MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

Most of Kathmandu's battery-operated vehicles will be joining a charity electric car rally next month to raise money for the rehabilitation of patients with spinal injuries.

More than 30 cars, three wheelers, vans and even some electric bicycles will take part in the rally that will start from Maitighar Mandala and travel to the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre (SIRC) near Banepa on 13 June. They will cover a roundtrip distance of 50km.

"SIRC is organising the event to support two causes: electric transport and spinal injury rehabilitation," said the centre's Ojashwi Thami, "all the money raised from the event will go to fund free rehabilitation services to indigent patients."

In Nepal, spinal injury is overwhelmingly linked to subsistence living (climbing trees for tree fodder, cliffs for grass) and a large number of SIRC's patients are not able to pay even the minimal charges applied.

In addition, the rally hopes to pressure the government to announce tax rebates on electric vehicles to proactively protect the environment and reduce the nation's fuel bill so that transportation can rely more on domestic hydropower.
Electric vehicle owners will need to raise a minimum of Rs 30,000 per car to be eligible to participate in the rally.

There will be fun games, a jungle hike and a free lunch at the destination. There are 27 Reva cars, Nepal-made vans and new model Safa Tempos in operation in the Valley. Says Thami: "Cars that run out of juice can recharge their batteries for the drive back to Kathmandu."

Inquiries:
infosirc(at)wlink.com
011-660848/7

Festivals

US-born Scott Fiia's photographs reveal the seldom-captured on film side of Nepali life?a man with jamara bunched up over both ears, an agore baba chatting in the sun. This week, he will display at least 50 photographs of 16 different festivals celebrated in the Valley including Teej, Shiva Ratri, Samek and Mataya.

"The festivals here are really alive," says Fiia, "so colourful and full of energy." Professionally, he is an environmental engineer and his skills as a photographer are strictly self-taught. He started taking pictures while he was working in Ethiopia, in the late 80s, when he needed to escape from the gloom enveloping the country at that time. He also wanted to photograph the other side of Ethiopia, closed to the rest of the world, beyond the famine and war.

"It's similar here," says Fiia, "there are hardly any tourists at these festivals and everyone participating is a local." Fiia, whose photographs have been used on a number of US calendars and brochures, is presenting a Nepal that is quite different to the stereotypes that cloud its image.

Fiia lived in Kathmandu for 7 years almost 10 years back. When he came back last year, he started photographing festivals, sometimes even coincidentally finding the same people he photographed a decade ago. Most of his pictures are a product of relentless cycling around and pure serendipity.

'Festivals of the Kathmandu Valley' will be exhibited at the Siddhartha Art Gallery, Babar Mahal Revisted from
15-29 May.

Nepal to the Nile

When one talks about Nepal's tourism industry, most people think of foreign visitors coming to Nepal. But outbound tourism from Nepal to various parts of Asia is catching on, both among Kathmandu-based expats and
a new generation of affluent young Nepalis.

Nepal is usually a springboard for people going to the beaches of Thailand, Malaysia or Sri Lanka in winter, or shopping holidays in Singapore. Nepalis are even booking cruises in the Malacca Straits. But one of the best-kept secrets about outbound travel from Nepal is how cheap and easy it is to visit Egypt. With five West Asian airlines now flying from Kathmandu, the Persian Gulf region, Turkey and Egypt have suddenly become much more accessible.

Of all the destinations, it is Egypt that is a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. With its historic sites, museums, fabulous food and culture and the Nile, a trip to Egypt is not just enjoyable but also educational. The best way to see Egypt is in a cruise up and down the Nile. The river is Egypt's lifeblood and the country's historical sites are dotted along this mighty river.

"Nepalis used to go to Goa, Malaysia and Mauritius, but the Nile cruise is becoming increasingly popular," says Nili Shah of Marco Polo Travels that organises outbound tours to Egypt from Nepal.Marco Polo has teamed up
with Spring Tours in Cairo to offer surprisingly affordable eight-day packages for Nepali tourists with roundtrip airfare, hotel and Nile cruise. The cruise itself is like a floating five-star hotel.

Ram Krishna Banjara in Cairo

Eight-day Egypt Package from Marco Polo Travels:
Rs55,300-71,100
Marco Polo Travels: malaysiaholidays_marco(at)polo.com, 4247215