Fuel shortages

[MulesMarinair]

Hi
Does anybody know if the situation is improving with getting fuel into Nepal?

Cheers
MM

[mieke]

Hi,
From a mix of online newsreports as well as (email) information directly from Nepal:
On the one hand it's improving, on the other hand: some fuel tankers keep being looted or torched. Here is some more recent info; click links and read.

Tanker drivers go on strike demanding security http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/200...b23/news03.php
Tankers fled http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=36876
Petroleum tankers looted http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=36852

In line with information that there would've been none to very few flights to/from Pokhara anymore the past couple of days, ExWeb reports disruptions re. flights to/from Lukla: http://www.mounteverest.net/news.php?id=17051

An interesting read:
Kathmandu: The City of Scarcity http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/200..._feature03.php

The current load shedding schedule for the Valley: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/LoadScheduling/Load_Shedding_Schdule.pdf

By the way MM, why did you ask? Just curious... :-)

[Escher]

Arrived in Kathamandu yesterday and while there are fuel shortages you can still get around. A taxi from the airport to Thamel was no problem as was getting a flight to Pokhara. In fact if the shortages were not well known about you would be hard pressed to tell - as a tourist - that anything is going on. Although we couldn't get a imported Indian steak in K-Too's last night, so it is having some affect!

As usual it is the Nepalis who are suffering from the blockade - we saw a long queue of people with plastic containers and jerry cans wanting to fill up, presumably for cooking, and they did look decidedly desperate and fed up. As far as I can tell the situation for tourists adds up to little more than higher taxi prices. I paid 400 nrps for the taxi ride from the airport.

[MulesMarinair]

Sorry for the delay in replying.
Just asked out of curiosity and concern really.
I've been to Nepal before, I like to stay in tune with what happens there.
When the story makes the BBC news website, I start to wonder who or how the fuel shortage is going to hurt if it is sustained.
I'm returning, in late April, but the impact on the vacation wasn't my primary concern.

Thanks for all the information folks,

MM

[pabloaguas]

I've had no problem getting around between Hugdi and Pokkara: Manakamana and Gorka. The lines at the pump are outrageous though! So is the overcrowding on the busses. I think that fares have doubled or tripled...