Hello Fellow Travelers,

We wanted to respond to Heather’s question in her recently posted introduction, as well as offer some other suggestions for packing.

It is true that the average temperatures in August in Kathmandu will range from 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit (20-29 degrees Celsius) with high levels of humidity and high potential for rainfall.  In the Course Preparation Manual that you received in your Welcome Box, there is a packing list on page 24.  You will not need to bring a winter jacket, long underwear or the hat/gloves that are listed there.

Here is a list of some other recommendations/tips from Shannon’s time traveling in & enjoying the monsoon season:

• Bring a warm sweater or fleece jacket as sometimes the lower temps feel chilly in the mornings and evenings.
• Have good rain gear. A good rain jacket and a nice umbrella will suit you well.
• I do travel with a comfortable pair of jeans, but know that these take longer to dry if they get wet and can be cumbersome.  Clothes that are loose, light and quick to dry are best.
• Travel wearing comfortable, durable walking shoes and pack a second pair of either light sneakers or sandals. It’s nice to have a dry shoe option.
• I pack/organize  clothing in large ziploc bags so that if my backpack gets wet, my clothes inside do not.
• Make sure that all of your belongings can fit inside your larger bag and daypack. Things that hang on the outside get wet

A note on culturally appropriate clothing:

Nepal is rapidly modernizing, but the culture is still somewhat conservative in terms of clothing norms – especially in rural areas and in religious sites such as monasteries. Clothes showing shoulders, chest or knees are not considered appropriate, nor are tight-fitting clothes such as yoga pants and skinny jeans, unless they are worn with a dress or long T-shirt.  We will have an opportunity to buy local style Nepali clothes such as kurta suruwal for women when we are together in Nepal.

Finally, we wanted to comment on the current situation in Nepal with monsoon flooding.  It is true that this has been an unusual year with high levels of precipitation, however most of the concern has been for the lowland, Terai region.  As of now, the Kathmandu valley has been largely unaffected with folks moving around at their normal rhythm.  We currently have a student group in Patan and their recent report was this… “we are totally safe from the heavy rainfall that has affected other parts of Nepal in recent days. Our hearts are with the folks who have been hit harder, but we are high and dry here in Patan, enjoying a clear, sunny day today.”  We trust that we too will have some clear, sunny days together!

Please feel free to post any of your questions/thoughts here on the yak board or you can send Shannon an email.

We look forward to reading more of your introductions!

Warmly,

Shannon & Suren