what to eat in nepal with kids – Family World Travel

In Asia with kids

Nepal with kids

April 27, 2016 No Comments

It’s fun to travel with kids in Nepal. It’s cleaner and cheaper than India. The Nepali people love kids so prepare them to an almost royal treatment. The views are stunning and (almost) everyone speaks English. And the biggest advantage over all the other southeast Asian countries is that there are almost no mosquito transferred diseases (other than in the south, on the Indian border).

I’ll write here a few tips for those planning a visit in Nepal in the hope they’ll help.

Landing there:

If you’ve never been to Nepal before- their airport looks like it’s taken from an old low budget film. After a long tiring flight, you stand in the very long line for visa. The Nepalese are very friendly and will take the younger kids (under 10 years old) to a shorter line for their free visas. the older ones will have to stand in line. Prepare a place for the kids to sit comfortably (maybe a small blanket to spread on the ground or something similar) because they’ll be very tired. If you have a cart- try to get it the minute you get off the plane, or if you have a Yuka use it.

Kathmandu is not an easy city to process. Make the trip from the airport to the hotel quickly, and stay in the Thamel area to begin with. I would recommend you leave Kathmandu and save it till the end of your visit, after you’ve had some time to get used to Nepal. It’s better to get to Pokhara as soon as possible, and start the trip there.

Make the way from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a hired minivan. It’s a long bumpy twisty road with high throw-up potential (7/10 by our measuring) so it’s best if the vehicle is hired by you, that way you could ask the driver to stop as needed. Invite other travelers to join you, they’ll pay their part and the kids could make a few friends.

Other option is the tourist bus, which is nowadays very comfortable and relatively safe. Few of them even have wifi that is actually working.

Food, water, showers…:

The water quality in the taps in Kathmandu is very low. In Pokhara it’s relatively fine. I wouldn’t drink it but they do go through some purification process.

Hot water- most places have hot water. Some only have a solar heater, which means there’ll only be hot water if there was sun.
Western food there is everywhere. Its quality- good. Pasta and pizza you can get anywhere. The local food in delicious and very nutritious, but don’t forget to ask not spicy if that might be a problem for you.

Here’s a Video showing the best breakfast in Nepal. and one about the well known local snack :-).

Electricity, weather:

In my opinion the best time to travel to Nepal with kids is in October-November-early December. The weather is amazing; it doesn’t rain the skies are crystal clear. March-April-May is also a good time, but less so as visibility is less good.

In Nepal there is a hydroelectric system, but for political reasons, the Nepali people don’t really get to enjoy it. Power cuts are a part of everyday life. The more water flows in the rivers, the more power there is. Hence, in the monsoon and a few weeks after (July-November), there’s power almost all day long. The further away from the monsoon you are, the longer the power cuts become. In March for example there’s no power for 14 hours a day(!). during the day it doesn’t really bother but at night it could be unpleasant. Most good hotels, restaurants, and shops have generators, but they turn them off at around 11pm.

Safety, health, transportation:

There are decent hospitals and ambulances. And pharmacies everywhere.
There are some (few) taxis with sit belts. Make sure to choose only those and insist they take them out of the trunk.
Sidewalks- there are more in Pokhara than in Kathmandu.
I would recommend putting very young kids in a Yuka so you won’t have to worry about them crossing roads or disappearing in an ocean of humanity. Hold hands with older kids when walking in busy streets.
Keep the kids away from the stray dogs and Monkeys (yes, you’re reading it right, Monkeys). In the event something happens- go to a private hospital they’re experienced in giving rabies shots.
A local bus can be an interesting experience…
There are bicycles for rent everywhere, and it’s fun to paddle, but it’s nearly impossible to find bicycles for the kids.

Shopping…:

In the Thamel in Kathmandu you can find anything. But it’s not as cheap as you’d think.

That’s why it’s better to shop in Pokhara where it’s cheaper.

Or if you are looking for brands etc- there is a nice variety in kathmandu to choose from.

Books: in most book stores you can find a small but high quality selection of books in many languages. If your bags are already heavy, don’t bother taking books with you you’ll find some here. The deal is that you buy the book, read it, then return it to the store to get half your money back. few children’s book are also possible, as well as books for young kids and teens.

Equipment:

Have no fear. In Pokhara and Kathmandu there is everything you need. Diapers (not of a great quality), wet wipes, soaps, hand sanitizers (a large, high quality selection), cornflakes, mosquito repellents, bandages and wound disinfectants, sunscreen (a large selection, including naturals and international brands), tooth paste and brush, pacifiers, vitamins.

You should bring baby food and medicines with you from home. Even though now, slowly, is gets easier to find formula in the big cities.

Here’s an article with all you need to know about traveling to Nepal

Things you can do that won’t be mentioned in the travel guides:

∴ A yoga course in Pokhara with the kids- warmly recommended.

∴ Go on a short easy trek to the village Astham. There is an amazing, friendly guesthouse there.

∴ You can visit Tara’s shop in front of Be happy restaurant in lakeside. It’s an organization that supports working women. See how they spin the strings, dye them, make them into fabric to use later in all sorts of bags, gloves, stunning hats, etc…

∴ Do a family Rafting.

∴ Taste organic Honey from wild flowers that grow only in high altitudes, or Butternut, or Mustard flowers in the organic shop in lakeside.

∴ Buy colorful Tikas in a stand just outside of Thamel in Kathmandu.

∴ Go to watch a movie at “movie garden” (pokhara) its awesome. On saturdays they show a children’s movie and kids can come for free.

∴ Go sit at “silkroad” in the evening. they have some local and international live bans on a low-volume levels, perfect for family bonding. they also have sweet momo and a pool table. the grownups can enjoy nice refreshing cocktails for a reasonable price.

here is a full article about how to explore the Nepali culture with your kids.

Prices:

Nepal is one of the destinations that i cover in my new ebook “How to travel with kids for 1400$ a month (or less)”. download and see for yourself how simple and easy it is.

A good high quality hotel in kathmandu 40$-80$ a night. In Pokhara 15$-35$.
Guesthouse (definitely good enough)- 5$-10$ a night.

A meal for five– Kathmandu- 2000 rupees (1$= about 100 rupees). Pokhara- 1000 rupees.
indian pants– 300-600 rupees.
Family pizza– 250 rupees.
Small hand sanitizer– 100 rupees.
Fresh squeezed juice– 100-150 rupees.
Coffee– regular- 50 rupees, High quality espresso- 250 rupees.
Laundry– 80 rupees per kg (about 2 pounds)

In How to travel with kids

East Asia with kids- What to take in your first aid kit?

February 10, 2016 No Comments

A first aid kit is one of those things that make you feel safe, even when you’re in the middle of nowhere in southeast Asia, and especially when you are with kids. When you always have one in your bag, you can be as spontaneous as you like and still be a ‘responsible adult’. It’s important, though, to never forget it in your room because that will be the one time you actually need it. Yes… I learned that the hard way :-).

Things I recommend taking:

Basic first aid- sterile pads, disinfectant, plasters of different sizes, bandages, tourniquet, and something special for burns.
Hand sanitizer (a small bottle just in case you really need but don’t have one).
Mosquito repellent. I always have some in my bag, but in my first aid kit I always carry some wet wipes with mosquito repellent, just in case.
2 hygienic bandages in a sterile wrap.
And empty plastic bag.
Multiple purpose disinfecting liquid- a little bottle that can disinfect anything, cuts, surfaces, toilets.
A salve to sooth the skin- stings/sun burns/nettles.
Antihistamine.
Two unopened tooth brushes+paste. The small kind they give in hotels and airplanes. Yes, sometimes you have dinner at a friend’s home and the girls decide to stay to sleep there.
Lavender oil for everything- scratches, cuts, burns.
Soap pages in a travel pack.
Lipstick for dry lips.
Hair bands.
A lighter.

In addition, it’s best if you give your kids a few basic safety rules. Whatever seems important to you. For example, my kids know to beware of certain plants that irritate the skin- you just need to point it out to them and tell them to be careful. They also know not to touch shoe soles or anything off the floor, or to come close to a motorbike’s exhaust pipe (in southeast Asia there are more bikes than cars)

You can buy a ready-made first aid kit and just buy a few more things that are important specifically for a trip in southeast Asia with kids. That’s what I did to begin with, but as time went on the bag got ripped and ruined so I bought a camera bag. A square bag, waterproof, opening from the top and divided to several compartments. I chose the size that fits comfortably in the bottom of our bag that still goes everywhere with us, and put everything in it.

In How to travel with kids

southeast Asia with kids- food and drinks : safety rules

January 29, 2016 No Comments

A big fear many parents have is about the hygiene of foods and drinks in developing countries. Even doctors specializing in travel medicine recommend to be extra careful with those. I wrote here the ways we deal with it.

Drinks:

Many of the worst diseases originate in water.

2. That’s why I always go under the assumption that the water anywhere is not fit for drinking. Not taking any chances.

3. The most effective way to disinfect water is by boiling.

4. That’s why any dish containing water must be well boiled.

5. Drinking water- you can find different qualities of drinking water anywhere. From mineral water from abroad to locally treated and disinfected. Buy a few types, pick the one you like best and stick with it. And of course, pay attention to the lid signature.

6. Juices- fresh fruit juice is one of the ways to keep the kids healthy. It’s important to make sure they don’t mix it with water or ice. Also, pay attention to how clean the dishes are.

7. Cold drinks- sodas and the likes are perfectly safe to drink.

8. Hot drinks- usually there’s nothing to fear, the water is well boiled and even if they add milk- they boil that too for you.

Food:

The best way to disinfect food is by boiling.

2. That’s why it’s always better to eat food that was cooked in high temperatures, baked or well fried.

3. Meat is one of the biggest sources of disease, that’s why rule no.2 is twice as important if you’re going to eat meat. Don’t eat meat that hasn’t been well coocked!

4. You don’t have to eat meat.

5.Eggs- go under the assumption that the Eggs have been fertilized. If that doesn’t bother you, I recommend you to put Eggs in the same category with meat- make sure all parts of the Egg have been well cooked (I don’t order fried, boiled or scrambled Eggs, I order an omelet and ask it to be well done).

6. The locals prefer to be healthy and know all these rules even better than us. True that their digestive system is designed to those conditions, but they’re not immune either.

7.That’s why the local foods are always healthy and nutritious, while keeping to the hygienic rules relevant to that place.

8.On the other hand, it’s the western foods that are made only for the tourists are those that aren’t prepared properly according the hygienic rules and hence have a higher chance of making you sick.

9. In addition, take under consideration that the local food is what the locals cook best. Western food won’t be ‘like home’, and especially the meat- not always worth the risk (depending of course on the destination of your trip)..

10. In short, it’s recommended to just order the local food.

11. Another important detail- people are always warning of the cooling and keeping conditions of the food, but in local restaurants they never prepare food in advance. They only start to make it when they get an order. It takes a while (take a deck of cards with you J)… but together with that you can be sure the food is the freshest it can be.

Fruits and vegetables:

Fruits and vegetables that were watered with polluted water are not recommended to eat, because their peel is contaminated.

2. That’s why you have to make sure they were properly cooked.

3. Or properly peeled..

4. Or properly washed..

5. If there’s no way to wash/cook you should always pick the fruits or vegetables with a thick peel (Papayas, Oranges, Coconuts, Pineapples, Bananas). And those that grow on trees/bushes and not on the ground.

6. Many restaurants in touristic areas are aware of the problem and clearly mention that they wash their fruits and vegetables with disinfectant (iodine usually). Even with that, I don’t take risks and don’t allow the kids to eat fruits and vegetables that aren’t peeled.

Buying snacks or packed food:

One thing you have to remember: pay attention to the expiry date. If that’s not written, or if it’s expired, DON’T BUY!

Eating at food stands:

Usually their food is very fresh (and tasty!), they always make it that same day.

2. In large, the rules are the same rules, don’t forget them.

3. Pay attention how many locals eat from that stand. Don’t buy from an empty stand.

4. Pay attention to their utilities and where they sharpen their knives (there are stand owners that sharpen their knives against the sidewalk..).

5. Don’t forget to ask a number of times ‘not spicy’.

6. Or come with a ready-to-pull bottle of waterJ.

7. It’s best to come with your own disposable utilities.

8. And yet, I wouldn’t eat meat in stands.

General hygiene:

The utilities are washed with regular water, usually with soap..

2. They have a different way of washing dishes: they soak the dishes in a big bowl full of water, then scrub with soap, wash and leave in the sun.

3. Their use of the sun is not only to dry but also to disinfect.

4. They serve the silverware on a plate.

5. Table cleaning: oh well, it’s usually not very clean. You can ask them to clean, you can use a wet wipe yourself, or you can simply not mix the silverware with the table.

6. You don’t have to use glasses, drink straight from the bottle..

7. You can buy a packet of straws and drink through them for maximal hygiene.

8. Remember to wash your hands before every meal.

Bottom line:

Wash your hands before every meal.

2. Prefer local foods.

3. Cooked in high temperatures.

4. always suspect the water. Drink only purified water/fresh juice/sodas/hot drinks

5. Check the date of expiry on all packaged snacks.

It looks complicated but within a few days you get used to these rules and they become habit. Even the kids learn fast and the rules become a part of their life. they don’t even think about it anymore.