Sunday 31 March 2013

A JOURNEY IN NEPAL - APRIL 2013

On Tuesday 2nd April 11 of us will fly to Kathmandu for an experience of Nepal over 10 days. This will be my 5th visit to Nepal, but for many in the group this will be their first. We will start our journey with a night in an Ashram run by St Xavier's School, Godavari on the south side of the Kathmandu Valley. 


 Rahners Summer Palace now 
the Jesuit's Residence
With the School on holiday during April, the Jesuits have generously offered us the use of their minibus complete with driver

The road to Mahjkhanda
After an early start next morning we will make our way to Mahjkhanda in the Ikudol Forest via a precarious road cut into the side of the mountain. in the monsoon season the road is extremely dangerous as a result of landslides, but fortunately we are travelling when it's dry!

Monastery at Mahjkhanda
The village is only accessible by foot with a 4 hour ascent to 1,900m. Here the group will stay in a Bhuddist monastery, visiting the tree nursery, established in the early 1980s by Alan Iles from Skipton, and the local
Sign in Indian Forest Institute
Government School which is linked with St Anne's Primary School in Keighley. We will I hope also meet the headmaster of the Chandiswari School in Pyutar which is linked with Hothfield School, Silsden.

As well as their essential contribution to offset the world's carbon footprint, trees are an essential resource for the Communities ion this region to provide animal fodder, fuel for cooking, timber for building and to combat soil erosion.

Annapurna from Sarangkot 2012
From Mahjkhanda we will travel by minibus to Pokhara, to undertake a short trek in the foothills of Annapurna, visiting the Annapurna Eco-village and enjoying some stunning views of Fishtail and the panoramic Annapurna Himalayan range.

Returning to Godavari there will then be a day and a half to explore the sights of Kathmandu.




Tuesday/Wednesday
The northern contingent converged on Manchester airport from Wakefield, Kirkby Malham and Silsden. Many of us had brought books and other materials for the Nepali schools so it was just as well our luggage allowance was 30 kg.
Unlike last year in February, the flight was packed. The attractions of a holiday in Abu Dhabi no doubt accounted for many of those travelling.  Our departure was delayed by a sick young woman having to leave the plane, and her bag being removed from the hold. With two good films – Argo and The Life of Pi – to while the time away, and an hour’s shut-eye,  we were soon touching down at Abu Dhabi where we had a 2 hour wait for our connection to Kathmandu. The effects of a lack of sleep started to tell, but the crowded and noisy terminal didn’t allow much catching up, with a watchful eye needed for our flight being called.
Manchester contingent at KTM
Again a packed plane to Kathmandu, but with not so many Nepalese as last year returning home with their hard earned consumer goods. We arrived around 3.30, 45 minutes ahead of schedule and soon saw the London contingent who had also arrived ahead of schedule. 
So Mark, Judy, Jane B, Ria, and myself on the Etihad flight were joined by Pat, Liz, Charlotte, Jane N and Dilly who arrived by Qatar Airlines.
After changing some money into Nepali Rupees (£1 = 127 NRupees) we joined the immigration queue which seemed to move inordinately slowly, but it normally means quicker processing if you have obtained a visa before travelling, as we had all done. By the time we got to the baggage area, our rucksacks were had been piled neatly together, and all were present!
The next challenge was to find our driver, Ratan, who I had arranged to meet us with the St Xavier’s School minibus from Godavari, and to locate Chiran, the tour operator through whom I had booked out trek to Pokhara. They were both soon found amongst the thronging crowds and the bags loaded on the roof-rack for our trip to Godavari. 
After a few kilometres, the road from Satobato on the Kathmandu ring road to Godavari gradually climbs up the hills on the southern side of the valley. Buildings seem to have continued to spring up on what used to be green fields when I first came in 2004. Much to my surprise, we got our first views of the Himalayan range as we emerged from the smog which normally veils the mountain panorama.
Evening meal at the Ashram
A number of us wanted a Nepali NCell SIMM for our mobile phones, so stopped off at a local mobile shop in Godavari before reaching the Ashram. Frustratingly my cheap £9 mobile has not accepted the SIMM!
The Godavari Ashram has had a make-over since last year, with bright pink gate posts and colour wash on the walls. Babu Krishna, the cook, and caretaker gave us a great welcome and we were soon unpacking in very simply furnished but clean rooms before an evening meal of mushroom soup, chips, dhal, rice, and curried vegetables. Since we weren’t sure whether the fruit had been washed in filtered water, there wasn’t much take up for the delicious looking desserts. I know from experience that one swallow of contaminated water or food can result in serious stomach upset.
Fr Juel, the resident Jesuit, who is Principal of the school which is now on holiday for a month, came down and introduced himself, so I was able to check arrangements previously emailed to him about our stay at the Ashram, and minibus usage. (Diesel costs 99 NRp/litre and the minibus does around 8 miles/litre). Ratan had agreed to go to the airport again to pick up the last of our party to arrive, Geoff who was arriving at 10.35 from Hong Kong.
Before retiring, the evening was spent on the lower veranda with a beer,  bought from the local shop discussing the nine day journey ahead of us.
As the rest of us were catching up on sleep under kapok duvets, Ratan was waiting at the airport for Geoff whose flight arrived late, resulting in them getting back to the Ashram after 1.00 in the morning.

Thursday
An early start was needed if we were to achieve our objective for the day – reaching Mahjkhanda village at 1,900 metres. 
Loading the Minibus
After a 7.00 am breakfast of delicious porridge with coconut, fried eggs, toast and jam, and tea/coffee, we headed off with to Chapagaun, a town reached by turning west off the arterial road to the city across country past a couple of brick factories, belching black smoked and exploiting the use of child labour and weary looking donkeys.
At the cross road in the middle of Chapagaun, we met, as arranged, Gopi and Chandra as well as Sabina (Gopi and Binod’s sister), Rasi their mother, Duhd Raj (Chairman of CDIN Project) and his son Yuba Raj.

Now with Gopi and Sabina on board, we departed for Chapale, a tea stop above the rope-way station which was to transport our rucksacks up to Mahjkhanda. The road started on newly laid tarmac which was short-lived and soon to be replaced by a dust, mud and rock. 
A wider part of the road!
The minibus had to negotiate the road carefully, but we were soon looking down on Chapagaun over hill-top houses surrounded by well cultivated terraces of wheat and mustard, and newly planted potatoes and maize.
Air stop for a slow puncture
Before we reach the high level pass, we came to the Leprosy Mission, then through the pass we stopped at a village to inflate a slow puncture, no doubt caused by the sharp rocks which make up the road surface. An opportunity to survey the fantastic views of the road down to Chapale.
The precarious road to Chapale
As we approached Chapale, the minibus started to bottom as the ruts got deeper to a point where we all had to alight and Ratan and Babu examined the underneath of the vehicle. They quickly came to the conclusion that we could go no further. It is clear that this stretch of the road can only be negotiated by heavy vehicles with a high clearance and experienced drivers.At that point, an open truck laden with men came up from Chapale, and had to wait whilst we unloaded our rucksacks from the minibus. The only solution was to walk the rest of the way to Chapale! So we started off as best we could, Gopi, Sabina and Chandra sharing the load. A certain quiet descended on us as we reflected on the challenge ahead. But not long after, Ratan shouted down that a truck was on its way and we could get a lift to Chapale! Realising our plight, the truck driver had offered to turn round and help us, if Ratan could take his passengers back to Chapagaun in the minibus. 

With bags and people aboard, we lurched down what was now a badly rutted track. Chandra had negotiated 2,600 NRupees for the journey  (c. £20 - a bargain!
Our truck 'taxi' !
) which we didn’t appreciate was to  include taking us down to the rope-way station to offload the big rucksacks, and then down a steep track and across a river ford to the Rest House where we were due to have lunch. After all the unplanned eventualities of the morning, we arrived for lunch at 12.30, only half an hour behind schedule!
The rest house is run by Chandra’s sister Man Kumari and her husband Lila Ram Bal. It’s an idyllic spot just above the river Khani, cut deep into the valley, surrounded by banana and lemon trees and carefully hewn terraces of hand planted maize and wheat.
The Rest House
Fortified by Dahl Bhat (Dahl and Rice), we headed across the terraces and metal foot-bridge to face the upward climb. I had allowed 4 hours to get to Mahjkhanda. It was a slow climb as many hadn’t faced such a challenge, but taking it bit by bit with many stops everyone did accomplish it. Water was a problem as we soon ran low on supplies.
The path up to Mahjkhanda is the local highway for foot traffic and for the most part has been laid and stepped with stone. 
Looking down on the rope-way
As we climbed the rope-way station came into view and soon we were looking down on it, giving us all a feeling of accomplishment. We were probably only half way up! 
Nearing the top
The next stage tested people’s endurance but as we approached the top, the rather un-harmonious but enthusiastic sounds of the local band wafted down the mountain. Clearly, Chandra had organised this wonderful welcome which helped distract everyone’s attention for the last few hundred metres' push.
Once on the top plateau, the band proceeded to lead us all the way to the monastery. 
The local band welcomes us

The plan was to stay here for 2 nights before another night at the Rest House where we had had lunch. I’ve learned from experience that unexpected eventualities are part and parcel of the Nepal experience. So when Gopi happened to mention there may be a strike on Sunday, it threw our carefully composed tight schedule into question. As with many of these strikes there is no certainty that they will happen, so it was difficult to know if our trip to Pokhara would be delayed!

Friday 

Waiting for sunrise
Some of us got up at 5.00 am for a walk with Chandra and Sabina to see the sun rise and witness the magnificent Himalayan dawn. The mountains were not as visible as last year but Langtang still glistened majestically in the early morning sun. 
Pat, our geologist, remarked later that at this time of year the haze rises to 4,000m.
Al fresco breakfast
After breakfast sitting on the verandah overlooking the distant mountains, people got a chance to wash – the toilet block is basic with a hole in the ground and a cold water tap for ablutions and a ‘bucket and jug’ shower – and to survey the stunning surroundings. The monastery is perched on top of a ridge overlooking the valley from which we walked up and with distant views of the pass through which we came in the minibus. Since last year, Chandra has started work on building an enormous statue of Buddha which will be visible from many miles around.

The rope-way carrier
The bags eventually arrived over the rope-way, much to the delight of everyone who could now change after a dusty journey the previous day. Included in the luggage were the books and gifts brought for the Mahjkhanda School.

On our way past it last evening, we discovered that some children were still attending, whilst others had started their month long spring holiday. So we all went along before lunch. The Headteacher, staff and children gave us a great welcome, with garlands of fresh flowers presented to everyone in the party.
Computer donated by St Anne's
The discussion focused on what help the school needed in the way of resources. It was good to see the computer which St Anne’s school in Keighley had donated was up and running though disappointing that there was no internet connection. 
Geoff leading the singing
Since we had little time to spend with the children, we agreed to come back after lunch and give them some input in the form of songs and games, ably led by Geoff, a professional choir master, and Jane, an ex-primary school headteacher.
The children really responded to the African songs and games, with gleaming white-toothed smiles and spontaneous enthusiasm. 
Roshani - a natural dancer
The children then sang their national anthem and, with the accompaniment of a djenbe (hand drum), a Nepalese folk song with Roshani demonstrating the evocative beauty of Nepali dance. 

We join the children in dance
We all then went out into the playground for a 'group' dance before photos were taken on the steps of the staff building. before returning to the monastery, I was asked to wait whilst Roshani wrote a letter to go with a beautiful hand-made bamboo basket to Megan, her pen friend at St Anne's Primary School in Keighley.
Sadly, the letters sent earlier in the year by the St Anne's penfriends had not arrived, but I have now been given an alternative address.

Some of the group then explored the rest of the village up to the stupas which are found in a coppice on the west side of the mountain. I was just glad for a bit of respite and to catch up on lost sleep.
The catering 'team'

Supper was served around 7.00 pm in the ground floor of the old adult education building. The variety of food carefully prepared by Thuli, Sarata, Chandra, Gopi and Sabina was impressive – this time roti with plum jam and curd, washed down 

The rest of the evening was spent playing cards, squeezed in the entrance lobby of the monastery in the light of head torches. Electricity load 'shedding' (power cut) is still a daily reality in Nepal.


Saturday
Chandra with a tea crop

Nepali time is not like UK time! Dilly and I had aranged to meet the Commitee members of the re-forestation project (CDIN) and this, we were told, was going to happen at 11.00 am. Meantime Chandra proudly presented a bowl of tea, harvested from local bushes planted over 20 years ago. Maybe this could be a valuable cash crop, though bushes take a few years to become commercially productive.

The group and our hosts
News of the strike, initiated by the Maoists, remainded inconclusive, so we decided that we must keep to original schedule and walk down to the rest house that afternoon, to be ready to travel to Chapaguan on the Sunday morning en route to Pokhara the same day. 



Presenting gifts

So rucksacks were packed ready for rope-way transport, and our final lunch at Mahjkhanda enjoyed before presenting our kind and generous hosts with some gifts from the UK.

CDIN Committee meeting

 
The meeting with CDIN didn't happen till after lunch. A lot of misunderstanding had arisen about the budget and the future plans of the Committee, but these were quickly resolved. The tree nursery had been moved from the monastery to another plot behind the school, with another site in Simle, further west from Mahjkhanda.


Terraces ploughed with Oxen
The afternoon was spent descending down the mountain path to the valley bottom past a hive of activity on the carefully worked terraces - mustard seed being harvested, fields being ploughed for a new sowing before the monsoons, manure being carried by basket for fertilising the soil. The main group went ahead of Dilly and myself, accompanied by a number of young men who had walked miles to visit the monastery and who were commandeered to carry the day sacks for those who needed assistance. Dilly and I came later with Chandra behind a young girl carrying a huge load of pea stalks from land owned by Chandra's sister.

The male dormitory
Chandra's Rest House is situated on a plateau just above the river in a deeply cut gorge which must be a torrent in the rainy season. It's an idyllic place just surrounded by fertile terraces planted at this time of year with potatoes, corn and wheat. Accommodation is basic - male dormitory below, female above accessed by a wooden staircase - but hospitality abounded. We all agreed this was the place to rest awhile.

Shelling peas in the kitchen
As some of the women in the group helped to prepare supper in a smoke filled kitchen, I crossed the nearby suspension foot-bridge with Chandra to use the landline in the local shop to find out the latest news on the threatened strike. Chiran, our tour operator for the Pokhara trek, said that any strike would not affect tourist travel, but I felt that I should check with St Xavier's in whose minibus we would be travelling. Fr Juel confirmed that the strike was going ahead and we could not travel. So the decision was made. We couldn't put the School nor Ratan, our driver, at risk. I returned with some beer to the rest house resigned that our programme would be put back a day.

When Dilly and I broke the news to the group, people were really quite glad to have some time relaxing in what was a magnificent setting, after a fairly punishing schedule and with one or two suffering from a stomach bug.
   
Sunday

A restful day. In the morning, Pat, our resident geologist, gave a fascinating talk on how the Himalayas had been formed as a result of India separating from Africa and colliding with Asia. I won't attempt to explain the detail, but with  props of two benches and a sheet of plastic and some pebbles, Pat demonstrated the principles and his deep knowledge of the subject. 
In the afternoon, after a siesta, we took time to explore the local village and walk along the river where local people were catching fish. The temperature must have been 30 degrees C. 

Some of the local boys were playing Carrom (see carromuk.co.uk) a 'finger snooker' game using flat discs on a chalked board. It looked a fast a furious game which I understand is played all over Nepal and India. I wonder why it hasn't yet reached Europe in a big way?

 

Monday
Our transport back to Chapagaun

Up early for a 6.30 am breakfast. We were picked up nearby by the milk truck - Chandra was unable to commandeer another vehicle back to Kathmandu! So we all piled aboard with 3 milk tanks which were to carry the buffalo milk produced by Mahjkhanda and other local dairy farmers to Kathmandu. 

On the edge of a precipice!
To say it was a scary ride is an understatement - a one point we were perilously close to death (or that's what we thought) as the driver reversed (quite confidently) over a sheer precipice to negotiate a hairpin bend. By the time we left Chapale, where the milk was chilled before its onward journey, the passenger count had increased to 35! As we clung to no more than a bamboo pole, the truck groaned up the tortuous road towards Chapagaun. At some points the road was too steep to carry the load, so some of the men had too get off and walk. The engine was then revved before being thrust into gear, lurching us all forward a few yards with a stone then jammed under the back wheel and the procedure repeated. The wheels often spun fruitlessly in the fine dust before finding a grip.
Arriving at the milk depot


Eventually we got to Chapagaun and the milk depot where we waited for the big tanks to be pumped out before continuing to the home of Gopi and Sabina, where their mother and generously offered to serve us lunch. 
Fields of mushroom tunnels
Chapagaun is a centre for growing mushrooms in fileds of polytunnels, covered with straw at this time of year to control the temperature. 

Ratan joined us from Godavari with the minibus soon after we arrived. Rasi had prepared a delicious meal which was soon served to us in an upstairs room where I had stayed last year. It was sad not to have Gopi and Sabina's brother, Binod, with us - he is away studying engineering in Bangalore - as he had been my first interpreter back in 2008, and on subsequent visits in 2011, 2012. Also Bed, their father, whose work as a field officer for a Nepalese NGO frequently takes him away from home.

Sabina and Gopi
After all their wonderful hospitality, we had asked Gopi and Sabina to join us on our trek - an offer they eagerly accepted as neither had visited Pokhara before. 
Rasi, family and friends
After saying our goodbyes to Rasi and extended family - Duhdraj had arrived from Mahjkhanda the previous day - we set off, buying a supply of bottled water for the long journey ahead.

The rest of the day was spent travelling to Pokhara. It was a long and hot journey initially negotiating the heavy traffic of Kathmandu's outskirts, then following a series of hair-bends as we descended to the bottom of the gorge cut by the river which flowed westward before heading south to India. The traffic of trucks and buses was particularly heavy. probably due to the previous day's strike. As we followed the river through spectacular scenery, we could see parties of white water rafters paddling down the aqua-marine tinted milky water. 
Rice growing erraces
There was also evidence of many paddy fields growing recently planted rice on the well irrigated river-side terraces.

The journey took about 7 hours with a couple of stops, the last hour or so in the dark. At around 8.00 pm. Ratan, our driver, found our accommodation after a number of calls to Chiran who had ccome down to Pokhara ahead of us. Soon we drew up the Lake Diamond Hotel, which is just off the main street in Lakeside. Most of us shared twin bedded rooms which were simply furnished but importantly had ensuite facilities, so the hot water system was soon under heavy use as we refreshed ourselves with a welcome, if for some cold, shower, before heading down town for a meal. Chiran introduced us to our treking guide, Bed, who owned the Annapurna Eco Village (search on Google) where we were to spend the next night.

Tuesday

Regrettably, Fishtail and the Annapurnas were shrouded in mist when we woke. After typical breakfast of eggs, toast tea/coffee in the small dining room, we left our rucksacks in one room while we were away. 

Minibus at Lake Diamond Hotel
The hotel also allowed Ratan to leave our minibus in the secure car park whilst he came with us on the trek. We set off in a locally hired minibus at around 9.30, with Ben, the tour guide, and Amrit, our young sherpa towards Astam where we were to stay the night. Our journey took us north west past the Tibetan Refugee Village near in Hemja and then to a drop-off point further along the valley below Astam, where we were to 'trek' to before lunch.

Vibrant Bougainvillaea
The Annapurna Eco Village is a really impressive place with projects underway to provide bio-gas from buffalo, cow dung and the waste from the toilets;
Dung macerator for methane
to produce safe drinking water though basic
filtration beds, and to heat water from the suns rays.

Relaxing on the Eco-village terrace
After lunch we were taken on a tour of the village including the local school (now on holiday) with inspirational quotes on the walls, and Ben's home nearby.

Ben's brother arrived with another friend, Sudip Aryal, an IT 'Evangelist' whilst we were relaxing on the terrace. What an amazing co-incidence that he should appear after discovering the Mahjkhanda school was experiencing internet problems. We had an extensive discussion about IT, schools and opportunities for sharing the Eco-village's environmental ideas. Sabina who had been sitting quietly made a key suggestion that Ben should share his knowledge on the Eco-village's web-site. I sensed she realised Mahjkhanda could learn a great deal from Ben and his brothers.
Morning Yoga Class

Over dinner, we were offered a yoga session in the morning which got a thumbs up from the majority of the group, though when we got up a number of us had succumbed to the dreaded stomach bug, so just sat and watched.


The trek to Dhampus
Regrettably, throughout our time in the village, we didn't get a great view of Fishtail, Annapurna 1 or Annapurna 2, with only a faint outline through the mist in the morning. 

After breakfast, the majority of us headed off for a 4 hour trek to Damphus via Phedi, effectively along a ridge which, if on a clear day, would have given us stunning views of the Himalayas. 

A Nepali basket in the making
Despite the restricted far views, it was a really enjoyable walk and a chance to see rural Nepal at its unspoilt best, with further evidence of the dependence on agriculture and local basket making from stripped bamboo. 

Harvesting the wheat
A packet of boiled sweets works magic with local children who seem to appear from nowhere when the bag is pulled from the pocket! Ben was keen to explain that the sweet was for them, and the wrapper for the bin. It was good to hear he is involved in sharing his eco-philosophy within the local school.

The welcome woodland shade
The majority of the houses in this area are stone built. The stone for the houses in the Eco-village had been meticulously hand and were so precisely chiselled it looked as if they had been machine cut. Skilled time is obviously cheap in Nepal. 

We eventually got down to the main road where the hired minibus was waiting, as were a couple of Tibetan women selling their bracelets, beads and other trinkets.

Samosas for lunch
Lunch had been postponed till we got to Pokhara, where we indulged in hot samosas at a popular local restaurant away from the tourist centre. Then it was back to our hotel for a welcome shower and change of clothes, before heading down to the Lake which we had yet to visit.


There's a shortcut down to the lakeside not far from the hotel, so we were soon walking beside the boats with views of the distant hills with the sun. 


Boats by
We arrived at Lake Phewa as sun was about to set. As if a wand had been waved, the wind got up and blew the veil of mist from the mountains, revealing a majestic sight. We were transfixed as Fishtail (Machhapuchhre), Annapurna South, Annapurna 1 and Annapurna 2 emerged from the haze and glinted in the setting sun. I was somewhat relieved that the group saw something of what I experienced last year, but earlier in February. They say that September and October are the best months to visit, after the atmosphere has been washed with the monsoon rains.


Fishtail (Machhapuchhre)
Annapurna
We sat and celebrated our Himalayan experience with a cold beer/lemon tea at a lakeside bar, before some went shopping to buy some gifts to take home.

The upstairs restaurant on the corner of our street beside the big tree seemed a good venue for our final evening in Pokhara. As we looked for a table large enough to accommodate the 14 of us, eating  the waiter asked a family if they would mind moving table. 

As I went over to thank them I realised they were English and asked where they were from. Would you believe Silsden! We asked them to join us on our table and had a really interesting chat before they took their children off to bed. 

As we were sipping our lakeside beers, we decided to undertake an early morning excursion to a viewing point near the World Peace Stupa to see the Himalayas at  sunrise. Amrit joined us for the 35 minute drive around the lake and the uphill walk for what was a magnificent view over the lake towards the mountains. 

Although the mountains were a little hazy, it was well worth the early morning rise. It was then a race back to the hotel to do last minute packing before leaving the hotel at 7.15 to get ahead of the tourist buses which left the bus park at 7.30. A 7 hour minibus trip is not the sort of experience to look forward to in the best of health, so those still experiencing stomach problems took preventative doses of Immodium.

Thankfully, the traffic was light as we got ahead of the rush, so we stopped for breakfast at Green Park Resstaurant & Lodge in Damouli, a favourite stop for long distance buses. The orders took an age to arrive, but filled a gap.


View down to the river valley
Ratan did a great job driving, on what was quite unpredictable traffic, with huge trucks overtaking on hairpin bends, and heavy traffic appearing when the road from India joined the highway. As the road approaches Kathmandu it winds up the hills surrounding the valley before dropping down through the outskirts of the city, past huge brick factories belching black smoke, and into the dusty smog which hangs over valley. 


Meeting Fr Cap MIler SJ
We had agreed to take advantage of an afternoon by visiting Bhaktapur, the city of the potters, but I wanted to visit Fr Cap Miller SJ who had returned from Pokharra to Kathmandu during the year. It was Cap whom I had first met in 2004 on my sabbatical from L'Arche when I couldn't visit Mahjkhanda due to the Moaist insurgency, and Cap had arranged for me to spend a week at the Ashram. Ratan knew the way to the Jesuit seminary where Cap was rector, and we were soon sitting on the porch with him for had to be a rather short meeting. He is an amazing person who exudes peacefulness and wisdom, and has certainly been an inspiration for me over the years. It seems he had quite a impact on other members of the group too.

A temple style cafe!
At Bhaktapur, another attempt to draw cash from an ATM failed. I had informed the bank before I came away that would be using my Visa card, but I might as well not have bothered! It costs 1,100 NRupees to enter this world heritage site, but it's a stunning place with a magnificent Durbar Square. 

Time was short but at least the group had a chance to drink in the atmosphere, and some of us to taste the famous Bhaktapur yoghurt in the high level temple style cafe.


Saying farewell to Gopi and Sabina
Gopi and Sabina wanted us to drop them off at Satobato to catch the Chapagaun bus, but we insisted on taking them back home. It was really sad to say good-bye to them after such an amazing few days together. We were delighted to have been able to get to know them - they had been more than interpreters and had become part of the group.

As usual, Babu had prepared a wonderful evening meal for us at the Ashram - his chips were a welcome variation on the dahl baat! Fr Juel came down from the school and suggested that we took our rucksacks in the morning to the Jesuit residence near St Xavier's College which is just off the ring road, so that we could all go sightseeing and shopping before heading off to the airport in the afternoon. We were also given the use of two guest rooms to shower before we set off. Another example of the wonderful hospitality we were offered by Fr Juel and his colleagues. 

One of the jewels of Nepal is the Durbar Square in Patan, and the peaceful
haven of its Museum and Restaurant where we all met for our last meal together as a group.



The Manager there took us to a fair trade outlet of Nepal crafts before we met Ratan at the minibus and drove to St Xavier's College residence. It was great to get away from the chaotic traffic and noise of the city and rest awhile before being ferried to the airport.

What a trip is has been! We have had some amazing, if sometimes unplanned, experiences, but again the most powerful memory for me has been the wonderful encounters we have had with so many Nepalese people, whose friendship,hospitality and quiet dignity makes this a country worthy of supporting in what ways we can.



Here is the link to all the photos I took:
https://plus.google.com/photos/116121099656516932093/albums/5866442443788165537?authkey=COue46TBxOS_fA


John

jmfpeet@gmail.com