Around Kathmandu

So, now we are wondering why we brought thermal underwear. So if I write this here, I will see it in a few weeks's time and hopefully laugh, not nod. Ed's from Aldi at $10 a pair, that he wore in Africa  and my Columbia, brand named and with super silver shiny lining don't compare.  Maybe I can wear mine inside out as a disco statement? But today I need to think about not getting sunburnt. Ah, first world problems. 

I am wondering about the school near Pokhara? Just what will the English language level be? When I think about Hossein, my Inverbrackie friend's language, I marvel at how quickly some learn, when there is the chance to use it. And how slow I am now. I can say hello and goodbye. 

We have met Mann, the Nepal Education Fund rep and local. He is amazing, quietly spoken, well organised and very helpful. The school is Mount High School in Pokhara. I googled it and only found a secondary one, but Ed's two children go there and they are primary age.

Today we went to Laliput which apparently is a sister city to Kathmandu. It has a "Darbar" which might be a temple, or might be an old imperial city. Huge wooden series of buildings that are being restored but currently are pretty derelict. UNESCO site, I think. There is limited evidence of restoration, so again I guess they are struggling with rebuilding. It was rebuilt in the 1700s and then the earthquake of 1934 did more damage. Some of the restorations have been better than others, so some have been redone. As you walk inside there are low white ceilings and exposed wood. Along the walls there are descriptions in very complicated English showing different architecture styles through teenagers. One display shows columns built over centuries, comparing Ancient Greek, Roman, Mesopotamian etc.

At times you can see the evidence of previous colours. Some gilt, some red. But most of the buildings and walls are a dark brown colour. Further along there are displays of carvings that were in columns, doors and above the doors. These spread from Buddhist images, to Hindu, with Ganesh, birds, and lots of sprite type creatures.

I really liked the ink and water colour paintings of Henry A Oldfield, who was able to move around Nepal in the 1850s, despite it being "closed". He drew street scenes and showed daily life.

Initially we have been visiting the three young people, that Ed has been sponsoring for the past 7 years, through a registered organisation called Nepal Education Fund. Ed met Susan Marshall in a taxi in India.   Susan mentioned helping Nepali families educate their children.  This has expanded and now she manages 180 children with sponsors from all over the world, including several Rotary groups. The local contact (Mann) is extremely kind and very effective. My friend has been planning to come here for 2 years, so he has a huge suitcase full of things to donate. (I had way less.) Today we took these two suitcases to an office in a home where they were divided up between poor schools. It was interesting because I thought the place we were in was in was pretty poor. The organiser showed me some pictures of walking two days up incredibly winding sides of hills to get to remote schools. Everything came in on a person's back, many paths were too narrow for a yak or donkey.

The two families we have visited have lived in a "house" that is about 1.5 m x 2m with a bed at each end, and a tiny gas burner in the middle. In one house, the food shelf had tiny plastic jars of a half cup of lentils, a little, oil and some spices. I thought Cambodia and Laos were poor, but these people are really struggling. We bought rice and potatoes and eggs as we left. One mother was tiny. She looked about 12 but was 20 (2 kids, 5 and 18 months, wayward husband). The other was a more robust 35 year old with an 19 year old son. She sweeps roads and the father sells musical instruments in the tourist area. We have seen him several times since, and he is a happy man. It is wonderful to see this family working together.

Chitwan morning ox cart

Ox cart ride through the early silence 

After busy Kathmandu, the peace in Sauraha, outside the Chitwan National Park is welcome. Travelling on an ox cart, along misty road is almost surreal. It is quite easy to see the harvest process for the rice, but at the same time, sad to see some fields under water from the rain from the Indian cyclone. Ripe rice had been cut and lay ready to go to be threshed and winnowed, and several fields were now under 20cm of water. Our driver said it would be smelly and not even good for animals to eat. On other stretches, people were laying cut rice on the road, leaving it to dry out and to separate, as cars and carts drove over it. Some laid it directly on the ground, others used plastic tarps. Yesterday I watched a yard of rice be winnowed by machine. Men forked rice stalks into the top and the woody part flicked out the side. (Later, they were almost dancing with hand held fans over the rice heap, separating the chaff.)

The fields looked frosty, but the morning was warm. There was a fog even at 8am. The sun on the spider webs In the rice looked magical. One street sign showed the "Cow Museum" and another heralded "Elephant Street".  

In the Tharu  Museum we read about the history of the people in the area. Up until the 1950s, the main cultural group were Thauru who were resistant to the malaria of the area. But as malaria became less of a problem, hill people moved in, taking land. Secondly, the government decided to make a national park to conserve tigers, which meant a second land grab. People were compensated and moved to a new area. There were interviews and recordings of different people's responses. Many were finding life in the new area difficult, needing to grow corn instead of rice, because it was much drier. Some said they liked the area because of the new roads and hospitals. It was not clear whether these were traditional owner or some of the hills people.

Arriving back at the hotel area, we were greeted by the man who had not managed our first arrival very well. It seems he is the representative responsible for organising this part of our trip. And he runs the Children and Women Promotion Center here in Sauraha. It is a registered non-government, non-political, nonprofit organisation that supports economically and educationally under privileged children and women. He showed us his new building and children and he explained the setup for 17 children who, according to the brochure, attend a private school, but I thought he said they went to the government school. He manages the program by seeking sponsors and volunteers. I was not sure of his links with Mr Man form Kathmandu. There are two rooms set aside for volunteers and each had a computer and a wired internet connection, with beds he proudly showed us that had mattresses, 20cm thick. The current volunteer is a young man from Singapore.

We were invited back for dal bhat at 6pm.

Sarangkot

Above Pokhara (800m) sits the spot called Sarangkot (1200m) which is perfect for paragliding,solo or tandem. By 11 am, up to 100 sails float down, some spiralling madly, some turning slowly on thermals. I want to try this, and have read reports from grandmothers who have enjoyed it. The walk from lakeside to the jump place was described as 2.5 hours, by a pleasant young local. Well, I started across a gentle slope through rice fields. Then up a cobbled section past farms and then came to a corner that said it was another 1.5 hours,with a diagram that looked steep. I quit. I walked back slowly past a family preparing a goat for dinner.

End continued and said the view was amazing, and that the last part had really been UP, UP, UP stone steps most of the way. After the jump base, there we more steps UP to a lookout. I struggled with my brief effort and was not surprised when the father of they young woman who had suggested the walk told me that he had never gone up that track.

But lots of others did and thoroughly enjoyed it. I guess mountain walks are not for me. I just don't like UP.

Later we walked along the lakefront, past Tibetan women selling handicrafts. Although they can have refuge in Nepal, they cannot own land, businesses or vehicles and cannot be employed in Nepal. I guess it goes without saying that they cannot go to school. I feel bad as I walk past. I don't really need necklaces, or bangles. But there are so many people struggling.

There is a newish cement paved pathway along the water's edge. Last week people were pulling that water hyacinth that a sees to plague rivers and lakes. Although the top looks quite pretty, the bottom is a at of black fibres, like coconut matting. Mounds up to a metre high and two metres wide lie on the bank. I wonder if it smells as it rots? Someway burning, but how do you burn wet weeds? The path breaks up at a few points, and people have the wind through a metal maze. I guess this stops motorbikes. The series of restaurants varies for a wooden hut with one perp eight a few packets of chips, to "Mike's Restaurant" which might have seated 60, but that looked like it had been derelict for years.

Eventually there are boats for rent. Flat bottomed ones to row, ones that pedal and bigger ones for groups of up to 10. Many were half submerged. Life jackets were compulsory. At one point, there's a raised platform that might have been a lookout. Both time is have passed, it was being used as a washing station for people. But the walkway across is under 50 cm of water. I must get a photo. It looks weird to see people pull up their trouser legs and wade across.

Tihar

In Nepal, Tihar the Hindu Festival of Lights (Deepali, Deepawili, Dipawili) is a five day festival that varies according to the region.   It includes recognising the importance that animals play for humans (especially crows, dogs and cows) and culminates in a respectful ceremony, where a sister circles her brother with a ring of oil from a copper vase (because oil will never evaporate), puts a 7 colour tikka on her brother's forehead, and gives him a garland of colourful marigolds that will not fade for a month.  Altogether this signifies the strong relationship between brothers and sisters.  If a person does not have a brother or sister, they can join in with other relatives or friends. 

We watched this ceremony in a family restaurant, and it was full of fun.  There was also a ritualistic swapping of gifts.  It's all a bit like Christmas, really. (PS - I don't know how they make the tikka colours these days, but mine got very itchy and the red and purple took a while to get off.)

I missed the significance of crows.  They signal grief and loss to some Hindus, so recognising them means they will not come back too soon.  But on the Day of the Dog, we watched a street mutt being welcomed into a local restaurant.  He sat patiently at the doorway, allowed a garland around his neck and a red tikka on his forehead, THEN he ate.  It was almost silent.  I have seen a few dogs in the street.  The lie patiently, sleeping. People, even cars go around them.  They don't seem to be owned by anyone in particular, and they are not mangy. I have not seen snarling or fighting, but here you can hear them at night.

Yes, cows also roam they streets, but I have been told that they actually belong to someone.  They return home at night.  Although we are in a hotel area, there are still plots of land with crops and animal stalls.  Yesterday I saw goats.  One street back from Pokhara Lakeside, there are yards with cows. 

From early morning each day, children move along the street, singing and dancing, usually to Hindi tunes from a huge speaker. The little ones say something like, "hii -ya" over and over,not particularly tunefully. By early evening the groups changed to older people, with teenagers dancing in lines of two and three. These seemed choreographed, and although some were traditional Nepali, others were based on Hindi movies. The fourth night had at least three really big centres with parts of the road blocked. It was all very well organised but still seemed casual. The music was LOUD. One young man played a drunk leaping and twirling. He was an object of humour, and people seemed to know the song he was dancing to.

All along the streets, people put colourful patterns with coloured rice,sand, petals and fruit. I will add pictures later. Sometimes it was a bit hard to get past without treading on a pattern, and most we replaced each day. There were also incense sticks everywhere, but the fragrance is not the sandalwood smoke sensation I expected. Many are subtle and very pleasant.

Then final day is a bit of a slow start. Fr the first time the street were almost empty. Poor tourists with no home base- we had to struggle to find breakfast coffee. But by 3pm the music was back and laughter was everywhere again. Happy people enjoying themselves.

Name change

Why am I here? Nepal Education Fund

Why am I here? Nepal Education Fund

Several years ago, while travelling in India, Ed met a Canadian woman in a shared taxi.  Both had been to Nepal, and were thinking of ways to improve school for young people.  From the website:

http://www.nepaledfund.ca

The Nepal Education Fund is a small privately run charity started in 2004 to help educate children in Nepal. These children are from very poor families who cannot afford the yearly school fee nor the cost of school uniforms and the requisite school supplies. Some of the children have never attended school while others have had to drop out as their parents can no longer afford to send them because of financial hardship.

Literacy levels in Nepal are less than 48% and many parents struggle to feed their families, much less provide access to school. With the remnants of the caste system in this area, it is very difficult to break the poverty cycle without education. Secondly, there is no free health or medical care program in Nepal. So when a principle breadwinner becomes unwell, it is near impossible for a family to recover.  In 2009, The Nepal Education Fund began a literacy and sewing class for women in Pokhara. 

 
Susan and her local representative, visit twice a year, bringing letters from sponsors, taking photos and returning these with letters from each student to the sponsor. 

As the website shows:

 "The cost to sponsor and educate a child for one year is Cdn $125.00 for Government school and $350.00 for private school. This pays for the school registration and monthly fee, the three mandatory annual exams, a school uniform, schoolbag, shoes and supplies."

Susan raises the administration costs from garage sales, being sponsored in marathons and by selling Nepali goods at local Canadian markets.

Pokhara 2 - School and life

High Mount School (or Mount High School) 

I need to get my story straight here.  Sometimes I think the while school is funded by the Nepal Education Fund, other times I think there are some students who are not sponsored.  Information from conversations with Mann, (the NEF representative), the Principal and the students differ, but that just might be how I hear things, rather than what they actually say. 

Anyway, it is called a 'boarding school' to signify private education as different from a government school.  No students actually board there.

Because it is festival time, yesterday there were only 4 Class 10 students there, and while Ed, Mann and the Principal visited sponsored families, I sat in on a lesson.  The teacher had a very loud voice. It did echo across the empty yard.  Today was revision on the lenses in a compound microscope and a telescope.  We had a short discussion about how this might have been taught in "my country" and the teacher explained to the students that other countries have "practical classes".   But today we had a white board, a diagram and an explanation. 

Right now I am thinking again about taking technology (and electricity ) for granted.  Even a colour diagram of a telescope might have made a huge difference. Let alone a computer screen with annotations. 

The Principal's wife, who regularly teaches in a government school, was sweeping and cleaning up wood shavings. They had had some new furniture made in the break time.  We swept,  then walked out the back of the school to see the Seti River.  The school is on a sheer cliff face (no fence). 60m below, on the river flood plain there are shanties, and many of the students live there.  These families shovel stones and rocks from the river bed, and carry them up for building materials. In the rainy season, the families might be up to their necks in water, still shovelling. Such determination just to get enough to eat.  On road edges, you can see people shovelling piles of rocks against what almost looks like a wire bed frame. This sorts rocks into sizes, eventually resulting in a fine cement like dust. 

On the way back by taxi, we sat on a steer corner waiting for ...... a cow to move enough for traffic to pass. I watched road works. Ancient men and woman squatted on the road, tapping and hammering away at the rocks, filling in holes with smaller rocks. Another person swept with the bunch of twigs. Across to one side, there were three  44 gallon drums, black and tarry, one suspended over a wood fire.  Another man was stirring it.  He tipped it over into a bucket arrangement, and another man "watered" the road surface with the tarry liquid. I guess it's sort of an Macadam road, with layers of rocks, then a sort of bitumen surface.

When Ed came back from visiting families he had several stories to tell.  Often the families are one or more women managing 2, 3 or 4 children, sometimes biologically related but also some children have been taken in after one or more parent has disappeared, died or is just not coping with every day . I realise more and more how important a basic education is. In Kathmandu I saw street kids who were glue sniffers. They looked to be 6-8 years old.  But who can tell. So these ones here in extended families, still living on the borderline of starvation are better off than some others.  If a mother has a illness, things become very, very difficult.  The NEF has some funds for an emergency like that, but again that is only because a sponsor somewhere has kicked in. So I know that one boy recently  had a haemorrhoid operation, another mother needed help with cancer, and just now another child was treated for a urinary track infection.  But again, only because someone, somewhere, found the money. 

Pokhara 1

Pokhara Lakeside is a strip along Fewa Lake, with mostly 2 and 3 storey hotels and an occasional newer 6 storey cement block. Balconies look across the lake or at the beginning of the Annapurna Range.  Here it is green but the sparkling white mountains of out in the distance.  We stayed at the Crown Hotel which is set back from the street a little, with a garden,k a fountain and a blue Buddha or Hindu man with a trident.  Next door is a row of hotels (one with a massage spa) and the other side has a open hectare of field. Yesterday it was weeded by three women, so today it is brown earth.  The hotel in front has 6 water storage tanks on the roof, two black plastic and three metal, half hidden behind a bamboo fence.  Solar panels line the edge of the wall along the storage area. Then just below that, thee is the usual a collection of broken chairs,pots, old gas cylinders,  cement in plastic bags, old restaurant signs and pot plants in various stages of growth. Pretty typical of roof tops everywhere. 

From our balcony I can see the para gliders that leave most mornings from the top of the next green mountain.  Today there are only 60. Yesterday at 11 am there looked to be 100 wafting around on the thermals, circling and dipping. I am going to try this.  It is a tandem flight, and this morning I spoke to a UK man who said he was not so good with heights, but that the pilots ask how brave you are and adapt. So 30 minutes might be my lot. 

Chitwan to Pokhara

Chitwan to Pokhara 

The ride in a smaller Tourist bus started with the usual scramble for seats, followed by a lengthy discussion between one young Chinese woman and the bus boy. He was calm and eventually got her to move from the coveted front seat to the allocated seat further back.  This was probably a 20 seater, with a cushioned row behind they driver.  We left on time, again, then cruised around the main street area of Chitwan collecting a few locals to squish onto the cushioned seat area.  Now, in comparison with the bigger colourful busses that squash 3 to a double seat, with up to 12 I the front section and others standing, our tiny bus was a luxury.  

Just out of town, as we beetled along at at least 45 kph, we passed a lorry type truck that had driven too close the the inner edge of the road. There's a gap along the inner shoulder that sometimes is reinforced by stone walls, but really is an water channel.  This lorry had its right wheels on the road, but the left side was in the gutter.  The drop on the other side might have been 40m, without any safety rail or fence.  So I guess running into the gutter is better than sending someone over the side.

Driving along a basically single carriage road, with busses, motor bikes and trucks in both directions is a dance where big gives way to small.  Passing means juggling the spaces between vehicles. There were not many cars, and I despair the time when the 4WD I have seen in other countries come along.   Drivers of those vehicles often appear privileged, taking a dominant stance. A bit judgemental, but I am basing that on experiences on roads in Vietnam, Loas and Cambodia.

I hope I can find some pictures of the valleys along this route. Brightly coloured 2 and 3 storeyed houses dot the hillside. I mean bright pink, purple and yellow. The ads on walls are predominantly for cement companies and paint. Along with local Scotch and sometimes cigarettes. Sheer terraced edges with rice paddies. Occasional corn fields. But the road really is a series of hairpin turns. I thought the road between Maymio and Yangon was windy. This is bend, after bend, after twisting bend. For three solid hours. Then we stopped at

Nepal, Internet and First World Problems

One thing I remember from 10 years ago is the concept that internet access can be limited to a number of users. We used to save every few minutes, then programs began to auto save. So now, using a recent program or application can be minor disaster. Especially if it saves before you have gone back to check the weird and fantastic changes autocorrect has decided that you wanted to use. Compounding this is the challenge of diminishing electrify. All part of the adventure. Here, effectively, if you have access, it may stay, or you may be randomly bumped by a new user.  So, mid sentence, everything could disappear into a black hole.   And it doesn't matter how close to the routers you sit.  

Ah, wifi! So if you find a cafe with decent internet, grab it. Who cares what the coffee tastes like, stay. New Orleans Cafe in Kathmandu was an exception. It had good coffee, apple pie, and strong wifi.

Last night I read a blog from a young woman who is volunteering in Africa. I am not sure where. At one stage she was questioning how effective her day had been.  She thought that her time could be bette spent supporting adults rather than teaching a class of 4-6 year olds.  I have thought the same thing (being a secondary teacher and all).  She commented on trying to look at ways to recycle when the village did not have any bins.  This morning I talked with a couple from the UK who have a Steripen that disinfects 500ml of water in 49 seconds (not 50 I note, but 49 - I read the label).  They can take water from a stream, or a local tap, zap it and it's 99.9% OK.  Not the same as boiling for 4 minutes,but a real saving on the number of plastic bottles we go through. But it requires charging with a USB connection.  I wonder how long the charge lasts? And if it has a solar connection.

This hotel has 5 solar panels on the roof.  And a huge battery system.

Preview is not working but goes straight to "publish"

Ok, add here when I get back home?

Dinner with the children -Sauraha, Chitwan

Arriving back at the hotel area, we were greeted by the man who had not managed our first arrival very well. It seems he is the representative responsible for organising this part of our trip. And he runs the Children and Women Promotion Center here in Sauraha. It is a registered non-government, non-political, nonprofit organisation that supports economically and educationally under privileged children and women. He showed us his new building and children and he explained the setup for 17 children who, according to the brochure, attend a private school, but I thought he said they went to the government school. He manages the program by seeking sponsors and volunteers. I was not sure of his links with Mr Man form Kathmandu. There are two rooms set aside for volunteers and each had a computer and a wired internet connection, with beds he proudly showed us that had mattresses, 20cm thick. The current volunteer is a young man from Singapore.

We were invited back for dal bhat at 6pm.

The Children and Women Protection Center, Bachhyauli 2, Sauraha, Chitwan was established in 2000 by Mr Sher Badahur, according to the brochure. I find catching names so difficult, the speed and then accent eludes me. But the enthusiasm of this husband and wife team is infectious. Along with they other 'Aunty' who works in the kitchen, they currently take care of at least 10 children. Most were from families who could not take care of them, some were orphans. They attend the local school. Our host told us proudly that in recent years, several had graduated, and at least one was either training to be a nurse, or actually was a nurse. (Again, trying to listen and translate was a dilemma.)

I am not sure how or why children's homes get set up. This one was a 2 storey building. Upstairs there were the expected 2.2m x 3 m rooms, set up with double bunks. I guess I found this unusual because everywhere else family homes have one or two flat beds that are shared by at least three people. There was no writing on the walls but also no pictures. In some homes, the girls put up pictures of Indian movie stars and singers. I need to check the name of one star - he's on all the billboard ads for local Scotch. Along with suggestive comments like, "It's bigger than I looks".

The beds had typical thin solid mattresses, one colourful Korean blanket and a sheet. Now I am wondering who actually uses the yak wool blankets sold in every street and bazaar? In the corner there were some thicker comforter type bedding, rolled and stacked. One wooden cupboard. There were two extra rooms for volunteers,with single beds and a desk with a computer. These mattresses were 25 cm thick. Luxury for the volunteers.

Dinner was dal bhat. But the potatoes were cooked in a more traditional way, outside on a metal dish over a wood fire. The kids set the table with metal cups, plates and cutlery. The juice Ed brought was ceremoniously shared. Dinner began with a prayer. A 4 year old was appointed (seemed like it was his turn that night). He stood on his chair almost singing a few words, and they others responded in chorus. Their lentils were spooned on, but we adults had separate bowls. Some ate about 3 cups of rice, along with half a cup of curry and vegetables. Several lined up for more. subsequently I have found out that breakfast is often a cup of tea, lunch is not much more, so this is the main meal. Kids ate with their right hands, we foreigners got a spoon and fork. I found the lentil soup extremely salty.

This month's volunteer was Amal, from Singapore. His maIn duties were to interact with the children after school. He was clearly well respected. In the 60 minute "screen time / play time" after dinner, some used his laptop for Toy Story 3, others were playing shooting games (and sharing), two worked together at UnBlockMe, a puzzle game on a mobile phone screen and others looked at photos with Ed. Now,this is not the age group I usually interact with, so I had no idea what to do when a 4 year old started to kick at an 8 year old. But the others sorted him out. I guess they really get to be an extended family.

The program depends entirely on voluntary contributions. I do wonder what the adults do during the dayside the kids are at school. They were developing a garden around the house.

Kathmandu to Chitwan

Kathmandu to Chitwan 

Why does the bus take up to 5 hours if it's only x kms? Well, some sections of road are "sealed" and the bus barrels along at 60kph. More often, it's 10-15kph navigating potholes and broken surfaces. We had a tourist bus because the local busses are not considered as safe. And there were 5 non-Nepali people on the 40 seat bus. The road winds along the river, with hairpin bends every 40-60m. Designed for shorter people. When someone leans back, there isn't a lot of room for taller Western legs. But everyone smiles, even those with children on their laps.

One small baby slept the whole way. The mother and grandmother alternately provided lap space. Now I am wondering whether disposable nappies have reached Nepal. I can remember seeing them in Indonesia, along the road.

OK I am giving up on including pictures. I will leave it until I get better internet. I have been writing this in Textilus on my iPad and the autocorrect can be amusing, especially when it also auto saves - randomly.  

At the bus terminal (the muddy final destination that had hotel touts standing on a mound in the middle on a spot clearly marked by a ring of rocks), we met a young woman who was building an "Eco hotel". She mentioned that one room was built with empty bottles, rendered in mud. It is on the left of the entrance to the Elephant Bathing Place.

When we were in Kathmandu, Shaun mentioned the method of describing places by geographic location rather than street names. It is more evident here. Another destination was referred to as "next to the shop with the blue sign".

Many of the places I have stayed have had a 1.5m grey wall around a compound, often with some form of storm water drainage in a trough outside. Inside the metal gate, people sit under trees, with manicured, if dusty gardens. Often you can see older people with hand held scythes cutting the grass.  

Yellow Marigolds can be up to 1m tall, and there are pink and red flowers on bushes next to deep purple flowers. Another common plant looks like vibernium, but is about 40 cm tall, with pink flowers.

Each hotel seems to be run by an extended family, and during then day an assortment sits under the trees or under a thatched roof open enclosure.  Our Tiger Residency Hotel is a collection of 5 double single storey units,with an eating hall with kitchen and three double units for staff. The central are has trees and an open shed for sitting. Whitewashed inside, the windows are in 30cm sections, each 2.2 m high. As the breezes change, they open different windows. Our rooms have AC but I prefer the overhead fan. Overhead fans are more effective than AC and I despair that more "modern hotels" will lose some of this.  Our beds are hard, and I have seen people in villages airing or sun drying the contents of flock filled mattresses. The bathroom is adequate. The shower is hot, if you time it carefully and everything works. Soap is rare. Toilet paper is available, but there is also a tap by the toilet.

Our sunset stroll went past the village towards the river. There were plenty of birds. Walking to the Government elephant park showed a series of thatched sheds without sides that had elephants chained at night. Each habits own handler, and the females wear one heavy chain and the males two. Some were swaying. We were shown the ball of rice stalks with a centre of rice that they are fed.  Possibly the greatest excitement was a rhino near a hotel.

Our morning jungle walk took us along the river, in canoes, watching birds. We had been told not to wear bright colours because that scared the animals. And we were reminded to be quiet. The guide did say that some cultural groups made more noise than others and I did enjoy the peaceful canoe trip. Our canoe looked like a dugout tree, but inside was fibreglass. Our guide sat at the front, with the oarsman paddling at the back. 

Along the bank, there were blue kingfishers, white heron and even swifts in holes along that wall of the bank. Then we walked under 10m tall trees. Some looked ancient with vines and moss as well as tree ferns.  I think some were teak, but others were smaller. At times, the grasses were sharp edged. I would have liked to sit a while and watch insects. There were tiny red beetles, and clumps of maybe red millipedes.

One guide climbed trees to look for animals, calling himself a "Nepali monkey". As we walked along the river, the undergrowth was fine couch.  There were several spots that wild pigs had torn up and some slides downing the river that were made by rhinos. We saw monkeys and deer in the distance, but the best view of a rhino was near to the village. At one stage, the older guide identified a spot were a tiger had spent the night. Other evidence was animal dung. When I asked later, one guide said he had seen tigers about 10 times in his life. The most recent time was two years ago when he worked for the government in the park. There had been a fire that he drove through in a jeep with tourists. Tigers had sheltered in a small lake and he had scorched his hair getting the tourists out safely. But they saw tigers.

I was particularly impressed with the way that the guides allowed for different walking speeds.  Several times I was shown an easier path, and I was very grateful.  Some spots were quite slippery and the younger and fitter ones enjoyed that. 

We walked back towards then local ferry crossing, this time in larger boats, two across.

Leeches? Yes. Just flick them off.  I managed to find one on my leg, then had two discoveries later when I returned. Ouch. One was right up my leg, so I guess they fall as well as leaping from the lower bushes.  

After lunch of chicken curry, rice, potato and green beans, at 3 pm we had an afternoon elephant ride. Apparently this only happens once a day. Frankly, it was an unusual experience. Four adults sit on an enclosed platform on the elephant's back. I wonder if our platform was not balanced, because I seemed to be squashed into a corner, despite being told to lean forward. It was like holding on to a ladder. Others looked more comfortable. Some had space to turn around and take photos. The view from there was great. The Asian elephants are smaller than African ones, and several of these had pink patches, almost like freckled skin. The platform was secured around the tummy with one strap and a buckle. There were some ropes across the front, and the rider sat behind her neck, urging her forward with bare feet behind her ears. He tapped her forehead with a stick (on the left to to right and vice versa). Her head had a hollow sound, and I think that the stick placed in the middle meant "go forward".

The elephant lurched along and managed some quite steep inclines, especially going into the river. I think at one point the water was about 1m deep. The riders seemed to stay in pairs and they were on the lookout for other animals. We saw monkeys and deer. At one stage we stopped beside a small waterhole and watched a rhino that might have been sleeping. One rider hopped down to take photos. As we came back across the river flat, the young man beside me took some incredible photos with his automatic Nikon. When we flicked thought them later, he had some beautiful reflections and many shots of grass and undergrowth in black and white.

I am never comfortable with the concept of tipping. Because this was a trip that was a 3D4N all inclusive package, and the hotel has suggested that we needed to tip the elephant rider, I was not sure what of do. No-one seemed to be scrounging around for cash, so I handed over 500R and he smiled. So, again,who knows what to do?

At the Elephant Washing Place, there seemed to be 40-50 people waiting on the shore and just 2 elephants in the water. Each had 2 or 3 people in life jackets. The elephants were urged to shoot water over their backs and wet the tourists. Photo opportunity. And that's it.

The Tharu Cultural Performance was in the village hall.  At least 400 people sat in green metal chairs and the audience was quite noisy. So now I am thinking that it might be a cultural things. At school, we do suggest that kids need to learn how to be in an audience. Introductions were made in English. There were two drummers and dancers also sang. Wearing white, 15 women danced about harvesting rice. The young Mann's dance was more active, with sticks clacking left, right, forward and behind. I watched on the screen of a mobile phone a few rows in front of me. One young man twirled sticks energetically and there was a brilliant display with fire sticks. The audience seemed to know when the performance was ending, because many stood up and walked out while the stage was filled with the cheerful crowd joining the performers. It was energetic.

Kathmandu to Chitwan

Kathmandu to Chitwan 

Why does the bus take up to 5 hours if it's only x kms? Well, some sections of road are "sealed" and the bus barrels along at 60kph. More often, it's 10-15kph navigating potholes and broken surfaces. We had a tourist bus because the local busses are not considered as safe. And there were 5 non-Nepali people on the 40 seat bus. The road winds along the river, with hairpin bends every 40-60m. Designed for shorter people. When someone leans back, there isn't a lot of room for taller Western legs. But everyone smiles, even those with children on their laps.

One small baby slept the whole way. The mother and grandmother alternately provided lap space. Now I am wondering whether disposable nappies have reached Nepal. I can remember seeing them in Indonesia, along the road.

Many of the places I have stayed have had a 1.5m grey wall around a compound, often with some form of storm water drainage in a trough outside. Inside the metal gate, people sit under trees, with manicured, if dusty gardens. Often you can see older people with hand held scythes cutting the grass.  

Yellow Marigolds can be up to 1m tall, pink red flowers on bushes next to deep purple flowers. Another common plant looks like vibernium, but is about 40 cm tall, with pink flowers.

Each hotel seems to be run by an extended family, and during then day an assortment sits under the trees or under a thatched roof open enclosure.  



Our rooms have AC but I prefer the overhead fan.  Our beds are hard, and I have seen people in villages airing or sun drying the  contents of flock filled mattresses.

Chitwan 3

Our sunset stroll went past the village towards the river. There were plenty of birds. Walking to the Government elephant park showed a series of thatched sheds without sides that had elephants chained at night. Each habits own handler, and the females wear one heavy chain and the males two. Some were swaying. We were shown the ball of rice stalks with a centre of rice that they are fed.  Possibly the greatest excitement was a rhino near a hotel.

Our morning jungle walk took us along the river, in canoes, watching birds. We had been told not to wear bright colours because that scared the animals. And we were reminded to be quiet. The guide did say that some cultural groups made more noise than others and I did enjoy the peaceful canoe trip. Our canoe looked like a dugout tree, but inside was fibreglass. Our guide sat at the front, with the oarsman paddling at the back. 

Along the bank, there were blue kingfishers, white heron and even swifts in holes along that wall of the bank. Then we walked under 10m tall trees. Some looked ancient with vines and moss as well as tree ferns.  I think some were teak, but others were smaller. At times, the grasses were sharp edged. I would have liked to sit a while and watch insects. There were tiny red beetles, and clumps of maybe red millipedes.

One guide climbed trees to look for animals, calling himself a "Nepali monkey". As we walked along the river, the undergrowth was fine couch.  There were several spots that wild pigs had torn up and some slides downing the river that were made by rhinos. We saw monkeys and deer in the distance, but the best view of a rhino was near to the village. At one stage, the older guide identified a spot were a tiger had spent the night. Other evidence was animal dung. When I asked later, one guide said he had seen tigers about 10 times in his life. The most recent time was two years ago when he worked for the government in the park. There had been a fire that he drove through in a jeep with tourists. Tigers had sheltered in a small lake and he had scorched his hair getting the tourists out safely. But they saw tigers.

I was particularly impressed with the way that the guides allowed for different walking speeds.  Several times I was shown an easier path, and I was very grateful.  Some spots were quite slippery and the younger and fitter ones enjoyed that. 

We walked back towards then local ferry crossing, this time in larger boats, two across.

Leeches? Yes. Just flick them off.  I managed to find one on my leg, then had two discoveries later when I returned. Ouch. One was right up my leg, so I guess they fall as well as leaping from the lower bushes.  

After lunch of chicken curry, rice, potato and green beans, at 3 pm we had an afternoon elephant ride. Apparently this only happens once a day. Frankly, it was an unusual experience. Four adults sit on an enclosed platform on the elephant's back. I wonder if our platform was not balanced, because I seemed to be squashed into a corner, despite being told to lean forward. It was like holding on to a ladder. Others looked more comfortable. Some had space to turn around and take photos. The view from there was great. The Asian elephants are smaller than African ones, and several of these had pink patches, almost like freckled skin. The platform was secured around the tummy with one strap and a buckle. There were some ropes across the front, and the rider sat behind her neck, urging her forward with bare feet behind her ears. He tapped her forehead with a stick (on the left to to right and vice versa). Her head had a hollow sound, and I think that the stick placed in the middle meant "go forward".

Thauru local performance

The Tharu Cultural Performance was in the village hall.  At least 400 people sat in green metal chairs and the audience was quite noisy. So now I am thinking that it might be a cultural things. At school, we do suggest that kids need to learn how to be in an audience. Introductions were made in English. There were two drummers and dancers also sang. Wearing white, 15 women danced about harvesting rice. The young Mann's dance was more active, with sticks clacking left, right, forward and behind. I watched on the screen of a mobile phone a few rows in front of me. One young man twirled sticks energetically and there was a brilliant display with fire sticks. The audience seemed to know when the performance was ending, because many stood up and walked out while the stage was filled with the cheerful crowd joining the performers. It was energetic.

Elephants

After lunch of chicken curry, rice, potato and green beans, at 3 pm we had an afternoon elephant ride. Apparently this only happens once a day. Frankly, it was an unusual experience. Four adults sit on an enclosed platform on the elephant's back. I wonder if our platform was not balanced, because I seemed to be squashed into a corner, despite being told to lean forward. It was like holding on to a ladder. Others looked more comfortable. Some had space to turn around and take photos. The view from there was great. The Asian elephants are smaller than African ones, and several of these had pink patches, almost like freckled skin. The platform was secured around the tummy with one strap and a buckle. There were some ropes across the front, and the rider sat behind her neck, urging her forward with bare feet behind her ears. He tapped her forehead with a stick (on the left to to right and vice versa). Her head had a hollow sound, and I think that the stick placed in the middle meant "go forward".

The elephant lurched along and managed some quite steep inclines, especially going into the river. I think at one point the water was about 1m deep. The riders seemed to stay in pairs and they were on the lookout for other animals. We saw monkeys and deer. At one stage we stopped beside a small waterhole and watched a rhino that might have been sleeping. One rider hopped down to take photos. As we came back across the river flat, the young man beside me took some incredible photos with his automatic Nikon. When we flicked thought them later, he had some beautiful reflections and many shots of grass and undergrowth in black and white.

I am never comfortable with the concept of tipping. Because this was a trip that was a 3D4N all inclusive package, and the hotel has suggested that we needed to tip the elephant rider, I was not sure what of do. No-one seemed to be scrounging around for cash, so I handed over 500R and he smiled. So, again,who knows what to do?

At the Elephant Washing Place, there seemed to be 40-50 people waiting on the shore and just 2 elephants in the water. Each had 2 or 3 people in life jackets. The elephants were urged to shoot water over their backs and wet the tourists. Photo opportunity. And that's it.

Houses and hotels

Many of the places I have stayed have had a 1.5m grey wall around a compound, often with some form of storm water drainage in a trough outside. Inside the metal gate, people sit under trees, with manicured, if dusty gardens. Often you can see older people with hand held scythes cutting the grass.  

Yellow Marigolds can be up to 1m tall, and there are pink and red flowers on bushes next to deep purple flowers. Another common plant looks like vibernium, but is about 40 cm tall, with pink flowers.

Each hotel seems to be run by an extended family, and during then day an assortment sits under the trees or under a thatched roof open enclosure.  Our Tiger Residency Hotel is a collection of 5 double single storey units,with an eating hall with kitchen and three double units for staff. The central are has trees and an open shed for sitting. Whitewashed inside, the windows are in 30cm sections, each 2.2 m high. As the breezes change, they open different windows. Our rooms have AC but I prefer the overhead fan. Overhead fans are more effective than AC and I despair that more "modern hotels" will lose some of this.  Our beds are hard, and I have seen people in villages airing or sun drying the contents of flock filled mattresses. The bathroom is adequate. The shower is hot, if you time it carefully and everything works. Soap is rare. Toilet paper is available, but there is also a tap by the toilet.

Raining

Tuesday October 14th 2015

So, if there's a cyclone off south East India, why is its raining, raining, raining in KATHMANDU? As always, this is "not usual for this time of year". In retrospect, local people were talking about snow, and then days later we hear about people bing lost near Annapurna Circuit.

There don't seem to be any museums or indoor activities, but that probably is my lack of research. So, it's a day of reading and writing amidst the regular electricity blackouts. Out tickets to Chitwan are in Lalipur with Mann, but we suggested it as too wet for his bike today. Is it beer o'clock already? Before or instead of lunch?

Catching up with Shaun

Shaun had mentioned that there had been a flat area cut to place the house. And it had recently been shovelled flat again. But it was a distance from the village. And there was a milk truck that could help. So after a few more conversations, a couple of phone calls and another chat, it was decided to leave it all to "tomorrow". I will have to wait to see when tomorrow actually comes.

Shaun took us to the best place for yoghurt drink, sprinkled with ground nuts and sultanas. Excellent veg samosas, as well. I haven't tried "Buff samosas" yet.

It was wonderful to catch up with Shaun. He is building a house in Ranikot south of Bhaktapur. Walking to the shop that sells plastic for the bags he is using as "brickwork" was easy at first. Then going to the back streets initially for lunch (veg momo or dumplings) then to find then warehouse for the rice bags showed a side of life for regular people. I loved the way that nothing happens, unless someone is watching. The bag man had been promising to deliver for nearly a month. When we got there, half had been peeled off the huge roll. After a discussion (Shaun can intersperse Nepali and English admirably), two men started to peel off the second length. It all seemed a bit haphazard. Then the casual conversation started about who was actually going to deliver the two huge bags. By now it was close the 4pm and still raining slightly. Truck? Taxi? Mixture of both? Who would help take it the last section along the pathway to the building site.