Hot showers and bathing trekking in Nepal

If desired, take a shower during the trekking in Nepal can at least every day. But what exactly is this shower? What to prepare? Whether it is necessary to wash in the highlands? In this article I will tell you about the main types of Nepali showers and will share the secrets of their operation :a) Why write about this kind of stuff, you ask? Does bathing - that's a serious question. In the mountains all seriously - even the way you stand up from a chair.

Three hot soul

Formally, a hot shower is literally in every Nepali the Lodge. Often this service is even mentioned in the menu. Well written (somewhere on the last page) "hot shower - 200 rupees. And if you in choosing the Lodge ask the administrator "Hot shower?" he surely will answer "Yes!". This could be down, but if you really want to wash today (tomorrow you will be in a different location), you should ask the following question - "Gas or solar?".

Solar shower solar shower)

a shower in which water is heated by solar energy. This may be a simple black tank on the roof of the shower and modern system similar to the solar battery tank-thermos. Solar soul is rarely found outside the "warm zone" (up to 3000m above sea level), but they are effective only on clear days. Yes and supply of warm water in the tank is not infinite. So to go in the solar shower should not in the evening, and in the middle of the day. Well, take care of water - turn the tap off while nemaliales. By the way, the cold water tap is better not to open. The fact that the water in there is by gravity from the mountain springs. As a result, the pressure in the cold pipe is much higher than the pressure in the hot. And opening the faucet you let the Genie out of the bottle - cold water easily displaces hot back in the tank. Shorter, smaller touch the taps.

Gas shower (gas shower)

the Most luxurious and most expensive form of Nepali soul. The shower is a gas cylinder and connected to the flowing gas water heater. This system gives really hot water and it is possible to swim even in cold days. The tolerance in the gas shower usually occurs prepaid - you give money and get the keys from the shower. Make sure to ask the owner to show how their system works. Often the plastic hose with a shower nozzle is connected directly to the water heater without any mixers. It is not always possible to adjust the temperature "whirlings" on the heater. The system is continuously flows into the extreme throws the boiling water, lukewarm water. In this case, you can cool the water securing the dispenser above, and himself sitting down. For a while, until the water will fly in the air, it is slightly cool and will stop burning. Indoors is often a strong smell of gas - so there was less smoke, want to make a lighter, and linger in the shower for more than 15 minutes. After all, despite all the inconveniences, hot water is so pure that to break away from it is extremely difficult :)

Hot bucket (hot bucket)

This type of shower can be found in modest lodges in the highlands, where it is cold and the demand for swimming is very low. 2-4 dollar you give a bucket of hot water (about 10 liters), dipper and show "shower", where you can splash about. Because you have to pay for water (more precisely for the fuel needed to heat it), not a shower, you can save choose one bucket for two. When well-designed strategy of soaping buckets of hot water two is more than enough. A couple of times I met in Nepal more advanced "hot bucket - the bucket was with a tap. He was hung under the ceiling and was quite traditional shower.

When you can swim in the Himalayas?

Practice shows that altitudes above 3500 meters all so cold, chilly and uncomfortable that desire to go into the shower disappears by itself. Tourists with a clear conscience lay a wash before returning to "warm zone" and I recommend you do also. Gradually the body Srednyaya with constantly dressed thermobile and stops sweating, itching and demand of water :) Well, and has not been canceled wet wipes.

And only if absolutely unbearable, if unwashed head refuses to think, and the body to go, then start preparing for the hike in the shower. Being in the highlands, before going into the shower, you need first to listen carefully to yourself. Normally if you feel that there are no allusions to the cold, there is no fatigue? The fact that at high altitude disrupted mechanisms of thermoregulation of the body and if you swim in a weakened state, then warm then it will be very difficult. Because going to shower, you need to prepare warm clothes (underwear, jacket, hat). If you decide to swim, then do it better than the day that would have been able to bask in the sun, or evening, when it flooded oven in the dining room of the Lodge.

What to take for a soul trekking?

Almost all Nepalese showers cold concrete floor. So the campaign can take a shower Slippers. In the afternoon the mountains fall the clouds, suspended moisture swirls in the air and nothing in a hurry to dry - no hair, no towels. So your towel is not rotted out of desperation makes sense to buy a sport quick drying towel with fine microfiber. It is thin, without moroski" as usual bath towels! And to wet your hair does not put you in the grave (I'm not kidding) shave following the direction of bald or wear a hat immediately after a shower. And yet - because the amount of water allotted to you may be restricted, then carry on trekking some legallywhere soap :)

How to clean teeth?

Brushing your teeth need warm boiled water. Tap water will be too cold, and most importantly it can easily can be infection. Remind - Nepal raw water can not drink. Not to bother with the search of warm boiled water, I brush my teeth tea from a thermos. It is something I always have with me.

Where to wash clothes in Nepal?

first the Laundry can wait before returning to Kathmandu, full Laundry. An important argument in favor of this solution can be eternal evening dampness in the mountains (due to low clouds) - wash dries very bad. But if you still need to wash, then of course more comfortable way to do this in a hot shower. Because of all the other cocks in the district there is only cold water, which is already in the second minute wash brings the hands together. However, should not be washed in "solar soul", so as not to spend irreplaceable supply of warm water. And if you decide to make Polyushko, it's best to go in the shower last of the group to not create the queue.

Kirill Yasko