Great news about the electricity. Haven't been since 2011 but the rolling blackouts were a little rough, even right after the monsoon. I spent some time in a

Great news about the electricity. Haven't been since 2011 but the rolling blackouts were a little rough, even right after the monsoon. I spent some time in a K-12 school and the power would sometimes just randomly go out during the day. Every computer in the school would be cut off and we'd sit around and wait for a couple of minutes while listening for the guard's keys jingling as he ran down the hall to fire up the backup generator. The landscape is beautiful, the history and culture is fantastic, and the people are kind and wonderful. There are definitely areas with trash all over but if you go with an accommodating and open mind then it's all good. Prepare to be in a third world city/country though. Boiling and filtering water is normal. Soaking fruits and vegetables in iodine water is normal. Dodging high pressure salespeople who will chase you around if you look western is normal. Getting overcharged if you don't haggle is normal. Pokhara is a bit of a tourist town but it's definitely an escape from Kathmandu. There's a whole row of western style restaurants and cafes near the lake. You can also find pockets of western comfort if needed while in Kathmandu as there's a large NGO worker population and some accommodations that have been built up to serve "important" visitors.