This is Part 7 of my trip to Nepal. If you missed the other parts you can find them here.
Here in the US we talk water for granted. We have it piped into our homes, and piped out of our homes. As one of my friends, Liam, actually pointed out, we do a lot of treatment of water… just to poop in it. What do other countries do for water?
In Kathmandu, Nepal, it starts with a trip to the local watering hole…. Literally.
This guy was pumping water into his bucket. The guy to the left seems to have NOTHING better to do than watch a guy pump water into a bucket.
Then again, I took a picture of it, so maybe this is a spectacular event.
Oh? So you don’t have a bucket? No worries, there are plenty to be had all over town.
I took this picture just at the lower base of the Monkey Temple. As you can see the whole thing is about 6 meters below street level.
Keep in mind, that I was there during the dry season. I’d have to imagine that during the rainy season the run off from the road and all the surrounding mud makes these one of the best places to hang around in all of Kathmandu.
Not all of these watering holes were this spectacular though.
Even this hole seemed to be a little worn down. Though it did have a bucket overflowing with water at the bottom of it.
Just waiting for you to dunk your head in there and take a sip.
But after lugging your empty bucket from wherever you live, to this hole, filling it up, and lugging it all the way back to your condo, I’m sure you’ve worked up a sweat and need to get clean.
Maybe you can deal with both of these problems at the same time.
There is at least one thing I want to point out in this photograph… the guy on the right. Here, let’s take a closer look.
- First, I’m quite critical about this water, but clearly this is good for the skin.
- Second, yes, he is washing his hair, and possibly his left arm and pit.
- Third, what is the actual size of the belt? I mean it wraps around him over one and a half times.
What if you need to get some personal spaces washed? I mean, you can’t do this all out in public, right? 
There are some of these that seem to be a bit more secluded. You know, for those private times.
Also, if you need to buy or sell some computers, have I got a place and a phone number for you!
That is, if you are trying to buy or sell a Tandy TRS-80 in the 1960’s.
Water. It lasts forever right? Well, I guess not. I did find one of these water holes that was padlocked off.
I left this one extra big so you can click on it, and get all the tasty details.
At this point, you might be thinking to yourself. Brett, all this water, in the foot hills of the Himalayan Mountains. That’s got to be great tasting, clean and refreshing water.
I’m sure that the stuff rolling off Mt. Everest and the surrounding mountains is pretty tasty. Glacier water is delicious. So I did a test. One day, I filled up my hotel bathtub with straight tap water. Just to see what would happen.
If you ever though your water smelled bad, or was dirty, just keep this in mind. This is the cleanest water in Kathmandu.
Cheers!