Journey to the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal

Namaste!  I’m presently in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal – a land known for the Himalayas and Mount Everest, ancient temples and as the birthplace of Buddha, and most recently for political turbulence with Maoist insurgents...

I’ve been on the road on a MacroSun buying journey since leaving the States September 6 on a 35-hour air journey, finally reaching the island of Bali Indonesia, on the first leg of the trip.  Even after 12 years of doing this, it’s still rather remarkable – after traveling through 13 time zones, and then several hours by motorcycle to a remote village or obscure marketplace to be greeted with friendship by our artisan-partners a long, long way from MacroSun in St. Louie and the Delmar Loop.

It’s been a pretty challenging journey thus far. There was a bombing at the Australian embassy in Jakarta the week I arrived in Indonesia.  The Maoist insurgency has affected things dramatically here in Nepal, tourism is down over 50% and the overall business climate is severely affected.  I got pretty sick in India with fever and chills.  There have been more than the usual hassles in lining up various shipping arrangements, banking credit and overseas financial issues and exchange, and making sure the timing will work with shipments arriving in time for the Holidays.  Overall though, it’s shaping up to be a very successful journey.  And not quite the same special challenge as last trip in ’02, which included Pakistan and Afghanistan.

I will be in Kathmandu for just a few more days, then will be traveling on to Bangkok and Chiangmai in Thailand for about a week, and then will return back to the States the very end of October.  I arrived from Delhi, India last week, and traveled overland in Rajasthan, and before that, islands of Indonesia.

Despite all the political turmoil, Kathmandu is like a second home to me.  I have so many dear friends here – my great longtime buddy and “agent” Mangalman;  Rajendra, the Buddhist Ritual Dancer who’s like my blood brother; Achoot who has many traditional handicrafts, etc. we had a long talk about Nepali politics; Tibetan friend Dolma, who makes Tibetan wool jackets, and a great joker; and so many more.  I’ve known most of these people for over 10 years, and haven’t seen them in years, it is like a kind of homecoming.  And of course, there is MacroSun’s sister organization, the Mitrata Children’s Home here that now cares for over 50 very sweet orphaned or underprivileged Nepali kids (most of the donors are from St. Louis). 

I often feel like just hanging out and chatting and looking at the mountains and having tea, etc., but there is no chance this time, there is too much ground to cover.  And the biggest Nepali festival, Desain, begins next week, and almost all business stops; the goods must be on the plane by Monday before the festival begins.

We have some really spectacular pieces heading to MacroSun in St. Louie by air and by sea, and I have made some truly wonderful contacts with artisans both old and new.  To give you a sample, from Bali, we will have truly breathtaking, intricate mahogany carvings.  From India, beautiful life-size bronze statues.  From Nepal, the finest quality Tibetan paintings in gold I’ve ever seen.  And a truly staggering collection of fashions and jewelry from all South Asia – a truly intense selection with a variety of fabrics both vintage and contemporary – and beautiful gems with detailed silverwork.  And literally tons and tons of unique gifts and artifacts – just too many to mention.

I’ve also made some interesting contacts for some other possible international directions.  We are doing much of MacroSun’s graphics work/production in India (and Nepal) these days, and I am exploring ways to connect other folks to these resources.  The work is truly beautiful and professional, really interesting options with handmade papers, etc., and very affordable.  Other possibilities include sourcing a number of other goods from all South Asia for other companies – I’m looking into providing granite from India for a neighboring business in the Loop, for example.  I may also be entering into a partnership with my long-time friend and jewelry maker from Jaipur, Mal Singh.

Many things are different here – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the way people relate and greet and say hello, and of course – the driving.  I typically get around by motorbike.  The most basic rules of the road in the west – like don’t drive into oncoming traffic; look before you pull out into heavy traffic, that kind of thing --- don’t usually apply here.  It is a game of inches and milliseconds, and whatever works so that you can move forward, you do it.  There are hardly ever sidewalks.  Pedestrians, rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, bicycles, endless streams of motorbikes and scooters, trucks – in Nepal and especially India, you have the animal factor.  Many urban cows, horses, ox carts, and in some areas, camel caravans and elephants.  Add to that massive potholes the size of small ponds, downed trees and power lines, sometimes treacherous one-lane mountain roads.  It is quite a scene, making rush hour in New York City seem almost placid.  I am so used to close calls, it must now be within an inch of death or loss of limb to really get my attention!

I do truly love South Asia – there is something about the power and the spirit here I feel so comfortable with.  There is a gentleness and kindness about the people here – not naïveté, they know life and death first-hand more than most Americans – but a kind of respect and honour and chivalry that I deeply value.  Of course, this is a vast generalization.   One must always be aware with eyes open, there are many opportunities to get ripped-off or get in unpleasant situations.  And there are worlds of cultural difference say, between Indonesia and India – and tremendous diversity within India from North to South, etc.  But it is such a vast difference than what the media tends to portray, and apparently so many Americans believe.  The media focuses on the “exceptional” stories – not the stories of everyday life of people simply wanting to advance their families, observe their faith and traditions, live in peace.

- Gil