Last day today and i'm ill!! Of all the times to get a bad tummy and my body chooses today!! Wouldn't miond but my family have planned a big fare well meal for me tonite so hope i'm up to it!
Only got 3 hrs sleep last night so tomorrows journey should be fun.....have be up, packed and ready for the off at 6am! Then collecting the peeps from the other project then to the airport - same journey back - Kathmandu to Deli then Deli to Heathrow then a long drive straight back to Manchester - I'm looking forward to coming home tho - as much as I'm going to miss my family and this amazing country i feel ready for my home comforts, family and friends......so hope you're all ready to receive me as warmly as Nepal did....You've a lot to live up to!
Really excited because I've bought all my family members individuals presents and cant wait to give them to them tonight. Also today is the 1 yr anniversary of when Prabha and Atma Ram first met and made the decision to get married so I've had a nice photo of them that i took printed and framed. Have also bought something for the 'bump' so despite my ill health tonight should be a good one.
Got loads more to tell you all than what i could fit on this blog and approx 900 photographs to bore you with....can't wait.
See you all very very soon :)
xxx
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Thursday, 11 March 2010
A few more -
This is the day i fell off the boulder backwards!!! That's the pole i had in my hands when i fell!
The boulder that Ceri (the girl in the red t shirt is sat on) is the one i fell off!
Me brick laying with Laxman (our 'late ee-skilled-e worker') - I'm about 30ft high here on the Bamboo scaffolding.
Some more boulder removing!
The biggest boulders ever known to man - (these are actually quite small in comparison to the ones before)
This is the day i fell off the boulder backwards!!! That's the pole i had in my hands when i fell!
The boulder that Ceri (the girl in the red t shirt is sat on) is the one i fell off!
Me brick laying with Laxman (our 'late ee-skilled-e worker') - I'm about 30ft high here on the Bamboo scaffolding.
Some more boulder removing!
The biggest boulders ever known to man - (these are actually quite small in comparison to the ones before)
6 budhas, 9 monkeys and a braclet
Work has been slow after our 'ee-skilled-e worker' quit so the past week has been spent removing boulders the size of houses and then smashing them. I haven't taken much part this week as my side is still sore after my fall a few weeks ago.........
I visited the hospital on Monday which was an interesting venture to say the least - I had an x-ray which confirmed that i hadn't broken any bones but they did say that i had torn muscle and internal bleeding which in Nepali translates to bruising (at least i hope it does anyway), wasn't very easy to understand what was going on if I'm honest but at least i got to keep the x-ray so i can show it to my doctor when i get back to the UK. I've been told to take rest though which has meant me sitting around the building site doing nothing :)
On Saturday we went to Kathmandu and really wanted to visit this one particular market - so we get the the hotel drop off our bags and get straight in a taxi to the market - we arrive and the Taxi driver says - ''yes this is New Road Market...'' only there was nothing there - when we asked where the market was he told us it closed for one day a week on Saturday!!!! We asked why then had he taken us there but he couldn't give an answer so we just ended up paying him to drive us back to the hotel again! Not a good start.
Had an excellent weekend though and managed to get some great presents including 6 Buddhas, 9 monkeys and a bracelet (which is a sentence i never imagines myself sayingIt was one of the volunteers - Yannicks Birthday so we went out into Kathmandu as a group - we had a really nice meal and we managed to arranged for a birthday cake to be made for Yannick and within 3 hrs it was ready to collect - pretty impressive! Someone from our community suggested a club for us to go to and it was really good - most of the places we have been to in Thamel have been very western and full of 'western travellers' but this place was really 'Local' and we parteeed with the Neplai's! The music wasn't exactly to my taste and the bouncers confiscated my Mentos, but other than that it was a good 'craic'.
Sunday i had the most fun i think i can ever remember having and i can't wait to show the pics and videos when i get back!! :)
The Leopard has been lurking again around our community and one day last week we heard that it had ventured into one of the houses in our village!! Apparently the family sacrificed one of their goats by throwing it to the leopard in order to save themselves! God only knows what my family would do in that situation as we don't have any goats! Its certainly put me off my nightly star gazing in the back garden though....
Monday night i watched Prabha and Atma Rams wedding DVD - its 4 hrs long and we managed to get through 2 hrs before the power went off - it was tough going but really interesting as well - the family are hoping to show me the 2nd 2hrs at some point this week........
On Tuesday i went with my Amma (Mother) early morning into the forest to collect the food and bedding for the cow - basically this involved sweeping the forest floor (with brushes made on the spot from twigs) then collecting all the fallen leaves in baskets and carrying them back on our heads - i had an ace time and was amazing when we arrived in the forest as there were loads of of other woman from the community doing the same thing. Aside my Amma carrying twice the size of her own body in leaves on her head, the thing that impressed me most was the calls that the women use to identify each other in the forest - was so cool standing in the middle of them all calling to each other - got some photos but once again these rubbish computers won't let me upload - its looking like I'll have to upload the rest of my photos when i get back.....NEXT WEEK - ARRRGGHHH!
Kinda looking forward to coming home - it feels unbelievably strange though, the actually reality of rejoining the western world is quite scary. As I've already said, as much as i am missing everyone back home, i feel so settled and happy here and honestly could stay a lot longer.
I feel that there is soooooooooo much i haven't seen and i defiantly plan to return to Nepal as soon as i can and go exploring.
I am looking forward to my own bed without a doubt but even that cannot contend with living with the forest and mountains on my doorstep, going on morning adventures exploring the jungle, the weather, my friends, my Nepalese family and most of all the 'internal freedom' and elation i have felt since arriving here. The time seems to have passed so quickly yet at the same i feel i could have been here forever!
This is probably going to be my last entry before i return to the UK so for now.....
Feri Ba Tola (See you later)
xxxx
I visited the hospital on Monday which was an interesting venture to say the least - I had an x-ray which confirmed that i hadn't broken any bones but they did say that i had torn muscle and internal bleeding which in Nepali translates to bruising (at least i hope it does anyway), wasn't very easy to understand what was going on if I'm honest but at least i got to keep the x-ray so i can show it to my doctor when i get back to the UK. I've been told to take rest though which has meant me sitting around the building site doing nothing :)
On Saturday we went to Kathmandu and really wanted to visit this one particular market - so we get the the hotel drop off our bags and get straight in a taxi to the market - we arrive and the Taxi driver says - ''yes this is New Road Market...'' only there was nothing there - when we asked where the market was he told us it closed for one day a week on Saturday!!!! We asked why then had he taken us there but he couldn't give an answer so we just ended up paying him to drive us back to the hotel again! Not a good start.
Had an excellent weekend though and managed to get some great presents including 6 Buddhas, 9 monkeys and a bracelet (which is a sentence i never imagines myself sayingIt was one of the volunteers - Yannicks Birthday so we went out into Kathmandu as a group - we had a really nice meal and we managed to arranged for a birthday cake to be made for Yannick and within 3 hrs it was ready to collect - pretty impressive! Someone from our community suggested a club for us to go to and it was really good - most of the places we have been to in Thamel have been very western and full of 'western travellers' but this place was really 'Local' and we parteeed with the Neplai's! The music wasn't exactly to my taste and the bouncers confiscated my Mentos, but other than that it was a good 'craic'.
Sunday i had the most fun i think i can ever remember having and i can't wait to show the pics and videos when i get back!! :)
The Leopard has been lurking again around our community and one day last week we heard that it had ventured into one of the houses in our village!! Apparently the family sacrificed one of their goats by throwing it to the leopard in order to save themselves! God only knows what my family would do in that situation as we don't have any goats! Its certainly put me off my nightly star gazing in the back garden though....
Monday night i watched Prabha and Atma Rams wedding DVD - its 4 hrs long and we managed to get through 2 hrs before the power went off - it was tough going but really interesting as well - the family are hoping to show me the 2nd 2hrs at some point this week........
On Tuesday i went with my Amma (Mother) early morning into the forest to collect the food and bedding for the cow - basically this involved sweeping the forest floor (with brushes made on the spot from twigs) then collecting all the fallen leaves in baskets and carrying them back on our heads - i had an ace time and was amazing when we arrived in the forest as there were loads of of other woman from the community doing the same thing. Aside my Amma carrying twice the size of her own body in leaves on her head, the thing that impressed me most was the calls that the women use to identify each other in the forest - was so cool standing in the middle of them all calling to each other - got some photos but once again these rubbish computers won't let me upload - its looking like I'll have to upload the rest of my photos when i get back.....NEXT WEEK - ARRRGGHHH!
Kinda looking forward to coming home - it feels unbelievably strange though, the actually reality of rejoining the western world is quite scary. As I've already said, as much as i am missing everyone back home, i feel so settled and happy here and honestly could stay a lot longer.
I feel that there is soooooooooo much i haven't seen and i defiantly plan to return to Nepal as soon as i can and go exploring.
I am looking forward to my own bed without a doubt but even that cannot contend with living with the forest and mountains on my doorstep, going on morning adventures exploring the jungle, the weather, my friends, my Nepalese family and most of all the 'internal freedom' and elation i have felt since arriving here. The time seems to have passed so quickly yet at the same i feel i could have been here forever!
This is probably going to be my last entry before i return to the UK so for now.....
Feri Ba Tola (See you later)
xxxx
Thursday, 4 March 2010
ONly 2 weeks to go.................
Feels strange - kinds excited about coming home but at the same time the western world seems at little scary as i have really settled here - i'm happy with my family and have got used to the food (i actually love it - never eaten so much rice in my life (but i actually feel sad when we have roti sometimes instead of our Dal Bhat!), i love my village, enjoying work and getting on well with all the other volunteers......have been thinking alot though about chips and curry from me local chippy and also missing Weetos and Coco pops!! Also haven't tasted ice cream since i got here - bring on the Ben and Jerrys!
We're still well ahead of target at the school work site and have continued this week shifting massive boulders to make way for new steps to be built up to the entrance of the school - going to try to upload some pics of the school and the building site but having problems again today uploading. My ribs are still sore and if they are not better by Monday i think i'm going to take a trip to the hospital......eh is they x-ray me i get to keep the x-ray!!
So last weekend we went to Kathmandu on Friday night - the usual story...Meal somewhere then a few drinks then site seeing the next day. This week we went to a place called Bodnath - it has one of the largest Buddhist Stupas in the world - again i have photos to upload but it will have to wait for another day......
Sunday we returned to Lamatar (our community) for the Holi festival - we had planned to spend it on a p[lace called Pashupati but Platform2 requested we spend it with our host families - and i'm so glad that we came back because we had an awesome time. Basically Holi is a Nepalese Festival celebrating the end of winter and beginning of Spring, half the village were out having a massive water fight and covering each other in powder paint!!! The most fun i have had in years!!! I seriously had about 20 5ltr buckets of water tipped over me, i was also picked up by the local lads and carried to a stream and thrown in!! I had every colour on me - red,yellow,green,purple - you name it i was wearing it!! Desperate to upload the photo's - you'll laugh as most the ones of me look like i've been on a battle field in a major war as my face is just covered in red!! Again you'll have to wait for the pictures.
The Leopards have been knocking about again!! We have been going searching for them on our treks but to no avail - which is probably a good thing as don't really know what i would do if i saw one!!!! Can hear them at night tho! Also had a major thunder storm on Tuesday night, was so impressive - especially because we're in the valley so the thunder was echoing all around us!!
Anyways better run as the power is about to finish - sure i've loads more to tell but can't fit it all in - will try to upload some pics at the weekend.
xx
We're still well ahead of target at the school work site and have continued this week shifting massive boulders to make way for new steps to be built up to the entrance of the school - going to try to upload some pics of the school and the building site but having problems again today uploading. My ribs are still sore and if they are not better by Monday i think i'm going to take a trip to the hospital......eh is they x-ray me i get to keep the x-ray!!
So last weekend we went to Kathmandu on Friday night - the usual story...Meal somewhere then a few drinks then site seeing the next day. This week we went to a place called Bodnath - it has one of the largest Buddhist Stupas in the world - again i have photos to upload but it will have to wait for another day......
Sunday we returned to Lamatar (our community) for the Holi festival - we had planned to spend it on a p[lace called Pashupati but Platform2 requested we spend it with our host families - and i'm so glad that we came back because we had an awesome time. Basically Holi is a Nepalese Festival celebrating the end of winter and beginning of Spring, half the village were out having a massive water fight and covering each other in powder paint!!! The most fun i have had in years!!! I seriously had about 20 5ltr buckets of water tipped over me, i was also picked up by the local lads and carried to a stream and thrown in!! I had every colour on me - red,yellow,green,purple - you name it i was wearing it!! Desperate to upload the photo's - you'll laugh as most the ones of me look like i've been on a battle field in a major war as my face is just covered in red!! Again you'll have to wait for the pictures.
The Leopards have been knocking about again!! We have been going searching for them on our treks but to no avail - which is probably a good thing as don't really know what i would do if i saw one!!!! Can hear them at night tho! Also had a major thunder storm on Tuesday night, was so impressive - especially because we're in the valley so the thunder was echoing all around us!!
Anyways better run as the power is about to finish - sure i've loads more to tell but can't fit it all in - will try to upload some pics at the weekend.
xx
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Me Yannick and Miller (again at the top of the trek to KotDanda)
Sun rise at 'the top'
Me Colm adn Miller and our project supervisor Bal Krishna (again early morning walk to the summit lodge)
View from the four hr trek we went on Thursdayto KotDanda......
Early doors - me n Colm.
Milk coffee at the top of the 'trek' going to try to go every week day untill we leave - now my ribs are feeling better! Views amazing - 
Amos at the top.....
This is my only photo of everest (its the pointy one in the middle!)
Worshipping the 'guy' (cow)
On the mountain path - exhausted...................Thursday, 25 February 2010
I can't update any pics today because my camera has just run out of battery but will try to upload some at the weekend when i go to Kathmandu -
So i stuck with it and went Treking Weds, Thurs, Friday and Sunday - We went to Kathmandu on Saturday for our 'free time' booked into the hotel - went to check out getting a tattoo then had a delicious stone baked pizza - was really enjoying myself untill i got a call from our project supervisor telling us that we could not stay the night in Kathmandu as there had been strike called for the following day and it would be too dangerous for us - we were all absolutely gutted as our weekend had been taken away from us.
We got back to the community around 7pm and pretty much had to go straight to bed.......on the Sunday me n Colm got up at 6am and walked up to the summit lodge (going to try to upload some more pics so you can appreciate why we push ourself 45mins up such a steep incline at that time of the morning!!!) Anyways it was well worth it for the Cornflakes with Hot Milk (pure luxury!!), at about 11am we found out that the Strike has infact been arranged for the Monday (so we could of stayed in Kathmandu the night before - was not best pleased.....). We decided we'd head into Kathmandu for the afternoon and went and had lunch there (onion rings, chips, nachos etc - can't you tell how important food is becoming to me!!! I'm obsessed with Snickers too!!).
This week we've been continuing working hard at the school and i've been cracking on with breaking down the steps and removing giant boulders with a sledge hammer and 5ft crow bars!! Dangerous - literally as on Tuesday i fell backwards off one of the boulders with the crow bar in my hands and landed on a pick axe!!! Have really injured my ribs - in agony but still managed a 4 hr up hill trek today - it was excruciating but there was no way i was missing out! Besides it kills when i sit, stand or lie down so figured i may as well crack on and deal with the pain.......
Today has been tough as onbe of me best mates out here, Sean, was sent home. He got into trouble for rule breaking and the project van came this morning to collect him and take him to the airport for his flight to the UK. For any of you following this blog who are wanting to apply to Platform2 let it be a lesson that if you break the rules your ARE going home........
I'm absolutely crushed about the whole thing - just now wishing him a safe journey home and will introduce you to him when i get back as he's only in Wythenshawe......
My family were very sweet to me though and supportive as i was inconsolable - i'm becoming really close with both my brother and his wife and they have begged me not to get into trouble because they are scared i will be sent home!! We have talked alot about me returning to Nepal as often as possible and are adamant that me and my family can stay with them free of charge anytime we like - My brother has asked me to move out here for 12 months or more and stay with the family - i am now officially part of their family.
I forgot to mention actually that we were all given Nepali names by our family's the first week we arrived - mine is Rasmi (which means ray of light), after the first week though my name was extended and now i am Rasmi Rajcumari (Sarah) Kussi (Happy) Gimirie (my family surname).
I'm contemplating getting a tattoo of Sarah but in Nepalese script.......? Will feed back on that one.
So we're away to Kathmandu at the weekend and Sunday is a huge festival in Nepali which is a colours festival to celebrate the end of Winter - all the people trow water and paint at each other - should be interesting - going to but a disposable camera for it so won't be able to show you the pics till i get back but will update you all on how it goes.......
Signing off now as the powers about to go................ xx
So i stuck with it and went Treking Weds, Thurs, Friday and Sunday - We went to Kathmandu on Saturday for our 'free time' booked into the hotel - went to check out getting a tattoo then had a delicious stone baked pizza - was really enjoying myself untill i got a call from our project supervisor telling us that we could not stay the night in Kathmandu as there had been strike called for the following day and it would be too dangerous for us - we were all absolutely gutted as our weekend had been taken away from us.
We got back to the community around 7pm and pretty much had to go straight to bed.......on the Sunday me n Colm got up at 6am and walked up to the summit lodge (going to try to upload some more pics so you can appreciate why we push ourself 45mins up such a steep incline at that time of the morning!!!) Anyways it was well worth it for the Cornflakes with Hot Milk (pure luxury!!), at about 11am we found out that the Strike has infact been arranged for the Monday (so we could of stayed in Kathmandu the night before - was not best pleased.....). We decided we'd head into Kathmandu for the afternoon and went and had lunch there (onion rings, chips, nachos etc - can't you tell how important food is becoming to me!!! I'm obsessed with Snickers too!!).
This week we've been continuing working hard at the school and i've been cracking on with breaking down the steps and removing giant boulders with a sledge hammer and 5ft crow bars!! Dangerous - literally as on Tuesday i fell backwards off one of the boulders with the crow bar in my hands and landed on a pick axe!!! Have really injured my ribs - in agony but still managed a 4 hr up hill trek today - it was excruciating but there was no way i was missing out! Besides it kills when i sit, stand or lie down so figured i may as well crack on and deal with the pain.......
Today has been tough as onbe of me best mates out here, Sean, was sent home. He got into trouble for rule breaking and the project van came this morning to collect him and take him to the airport for his flight to the UK. For any of you following this blog who are wanting to apply to Platform2 let it be a lesson that if you break the rules your ARE going home........
I'm absolutely crushed about the whole thing - just now wishing him a safe journey home and will introduce you to him when i get back as he's only in Wythenshawe......
My family were very sweet to me though and supportive as i was inconsolable - i'm becoming really close with both my brother and his wife and they have begged me not to get into trouble because they are scared i will be sent home!! We have talked alot about me returning to Nepal as often as possible and are adamant that me and my family can stay with them free of charge anytime we like - My brother has asked me to move out here for 12 months or more and stay with the family - i am now officially part of their family.
I forgot to mention actually that we were all given Nepali names by our family's the first week we arrived - mine is Rasmi (which means ray of light), after the first week though my name was extended and now i am Rasmi Rajcumari (Sarah) Kussi (Happy) Gimirie (my family surname).
I'm contemplating getting a tattoo of Sarah but in Nepalese script.......? Will feed back on that one.
So we're away to Kathmandu at the weekend and Sunday is a huge festival in Nepali which is a colours festival to celebrate the end of Winter - all the people trow water and paint at each other - should be interesting - going to but a disposable camera for it so won't be able to show you the pics till i get back but will update you all on how it goes.......
Signing off now as the powers about to go................ xx
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Top of the Mountain - Me N Miller (about 6am - I'm only so happy because we're at the top and have ordered our milk coffees!)
On the way down - so much easier than the way up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another pics from the top - check out that view!!!
Happeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! (Just relieved to have made it - look how steep it is!)
Again - the way back down - so much easier than going up (no pics of that - too embarrassing)
Okay - well had a pretty good week up to yet - Have decided i'm going to go trekking everyday till we leave and managed to do Mon / Weds and today and plan to go again tomorrow (only didn;t go Tues cos i was sick in the morning from too many Nepaliv green beans the night b4!) - this basically involves getting up at 5am and walking 40-50 Min's up a very large and steep hill in our village on 'goat paths' through the forest / jungle!! My fitness is improving slightly due to all the manual labour I'm doing during the day but I'm still needing to take rest - hopefully after a couple of weeks I'll be running up there!!!
Its pretty cool though as one of the walks we do is up to a hotel on the top of the 'mountain' and they do milk coffee in MUGS!!! Mugs are very hard to come by in Nepal so its a great incentive to get me up the hill!!
Was quite scared yesterday though as me and miller walked up part the way on our own (usually there's a few of us) - it was 5am so still pitch black and neither of us had a torch!! Worst of all 3 people were attacked the morning before in the next town by a leopard and my friend Colms dog was also attacked by a wild cat the night b4 - we both had sticks for protection and i have reinvented my 'rape alarm' as a tiger alarm - not sure it would work but i certainly felt a little safer with it!!
Trying to upload some photos but having problems again so you might have to wait until next time....................
Its pretty cool though as one of the walks we do is up to a hotel on the top of the 'mountain' and they do milk coffee in MUGS!!! Mugs are very hard to come by in Nepal so its a great incentive to get me up the hill!!
Was quite scared yesterday though as me and miller walked up part the way on our own (usually there's a few of us) - it was 5am so still pitch black and neither of us had a torch!! Worst of all 3 people were attacked the morning before in the next town by a leopard and my friend Colms dog was also attacked by a wild cat the night b4 - we both had sticks for protection and i have reinvented my 'rape alarm' as a tiger alarm - not sure it would work but i certainly felt a little safer with it!!
Trying to upload some photos but having problems again so you might have to wait until next time....................
Sunday, 14 February 2010
So - just got back from Nagacot........3 1/2hr drive each way - saw the most amazing views of the valley and the
Only had 1 hr sleep as we all stayed up late chatting and listening to music - bad move considering we knew we had to be up at
So what else has been happening then..................
On Friday we all went to the restaurant in our village for chips and proper coffee - anyway I've noticed the live chickens in the back of the restaurant and of course knew why they were there and that they would be killed to serve the customers but i did not expect the crazy chef to burst into the room the way he did on Friday with the live chicken by the neck in one hand and a meat cleaver in the other - i completely freaked out - never expected that i would feel the way i did but i started panicking and shouting at me friends the shut the door and then i tried to climb out of the window - i felt so upset and i wanted to save him but knew there was nothing i could do. Anyways after a little fresh air i felt alot better and came back inside after the 'deed was done' and the chicken was killed (all me mates watched - even the veggie ones!).
So there i am sat twenty minutes later and the same crazy chef came back into the room with the chickens head BBQ'd on the end of a skewer!!! I felt so sick but thought i'd be okay but then i knew that i couldn't hold it in - i bolted for the door but was in such a fluster that i ran straight into the chicken head!!!!!!!!!! I was soooo sick - it was awful!
When i got home i was sick again and my Amma was worried about me thinking i was ill but because of the language barrier i couldn't explain what had happened - so i called one of the project staff and asked him to explain to her what had happened because neither Atma Ram or Prabha were home to translate - anyway this lead to her and my Buwa laughing at me consistently until Atma Ram came home - it turned out that the project staff member hadn't explained properly what had happened and he told her that the chef brought a live chicken into the room at the restaurant and that i am scared of chickens and i threw up with fright!!!!! No wonder they were laughing at me! Once she knew the proper story though she actually felt quite sorry for me (she's a veggie!).
Just about to head off to a new Samosa and Baji shop we've found in Lubhu which actually serves the food hot (which is rare here) and you even get sweet chili sauce with it and all for the mere price of 2Rs a Baji (which is about 1p) and 5Rs for the Samosa - Derie Mito Cha!!!
Oh - BTW the cat is letting me get closer and is no longer trying to gauge me eyes out when i go near it......it still won't let me stroke it though.........
Public transport in Nepal - if the bus is full - get on the roof!! (We saw a goat on the roof of a bus yesterday! Wasn't quick enough to get a picture though).
Views at Nagarkot............
Me Rach and Yannick on the roof watchin the sunset.
Thw whole group - (left to right) Yannick, Louis, Ceri, Rachel, Bal (our project leader) his son Mini Bal (in front of him), Amos, Sarah J, Alex, Colm, Nur and Sean.Dad this is what was goin on when i was talking on the phone to you...............
Me Ceri and Sarah J.
Sunset at Nagarkot
Sunrise at Nagarkot
Me n Sean at approx 6am this morning at the top of the moutain for the sunrise (had one hr sleep last night!!)
Rachel, Yannick, Me, Amos and Miller on our way to Lubhu to use the internet - what an amazing day that was for amazing views of the mountain (see em in the back ground??)
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Day offf................
We got the day off today because of the weather (basically its raining) - this whole place seems to come to a stand still when it rains - people in the community running round the place like it was acid falling from the sky!!! Its pretty good that its rained though because it means everyone's crops get an extra good watering - extra good for us because we get the day off work!
A few us went for a 'wander' round the local area and checked out some of the forest/jungle near where we live - went for a good 2 1/2 hr trek - was really good fun!
We're off to a place called Nagakot this weekend for the sun set and sun rise - really excited as apparently its an amazing place for the views of Everest!!!! With it being valentines day as well should be quite a 'romantic' setting!! Ha Ha.
We're also planning to take to Everest flight in a few weeks which I'm really excited about.
I've really settled in with my family now and can't imagine what it will be like to have to come home............trying really hard not to think about it! Even the prospect of eating with a knife and fork again is quite daunting (wasn't so good at it to start with but after 10 weeks of eating with my hands it could prove really difficult to tackle cutlery!).
The Tigers have been knocking about again and my family heard them 'shouting' (that's what they say but think they mean roaring!) the last 2 nights - I'm not allowed outside on my own now when its dark and they have been washing the dishes in the morning when its light! I'm not that scared but bet i will be if i hear or see one!
Work is getting quite interesting now - we've finished the concrete pillars on the 1st floor of the building and have started building the wall - I'm getting a 'dab hand' at brick laying (thanks to much patience and tuition from Colm and our skilled worker Laxman).
Yesterday we had to cut Bamboo from the forest - strip it then carry it to the school as we're going to use it for scaffolding! Sounds a bit mental but apparently Bamboo is stronger than steel?
Will def post some pics of the scaffolding!
Not much else to tell really - just hope you are all well and I'll try to get some more pics to upload soon as i can xxx
A few us went for a 'wander' round the local area and checked out some of the forest/jungle near where we live - went for a good 2 1/2 hr trek - was really good fun!
We're off to a place called Nagakot this weekend for the sun set and sun rise - really excited as apparently its an amazing place for the views of Everest!!!! With it being valentines day as well should be quite a 'romantic' setting!! Ha Ha.
We're also planning to take to Everest flight in a few weeks which I'm really excited about.
I've really settled in with my family now and can't imagine what it will be like to have to come home............trying really hard not to think about it! Even the prospect of eating with a knife and fork again is quite daunting (wasn't so good at it to start with but after 10 weeks of eating with my hands it could prove really difficult to tackle cutlery!).
The Tigers have been knocking about again and my family heard them 'shouting' (that's what they say but think they mean roaring!) the last 2 nights - I'm not allowed outside on my own now when its dark and they have been washing the dishes in the morning when its light! I'm not that scared but bet i will be if i hear or see one!
Work is getting quite interesting now - we've finished the concrete pillars on the 1st floor of the building and have started building the wall - I'm getting a 'dab hand' at brick laying (thanks to much patience and tuition from Colm and our skilled worker Laxman).
Yesterday we had to cut Bamboo from the forest - strip it then carry it to the school as we're going to use it for scaffolding! Sounds a bit mental but apparently Bamboo is stronger than steel?
Will def post some pics of the scaffolding!
Not much else to tell really - just hope you are all well and I'll try to get some more pics to upload soon as i can xxx
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Met this lad in Baktapur - he's eight and was really sweet to me - telling me all about the squares and temples where we were visiting. He came back to me later in the day and asked if i could buy him a Nepali - English dictionary - he led me straight to the shop and pointed to the one he wanted - it only cost me 2 pound fifty but he was chuffed as punch!
Pics from Baktapur - the oldest temple in Nepal is here - we couldn't work out which one it was though!!!
More pics in Baktapur...
Amazing Hindu temple - Baktapur.
Baktapur.
The view from by back garden...........................
My house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My Buwa (Laxmi) - he's pretty well respected in the community and lots of people come to visit us for Buwa to 'make them better' when they are sick. He recites Mantras and does some kinda breathing.....? He's a really nice guy and even though he speaks no English we again manage to communicate via sign language and my limited Nepali.
Praba (my sister) at her 'usual spot' in the kitchen....we're actually gettin quite close, shes comes and chills with me in my room when i finish work and she did my make up the other day......she got a 30 quid eye shadow brush out of it mind you!!!
This my brother (Atma Ram, Prabas husband), he's a teacher at the school where i'm working. Me n him have pretty 'deep' conversations and he's quite philosophical.....given me some really 'sound' advice.Thursday, 28 January 2010
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Tried to upload some more pics but doesn't seem to working......will try again on Saturday or Tuesday.
Due to the lack of Internet and electricity combined its too difficult to try to keep a day to day diary so thought i'd write about stuff randomly - prob like if you were havin a conversation with me.....!
On Sunday we treked up the to mountain house which was about an hr and all up hill....got some pics but like i say having problems uploading them.
So each night Praba, my sister gets up around 4am and prepares the first curry of the day - she gives me breakfast around 8.30-9am after she's given me hot water for my instant coffee. She started to let me help with dishes and things now she knows i do them to her standard. Shes only 22 and has only been married to my Brother for 5 mtnhs. It was an arranged marriage suggested by her Aunty. She and my Brother met for 5 mins and decided that they would get married. Praba then had to move to her husbands family home with his mother and father (Tara and Laxmi). She still seems to be adjusting and each day she tell same how tired she is and how her backs hurts - its fair enough though as she never seems to stop. She tells me though that sometimes when no one else is home she has a sneaky 'cat nap' in the garden!!
My Mother and Father also work all day in their 'field' they're farmers.
My brother is a teacher at the school where we work - he teaches maths and ecconomics.
Each night i get home around 6 and sit in the down stairs kitchen come dining room come sitting room. We sit on foot stools or mats on the floor. We have curry - which we all eat with our hands (right hand mind you). This was a little strange at first but now i think it will feel strange to eat with a knife and fork!!
After we have finished our tea Praba collects every last grain of rice which has been dropped on the floor and this goes into the cow bowl with the other left overs (the cow bowl is basically a bowl of water and left overs which is given to our cows).
After the dishes have been washed Praba then rubs Cow dung into the floor in the house - they believe that not only does this purify the house because the cow is sacred but they also believe that it works as disinfectant!!!!
The stars here at night are amazing - i can remember seeing pretty impressive stars when i used to go the France camping with my parents but nothing like this - its as though theres' double the amount i have ever seen before - have tried to take a picture but it just doesn't do it justice.
Each night when i have finished my food Amma gives me hot milk (fresh from the cow then boiled on the clay stove) and i sit in the back yard drinking my milk and looking at the stars.
I kinda gettin used to the outside toilet but we heard today that two days ago a tiger was heard in our forest!! Pretty scary..............my mate Ceri has suggested we all keep pepper on us as apparently her mum throws pepper at the cats that try to come into their garden at home - not sure this will work!
We have the day off work tomorrow (Friday) which is great because i ache all over - i have never worked so hard in all my life - today we shifted about a thousand house bricks from the ground floor of the learning centre on the second floor - no more bingo wings for me!!! I 'felt the burn' believe me!!
We work Mon-Thurs then Friday we have a cultural discussion and dvd in the morning then our weekly meeting in the afternoon when we are given our spends - i can't wait for that either as i'm skint (nothing new there either). We get 700Rs which is quite a lot here - considering a coffee is 10p and the bus 5p it does go a long way -
Saturday we work half day then we're planning to go to Kathmandu for the night (we couldn't go last weekend because there was strike / protest).
We also plan to go to the Ambassador hotel for a massage - can't wait!
On Weds it was our project Supervisor (Bal's) birthday - we bought him some surfer shorts and also did a make shift pass the parcel - we basically wrapped some Nepali sweets in newspaper!!! We also played musical chairs - think he enjoyed it - we f\got a late curfew which was fab as every night we have to be home for 6pm - but on Weds we were allowed to 'play out' till 8pm - whoooo! We were late getting back and the bus was full so we had no choice but to come back on the roof of the bus! Ubber dangerous - nearly had me head cuts off by electricity cables and branches i don't know how many6 times - was a laugh though - prob a bad idea me mentioning it on here as its against our 'code of conduct' but so is being late so it was one or the other....
Got to go now - we're in a place called Lubhu which is the closest place e for the Internet, we found a back street cafe here which we have nicknamed to Nepali Arms! Have to be back by 5.30..............
Due to the lack of Internet and electricity combined its too difficult to try to keep a day to day diary so thought i'd write about stuff randomly - prob like if you were havin a conversation with me.....!
On Sunday we treked up the to mountain house which was about an hr and all up hill....got some pics but like i say having problems uploading them.
So each night Praba, my sister gets up around 4am and prepares the first curry of the day - she gives me breakfast around 8.30-9am after she's given me hot water for my instant coffee. She started to let me help with dishes and things now she knows i do them to her standard. Shes only 22 and has only been married to my Brother for 5 mtnhs. It was an arranged marriage suggested by her Aunty. She and my Brother met for 5 mins and decided that they would get married. Praba then had to move to her husbands family home with his mother and father (Tara and Laxmi). She still seems to be adjusting and each day she tell same how tired she is and how her backs hurts - its fair enough though as she never seems to stop. She tells me though that sometimes when no one else is home she has a sneaky 'cat nap' in the garden!!
My Mother and Father also work all day in their 'field' they're farmers.
My brother is a teacher at the school where we work - he teaches maths and ecconomics.
Each night i get home around 6 and sit in the down stairs kitchen come dining room come sitting room. We sit on foot stools or mats on the floor. We have curry - which we all eat with our hands (right hand mind you). This was a little strange at first but now i think it will feel strange to eat with a knife and fork!!
After we have finished our tea Praba collects every last grain of rice which has been dropped on the floor and this goes into the cow bowl with the other left overs (the cow bowl is basically a bowl of water and left overs which is given to our cows).
After the dishes have been washed Praba then rubs Cow dung into the floor in the house - they believe that not only does this purify the house because the cow is sacred but they also believe that it works as disinfectant!!!!
The stars here at night are amazing - i can remember seeing pretty impressive stars when i used to go the France camping with my parents but nothing like this - its as though theres' double the amount i have ever seen before - have tried to take a picture but it just doesn't do it justice.
Each night when i have finished my food Amma gives me hot milk (fresh from the cow then boiled on the clay stove) and i sit in the back yard drinking my milk and looking at the stars.
I kinda gettin used to the outside toilet but we heard today that two days ago a tiger was heard in our forest!! Pretty scary..............my mate Ceri has suggested we all keep pepper on us as apparently her mum throws pepper at the cats that try to come into their garden at home - not sure this will work!
We have the day off work tomorrow (Friday) which is great because i ache all over - i have never worked so hard in all my life - today we shifted about a thousand house bricks from the ground floor of the learning centre on the second floor - no more bingo wings for me!!! I 'felt the burn' believe me!!
We work Mon-Thurs then Friday we have a cultural discussion and dvd in the morning then our weekly meeting in the afternoon when we are given our spends - i can't wait for that either as i'm skint (nothing new there either). We get 700Rs which is quite a lot here - considering a coffee is 10p and the bus 5p it does go a long way -
Saturday we work half day then we're planning to go to Kathmandu for the night (we couldn't go last weekend because there was strike / protest).
We also plan to go to the Ambassador hotel for a massage - can't wait!
On Weds it was our project Supervisor (Bal's) birthday - we bought him some surfer shorts and also did a make shift pass the parcel - we basically wrapped some Nepali sweets in newspaper!!! We also played musical chairs - think he enjoyed it - we f\got a late curfew which was fab as every night we have to be home for 6pm - but on Weds we were allowed to 'play out' till 8pm - whoooo! We were late getting back and the bus was full so we had no choice but to come back on the roof of the bus! Ubber dangerous - nearly had me head cuts off by electricity cables and branches i don't know how many6 times - was a laugh though - prob a bad idea me mentioning it on here as its against our 'code of conduct' but so is being late so it was one or the other....
Got to go now - we're in a place called Lubhu which is the closest place e for the Internet, we found a back street cafe here which we have nicknamed to Nepali Arms! Have to be back by 5.30..............
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