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TRAVELLING WITH
CHILDREN |
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Kids always help break the ice with strangers, and in Nepal they
unleash even more than the usual hospitality (although the lack of
privacy may prove to be a problem). They can also open a door into the
often closed world of Nepali women.
However, parents will have to take extra precautions in the light of
Nepal's poor sanitation, dogs, crowds, traffic, pollution, bright sun
and steep slopes. It may be hard to keep hands clean and yucky stuff out
of mouths. Small children will have to be kept a firm grip on most of
the time. Drum into them the necessity of keeping away from dogs and
only drinking clean water. If your child comes down with diarrhoea, it's
extremely important to keep him or her hydrated and topped up on salts -
have oral rehydration formula on hand.
Naturally you'll want to plan a more modest itinerary and travel in
greater comfort with children than you would on your own. Nepal's
winding, bumpy roads are likely to make kids travelsick, so take bus
journeys in very small doses, or rent a car. Most cheap lodgings will be
out of the question on account of their bathroom arrangements. In
tourist areas it should be no problem finding food that kids will eat,
but they're bound to turn their noses up at "spicy" food. Baby food and
disposable nappies/diapers are available in Kathmandu and Pokhara, but
are hard to come by elsewhere.
Trekking is logistically awkward with children, especially ones who are
too old to ride in a backpack and too young to hike on their own. You'll
need one or more porters for all the kiddie paraphernalia; porters can
also carry young ones in modified doko (wicker baskets). Trekking with
an agency can alleviate some of the hassles.
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