First Published September 5,2005 at www.travelblog.org/bloggers/gypsygal

I have to pay 50 rupees just so this sadhu will pose for me. What can I say? In a capitalist world, everything's for sale.

Kathmandu —  One of the first things I bought when I arrived in Thamel – Kathmandu’s backpackers center – was a calculator. Given my propensity to convert everything (in Singapore, US and Philippine currencies) and also to curtail my spending, a calculator is a necessity for me.

Although I stayed in Singapore for over four years – a country where shopping is a national sport and the shopping malls lining Orchard Road are considered major tourist spots – I was never bitten by a shopping bug. I don’t like buying things that I really don’t need. It’s a waste of time. money and energy. Plus, I learned my lesson. A few years ago, I was so depressed, that I used my credit card to buy my happiness. This even if I was a poor newspaper reporter in Manila. I incurred massive debts, that I had to accept tons of writing jobs just to clear my debts.

The calculator, however, failed to curb my spending mania.

My inner shopping goddess reappeared in Kathmandu. How can I resist, especially in Thamel, where every inch of the land was devoted to all forms of commerce – from cafes to shops selling frilly hippy skirts, from cd shops to guesthouses and travel agencies.

Kathmandu is definitely a shoppers' paradise. Whether you are in Thamel or in any temples in the Kathmandu Valley, you'll always find shops selling all sorts of things - thanka paintings, food, film, cds, beads, tshirts, trekking services, yoga lessons, etcetera, etcetera

So yeah, I bought myself some handmade paper, kurta, iodine tablets, Himalaya beauty care products, veggie burger, mango jam, coffee, shampoo, paperbacks……

I’m just thankful that I kept my credit card under my backpack. Whew!

Colorful bed covers for sale in Thamel