Anyone Going To Kathmandu?

[Simon255]

A Tibetan monk has given me about 5kg of clothes he has blessed and wants them to go to ROKPA Kathmandu (ROKPA is a charity that empowers unfortunate people). The price of posting is too much compared to their value. So I am trying to find someone to take these clothes from Bangkok to Kathmandu. If you can help it would be a noble gesture. If you are Buddhist then you will understand that there is merit involved.

Regards

Simon

[TukTukDodger]

Dharma bro Simon:

Did anybody offer to help out? I am going to KTM via BKK, arrive in BKK 5/16 in the afternoon, leave for KTM the next morning. I have never been to BKK before but am staying for a week or two on my way back to hel_l(NYC). I will probably be staying at some fleabag on KSR that first night in transit - figure it can't be any worse than Thamel, no???

Namaste, Dolma

Edited March 9, 2007 by TukTukDodger

[sabaijai]

Dharma bro Simon:

Did anybody offer to help out? I am going to KTM via BKK, arrive in BKK 5/16 in the afternoon, leave for KTM the next morning. I have never been to BKK before but am staying for a week or two on my way back to hel_l(NYC). I will probably be staying at some fleabag on KSR that first night in transit - figure it can't be any worse than Thamel, no???

Namaste, Dolma

Depends on what you mean by 'worse'. If you mean more tourists, well KSR leaves KTM in the dust, there are hardly any tourists in Thamel any more, at least by comparison. If you mean in terms of fleabag quotient, well the diveristy of places to stay in KSR is again 10-fold what Thamel has to offer. All in all KSR is a higher-quality place to stay in terms of rooms and food. The air quality in KSR/BKK is also miles better than the air quality in KTM. But for 'antique' atmosphere KSR can't compare with Thamel or KTM in general.

Some friends just returned from celebrating Losar in KTM and said they had a marvelous time.

[TukTukDodger]

Dharma bro Simon:

Did anybody offer to help out? I am going to KTM via BKK, arrive in BKK 5/16 in the afternoon, leave for KTM the next morning. I have never been to BKK before but am staying for a week or two on my way back to hel_l(NYC). I will probably be staying at some fleabag on KSR that first night in transit - figure it can't be any worse than Thamel, no???

Namaste, Dolma

Depends on what you mean by 'worse'. If you mean more tourists, well KSR leaves KTM in the dust, there are hardly any tourists in Thamel any more, at least by comparison. If you mean in terms of fleabag quotient, well the diveristy of places to stay in KSR is again 10-fold what Thamel has to offer. All in all KSR is a higher-quality place to stay in terms of rooms and food. The air quality in KSR/BKK is also miles better than the air quality in KTM. But for 'antique' atmosphere KSR can't compare with Thamel or KTM in general.

Some friends just returned from celebrating Losar in KTM and said they had a marvelous time.

Man, I wish I could celebrate Losar in Boudha someday - I've been there twice for Saka Dawa(this year will make 3 times) - love to wake up early and do as many koras around the stupa as I can before the sun starts beating down hard... Unfortunately I work at a college as a librarian and Losar is right in the beginning of the spring semester so I can't take time off then...

It will be interesting to compare KSR and Thamel... 'antique atmosphere' - I like that! Indian friends always say KTM is like how India was 50 years ago... For real antique atmosphere you can't beat Bungamati or Bhaktapur...oh to be there *sigh* As for air quality, there was an article in the NY Times this week about how BKK was taking measures to improve it. I'm not looking forward to 'Kathmandu cough' but ke garne?

[endure]

And what do you say when the check-in clerk at the airport asks you whether anyone has given you any goods to carry for them?

[TukTukDodger]

And what do you say when the check-in clerk at the airport asks you whether anyone has given you any goods to carry for them?

I have acted as 'courier' several times for Tibetan friends living in India/Nepal and in return have had the best 'guides' - I have always been truthful at check-in and said that I had been given clothes/books by friends to give to relatives and it has never been a problem though I can see how it could be if you don't know the recipient or are carrying sealed packages - I have even brought a 70 lb. box containing a desktop computer, blankets, etc. to a monastery. I am familiar with ROKPA - it is a legitimate charity so I don't think it would be a problem but like I said I would never carry a sealed package, always look through everything first and pack it together with my own stuff so I can say yes, I packed my own luggage. I even seem to recall that some airlines offer exemptions to the excess baggage rules if you are bringing stuff to donate to charity but I don't remember where I read it.

Edited March 10, 2007 by TukTukDodger