Dalama Adventures Tale of two corporate types ditching their jobs and traveling the world for 14 months... check out all photos, blogs & interesting tid bits at http://www.dalama.net

A point of realization - traveling in developing countries is not a bargain deal, unless you get yourself out of the thick of the tourist area. Prices are quite often quoted in US Dollars, and no cheaper than what we'd pay in the states. However, seeing that we're in Kathmandu for the next several nights to get our plans together for our next month in Asia, we needed some amenities, like access to internet and a bit of a social network with others who have done the circuit before us, to learn from. So we feel great today about scoring a new apartment to plant ourselves for our remaining four nights. We've got a tiny, well appointed/decorated flat above the New Orleans Jazz Cafe, in Thamel. The building is brick with carved wood posts, window shutters and is decked out with Tibetan and Nepali carved wooden furniture & brass artifacts. We negotiated them down to $17/night, that's a big drop from the $25/night 3-star we were staying in- that was actually pretty grimy. A plus, we get 10% off the restaurant bill, and they've got the best breakfasts in town, with real espresso/cappuccinos. And best of all- we've got unlimited wireless access at no charge. So we move hotels, settle in, and feel like we're at the 4-Seasons Resort after what we've been staying in the past few weeks here. After the first night, trying to redeem our dinner bill for our discount, we get hassled by three different waiters, bitter that we've negotiated a 40% discount in their apartment room rate, so now they don't want to offer the discount on the food. So I go up, have a word with the head guy, and they give the discount. Mind you, it's not the actual amount of money - it's minimal... it's the point that they agreed to something but now not honoring it- and treating us poorly and being rude about it. The same thing happens the next day at dinner, so we vow not to eat there again. Then, we ask for a cloth to wash dishes, as they left that out of the "furnished apt" and they tell us we need to buy our own and they won't give us a clean dish either. I guess trying for a roll of toilet paper also fly with them. By the third night, we can't even stand looking at the restaurant staff. Sad, because the room is actually really cool, especially with light jazz tunes blowing through the open windows. This type of service, however, is not unique to this place. It's rampant throughout Nepal. The tourism industry had developed here because the trekkers come in droves. The locals haven't had the time, nor the resources to invest in hospitality management education and skills development for their people. And it's much different here, in comparison to other developing countries with booming tourism industry (i.e. take Costa Rica for example). You see only Nepali locals working in the hotels, shops and restaurants... in other countries, you tend to see Westerners who have settled for an extended period of travel time working and serving as trainers, mentors and role models. That's virtually non-existent here. Good, that the jobs are all going to locals. Bad, that the locals aren't gaining knowledge and experience that could help them take the edge off the gruff service levels. Perhaps Universities with strong hospitality programs overseas should send volunteer interns as a study abroad program, to work side by side Nepali locals to assist them in acquiring the skills to cater to the expectations of tourists coming from more developed countries. They could really learn a tremendous amount, and with just a small amount of effort and change, accelerate the tourism industry here.