When I first set myself en route to Nepal, little did I know that I half a year later I would still remain stuck in this country during one of the world’s longest lockdowns. And while I’ll admit that even with all the restrictions that come with a strict lockdown, it wasn’t very hard to bear, things have slowly started to change.
Nepal had begun from the end of May, and the lockdown was officially lifted on July 22nd. However, while awaiting for flights to resume on August 17th, the number of covid-19 cases continued to rise which subsequently caused for the government to reimpose yet another lockdown, this time with stricter rules than the first time.
Without much to do to keep myself entertained, I’ve wandered around the streets of Kathmandu, which has been my forced home for the last 5 months, and taken photos of the eerie streets of the empty capital of Nepal.
Without further ado, here are my photos of 5 months of lockdown in Nepal:
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The first lockdown began on March 24th. Almost immediately, the tourist center of Thamel became a literal ghost town where it became difficult to see signs of life.
Popular meeting spots such as Durbar Square and Patan became all but deserted, with police patrolling the streets and screaming at anyone they thought was on a leisurely walk.
PATAN DURBAR SQUARE BEFORE AND DURING THE LOCKDOWN:
KATHMANDU DURBAR SQUARE BEFORE AND DURING THE LOCKDOWN:
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As days and weeks went by and the summer temperatures began to arrive, more and more people found their way outside and more and more businesses began opening their doors.
As monsoon rains started to come, even more shops, restaurants, shopping malls and cafes opened all over Thamel. Even though cases of covid-19 kept on increasing, there was a sense of return to normality that could be felt all over the city. Surprisingly, the government decided to lift the lockdown on July 22nd, ending what had been until then 4 months of lockdown in Nepal.
However, this new freedom was short-lived, as cases continued to increase at a higher rate than before. On August 10th, a second – and more strict – lockdown was imposed in the capital, shutting all businesses including those of essential services.
As of today, there is no telling when this second lockdown will end. However, as of this writing, the Kathmandu airport is expected to open on September 2nd, which hopefully means (for me) that my experience enduring one of the longest lockdowns in the world is finally over.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); IN PHOTOS – 5 MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN IN NEPAL When I first set myself en route to Nepal, little did I know that I half a year later I would still remain stuck in this country during one of the world's longest lockdowns.
