January announces the end of winter in Nepal, where I now do a project for the Nepal Business Hotel Group in a town called Nepalgunj. It’s cold.

When I work in my hotel room I have a small electric heater next to me, provided by the friendly hotel staff.

Honking trough the mist

The mornings in Nepalgunj start with a cold dense fog. Because of the lack of streetlights, the traffic sees almost nothing in the early and dark morning. And everyone on cycles carries no lights. The busy traffic drives slowly and honking through the misty morning. About eleven o clock the fog disappears and the feather day it is cloudy. A watery sun gives a little heat.

Refrigerator

The houses, hotels and restaurants are built on summer temperatures, which can rise up to about 45 degrees. Even for Nepali this is too hot to handle. But now it’s like a refrigerator inside buildings. There is no central heating, so the average indoor temperature stops around 10 to 15 degrees Celsius.

Inhospitable

It is therefore that everyone, staff and customers, simply remain holding their thick winter jackets in offices, shops, restaurants and hotels. For the Nepalese quite common, but for me as an European foreigner a strange experience, because it all looks very inhospitable. Also because they have not yet introduced ambient lighting in Nepal. The warmth comes from the hospitality of the Nepalese and the delicious spicy kitchen. Not surprisingly that they drink a glass of boiled water with their meals. It keeps them warm.

Electric heater

Also during the training days, the participants keep on wearing their winter jackets. When I work in my hotel room I have a small electric heater next to me, provided by the friendly hotel staff who also checks if I want something to eat or any hot water to drink.

In the meantime the sun shows itself more an more. Which gives everybody here a comfortable warmth. But the real warmth comes from the Nepalese people. Than hospitality seems to be almost a panacea.

With warm regards,
Robert Bosma

If you want to see photo’s of our projects, take a look under ‘portfolio, in the main menu of our website.
Or check our Instagram page.

This post is also available in: Nederlands