For years I’d intended to do some volunteering for a disaster relief charity in some far away land but time was always the prohibitive element. The previous December, as always was a rather miserable cold month full of catching up with old friends and thus spending the majority of time either drunk or hungover.
This left a large hole in the wallet and a fairly empty feeling in the soul, so this Christmas I saw the opportunity to use the extra holidays at work to try and do something a tad more productive and rewarding with my life.
I had always followed the charity ‘All Hands and Hearts’ and their activities around the world and decided to take a closer look. All that was required was a very basic application form and at no cost to volunteer, this seemed like a goer.
Where in the world?
There were several options around the world where they were assisting the rebuild of several areas post natural disaster. They had just finished up in Turkey after the earthquake and were still active in Hawaii, Florida, Mexico, Ukraine and The Philippines but the one that jumped out most to me was Nepal. Other than Mount Everest and the capital Kathmandu, my only knowledge was that the mighty TUFC were sponsored by Manchester’s finest curry house, ‘Namaste Nepal’. What more reasons could a man need?
Well, one very big reason actually, is there any footy on? And to my great pleasure, there was indeed. The newly founded Nepali Super League was entering its second season and would be playing fixtures daily throughout December, it couldn’t have fallen any better. Over to Skyscanner to check out the flights and the best option took me via Istanbul and Kuwait. To break up the trip I stopped over for a few days in Turkey to watch footy in my 22nd country with my great pals, enjoying a lovely weekend with Lee and Dave.
As they headed home to England I set off East. After a long old day of flying I landed late in Kathmandu and was kindly met by my host Andrew. He took me back to the apartment where I had my own nice big double bedroom for a mere £15 a night, I settled in and got my head down with a great sense of intrigue for what country 59 had in store for me.
Kathmandu
Day 1 was a bit of resting, planning and strolling around and for Day 2 I was off for a short trek. Andrew was also a guide and took us out for a simple little day trip which we were hoping would provide us with views of the imposing Mount Everest. Sadly a layer of cloud would scupper that dream but either way a nice peaceful stroll and a refreshing beer in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Whilst looking around the great scenery we got talking about how Nepal had never been colonised and as always such a fascinating story. In the late 18th century, the Gurkha armies were at the peak of their powers and aggressively expanding their territory to the south. By 1812 they were approaching areas under indirect or direct rule of the British East India Company.
Anglo-Gurkha War
The result was the Anglo-Gurkha War. Britain were trying to establish themselves as a force in the region and were still only finding their feet. As a result they were subsequently overwhelmed by the Gurkha’s unique strength and resilience. The impenetrable terrain was also a huge problem for the British. The formidable Gurkha’s and the impassable mosquito ridden forests lead to huge casualties for the British Army.
After their initial failure, the British regrouped and returned with 40,000 soldiers. They attacked from several locations along the border and their superior technology began to show. By this point war was favouring no-one so after two years the Sugauli Treaty was signed. This created a defined Nepalese-Indian border, ensured that Britain had more influence in Kathmandu and allowed trade through to the bountiful Tibet which had previously been rebuffed by the Nepalese.
By the time British rule in the region had really taken off some 30 years later, there was no further attempt to colonise Nepal. The two nations had a strong relationship and the indomitable Gurkha’s were now fighting for the British Army as they still do to this day. Another bonus was keeping a barrier between themselves and the Chinese on the other side of Nepal which helped avoid any confrontation with a more formidable rival.
As well as the reasons the British struggled from the south, the freezing conditions and impassable terrain of the Himalayas is a major reason even the Mongols never attempted to conquer this resilient country from the north.
Hikers paradise
Before my trip to Nepal I was under the impression that heading to Everest Base Camp was the pastime of only the hardiest of climbers, but once there I learned this wasn’t necessarily the case. With enough time and a bit of preparation, it turns out Nepal is pretty much the Mecca of hiking. Endless treks and circuits around quite stunning scenery meant everyone I encountered described it as an unforgettable experience. Sadly as always, I had my plans and not much room for budging so my mini day trip with no views of Everest was as good as it was going to get for me.
That night it was time for the footy. I had no idea what to expect so made my way to the National Stadium with an open mind. The Dasharath Stadium is named after Dasharath Chand, one of the 4 great martyrs of Nepal, who led the protestation against the Rana regime which had ruled Nepal with an iron-fist for just over 100 years. He was eventually captured, tortured and after refusing to beg their pardon, shot dead by his own Government in 1941.
His memory lives on in the name of this 30,000 capacity stadium built in 1956 and renovated a couple times since. Initially for improvement and then in the wake of the 2015 earthquake which devastated the country and halted football in any form for 4 years.
Battle of the Big Guns
Today it was to host the epic dual between the little known franchise teams of Sporting Ilam and Birgunj United. Not teams that many outside of Nepal, or likely inside of Nepal have ever heard of. But, this was top flight football in a new country so I was on my way and ready to enjoy the spectacle.
The ticketing app was rather confusing so I planned to buy on the gate. On asking around, a shady looking old man approached and gave me a tiny ticket and requested I follow him.
“What have I got to lose?”
His English was good enough that we could just about communicate and the ticket was legit, once inside he told me how his mate is a security guard and gets him tickets for free, £1.60 saved, bonus. He lived 30 minutes away and says he never misses a game in the National Stadium. Got to love his dedication.
His love of football is shared by many and alongside Cricket has always been the most popular sport in Nepal. Competitions gradually began in the late 1940’s before taking on a more organised format in 1973 shortly after joining FIFA.
Continued progress
The newly established Nepal Super League is the next step in the development of the game here and it was time to see what it was all about. Alongside around 500 others, I pitched up next to my new friend and we took our seats on the halfway line.
It didn’t take long to realise the standard was more akin to Sunday League than Super League but that was to be expected when I found out these were actually the bottom two teams. You know the standard isn’t great when you spend the first half an hour debating if you could get a game yourself. The answer is always ‘no’ but it says a lot that it crossed my mind.
The African centre midfielders used their physical supremacy to dominate the local players, accompanied by tricky number 10’s with their neat footwork, it was an enjoyable watch. Ilam broke the deadlock and took the lead but were pegged back after a defensive mistake and went in at the break all square.
For another 2 quid I treated myself and my new friend to some chai tea and momos at half time which was a delightful local delicacy.
The second half was more end to end as players tired and possession was given up more easily. The game looked like petering out to a draw until a late penalty was awarded for an unfortunate handball. The Ilam keeper, Bikesh Kuthu was apoplectic with rage and initially refused to face the penalty. After some persuasion and a bit of logic he took his place between the sticks but was sent the wrong way by Asidedu and with the clock on 98 minutes the game looked done and dusted.
Late drama
However there was time for one more twist, Kuthu came up for a late free kick but to no avail. On the full time whistle he instead approached the referee who didn’t take kindly to the sarcastic clapping in his face and brandished a second yellow. Kuthu proceeded to bump his chest into the ref and before you knew it the pitch was flooded with security as it all kicked off. Can’t beat these kind of leagues for a bit of drama.
So, a narrow victory for Birgunj and my first taste of Nepalese football was done and dusted and if all goes to plan then I’d be back in Kathmandu for the Final two weeks later.
That evening I caught up with Andrew at his local Snooker hall located perfectly above a 5 a-side footy pitch, if Carlsberg made hang outs then this would be right up there. It was run by his mate and even had referees. Due to my lack of recent playing time on the green baize, they spent more time fishing out the cue ball than they did any of the brighter colours. The Whisky was flowing constantly as I tried to teach them the lyrics to Snooker Loopy but in the end my sensible head took me back home as I was off dark and early the next day.
Next leg of the adventure
I said my temporary goodbyes to Kathmandu and headed off on the adventure that had taken me to this wonderful land. By 6am I was on my way, accompanied by 12 other people in a truck uncomfortably designed for 8. But I was in good spirits, joining up with another couple of volunteers sharing the bumpy 7 hour journey east across the Nepalese countryside to our home for the next two weeks, some stunning scenery and a sore bum but we arrived at Tinkuna Village safely in one piece.
So far from the big city and barely even a village, there was a peaceful tranquillity on arrival. The volunteer base was incredibly basic, bunk beds or tents, long drop toilets, bucket showers and the most modest of facilities but this all just added to the charm of the place. Far away from anything, yet full of inspiring people, all with interesting stories. A group with the shared goal of giving up their time and energy to help with rebuilding a school that was destroyed during the 2015 earthquake.
In total 9,000 people were killed, over 600,000 structures were affected and at least £5 billion worth of damage was caused. 8 years on the country was still trying to rebuild and it was an honour to play even the tiniest of parts in that.
Change of plan
I had in mind that it would be a less boozy December, but when the volunteers returned from site I was met with a Yorkshireman Jonny, he plonked down an ice cold 8% beer in front of me and the rest was history. It would be rude not to partake in sampling the delights that Nepal had to offer and this became a daily theme for the next fortnight, it certainly sped up the friend making aspect as usual.
A couple of beers a night wasn’t enough for a hangover so waking up at 6am in a tent in the cold fresh morning air wasn’t a struggle.
After paying to take part in a similar project in Tanzania some 9 years earlier and not achieving a great deal, I had my concerns as to how this would go. However the effective organisation here genuinely made you feel like you were helping towards a great cause. On site there was a strict schedule of 7-4 and we were worked hard and efficiently meaning every day you could see noticeable improvements.
The natives were so warm and friendly despite the language barrier. It was amazing to work with them every day and share in their culture and enjoy the weekly dance evening. The consumption of local moonshine, Raksi, beforehand ensured they were in fine spirits and a good time was had by all.
Many things impressed me so much about the Nepalese people but the stand out thing, over and above their kind and giving nature was their ability to eat the same meal, 3 times a day, every single day……and still bloody enjoy it. Dal Bhat is certainly a meal I won’t forget in a hurry as I was treated to it every lunchtime for 2 weeks.
Christmas in Nepal
Originally I had my concerns about whether I’d be the only volunteer over Christmas but there were more than enough for us to have a great celebration. People did their best to make their traditional dishes based on the ingredients available and as a result we were treated to a banquet of delights from around the world. Secret Santa, traditional Nepali gifts for everyone, Karaoke and some beer fuelled laughs around the fire made for a wonderful evening.
Another joy was the short nature of the Christmas celebrations, no endless monotony of adverts in the build up. The day before we were working hard on site and the day after we were playing football with the Masons in the searing heat. High on my wish list from Day one, it was great to enjoy a kick around with the lads. Next to no quality on show other than my amigo Iñigo, formerly of Osasuna. He took it easy on the locals and the main takeaway was the comedy giggling from Master Dil as he ran around. 50 odd years old but still never happier than bounding around chasing a ball, happy days.
The whole experience is something I couldn’t recommend highly enough to anyone. People from all round the world living a shared experience, making friends and memories for a lifetime in one of the most serene peaceful places you could hope for. I’ll be intently checking for natural disasters and football fixtures over the next couple of years.
Eventful bus journey
My work was done, plenty of holes dug and stones moved around and it was time for Kathmandu. This time taking the bus option. A couple of Imodium were required and thankfully did the job to avoid this being the worst journey of all time. Instead I was able to enjoy the novelty of this trip. We were picked up at the end of the road in darkness and greeted by chickens in the bag rack or tucked under old ladies arms, goats in the boot and on the roof, bags of cement and various other items completely blocking the aisles and a poor young bloke being sick made it an eventful 8 hours. The highlight however when one of the wheels on the bus slid off the side of the road, a lucky escape but you get the feeling this is standard practice around these parts.
That night I checked Instagram to see that the Semi-Final of the Super League still wasn’t full, but a much improved attendance. As a result I didn’t bother sorting out the issue with the app and decided to roll up without a ticket for the final the day. The fact no one I’d spoke to in town even knew about the game, never mind planned to go gave me strength in my convictions.
How wrong I was…
On match day I left my departure to the stadium a little later than planned in my typical tardy style. I started to become concerned by the large queues and number of people seemingly also on route. By the time I arrived, the tight streets were teeming with people and it was barely possible to move, add to that the cars and bikes beeping their horns as their road was blocked.
“Balls, how the fuck will I get a ticket now?”
Turning the corner there was at last a bit of breathing space, I started asking for tickets and a couple of young lads offered to check on their phones. They seemed to find me one but even before that there was one kiosk where people were manically buying, I managed to lean over, shout loudly and snaffle the much sought after ticket. I was made up, there’s not many things more frustrating than being stuck ticketless outside a stadium where a big footy match is going on.
Against my instincts I didn’t join the back of the queue as the youngsters led me to the front, I wasn’t going to argue, but this is where the chaos ensued. One small entrance, no queue, no security, no system, just edge forward as people stumbled up the steps one by one into the stadium. This was against all logic but everyone was happy, smiling, and seemingly enjoying the bedlam, even more so when they saw a confused white face in amongst it.
Finally inside
Some ten minutes later two of us were inside, we later heard they closed the doors soon after and our third mate didn’t get in for the start of the game. Checking tickets was impossible as there was no way back if you didn’t have one so it turns out none was required after all, on the flipside, many of the patient queuers and those with kids sadly missed out as they were left stranded when the stadiums doors were locked.
Once inside the order still wasn’t restored. Jammed in the concourse with people trying to go both directions even though there was no movement. Eventually once entrances were closed the crowd thinned out and we found some floor space to settle.
That was certainly my most stressful entry to a game, it never felt completely out of control but always on the edge, and if that edge had been crossed there was no way back. As an Englishman, the history of Hillsborough where 97 Liverpool fans tragically died always pops into mind in these kind of situations. In the aftermath of this disaster, significant changes were made to the English game to prevent anything similar being allowed to happen ever again.
Dasharath Disaster
So it was to my surprise to hear that in 1988 just 13 months before the Hillsborough disaster there were similar events in this very stadium. The 30,000 fans began to run for cover from a torrential hailstorm. After being pushed back away from the main stand by police, they headed for the tunnels but the locked doors led to crushing and the subsequent appalling death of 93 fans.
A horrific tragedy, one of the 10 worst in Football history and one that 36 years later hadn’t been learned from. I estimate there were at least 10k more people in the stadium than capacity would suggest. Accounts from other fans were much more traumatising and only 6 of the 10 gates at the stadium were open. A real lack of preparation and pure neglect for the wellbeing of the fans was a huge concern.
Once settled, our attention turned to the game. The atmosphere was raucous and fan of the match prizes added to the fervour in the crowd. The teams aiming for their first title were Lalitpur City and Dhangadhi, the whole league had been fairly evenly matched with all 9 of the teams winning between 2-4 of their 8 games. Lalitpur had only won 2 in the league and had saved their best form for the rather uniquely set up play-offs. First place (Thunders) plays second place (Dhangadhi) and the winner (Dhangadhi on pens) proceeds to the final. The loser then has another chance vs the winner of 3rd (RayZRs) vs 4th (Lalitpur).
Time for the Football
Dhangadhi were looking for redemption after finishing as runners up in the inaugural Super League in 2021. They started well and broke the deadlock just after half an hour. The lead didn’t last long though as Imoh Ezekiel scored his 4th goal of the tournament. A direct Free Kick in the 11th minute of stoppage time leaving things all square at the interval. Finally the break gave me a much needed opportunity to stand up and stretch the legs.
Back to the action and The Lakhey’s continued as they left off and took the lead for the first time. Ezekiel then added his 5th shortly before the hour to put his team firmly in control. A Dhangadhi red card then seemed to kill the game but they pulled one back with 30 seconds of added time remaining. Time enough for a grandstand finish maybe… the keeper came up for one last chance as a corner was given but to no avail. The final whistle was blown and the team from 15 minutes up the road were Super League Champions with Dhangadhi again falling at the final hurdle.
A thoroughly unique experience, sitting cross legged on the floor. Suffering a couple of bouts of cramp was something I’d never encountered before and certainly added to the charm and chaos. Nepali football has a long way to go but they are clearly attempting to make a good go of it and hopefully the Super League continues to gain support and investment to improve the standards. If they can also get rid of the rolling around subsequent histrionics then it would be an even more enjoyable spectacle.
Reunited
The third of our trio eventually turned up at the end of the game, he’d tried scaling the fences at kick off and eventually found his way in during the second half as some people began to leave. We took some photos and waited for the presentation. A good half an hour later after every man and his dog had been thanked we watched Lalitpur lift the trophy in a now empty stadium.
The two young fellas offered to take me out to tea, stay with their families and take me on custom made tours over the next few days. They were genuinely disappointed when I said I had to go and meet my friends in town but they did insist on giving me a lift on the back of their bike. Two genuine young gentlemen, tremendously hospitable and as is common in this part of the world. They harboured a firm belief in Karma, that doing good things will come back full circle and at some point in the future your kindness will be repaid.
New Years Celebration
With the footy done and that box firmly ticked it was time for some entertainment. My volunteer friends had joined me in the capital for New Years Eve, Gregorian new years eve I should add. The Nepali’s work to their own calendar, Nava Varsha which operates some 56 years and 7 months ahead of ours meaning it is already 2081 over there. But being Kathmandu they were always going to accommodate for the holiday makers.
Sadly the queues to get in the 49th best club in the world, Lord of the Drinks, were reminiscent of the football and it just wasn’t practical in a group so we ticked passed midnight in the streets amongst the throngs of partygoers. We took on Iñigo’s Spanish tradition of consuming grapes at new year for good luck, opting instead for one rather than the traditional 12.
The streets were crammed with people, 95% of them young men and sadly there were a couple of inappropriate moments towards the girls in our group. There is certainly a gender imbalance in this country, there is a strong preference for sons over daughters and the rights of women are way behind that expected in the modern world. Nepal are not in the top 100 countries in any metric relating to gender equality. That along with the caste system that still prevails here means there are significant deep rooted issues that will hopefully move in the right direction in the coming years.
The next morning I said my goodbyes to some wonderful new friends, some I’ll keep in touch with and some we’ll go our separate ways with incredible shared memories, always the most enjoyable part of any trip. One last bit of shopping and a mooch up to see the stunning sunset at the Monkey Temple before a final wander home. Such a great feeling to be strolling around unknown streets with headphones on, music blaring and a unique sense of freedom, you can’t beat it.
As always I will rate Nepal out of 100 across 10 categories and let you know if it is worth visiting as a Footy Trip
Team Ability – When you think you could get a game yourself it’s not a great sign. Today Nepal sits 178th out of 210 countries in the FIFA world rankings, either side of Barbados and Cambodia. They are also bottom and goalless in their World Cup Qualifying Group so little prospect of change any time soon – 1/10
Atmosphere – Complete chaos for the final but hardly any fans for other games, they do put in a good shift and make a lot of noise though – 5/10
Stadium Quality – Traditional old school stadium, aesthetically pleasing and lovely colourful seats across the ground but sadly with an Athletics track around it – 6/10
Beer/Food at stadium – No beer but a lovely chai tea and traditional local food at great prices – 7/10
Tourism – The world’s highest mountain and a plethora of other hiking options. Jungle safari’s, and an incredibly deep and rich culture. Add to that one of the coolest capital cities I’ve ever been to. Well worth a visit – 9/10
Accessibility – A bloody pain to get to and not cheap at all, great value on arrival and thus worth staying for a prolonged time if possible – 5/10
People – Incredible. Humble, proud and a wonderful nature to them. The only black mark is them being slightly behind the rest of the world in terms of equality – 9/10
Stadium Surroundings – A 20 minute walk from the heart of Kathmandu, plenty of opportunity to enjoy before and after the game but nothing too close to the stadium – 7/10
History – Not much at all, only the second iteration of the Super League and no international success to write home about – 1/10
Ease/Cost of ticket pricing – A final for less than £2 that can be picked up on the day, can’t really do much better than that – 10/10
Total – 60/100
Overall a pretty decent score, an incredible country to visit and if wanting to go for football then I’d have to say it’d be for the final or nothing, but combine a ticket for that match with other adventures then you’re in for a real treat. Nepalese football has a long way to go but I’m excited to see how the Super League progresses and really hope it continues to do so.
Accomplishments
For me in terms of personal accomplishments on this trip
Nepal was the 59th country I have visited and the 23rd country in which I have watched football
An absolute pleasure as always to travel around the world enjoying the delights on offer, thanks again for joining me and until the next footy trip, take it easy.