Wild wild west

Email from a fellow expat

12 November, Kathmandu
Sirensongs,
What's up? This morning I ran into a couple that I had flown into Kathmandu with a few months back. They have been to the far Western regions, where tourists are not recommended to go. This was a real eye-opener! Young boys 12 and 13 with automatic arms and nasty attitudes. The towns with no army were hell. They got hustled for money by the Maoists twice, big time. Over 45 thousand rupees (approximately $650 USD) spent on Maoist "donations." Upper Dolpo region was great, but they ran out of kerosene, and then lower Dolpo was infested with Maoists. They also said many Buddhist monasteries in this area had been totally destroyed by the Maoists.

The fellow had lost 8 kilos during this trek! I had seen them earlier in the morning, but did not recognise him. Then I ran into them at dinner here at Northfield and I just about fell off my chair! He looked like a different person. I mean, what a way to lose weight! So, the Maoists think the war is to be won in a few months and their ideas of land redistribution are laughable. I hear that the area around Ra-Ra is absolutely the worst. Total anarchy. What are you doing later?
Let's get together, give me a shout - Willy