Making Star View Even Better
Seems another tourist season has come and gone. It was pretty good and I enjoyed seeing Thamel lined with tourists on a couple of occasions, especially since there are no cars in the shopping district streets.
We've been doing repairs and upgrading the property by painting the common areas, but that's not all. We finally tiled our problematic kitchen wall. We couldn't figure out what to do with it so we tiled it from floor to ceiling. It looks so nice and clean now with the added benefit of having a place to write our shopping list.
Our other improvements are on our rooftop terrace. We got our wrought iron chairs delivered. I found a small shelf to get all our coffee/tea time things off the table. I finally found cups that don't break without a whole lot of effort. We don't use plastic, other than for food canisters, and no aluminum; cups and glasses can get pretty pricey.
We have started the tradition of serving complimentary coffee and homemade dessert each afternoon. This picture is banana bread, but yesterday we had pumpkin bread. Our cook, Bimala, is just 18 and in college, but she is pretty talented in the kitchen. She likes to learn from our guests, so if you like to cook you are welcome to teach her the recipe and eat for free.
The rooms all got a good painting and now, one by one we are going to make them more impressive to Westerners. They are nice, but it's Nepal and details are not part of the Nepali mentality, mine either. The thangka paintings and hand-carved masks provide an authentic, yet clean look to the rooms. Some of the paintings are of scary looking gods. If they bother you just lower the curtain, turn it around to face the wall or let me know. They can be a bit overwhelming to some people.
Safety is our primary concern. We have a red, flashing light on the rooftop for airplanes, a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and we finally found an electronic rodent repeller. It makes a sound the rats and mice don't like so they stay away. Sometimes, in the winter time we get a rodent. Well, we are in a village and the bottom floor had to be built for a UNESCO village, which is an invitation for rodents wanting to get warm. I went to the extra trouble to find live-catch traps, but then found to my chagrin that Sanjaya, being a typical Nepali, drowned them and fed them to the crows and dogs. That's life in Nepal, I guess.
We struggled with the internet speed and reliability for a long time. We still have two networks to insure more reliability, but one of the networks is broadband. We are so pleased to have 5 MGPS.
Our best upgrade is in our guest room with a shared toilet. It took a long time, but we finally found someone who understood my vision to use this room as a day room for our guests, while still being able to utilize it if we need to. The room has a TV connected to a DVD player. It is also accessible with a USB device. We want our guests to be comfortable and be able to entertain new friends from the village. Our guests are also welcome to use the rooftop terrace and library. You are welcome to take a book or leave a book. We also welcome our guests to bring used children's books for the library.
Our street was quite dark, but I didn't want to put some over-powering, modern looking light. Instead, we have local pottery covers for low voltage bulbs. They light the street without disturbing anyone. This is the one by our front door.
We support the local art/crafts industries, but where to put all the great bargains? We have this clay pottery and wooden hand carved artwork display at the top of our stairwell.
To our former guests, we have a sad announcement. Bagvati no longer works here. She's fine and doing well, but her father is ill so she is going to the Mt. Everest region to her village to care for him. The good news is we have Birbhadur, the young man from next door. He has no education, so his income possibilities are pretty low. He was even working for the cable company in the wires and up on the poles for just $60 a month. I pay him the same as I paid Bagvati who was the best paid woman in the village. When the guesthouse is up to the American or maybe even Italian standard for cleanliness we will ask the typical 10% service charge to pass on to our hardworking young man and Bimala-our cook. He's just 17 and supports his mother who is a widow. Such a lovely, happy, energetic young man.
Special offer: Book our Penthouse room for $35 a night with two breakfasts and get two free mountain bike rentals for the day. If you'd like a bicycle guide we can provide one for you for only $10, which goes to him in its entirely. Please mention the offer after booking so we'll be sure to have the bikes available for you. Otherwise, you are welcome to rent them for $5 each.
Star View Guest House is also a HAM Radio Radio Shack, so if you are a HAM Radio hobbyist please let us know when you book. You'll find our radio shack rates to be as wonderful as the reception around the world.
If you are wondering how you can help Nepal during this time of modernization other than sending money, I think you'll enjoy learning about other ways you can help. http://frugaltravelsnepal.blogspot.com/2017/06/sometimes-you-can-help-more-if-you-dont.html
To book your stay with us at the Star View Guest House in Changunarayan, Nepal:
Email: FrugalTravelsNepal@gmail.com
Website: http//:StarViewNepal.com
Phone: +77 015141181 or +977 9841111599
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Sounds like a wonderful place to stay. I must try it☺
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