and ornate woodcarvings as seen in the Astayogini Hindu temple seemingly revealing the divine beings, Shiva and Parvati, leaning out of the window. But even less symbolic and less well-maintained wooden houses still feature craftsmanship of a very high order.

The Square is also the home of the Kumari, the living goddess, who is revered by all - Hindus and Buddhists alike - until she reaches a certain age and is then replaced by a younger girl for a period of about ten years. She is believed to be the re-incarnation of Durga, one of eight mother goddesses.

All of this contrasts with the poverty and squalor which seems to permeate the whole of the city. Water is in very short supply, with daily queues forming to collect a bucketful from a pipe. Power cuts are frequently experienced and rubbish tends to be deposited in the streets, but rarely collected.

The lives of the average man or woman in the city are a struggle and the opportunity to sell flowers or trinkets or almost anything to passing tourists is not to be missed if there is to be food on the table in the evening.

But, as Norhayati and Harun will also have discovered, despite these numerous hardships and handicaps, the Nepalese people remain enduringly cheerful and seemingly uncomplaining.

Having had to bypass the secluded, but newly democratic Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, the revised route now takes them into Bangladesh for a brief visit. And within the next few days, Norhayati and Harun will step foot again into an Asean country, having resolved visa difficulties to enable them to move into Myanmar.

This means that planning can now proceed to arrange a welcoming party at Sungai Tujuh on Sunday May 11 when hopefully TV cameras and radio microphones, not to mention friends and family and countless enthusiastic Bruneians will be able to make the intrepid travellers' return home truly memorable.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin