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Airport departure tax is Rs1000 (Rs900 if flying within South Asia).
Addresses don't exist in Nepal: few streets even have names, and houses
are never numbered. In cities, though, intersections or neighbourhoods (
tol) usually have names and these are gradually lending themselves to
the major streets nearby.
Contraceptives Condoms and birth-control pills are available in
pharmacies everywhere. Consult one of the clinics in Kathmandu for other
contraceptive advice.
Customs Officers are fairly lax on entry, but they might note fancy
video gear in your passport so you can't sell it in Nepal. They check
more thoroughly on departure, mainly to make sure you're not smuggling
antiques out.
Drugs are illegal, of course. However, cannabis grows wild throughout
hill Nepal, and old folks sometimes smoke it as an evening tonic. Touts
in Kathmandu - shady characters, but not informants - mostly peddle
local hash, and also whisper offers of opium and heroin from the Golden
Triangle.
Electricity is 220 volts/50 cycles per second, when you can get it:
virtually all power in Nepal is generated by hydroelectric projects, so
power cuts ("load shedding") are common, especially in spring when water
levels get low. Most places tourists go are now electrified.
Embassies and consulates are all in Kathmandu.
Emergencies Where there's a phone, dial 100 for the police or 102 for an
ambulance - but it's better to get a Nepali-speaker to do the talking.
Registering with your embassy can expedite things in the event of an
emergency.
Gay Nepal Nepalis will tell you gay sex doesn't happen, or it's
"something that Indians do". There are no gay bars or meeting places or
any support network whatsoever, even in the capital. Yet in a society
where the sexes are kept well apart before marriage, and men routinely
hold hands and sleep together, it obviously goes on. Gay couples will
certainly feel a certain freedom in being able to be close in public -
but obviously not too close. The only approach a gay traveller is likely
to get is from touts who might offer, at the end of a long inventory of
drugs, "nice Nepali girls", and if that doesn't work, boys. But it's
nothing like the scene in, say, Thailand.
Laundry Tourist guest houses will generally send laundry out for you,
although the turn-around time depends on the weather. Rates are
reasonable. If you're doing your own, detergent is sold in inexpensive
packets in Kathmandu.
Left luggage Guest houses will always store bags for you, an invaluable
service if you go trekking or any time you just want to travel light.
The usual charge is a few rupees per item per day, but some places waive
this if you take a room when you return.
Time Nepal is 15 minutes ahead of India - just to be contrary, one
suspects. That makes it 5 hours 45 minutes ahead of London, 10 hours 45
minutes ahead of New York, 13 hours 45 minutes ahead of Los Angeles, and
19 hours 45 minutes ahead of Sydney. Nepal doesn't observe daylight
saving time, so daylight saving time elsewhere reduces the time
difference by one hour.
Tipping In Nepal, tipping isn't compulsory, but rather a reward to be
bestowed for good service or withheld for bad. It has become standard to
tip waiters in tourist restaurants (it may be their only pay), but Rs20
or so should be sufficient in all but the fanciest places. Don't tip
taxi drivers, except maybe to round up the fare to the nearest Rs5 or
Rs10. Trekking porters and guides have their own expectations. Don't tip
anyone until full completion of the service.
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