The Tale of Two Countries...
Twenty-one years ago I traveled for a spell after living overseas and my travels took me to many wonderful places. Two specific countries I traveled to on that particular journey we have traveled to on this trip as well. And while it is one thing to experience a country for the first time, it is quite another to revisit a place after so many years - complete with faded memories and impressions. In Nepal and China this second experience cannot be further apart in terms of changes I’ve seen and impressions they have left on me.
Nepal, for most intents and purposes, would have ranked twenty-one years ago as one of my favourites. That did not change. The people are genuine and always quick with a smile, the towns and cities are chaotic and colourful, and the mountain experience is always exhilarating. China on the other hand I remember to be rewarding, but it was also incredibly hard traveling. It wore me down. The people were harsh, not overly friendly toward us and suspicious of foreigners. Many towns in China in 1990 seemed drab and desperate.
In Nepal what struck me most on this trip was how little things had changed. Over two decades ago I had the impression that Nepal would go places. Granted, as a country it probably has little the rest of the world needs. But the people were so resourceful; able to deliver whatever travelers desired. Surely this could be extended to other areas like textile manufacturing and at the time this seemed to be happening. In the area of tourism they seemed progressive. On treks you saw a clear system of organization and even attention to being environmentally friendlier like incentives for locals to use less wood and more gas in cooking - the cost passed on to the trekkers.
I always wanted to return to Nepal partly to experience the magic of before, and also out curiosity. How had Nepal faired? Well, the magic is still there, but as a country Nepal has not faired too well. Since my last visit Nepal has gone through years of political instability and violence. The optimism that was evident then has lost it’s shine. The place felt pretty much the same as it did twenty years ago and maybe even had taken a few steps back. Sure there were more teahouses in the Langtang valley where we trekked bringing it on par with some of the more popular routes, but Kathmandu was more polluted, poor, and barely hanging on. Even electricity is regular rationed in the nation’s capital. The general feeling of optimism has been replaced with skepticism typical of places that have long ago seen better times (and the better times of Nepal where never really that good). Now often western tourists tout the places that haven’t changed - that town or country that time seems to have forgotten. I don’t really subscribe to that sentiment if it means people who can’t attain even their basic needs and whose rights are woefully neglected. Nepal, and especially Kathmandu, are like that.
China, on the other hand, is not. Given the above description about China twenty years ago, I do wonder how it made it onto our itinerary for the Four-eign the World trip? It could be that Mima or Mattias circled it on the map, but it also had something to do with the fact that we wanted to see what all the hype was about. Was life in China really on par with all the growth and changes we had been hearing? Well, whereas Nepal felt as if I was back there twenty years ago, China was totally unfamiliar to me. The same cities and spots I had been to were completely unrecognizable outside of a few key landmarks in Beijing. Major infrastructure projects are everywhere as building cranes proliferate both urban and rural landscapes. It seems as though apartment complexes are being built for 1.4 billion people to simultaneously move out of the Hutongs and villages and take up residence.
Even the people have changed - they are somehow softer, friendlier, ...they wear brighter clothes (though the fashionista side of me tells me they have some work to do here...). Sure, in lineups they push as well as they ever did, but they are different from what I remember. They are no longer the communists fearing the evil westerner. In fact, they have embraced more aspects of capitalism than I could ever had imagined possible in a short twenty years. I’ll ignore the ramifications (especially environmental) of this incredible growth, and China’s human rights record will still be questionable for a while yet. However, there are livable cities being built, food in the markets, and happy and fed children going to school.
If Nepal felt like time stood still and even slipped backwards, the contrast of China is one of a whole nation having been transported on their high speed trains. For different reasons, I will continue to think, maybe worry, and wonder about both.
Twenty-one years ago I traveled for a spell after living overseas and my travels took me to many wonderful places. Two specific countries I traveled to on that particular journey we have traveled to on this trip as well. And while it is one thing to experience a country for the first time, it is quite another to revisit a place after so many years - complete with faded memories and impressions. In Nepal and China this second experience cannot be further apart in terms of changes I’ve seen and impressions they have left on me.
Nepal, for most intents and purposes, would have ranked twenty-one years ago as one of my favourites. That did not change. The people are genuine and always quick with a smile, the towns and cities are chaotic and colourful, and the mountain experience is always exhilarating. China on the other hand I remember to be rewarding, but it was also incredibly hard traveling. It wore me down. The people were harsh, not overly friendly toward us and suspicious of foreigners. Many towns in China in 1990 seemed drab and desperate.
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| Happy playing - as kids should be. |
In Nepal what struck me most on this trip was how little things had changed. Over two decades ago I had the impression that Nepal would go places. Granted, as a country it probably has little the rest of the world needs. But the people were so resourceful; able to deliver whatever travelers desired. Surely this could be extended to other areas like textile manufacturing and at the time this seemed to be happening. In the area of tourism they seemed progressive. On treks you saw a clear system of organization and even attention to being environmentally friendlier like incentives for locals to use less wood and more gas in cooking - the cost passed on to the trekkers.
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| A Nepalese bus...half full |
I always wanted to return to Nepal partly to experience the magic of before, and also out curiosity. How had Nepal faired? Well, the magic is still there, but as a country Nepal has not faired too well. Since my last visit Nepal has gone through years of political instability and violence. The optimism that was evident then has lost it’s shine. The place felt pretty much the same as it did twenty years ago and maybe even had taken a few steps back. Sure there were more teahouses in the Langtang valley where we trekked bringing it on par with some of the more popular routes, but Kathmandu was more polluted, poor, and barely hanging on. Even electricity is regular rationed in the nation’s capital. The general feeling of optimism has been replaced with skepticism typical of places that have long ago seen better times (and the better times of Nepal where never really that good). Now often western tourists tout the places that haven’t changed - that town or country that time seems to have forgotten. I don’t really subscribe to that sentiment if it means people who can’t attain even their basic needs and whose rights are woefully neglected. Nepal, and especially Kathmandu, are like that.
China, on the other hand, is not. Given the above description about China twenty years ago, I do wonder how it made it onto our itinerary for the Four-eign the World trip? It could be that Mima or Mattias circled it on the map, but it also had something to do with the fact that we wanted to see what all the hype was about. Was life in China really on par with all the growth and changes we had been hearing? Well, whereas Nepal felt as if I was back there twenty years ago, China was totally unfamiliar to me. The same cities and spots I had been to were completely unrecognizable outside of a few key landmarks in Beijing. Major infrastructure projects are everywhere as building cranes proliferate both urban and rural landscapes. It seems as though apartment complexes are being built for 1.4 billion people to simultaneously move out of the Hutongs and villages and take up residence.
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| Shanghai skyline and smog |
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| Xian - symbols of old and new |
Even the people have changed - they are somehow softer, friendlier, ...they wear brighter clothes (though the fashionista side of me tells me they have some work to do here...). Sure, in lineups they push as well as they ever did, but they are different from what I remember. They are no longer the communists fearing the evil westerner. In fact, they have embraced more aspects of capitalism than I could ever had imagined possible in a short twenty years. I’ll ignore the ramifications (especially environmental) of this incredible growth, and China’s human rights record will still be questionable for a while yet. However, there are livable cities being built, food in the markets, and happy and fed children going to school.
 |
| 15 seconds of protest and ??? |
If Nepal felt like time stood still and even slipped backwards, the contrast of China is one of a whole nation having been transported on their high speed trains. For different reasons, I will continue to think, maybe worry, and wonder about both.
