1. Get acquinted with people who can take you to drink tongba. Razu at the Mount View guesthouse might prove to be your new best friend if he takes you to Dorje restaurant. If you can't find Razu, you can try locating Dorje yourself. Facing south, take a left turn from Jyatha road just past the Danish bookstore. Walk 20 meters. Dorje will be on your right in the tiny little alley. Say hi to Ases, Udey and Provin for me, okay?
2. Drink tongpa - probably the most ingenious alcoholic beverage in the world.
3. Here's how: Pour hot water over fermented millet seeds in a wooden bucket. Then suck the water out with a straw. Do it again. One tongpa is good for 3-5 rounds.
4. Order more tongpa.
5. When you've had enough tongpa, you've got three options. If you can avoid the obvious one, which is a) collapse you can either b)go see one of the Thamel cover bands play or c) go to a dance club.
6. In case you opt for b) both Namaste Cafe and TNT are nice. The bands all play the same stuff ranging from Arctic Monkeys to Jimi Hendrix but not all of them are good. (In fact, most of them are not.)
So before ordering an expensive beer (usually around 300 rupees) sit around for a while to see if the band is decent. If it isn't move to the next bar.
7. In case you opt for c), be prepared to see a grotesque striptease show in which the dancers don't strip. They just mull around the stage and sometimes take a shower. If you happen to run a fashion agency and have experience in training models to walk in high heels, then I think the girls in these bars could use your help. Oh, and bring lots of cash. You'll have to cough up at least 400 rupees for a beer here.
