The problem with Kathmandu is that it’s in a valley. There’s a lot of dust, a lot of petrol pollution from ancient vehicles and diesel generators, as well as burning rubbish and burning bodies, and the smog tends to hover.

I personally found the air in Kathmandu worse than that in Beijing, but that could be because I’ve spent so much time in China I”m used to the microparticle type pollution, less used to the petrol and dust.

However, the rest of Nepal, outside the KTM valley, is pretty fabulous.

Thank you! I’m always amazed China lets us in…

Ooer missus!

I was wondering about that as well! Having been to both Kathmandu and Beijing, I think both are pretty thick with pollution. In Beijing, even the sunniest clearest days look overcast with all the smog.
Then again, maybe Kathmandu was much worse (and I forgot), and this is a playful exaggeration to illustrate the difference.

ANYWAY… What I’m wondering about is:

“The air quality leaves me longing for the crystal clear air of Beijing…”

Huh? I understand the air quality in Beijing is otherworldly awful, and rather thought Nepal would offer crisp, mountain air, no? Is Kathmandu really THAT bad???