Pokhara

This is my last day in Pokhara and a rest day, my only one this trip.  I have seen all the children here and it has been so enjoyable.  Pokhara itself has problems because of a lack of tourists.  Businesses in Lakeside are suffering badly, the stores are quiet and some already have closed.  Hotels mostly empty. To rent a store a years rent must be paid up front, the earthquake happened a year ago next month, so that years rent is almost gone.  After that I just do not see how they can pay these high rents with no tourists shopping in their stores.  I have a friend who is a jeweller and another who owns a gift shop both say the situation is terrible.  The only tourists here are young backpackers and they do mot spend money.  

At this time of year the sky is usually alive with coloured paragliders, there are very few now.  Everyone is suffering.  I also see kids sniffing glue on the street something I did not see before in Lakeside.  Things have changed due to a disasterous past year.  Hopefully tourism will pick up but it is going to take time which a lot of these businesses do not have.