Getting High in Nepal
Mon Mar 11 2024 10:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Greetings from the Top of the World
Happy Mother's Day weekend. And special greetings from the top of the world. Wishing all Mothers reading this a wonderful Sunday with love and laughter.
It's high up above the lakeside city with breathtaking views of the Annapurna mountain range. Peaceful, quiet, and still as it gets.
We said our emotional goodbyes and left Toni on his own in Kathmandu. His Epic Asian trip is coming to a close, in a few days he will head back to Spain. We arrived in Pokhara by a short Yeti Airways morning flight, just 30 minutes and spectacular mountain views landing at the infamous new International Airport (no international flights yet). From the airport we took a taxi through the city and then up a very steep mountain road, then off-road bouncing along a precarious track, the underside of the little taxi being crunched and scraped. "No problem," said our jolly taxi driver beeping to wake up the staff as we approached our mountain retreat...
Last week I was telling you about arriving in Nepal with Toni and Coco joining us the next day flying in from China. If you missed it you can catch up here.
In Kathmandu we had a busy week, visiting our existing suppliers and seeking out some new ones. It was of course it was Toni's first visit to Kathmandu and the slightly manic wholesale area known as Thamel. It's a maze of narrow streets between ancient crumbling buildings and a traditional trading area. Since the last time I was here, it has had many more streets pedestrianised and more boutique hotels and cool restaurants opened. It's still a bit dodgy with drug dealers muttering as you pass by and scary-looking dodgy dive club opening late at night. But here handicraft traders have showrooms, and export agents and shipping companies work from upper-floor offices. And all sorts of esoteric and exotic Nepali products find their way to gift shops all over the world from Thamel.
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Toni took to it like a dog to water.. navigating the alleyways making friends with traders and getting (a little over) excited at the variety of products being traded. All manner of brass items including singing bowls, incense, teas, beautiful and fun felt products, hemp fabric, and much more. It's giftware heaven.
Our shipping agent, Mr Padam, an old school gentleman, whose office still sports a fax machine introduced us to some new traders, the ones that he knew well and were not simply middlemen. He took us to a small place hidden away in a back-street specialising in prayer flags. It was super busy and very well organised supplying all the giftshops, temples and monasteries in Kathmandu and a few exporters like us. We figure if you want to sell Singing Bowls and the like you need to get the look and feel right.. prayer flags are the answer to your prayers. Coming soon to AW.
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Toni and I went to visit a felt factory on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The boss picked us up from our hotel and drove there explaining the complicated politics, the corruption, and the reasons why most Nepal people are still poor. India and China tussle for influence, and dodgy deals abound at the top. But the ordinary people of Nepal are hard-working, gentle, and honest. He told us most dream of leaving for Australia or Canada where their hard work is apricated and they can send money home.
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The suburbs are scruffy and disorganised, although the boss told us they have a mayor for the first time that seems to be improving things. He didn't have much hope he would last long in the job.
The factory was spread-out over two large houses on three floors, each room focused on a different process or product. It was a clean nice working environment and the mostly ladies working there were really happy to see us and certainly working hard. And making beautiful products.
Meanwhile back in the Europe..
Easter is coming and so that's the next focus.. and of course, the wedding season creates many opportunities for wise giftware traders. Plenty back in stock this week and some brilliant deals to keep your customers happy and you busy.
Namaste from Nepal.
More news next week.
David
Happy Mother's Day weekend. And special greetings from the top of the world. Wishing all Mothers reading this a wonderful Sunday with love and laughter.
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Coco and I just arrived in Pokhara for a short break and checked into the Rainiban Retreat.
It's high up above the lakeside city with breathtaking views of the Annapurna mountain range. Peaceful, quiet, and still as it gets.
We said our emotional goodbyes and left Toni on his own in Kathmandu. His Epic Asian trip is coming to a close, in a few days he will head back to Spain. We arrived in Pokhara by a short Yeti Airways morning flight, just 30 minutes and spectacular mountain views landing at the infamous new International Airport (no international flights yet). From the airport we took a taxi through the city and then up a very steep mountain road, then off-road bouncing along a precarious track, the underside of the little taxi being crunched and scraped. "No problem," said our jolly taxi driver beeping to wake up the staff as we approached our mountain retreat...
Last week I was telling you about arriving in Nepal with Toni and Coco joining us the next day flying in from China. If you missed it you can catch up here.
If you are new to this newsletter - I have been writing it every Monday, from wherever I happen to be.. for over ten years.. the first was from Thailand during Chinese New Year 2011.. You can scan a selection of old blogs here. Over 75,000 people subscribe to this newsletter, all customers and fellow giftware traders - Here I tell you the trade secrets, the gossips, the adventures and mishaps. You will meet Ringo, our agent in Indonesia, Mr Chatterjee, our man in India. Coco our agent in China.. and of course Tomas (product and marketing wizard), Raul (IT wizard), Katka, Rodrigo and the whole team from the UK. Join me as I travel and work.. and feel free to email me your ideas and suggestions, over the years the readers of this blog have really shaped the direction AW has taken.
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Our shipping agent, Mr Padam, an old school gentleman, whose office still sports a fax machine introduced us to some new traders, the ones that he knew well and were not simply middlemen. He took us to a small place hidden away in a back-street specialising in prayer flags. It was super busy and very well organised supplying all the giftshops, temples and monasteries in Kathmandu and a few exporters like us. We figure if you want to sell Singing Bowls and the like you need to get the look and feel right.. prayer flags are the answer to your prayers. Coming soon to AW.
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The factory was spread-out over two large houses on three floors, each room focused on a different process or product. It was a clean nice working environment and the mostly ladies working there were really happy to see us and certainly working hard. And making beautiful products.
Easter is coming and so that's the next focus.. and of course, the wedding season creates many opportunities for wise giftware traders. Plenty back in stock this week and some brilliant deals to keep your customers happy and you busy.
Namaste from Nepal.
More news next week.
David
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