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Doing business in Kathmandu

I‘m in the internet shop in a side alley, one of the good ones with instant backup power for when the electricity goes down. All of a sudden lots of noise and yelling on the main street.  Then some loud bangs and people run past the door.  The shop guys jump up, go outside and pull down one of the two metal doors over the windows.  Moving fast they pull in their sign, potted plants and even their floor mats.  Then down comes the other door and we’re locked in, a half a dozen Westerners and 20 glowing LCD screens behind industrial strength steel roll up doors like you’d see on a loading dock.  You can hear the chanting, loud voices and honking horns muffled thru the steel.  Hey I’m glad I’m in here not out there. Some patrons didn’t look up from their Skype video calls; I guess they’ve seen it all before.  It’s actually quite cozy so I go back to my Google spreadsheet.

I stayed on my spreadsheet till they closed the shop.  Brand new law is 10:30 PM closing for all stores and bars in Kathmandu. There went the all night partying…

Fortunately I knew a back way through an alley and skipped the worst street.  When I emerged I saw a contingent of soldiers, all in their uniforms but no guns showing.  Still the street was unsettled, people seemed upset and there was a lot of trash.  I thought the rickshaws looked a bit exposed so I waited till I saw some Westerners walking my way and fell in.  They split at the next corner so I tried a cab but he didn’t understand me, or maybe he couldn’t hear me over the din. I wasn’t sure about that mode of transport anyway considering the gridlock plus the hotel was less than half a mile.  I stood there till I saw two guys with backpacks like mine going my way.  So we became three but they didn’t know it, I just trailed behind them figuring safety in numbers.  They got me to my corner which is on a street with a gate and a guard. Once through the gate I could feel the tension lift.

I’m sure when I go down the same streets in the morning you wouldn’t know anything had happened the night before.

What Our Customers Say

5.0
Based on 71 reviews
Chris Lobsinger
Chris Lobsinger
Fast delivery. Caring service. Authentic, curated bowls.
Jordan McCormick
Jordan McCormick
Great quality bowls and mallets. Very professional and personalized customer service. Ryan was really helpful in providing a custom order for my first set of bowls and mallets!
Organic Punk
Organic Punk
I had the best (pun intended) experience with Best singing bowls and the owner Ryan. I have purchased antique bowls from 2 other sources and Ryan provided a superior service and experience. Not only did I receive great customer service but all 6 bowls I got were far better in sound than my other bowls, so that tells me that a lot of care is put into what he selects.Thanks again!
Jae Hwan KIM
Jae Hwan KIM
I just received the products. It feels new to hear the sound of singing bowls right in front of me that I only heard on the Internet.Thanks to you, I have a precious experience!!!Also, with your recommendation, my singing bowls set has become perfect and rich. Your patience and service could not be better!!Thank you very, very much!!!
Bob Metivier
Bob Metivier
Ryan, your L6 medium mallet is amazing! Your attention to particular needs in detail is the reason I decided to make my purchases with you.
Aria Thome
Aria Thome
Ryan is absolutely amazing at his craft. He cares so deeply that you get matched with the right bowl(s) and will go out of his way to make this happen for you. His knowledge is unsurpassable and purchasing from him allows you to tap into his bottomless education and knowledge!!
Zara D'Souza
Zara D'Souza
My entire experience was so seamless. The website is so flexible and easy to navigate. For anyone looking to build a bowl collection, this is the right place to go. I highly recommend reaching out to Ryan. He was so helpful and supportive in guiding me and making sure I make the right decisions. His suggestions were spot on and Im glad I trusted him!! The shipping and tracking was really great as well. The bowls were well packaged when shipped to me. I got an email with the tracking info and Ryan was a great communicator during this phase as well. In the end, I am very happy with the set I acquired.
Zachary Newton
Zachary Newton
You are in excellent hands here with Ryan if you are just embarking on your singing bowl journey.I came knowing I wanted a deep resonant bowl or two when I initially reached out. This began a months' long dialogue with Ryan, who was nothing but patient and generous with his time, sending me recordings of additional bowls not on the website and answering my many questions. Over this period, I spent hours listening to dozens of bowls, beginning to figure out what resonated most with me and expanding my search from there. I ended up putting together a small set. When I found a few bowls I was pretty sure I wanted to be the core of this set, Ryan offered to put them on hold for me while I spent some more time listening to additional bowls. So whether you know exactly what you want, or you just have a vague inclination and see yourself at the beginning of a journey--like I was--you have come to a good place.When I finally made up my mind and ordered my bowls, they arrived impeccably packed and already sounding familiar after having spent months listening to their recordings. I have been very happy with them. In the months since, I have spent many hours playing them, and have even added a couple more. I am still on that Journey I began a year ago, and I continue to value the care and patience that Ryan puts into his work as a guide along my path.
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
I heard about singing bowls many years ago but stored their existence in memory. I recently heard what they sounded like on a recording, which piqued my interest. I began looking into where I could obtain some of these bowls and found many options on the internet. I decided on Best Singing Bowls. The website has many different bowls that allow searching for specific notes, octaves, types of bowls, and much more. The website has an image of the bowl and two soundtracks that let you hear what the bowl sounds like. I found this very helpful and received help from Best Singing Bowls on how to play the bowls, the types of ringers and mallets, and the bowl's history. I asked many questions because I knew little about singing bowls. Delivery of the orders came exceptionally fast. I will look to Best Singing Bowls for future additions and ask for the promptly answered guidance I found immeasurably helpful. I found the entire experience very straightforward and seamless. The website has a vast amount of information on the many tabs related to singing bowls.
Sveta
Sveta
This was the best shopping experience I have ever had online. Ryan has provided an exceptional customer service. He replied to all my questions timely and his suggestions helped me to find the perfect addition to my set. I am very satisfied with the quality and the sound of my newly acquired ancient singing bowls. I received them within a few days of the purchase. Thank you, Ryan!
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