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Daily Speculations The Web Site of Victor Niederhoffer & Laurel Kenner Dedicated to the scientific method, free markets, deflating ballyhoo, creating value, and laughter; a forum for us to use our meager abilities to make the world of specinvestments a better place. Home
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12/13/2005
"India, I prefer Nepal", by J. P. Highland
Last year I decided to take a look at some of those fast developing nations, I took a little more than a month off to get to know that part of the world. China took my breath away, those guys are on the way to become something huge. China is a nation with a lot of history, written in past tense, and a very promising future. Hopefully their political system won't ruin the party.
On that trip I decided to make a fast stop at Nepal, my wish was to take a look at Mount Everest. When I arrived I found myself caught in the middle of a national strike caused by something related to a Maoist gang, so I had no chance to take a quick flight to Mt. Everest and therefore had nothing better to do than to remain in Katmandu for 3 days awaiting a flight to Bangkok.
Katmandu is not a nice city; its filthy, noisy and with not much not do, especially when experiencing a national strike. I was staying at a supposedly good hotel, but unfortunately the food was as bad as hell and there were rats swimming at the pool, (I'm not joking).
Due to the difficulty of moving around the place I hired a guide, a very educated guy, that did his best to make us have a nice time. I was feeling a little depressed about Nepal, so I asked the guy if he had ever visited another country. He told me that due to the agency for which he works he has been able to travel around the U.S., Europe and Asia. I asked him if he ever considered staying in the U.S. or Europe, at which he answered, "What for?"
"Well, the United States is a nice country, full of opportunities, so that a well traveled man like you, fluent in English and Spanish can find a nice job, get a house, a car, a satellite dish, an iPod, etc."
He replied "My land is beautiful, my parents are here, my family is here, the friends with which I grew up and still play Cricket with are here. Here I can worship my Gods, I have everything I can possibly want in life, why would I leave them? For a satellite dish? I don't even like television!"
"Can I stay with you?" was the only answer that came to my mind.
It was a long and depressing return from Hong Kong to Los Angeles and now I can tell that Nepal is my favorite nation of the other side of the world.
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