kathmandu you

i'll be in nepal on sunday. this is what the lonely planet has to say about the place:

Warning

Nepal has plunged into a constitutional crisis following the dissolution of the Nepalese government by King Gyanendra. Long-standing tensions between government forces loyal to the King and Maoist rebels have resulted in sporadic violence across the country.

While the safety of travellers isn't directly under threat, the tense environment could deteriorate rapidly and leave visitors stranded. A recent state of emergency saw the King invoke eergency powers including complete censorship of the media and the suspension of civil rights. Some travel advisories are urging travellers to avoid going to Nepal until the political situation is resolved, however, tourist numbers are on the rise.

A Maoist 'people's war' was declared in 1996 in response to government corruption. A ceasefire temporarily halted hostilities, but negotiations faltered and on August 27, 2003, the ceasefire was called off. Bombings, including several on the same day, have hit Kathmandu and the surrounding valley.Maoists have threatened tourist facilities throughout Nepal, and Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai warned travellers that they could be 'caught in the crossfire of the contending armies', while perversely encouraging them to visit anyway. Travellers to Nepal are urged to remain vigilant, keep a low profile and avoid demonstrations.

Check travel advisories for possible bandhs (strikes) that may be called at short notice. If a bandh is called, do not travel during it and keep an extra low profile until it is over.

Official curfews can be declared at short notice, in the capital and towns throughout the Kathmandu valley. Soldiers loyal to the King have the authority to shoot those disobeying curfew. Army and police checkpoints can make travel slow, and there are reports that rebels threatening violence - and bandits posing as rebels using actual violence - are sporadically targeting travellers for revenue-raising purposes. The districts of Banke, Dang, Syangja, Surkhet, Rukum, Kalikot, Jajarkot, Rolpa, Salyan and Gorkha are considered especially dangerous.