Parvar - परवर - (Pointed Gourd) Fresh Parvar is found in abundance in Nepali markets.  For more information, please check this link . Fresh Parvar for sale Pointed Gourd ( Parvar or Parwar ) is a tropical vegetable with origins in the Indian subcontinent.  The pale green fruit is oblong, 4 to 5 inches long,  tapered at both ends, and marked with a few irregular longitudinal stripes.  The vegetable is prized for its nutritional value and digestibility. It can be used to make soup, which smooths stomach disorders.  It is also wonderfully delicious simply stir-fried or sauteed in a spicy sauce, boiled with other ingredients, or curried and stuffed.  Parvar is considered a luxury and is expensive. A very popular vegetable in Nepal   Shopping for Parvar at open air market in the Maru Tole area of Kathmandu -  a nice display of fresh, young Parvar above on the right.  In the foreground of the picture,  you will see the assortment of o...

This weekend, I returned from Mombasa, where I spent nearly two weeks on holiday with the girlfriend. Ooops – fiancée. We had planned for it for a long time, and she did not know I was planning to pop the question in style during this holiday. Upon returning, a friend called and said I must have spent millions. I laughed, because we each hardly spent 300 dollars for the entire trip! We would have spent less if had avoided first class on the train! I know, you are skeptical. But let me give you a few tips. You can have a five day holiday in Mombasa for only five hundred thousand shillings. That is the kind of money some Ugandans blow in the fake beaches around Lake Victoria. Some even blow it in bars. But next time you want to take out your girlfriend, try Mombasa. It’s cheap, if you follow these simple tips I’m going to give you. I like to travel, to see the world, to experience new cultures and new adventures. I’ve thus figured out the cheapest ways to enjoy the most exotic spots in t...