This is my 10th visit to Nepal, the first being in 2004 during my sabbatical from L'Arche. It was then a dark time for the country as the Maoist insurgency was at its peak and the political uncertainty following the palace massacre of 2001 persisted.
In 2012, Dilly Baker, former Warden of Scargill House, Kettlewell, and I led a party of friends to Nepal, visiting Mahjkhanda and Pokhara. Included in the party was Mark Ashton, a then trustee of Kids at School in Nepal, and Pat and Liz Wherity who subsequently became trustees, holding current roles of Chair and Secretary. This year I also became a trustee of KASIN and agreed to join Pat and Liz on the annual visit.
Binod and I then headed back to his home in Chapagaun, about 10km south. It was great to see his family again who have been so hospitable to me over the years. Rasi, Binod's mother, provided a delicious lunch while we caught up with news. Bed, his father, works as a health worker in remote areas, was unusually at home, as was Sabina, his younger sister who is still at college. It was good to hear that Gopi, Binod's elder sister who is a graduate microbiologist has eventually find a job relevant to her degree, so would not be home till 7.30.
Tuesday 24th October
My last day here so I was asked to attend the assembly - 1100 pupils packed
into the main hall. I'm impressed by the discipline of these children, one of whom stands in front and leads a thought for the day, and the national anthem. I've got used to being asked to say a few words after the customary presentation of flowers and welcome scarf. I recall some years back walking down to Puytar School from Majhjkanda, a morning's trek down some difficult terrain, and being faced by a welcome party of 150 children gathered in the compound, with an introduction by the deputy head " And we welcome Mr John who will now give us an account of the political, economic and social aspects of the United Kingdom". No pressure there!
A quick visit before lunch to the nearby Ashram to see my friend Babu Krishna who looks after the place and is an excellent cook. It was here that I first came in 2004 and brought the group in 2013, before heading off to Mahjkhanda and Pokhara. It's used mainly for conferences and retreats but equally open to other visitors who just want a few days' quiet. I'm thinking of bringing another group here in 2018, so am told I will need to book soon for a late October trip.
Before lunch, I met with Subarna, the staff IT wizard. He has been a great help on previous visits and has now installed a wider wi-fi network around the school which makes blogging much easier.
Ratan arrived at 3.00 to drive me to Kathmandu. He had earlier brought his wife and son who had recently had an operation to allow him to improve his hearing - it's great to know he has now started to talk. Ratan had been our driver in 2013 when the school had kindly loaned him as driver and the school minibus for our trip, A Tai Kwando world champion and now Master, he drives with supreme care on roads occupied by kamakasi maniacs! Whilst we in the UK have raised sleeping policemen, Nepal had roads with sunken hazards where tarmac gives way to ditches. As we approached Patan, the smog and fumes intensified. There are no rules on the roads, so cars and bikes jostle for space.
A ruling came effective from Sunday that cars and bikes we barred from entering Thamel so a relief to find the Holy Himalaya hotel was outside the pedestrian zone. Jyoti Adikari and his wife run this excellent place, Jyoti being one of KASIN's trustees and a vital resource for overseas charities reliant on local and trustworthy project advice and monitoring.
Liz Wherity, who had come out with her husband Pat 10 days before me (currently doing the Annapurna Base Camp trek with Pam and Jill, two other trustees) joined me for a bite to eat at Fire and Ice, a pizza place round the corner. We were then called into a meeting with Jyoti to finalise our trip north on Saturday.
Wednesday 25th October
The first night I slept really well. Breakfast is held in the huge hotel lobby where there is a constant flow of guests, the majority of whom are arriving from or departing for treks, this being the best season for seeing the mountains.
A chance for me to catch up with emails and KASIN projects. This afternoon, Liz and I had made an appointment to visit the Kumbeshwar Technical School, at 2.00 pm after Liz had finished teaching at the local nursery.
KTS is located near Patan Durbar Square, down a back street in a less than salubrious area. Liz had visited last year but we were going to discuss with the current Director, Kiran, the possibility of being a channel of funds co
llected by a UK friend of KTS, assuming its activities fell within the remit of Kasin's own objectives. It's an amazing enterprise founded by Kiran's father to provide opportunities for the Sudra, lowest caste, whose conditions were not far removed from those of animals when it was founded in 1983 as a day centre for children. See www.kumbeshwar.com
Today it runs an orphanage for up to 20 children, a primary school for 210, a day centre for adult training in carpet making, hand knitting and carpentry, the products from which provide sales income to cover 80% of the running costs of the enterprise. Kiran's son Satyrendra graduated in IT from Nottingham and now works full time, responsible for marketing the products to 4 continents. Although the lot of the lower caste has improved immeasurably since 1983, it's clear KTS is making a huge difference to the lives of many. They also welcome volunteers who can fund themselves to teach English in the primary school and help min the orphanage in the evening.
Thursday 26th October
The dining area was jam packed this-morning so Breakfast was taken with two Australians and one Canadian back from doing the Everest Base Camp, previously having done the golden triangle in India - Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.
My primary task today was to find the Kathmandu Forest College (KFC), having previously been there on the back of Binod's bike. At home this would take 30 minutes, here it takes 2 hours - walking to Ratna Park, getting a green bus to Jawalakhel and then a taxi for the remaining leg. After an exhausting journey, I arrived at KFC only to be told the college was on holiday, due to the Chhath Puja, a Hindu festival held for the worship of the sun. The Nepali Govt. has recently declared tomorrow 27th as a public holiday too, so October is not a good time to do business. Decided to explore an alternative route home as the ring road was nearby. A slightly longer route to Satdobato, and buses from their to Jamal.
After learning from the Mahjkhanda Community that they disappointingly no longer wanted to continue the tree nursery started by Alan Iles, for reasons not altogether clear, the trustees of the Ikudol Forest Trust decided last January to sponsor a student from another remote area on the Diploma Course at the KFC. The conditions were that they were committed to return to their home to put their forestry skills into practice for at least 3 years. So I was able to meet with Professor Gautam on my last visit and learn from subsequent emails that they would have chosen someone for me to meet on 8th November before I returned to the UK.
Binod recently graduated with a first class honours degree in IT at the British College in Kathmandu (linked to Leeds Becket University) which was a huge achievement for him, and so I arranged for the whole family to come to a local restaurant to celebrate his success. It was a really happy occasion and a chance for Pat and Liz to meet his parents again, and his sisters Gopi and Sabina whom they first met in 2013 when they accompanied us as interpreters on our visit to Pokhara with Ratan. The Gaia restaurant is just round the corner so very convenient for us, though it took the family 2 hours to come from Chapagaun by bus. However, we organised a minibus for them all to get back home afterwards, thanks to the kind staff of the Holy Himalaya hotel.
Binod has been fortunate to get an IT job not far from home, and Gopi too has now found employment as a micro-biologist in a hospital near Satdobato. I am very fortunate to have got to know such a wonderfully hospitable family over the last 9 years, and I could not have coped without Binod's help as interpreter and guide on all my visits to Mahjkhanda.
Krishna our driver was clearly experienced in negotiating the road to Jhapa but had the disconcerting habit of using his mobile phone to negotiate his next contracts as we wound our way down the many hairpin bends on the Japanese road. Since Krishna had no English, Bimal, Boby's administrator from Kathmandu, was travelling with us so we had an interpreter on hand.
We arrived at Maheshpur after 8.00 pm and were welcomed by Victor, Norbert and Thomas. After a dahl bhat supper we were shown to our accommodation under the nearby church - ensuite rooms with hot showers!
Monday 6th November
We were woken in the morning by the 6.00 am bell, dedicated in memory of my late father, calling the local community to daily Mass.
Breakfast at 7.30 comprised puri and a potato and bean curry. Puri are made from wheat flour an ghee, rolled into a small circle and fried in oil, puffing up into a hollow ball when cooked. A bit like a Yorkshire pudding but without the egg and milk!
After breakfast, we met Raja, the Principal of the Moran Memorial School, which has c. 260 students from the surrounding very rural neighbourhood. He had only recently taken over from Sanjay, whom I had met on my earlier visits.
After the obligatory marigold garlands and welcomes, we each said a few words at the assembly, with the senior children all quietly lined up in serried ranks. We then met in Raja's office to talk about the scholarship scheme for which there are now 10 sponsors for this school, and another 10 for Deonia, down the road. We discussed the issues of allocating specific children and concluded that it would be less discriminatory for the children in question if they were sponsored anonymously.
People can sponsor children for the cost of a pint of beer a week or a glass of wine. See http://kasin.org.uk/sponsor-a-child-at-school-in-east-nepal-for-the-cost-of-a-pint-of-beer-a-week/
However, it was clear from Raja that the sponsors' funding was giving the poorest children the only chance they had for good education. We decided not to meet the children individually, as we did not want others to feel left out, nor those in question to feel different. Instead we went round all the classes - the
school takes children from ages 3 and 4 in the nursery, and 5 to 14 (School Leaving certificate age) - and we talked briefly to each class. In each there were a few children who had no electricity/solar light at home and relied on kerosene lamps to do their homework. So some D-Lights - portable rechargeable solar lamps - would be good for them. One of our sponsors has given funds for the medical/dental welfare of the children which was much appreciated by Raja who plans to initiate a health programme for the school.
It was great to have Liz and Pat, both experienced teachers, see the school and how it was run. Like me, they felt it is being run really well and giving the children a much better education than most Government run schools.
We also discussed twinning the school with St Anne's and St Mathew's primary schools back home, and the possibility of a small group of teachers and students from a teacher training college in Hull who approached KASIN for a link with a school in Nepal with a view to visiting it during the UK summer holiday. Whilst still hot in August, it is apparently cooler than early in the monsoon season. Raja was very enthusiastic about the idea as any help with English and teaching methods would be greatly valued.
A short video of the Moran Memorial School is avaiable on YouTube with the following link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGKtFNo03Gw
After lunch we were taken to St Xavier's School Deonia, about a 20 minute jeep ride down some more bone-jerking roads. This is a much bigger school, catering for over 800 students drawn from a more populated area around Bertimode, a nearby town on the Mahendra highway, close to Bhadrapur Airport on the Nepal/Indian Border.
Amrit, the Principal had recently taken over from Mathew, and had been succeeded as Principal of St Xavier's Jawalahkel in Patan (Kathmandu) by George. Juel is the Superior of the Community and Bursar, whom I have known since 2008. They both gave us a warm welcome and again we discussed the sponsorship programme, agreeing it should be anonymous. To date, 10 donors are supporting the scheme, but more are needed!
Due to Government requirements that all schools should educate beyond year 10 (14 yr old) to years 11 and 12, the school has had to build a completely new block which is nearing completion.
Again, we were taken round the classes many of which have 45 students, and we also met the staff, some of whom were pupils at St X and have returned after teacher training, which gives a great role model of what can be achieved.
Whilst Liz and Pat stayed with Amrit and Juel, I visited a the family of Sanju, one of the students I had met in January whose father had been ill. They live in a typical simple house with only a field where they grow millet and grass, and have a cow and a calf. The father can't find work as he's told he's too old when applying for jobs, so they have no income other than from selling millet and milk. Despite this they insisted on giving me hot milk and a snack, and did not complain. But it's clear that they will rely on Sanju to support them if she does well in her studies and gets a good job.
After a long day we returned to Maheshpur and relaxed in the fading light on the veranda of the Community residence before joining our hosts who had prepared
a delicious supper preceded by some drinks and snacks. It always stimulating to hear the Jesuits' views on education and Nepali life - they came to this area 20 years ago with a view to helping to educate the poorest regardless of their religious tradition, be it Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim or Christian, and are not primarily in the business of converting anyone, but respecting each person's faith. They have a great social conscience, providing free medicine where possible and acting as local social workers and counsellors.
Tuesday 7th November
Due to Liz and Pat's itinerary requiring them to return today, and my need to be back to visit the Kathmandu Forestry College by Wednesday we were unable to call in at Sadikbari and Simalbari schools, also run by the Jesuits in even more remote areas of Jhapa. I had visited last year on the back of George's motor bike and my back-side has its own memory of that bone-shaking 90km ride. However, these schools need to be included in our sponsorship scheme.
We left at 7.30 after breakfast, this time without Bimal who was saying on to collect some data from the schools. After getting through Bertimode, the traffic seemed lighter and we made very good progress, getting to Bardibas for veg noodle soup lunch by 1.15. It's a long hot journey and air-con essential along the terai. We arrived back by 7.00 ish, grateful for Krishna's good driving but with sore ears from his telephone calls!
With our stored bags reclaimed, and after a hot shower, Liz, Pat and I visited Melrose, a new eating place nearby, for a beer and pasta, before retiring our shaken limbs.
Wednesday 8th November
It was time to say farewell to Liz and Pat after breakfast. It's been good to join them on their annual KASIN visits, and not only have they been great company, but I've realised tje value of their contribution to KASIN as experienced retired teachers committed to running an important if small charity.
With my other trustee hat on, this time representing the Ikudol Forest Trust (IFT), I headed off to the Forestry College where I had arranged to meet the Professor, Dr Ambika Gautam, to interview their chosen candidate for IFT's scholarship for the Diploma in Forestry course.
A walk to Ratna Park to get a green bus to Lagankhel, then a taxi round the ring road took 1.5 hours. The College is tucked away in what looks like a part residential area. I was immediately ushered up to Professor Gautam;s office where I met Shiva (male!), the Diploma Programme Co-ordinator. They explained that they had called for nominations from their first year Diploma students, and judged candidates on a number of criteria, including IFT's requirement for them to come from a remote area of Nepal. I was impressed by their rigour and objectivity.
The selected student then joined us along with her brother-in-law with whom she was staying, as her home was in the far west of Nepal. After some time interviewing her, I realised that she was a very promising student who showed every sign of being committed to putting her 3 year Diploma into practice for a further 3 years back in her home area as a Forest Ranger. With my endorsement on behalf of the other IFT trustees, we agreed to draw up a formal contract against which we would be able to transfer funds to cover the tuition fees of for the 3 year course.
On the way home I called into St Xavier's Jawalakhel to see George, the Principal (ex-Deonia). He said he would be joining Boby and myself for supper this evening. After walking back part way to pick up a few gifts from the fair trade craft shops in Pulchowk, I headed back to the hotel to meet Binod at 4.30 to share my experiences over the past couple of weeks. He then kindly offered to drop me off at Boby's residence in Sanepa, Patan.
Boby advised Binod to take the ring road anticlockwise, given the rush hour traffic, and this was a good move but when we came to Sanepa, it was pitch dark, and with minimal street lighting we spent 30 minutes driving around in circles, eventually having to ring Boby to come and meet us only yards from the residence! It was sad to say good-bye to Binod, but good to know he is on his way to a successful IT/entrepreneurial career.
After a great re-union with Mathew (ex-Deonia), Boby, George and Bonaventure, the Nepal Jesuit Superior, and their generous hospitality, I was driven back to the Holy Himalaya, to prepare for an early start tomorrow.
Thursday 9th November
Up at 5.30, breakfast at 6.00 with a pack of tourists preparing for their respective treks, and a hotel minibus to the airport at 6.30 for the 9.50 Oman Air flight to Muscat.
With time to kill, I tried to update the blog using the airport wi-fi onlly to lose it all when trying to upload, so this update is a little late.
The transfer in Muscat was only an hour and the last leg to Manchester less crowded as the plane was only half full.
Back at Manchester early at 6.10 pm, the immigration clearance was as quick as I've experienced, and I was though baggage reclaim by 6.40.
Back home by train at 9.45. What a trip!
I was planning to visit Mahjkhanda, a mountain village south of the Kathmandu valley, where my friend Alan Iles had spent 4 years establishing a tree nursery in the 1980's to re-forestate an area where a Tamang community had settled. But due to Maoist activity, I was advised not to visit, so instead arranged to meet Chandra in Kathmandu. He had been trained by Alan take over the management of the project.
It was only in 2008 that I was able to get to the village for the first time and found a huge legacy of mature trees as a result of Alan's work. It was a profoundly moving experience to see a completely new landscape of terraced fields, stunning views of the Himalayas, and enjoy the amazing hospitality of the Nepalese people. Chandra, and his then 15 year old grandson, Binod, accompanied me on this memorable trip, requiring a hazardous bus trip along narrow roads cut into the mountainside and a trek down one side of a valley and up another to 1900 metres. A fuller description of the project is in my 2011 blog.
In 2012, Dilly Baker, former Warden of Scargill House, Kettlewell, and I led a party of friends to Nepal, visiting Mahjkhanda and Pokhara. Included in the party was Mark Ashton, a then trustee of Kids at School in Nepal, and Pat and Liz Wherity who subsequently became trustees, holding current roles of Chair and Secretary. This year I also became a trustee of KASIN and agreed to join Pat and Liz on the annual visit.
I was particularly impressed by KASIN's lack of overheads - it neither occupies an office nor employs any staff, so all donations go directly to support the beneficiaries for whom it collects funds, with only minimal bank charges. Trustees do not claim any expenses in running the charity or visiting Nepal, and rely wholly on volunteers to help with the fundraising and publicity.
And so my trip this autumn is to join Pat, Liz and two other trustees, in KASIN's annual visit to support and monitor the various projects it has funded and so report back to donors.
I arrived yesterday on a uneventful Oman Air flight, though the transfer in Muscat was very tight with only 40 minutes between arriving and the scheduled departure time of the final flight to Kathmandu. My friend and interpreter, Binod, was at the airport to meet me and we were soon leaving the chaotic and polluted city streets behind and heading to fresher air on the elevated south side of the valley in Godavari. Here I am spending a few days relaxing in the St Xavier's community before joining my KASIN colleagues next week.
Friday 20th October was New Year's day for the Newari people and the penultimate day of Deepawali, the Hindu 5 day festival of lights, also known as Tihar.
Today, Saturday, is the last day of the festival when brothers and sisters meet to exchange presents and place a tika (the red Hindu mark) on each other's forehead. A great tradition as many return to their home villages to celebrate.
It's perfect weather here at the moment, and so I've been able to relax in the garden which is surrounded on two sides by 8 beehives. All was well, I thought, until I noticed in a nearby corner of the residence an Asian hornet's nest. These are huge flying beasts that devour honey bees given a chance and had cleverly set up camp beside an ample supply of free dinners! Just observing the entrance to one hive, one hornet pounced and carried away a helpless bee for its lunch.
Lunch was enjoyed in the company of a family from Sri Lanka, the mother of which worked at the country's Embassy in Kathmandu. Fascinating to here about the history of the country, occupied successively by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Although the civil war has ended, the Tamil Tigers' striving for independence continues. I was reminded that there are equivalent clashes in Darjeeling where Nepali speaking Gorkhas of that area of West Bengal are calling for a separate state. Echoes of Catalonia too.
Sunday 22nd October
The body has still not adjusted to the 4hr 45 minute time difference, so sleep is still very disrupted, thoughsound when it comes. After Mass and breakfast, Binod came over from his home in Chapagaun to take me on the back of his motorbike into Thamel to meet Liz Wherity. It's the most efficient way to get around Kathmandu, but a face mask is essential with all the choking fumes from filthy exhausts of diesel trucks.
The Holy Himalaya Hotel, owned by Jyoti one of KASIN's Nepali trustees, is tucked away in a quiet corner of Thamel, the now over-crowded tourist area, and is where I'm booked to stay from Tuesday for 4 nights ahead of our trip north. It's a really welcoming place serving excellent coffee. Asha, Jyoti's wife was meeting with Massimo who runs an Italian charity supporting schools in Nepal, so we joined them for a while before heading out to visit the nearby Garden of Dreams. This is a magnificent formal garden, built by a Rana in the 1920's and a wonderful oasis in the middle of a busy part of the city. www.gardenofdreams.org.np
Today, Saturday, is the last day of the festival when brothers and sisters meet to exchange presents and place a tika (the red Hindu mark) on each other's forehead. A great tradition as many return to their home villages to celebrate.
Lunch was enjoyed in the company of a family from Sri Lanka, the mother of which worked at the country's Embassy in Kathmandu. Fascinating to here about the history of the country, occupied successively by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Although the civil war has ended, the Tamil Tigers' striving for independence continues. I was reminded that there are equivalent clashes in Darjeeling where Nepali speaking Gorkhas of that area of West Bengal are calling for a separate state. Echoes of Catalonia too.
Sunday 22nd October
The body has still not adjusted to the 4hr 45 minute time difference, so sleep is still very disrupted, thoughsound when it comes. After Mass and breakfast, Binod came over from his home in Chapagaun to take me on the back of his motorbike into Thamel to meet Liz Wherity. It's the most efficient way to get around Kathmandu, but a face mask is essential with all the choking fumes from filthy exhausts of diesel trucks.
The Holy Himalaya Hotel, owned by Jyoti one of KASIN's Nepali trustees, is tucked away in a quiet corner of Thamel, the now over-crowded tourist area, and is where I'm booked to stay from Tuesday for 4 nights ahead of our trip north. It's a really welcoming place serving excellent coffee. Asha, Jyoti's wife was meeting with Massimo who runs an Italian charity supporting schools in Nepal, so we joined them for a while before heading out to visit the nearby Garden of Dreams. This is a magnificent formal garden, built by a Rana in the 1920's and a wonderful oasis in the middle of a busy part of the city. www.gardenofdreams.org.np
Binod and I then headed back to his home in Chapagaun, about 10km south. It was great to see his family again who have been so hospitable to me over the years. Rasi, Binod's mother, provided a delicious lunch while we caught up with news. Bed, his father, works as a health worker in remote areas, was unusually at home, as was Sabina, his younger sister who is still at college. It was good to hear that Gopi, Binod's elder sister who is a graduate microbiologist has eventually find a job relevant to her degree, so would not be home till 7.30.
The ride back to Godavari took about a 20 minute. We passed what is normally a working brick factory belching black smoke from its tall chimney. There are currently over 500 brick kilns in the Kathmandu valley and the pollution they create is a cause of great concern for people's health. But at this time of year the fields, normally used for moulding the bricks before firing and storing the finished product, are full of a crop of now golden rice. Once harvested, though, the brick production starts again and the cloud of smog intensifies! But at least the child labourers and over-worked donkeys have had a break.
Monday 23rd October
Awoke to bright blue sky, though today the white clouds
masked the view of the mountains. It’s the first time I’ve been here in
October, and the flowers are still in abundance, notably marigolds and bourgainvillea.
St Xavier’s school nestles on the south side of Phulchowk, which forms one of
the peaks on the south side of Kathmandu valley. The Botanical Gardens are just
round the corner.
The school is back today, all 1100 pupils from the ages 5 to
16. At 8.30, a bell goes and a 5 minute led meditation is broadcast through the
PA system to all classes. Wow! I think the UK schools could learn something from
this. There’s not a sign of litter around the grounds, penguin shaped bins with
open mouths digesting all the rubbish!
This morning I needed to send my friend Theo a
birthday card so headed into Kathmandu on a ‘micro’ – one of the many minibuses
that plough their way backwards and forwards from the city. 10 kms for less
than 20p. The trick is to get a seat beside the driver to avoid being crushed,
if possible. It takes about 30 mins to get to Satdobato in Patan which is just
across the river from Kathmandu itself, though merges into it. Here you need to
take another micro or tuk-tuk into the city. I was told to send my card by Everest Postal Care if I wanted to get an express service to the UK, which
still takes 2 weeks! I soon found the office down a back alleyway, paid 50 rupees, saw a stamp being applied and the envelope disappearing under the desk.
Back for lunch and a siesta, this time crushed in the back
of a micro beside a Nepali home from Hong Kong. By working abroad, many
Nepalese earn enough money to build the many western style homes evident on the
outskirts of Patan.
I was hearing at supper last night that the electricity
supply is now so reliable that there’s a new market for fridge freezers! Until
my visit in February, there were power cuts every day, and you’d be lucky to
get 6 hours continuous supply. Well, it seems that the head of electrical
distribution was accepting bribes from certain local government areas to favour
them, as well as from generator and battery manufacturers in India which
benefitted from such cuts. He and a few cronies were arrested after their corrupt scheme was discovered.
This evening, Fr Boby, the Jesuit Treasurer, came to see me
to discuss the arrangements for our trip to Jhapa, East Nepal. KASIN is able to channel its sponsorship funds through his office, guaranteeing that they reach the intended beneficiaries. The vehicle
originally earmarked to take us is now needed for another assignment and their other SUV
had been involved in an accident so being repaired. So it looks like we will
have to hire one. Flying is prohibitively expensive for foreigners, though it would mean a 40 minute rather than 8 hour journey.
Tuesday 24th October
My last day here so I was asked to attend the assembly - 1100 pupils packed
A quick visit before lunch to the nearby Ashram to see my friend Babu Krishna who looks after the place and is an excellent cook. It was here that I first came in 2004 and brought the group in 2013, before heading off to Mahjkhanda and Pokhara. It's used mainly for conferences and retreats but equally open to other visitors who just want a few days' quiet. I'm thinking of bringing another group here in 2018, so am told I will need to book soon for a late October trip.
Before lunch, I met with Subarna, the staff IT wizard. He has been a great help on previous visits and has now installed a wider wi-fi network around the school which makes blogging much easier.
A ruling came effective from Sunday that cars and bikes we barred from entering Thamel so a relief to find the Holy Himalaya hotel was outside the pedestrian zone. Jyoti Adikari and his wife run this excellent place, Jyoti being one of KASIN's trustees and a vital resource for overseas charities reliant on local and trustworthy project advice and monitoring.
Liz Wherity, who had come out with her husband Pat 10 days before me (currently doing the Annapurna Base Camp trek with Pam and Jill, two other trustees) joined me for a bite to eat at Fire and Ice, a pizza place round the corner. We were then called into a meeting with Jyoti to finalise our trip north on Saturday.
Wednesday 25th October
The first night I slept really well. Breakfast is held in the huge hotel lobby where there is a constant flow of guests, the majority of whom are arriving from or departing for treks, this being the best season for seeing the mountains.
A chance for me to catch up with emails and KASIN projects. This afternoon, Liz and I had made an appointment to visit the Kumbeshwar Technical School, at 2.00 pm after Liz had finished teaching at the local nursery.
Today it runs an orphanage for up to 20 children, a primary school for 210, a day centre for adult training in carpet making, hand knitting and carpentry, the products from which provide sales income to cover 80% of the running costs of the enterprise. Kiran's son Satyrendra graduated in IT from Nottingham and now works full time, responsible for marketing the products to 4 continents. Although the lot of the lower caste has improved immeasurably since 1983, it's clear KTS is making a huge difference to the lives of many. They also welcome volunteers who can fund themselves to teach English in the primary school and help min the orphanage in the evening.
Thursday 26th October
The dining area was jam packed this-morning so Breakfast was taken with two Australians and one Canadian back from doing the Everest Base Camp, previously having done the golden triangle in India - Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.
My primary task today was to find the Kathmandu Forest College (KFC), having previously been there on the back of Binod's bike. At home this would take 30 minutes, here it takes 2 hours - walking to Ratna Park, getting a green bus to Jawalakhel and then a taxi for the remaining leg. After an exhausting journey, I arrived at KFC only to be told the college was on holiday, due to the Chhath Puja, a Hindu festival held for the worship of the sun. The Nepali Govt. has recently declared tomorrow 27th as a public holiday too, so October is not a good time to do business. Decided to explore an alternative route home as the ring road was nearby. A slightly longer route to Satdobato, and buses from their to Jamal.
After learning from the Mahjkhanda Community that they disappointingly no longer wanted to continue the tree nursery started by Alan Iles, for reasons not altogether clear, the trustees of the Ikudol Forest Trust decided last January to sponsor a student from another remote area on the Diploma Course at the KFC. The conditions were that they were committed to return to their home to put their forestry skills into practice for at least 3 years. So I was able to meet with Professor Gautam on my last visit and learn from subsequent emails that they would have chosen someone for me to meet on 8th November before I returned to the UK.
By the time I got back from my fruitless travels, Liz's husband, Pat and fellow trustees Pam and Jill had returned from their trek to Annapurna Base camp, after their aborted attempt to do the Everest Base Camp due to bad weather.
It was good to catch up with all their news. W ith Pat here, we were able to make a decision about travelling to Jhapa. Since there is another project to visit which was not far from the route were would be taking to visit the Schools in east Nepal, we decided to tell Boby that we needed to hire a vehicle and driver.
I'm a little concerned that have left it this late with so much demand on transport by the wave of trekkers. Also, we would need a driver who could speak English. But one of the things one learns here is to expect the unexpected!
Friday 27th October
With Pat, Jill and Pam back from their Annapurna Base Camp trek yesterday, a de-briefing of their experience filled the first part of the morning. They had planned to do the Everest Base Camp but bad weather prevented them flying to Lukla, so they went to Pokhara instead. Then it was time to visit Tiny Seeds Nursery where Liz has spent the last 10 days training the teachers. Although a private nursery which needs no additional funding, the presence of a good role model for local teachers is invaluable. Another opportunity for experienced teachers to volunteer perhaps?
Then it was onto the After School Club on the north side of the city. The surrounding village had been devastated in the 2015 earthquakes. It's a great initiative by Jyoti to help children from dysfunctional families to be given a chance to do their homework under the supervision of a teacher and volunteers. We gave them some resources we had brought from the UK to supplement tbeir limited range of teaching aids. The local Community had helped to develop the land around the earthbag constructed school, and even terraced the land to create a badminton court. Amazing!
Then back to the Holy Himalaya to meet the other people joining us for the visit Montari, pack our bags.
Saturday 28th October
Up at 5.30. After a light breakfast, time to pile into the minibus to the airport.
9 of us plus 3 Nepali were taking a helicopter to a remote area north of Dahding. Arriving at the domestic terminal, we were all weighed as were our rucksacks, and passport details taken. I had inadvertently left my passport in the hotel safe and the copy was in the same wallet. Not a problem for the Nepali staff who simply wrote down the first 9 digits of my credit card!
We were then driven right round the airport, past burnt out planes and helicopters, just to boost our confidence for the flight ahead.
It seemed an extravagant way to travel, but it took me 3 days to get to Tipling, not far from our destination, with two and a half day's trek, so with limited time it was well worth us paying the extra to travel the distance so quickly.
After a visit to the basket making workshop – where local
craftsmen use carefully slit bamboo to weave those familiar Nepali baskets – we
trekked south through the hamlets of Chin Chowk, Pokhara, San Dan and
Phulkarka, before eventually arriving at Montari where we were to base
ourselves for 3 days. It was here that KASIN provided the funding the girls’
hostel which provides accommodation for those who live too far away from the
nearby agricultural school.
Our accommodation consisted of round earth-bag houses and
tents. The walls are constructed by filling bags with earth and laying them on
top of each other, with barbed wire to hold them together.
They are then plastered inside and out with mud, and a wooden roof added. This method of construction was adopted after the 2015 earthquakes destroyed many buildings in this area, it being very near the epicentre of the quakes.
As usual, there were garlands, scarves and the traditional orange 'tika' anointing on the forehead for the visitors, then cutting of the ribbon and speeches. An Italian pasta lunch followed which wouldn't have been sniffed at in Italy. This cook is amazing as he also provided a dhal bhat lunch for the Nepali visitors, including many local politicians who were trying to muscle in on the action!
A rest day when a few of us tried to get the solar water heating system mended, which we found only needed some spare parts. So our final shower had to be with cold, well, not that cold, water.
Our final meal was had around a bonfire, with a carved out pumpkin to remind us of Halloween, and barbecued chicken which had been marinated in delicious spices, washed down with a few bottles of Gorkha Beer!
Wednesday 1st November
Today we walked down to the Hydro on the Ankhu river - a 3.5 hour trek through some stunning landscapes. Here we were picked up by two Jeeps and driven the 5.5 hour journey to Kurintar, a riverside complex on the way to Pokhara. The road from the Hydro - more a rutted track really - winds along the river before climbing over another mountain to Dhading. A 3.5 hour journey during which the jeep negotiates boulders and ruts worthy of an obstacle course. The route is currently being upgraded so JCBs and trucks block the road in places whilst the rock and earth is removed. The only consolation were the clear views of Ganesh Himal in the distance from the top. The 2 hour journey along the main Pokhara road was less of a bone shaker but more of an encounter with kamakasi drivers who think nothing of overtaking on blind bends with sheer drops below!
Jyoti is developing the Kurintar site into a hotel complex, and we were the guinea pigs to try out the accommodation. It's in a great spot by the the river with a terrace overlooking the rapids where white water gives intrepid rafters a fish-eye view of the valley.
The rooms are very well appointed and a hot shower was a real treat after the dusty journey. We were all keen to retire early after a strenuous day.
Thursday 2nd November
A day to explore the river and to relax. Our resident geologist Pat Wherity gave us fascinating accounts of the age and origins of the many rocks. This was the last day our group would be together. Kate & Michael from Ealing, and Wendy & Ian from Cambridge were heading off to Pokhara in the morning whilst the rest
of us were heading back to Kathmandu.
Friday 3rd November
After breakfast we said our farewells and climbed into our respective vehicles for the road trips ahead. We were taking some of the staff who had served us during our stay in Kurintar back to Kathmandu. It's a familiar road for those of us who have been to Pokhara but still a dangerous one with many trucks/buses being driven by madmen!
Saturday 4th November
The focus was now on organising our trip to Jhapa. Kiran was due to meet us after breakfast to tell us how to get the the Community School in his village near Bardibas at the junction of the Japanese road east of the KTM valley, and the Mahendra highway running east-west along the Terai in the south of Nepal. We had heard from a mutual friend of his family that the school needed a water tank to give the children safe drinking water. So we were able to speak with Kiran's father in the village and arrange a time to meet. Later in the morning Fr Boby, the Nepal Jesuit Treasurer, came to the Hotel to let us know about the hired vehicle and driver he had organised for us. He is our contact in Nepal through whom we can reliably transfer funds for the school sponsorship.
Liz, Pat and I decided to eat at Fire and Ice, this evening. An Italian pizza is always a welcome relief from dahl bhat (daal and rice), and this place is just round the corner from the hotel.
Sunday 5th November
Left Kathmandu at 6.30 am to travel by SUV to Jhapa. Normall a 10/11 hour trip but since we were due to call in at a school en-route, it took us nearly 14 hours. A journey to forget really but it's the only way to travel without paying a huge amount to fly. The visit to the school en route proved to be a fruitless diversion as the water tank we were told the school needed had already been fitted by Save the Children and other funders.
With Pat, Jill and Pam back from their Annapurna Base Camp trek yesterday, a de-briefing of their experience filled the first part of the morning. They had planned to do the Everest Base Camp but bad weather prevented them flying to Lukla, so they went to Pokhara instead. Then it was time to visit Tiny Seeds Nursery where Liz has spent the last 10 days training the teachers. Although a private nursery which needs no additional funding, the presence of a good role model for local teachers is invaluable. Another opportunity for experienced teachers to volunteer perhaps?
Then back to the Holy Himalaya to meet the other people joining us for the visit Montari, pack our bags.
Saturday 28th October
Up at 5.30. After a light breakfast, time to pile into the minibus to the airport.
9 of us plus 3 Nepali were taking a helicopter to a remote area north of Dahding. Arriving at the domestic terminal, we were all weighed as were our rucksacks, and passport details taken. I had inadvertently left my passport in the hotel safe and the copy was in the same wallet. Not a problem for the Nepali staff who simply wrote down the first 9 digits of my credit card!
We were then driven right round the airport, past burnt out planes and helicopters, just to boost our confidence for the flight ahead.
It seemed an extravagant way to travel, but it took me 3 days to get to Tipling, not far from our destination, with two and a half day's trek, so with limited time it was well worth us paying the extra to travel the distance so quickly.
Never having been in a helicopter before, the experience was
exhilarating. To get a birds eye view of Kathmandu as we did a circled clear of
the runways was amazing, but the cloud sadly masked much of our 25 minute
flight to Ladap. This is a tiny village in the mountains north of Phulkarka,
where Kasin helped to rebuild the government school. The first helicopter with
the other half of our party, had already arrived, so we landed in a nearby
field much to the excitement of the villagers who rushed to welcome us.
After a visit to the basket making workshop – where local
craftsmen use carefully slit bamboo to weave those familiar Nepali baskets – we
trekked south through the hamlets of Chin Chowk, Pokhara, San Dan and
Phulkarka, before eventually arriving at Montari where we were to base
ourselves for 3 days. It was here that KASIN provided the funding the girls’
hostel which provides accommodation for those who live too far away from the
nearby agricultural school.
Our accommodation consisted of round earth-bag houses and
tents. The walls are constructed by filling bags with earth and laying them on
top of each other, with barbed wire to hold them together. They are then plastered inside and out with mud, and a wooden roof added. This method of construction was adopted after the 2015 earthquakes destroyed many buildings in this area, it being very near the epicentre of the quakes.
A team from the Jyoti’s Eco-trek business had come to look
after us, and what an amazing team they proved to be. Ashok, Saraj and Dinesh
were known to Pat, Liz, Pam and Jill through past treks. If anyone was looking to come to Nepal, I would certainly recommend Ecotrek
Sunday 29th
October
My accommodation was one of the two very adequate tents. All
was going well until that Imodium moment which kept me up the first night. I’ll
quickly pass over that. Needless to say it took a day to recover so I missed the trek to see the school at Dhandakharka for which KASIN had funded floor covering, books and furniture for the nursery classroom.
The clearing in the forest where we were staying is called Skycamp, and it certainly lived up to its name - fantastic views of the mountains during the day and star-lit skies at night.
Monday 30th October
Today was the official opening of the Hostel which serves the agricultural college in Phulkharka and is designed to accommodate girls and boys who live too far away to make the daily journey to College. KASIN has funded the Girls side of the hostel, whilst an Italian charity headed by Massimo has paid for the boys side. Massimo was due to come with Jyoti by helicopter but were late due to a rescue mission elsewhere in the mountains.
Tuesday 31st October
A rest day when a few of us tried to get the solar water heating system mended, which we found only needed some spare parts. So our final shower had to be with cold, well, not that cold, water.
Our final meal was had around a bonfire, with a carved out pumpkin to remind us of Halloween, and barbecued chicken which had been marinated in delicious spices, washed down with a few bottles of Gorkha Beer!
Wednesday 1st November
Today we walked down to the Hydro on the Ankhu river - a 3.5 hour trek through some stunning landscapes. Here we were picked up by two Jeeps and driven the 5.5 hour journey to Kurintar, a riverside complex on the way to Pokhara. The road from the Hydro - more a rutted track really - winds along the river before climbing over another mountain to Dhading. A 3.5 hour journey during which the jeep negotiates boulders and ruts worthy of an obstacle course. The route is currently being upgraded so JCBs and trucks block the road in places whilst the rock and earth is removed. The only consolation were the clear views of Ganesh Himal in the distance from the top. The 2 hour journey along the main Pokhara road was less of a bone shaker but more of an encounter with kamakasi drivers who think nothing of overtaking on blind bends with sheer drops below!
Jyoti is developing the Kurintar site into a hotel complex, and we were the guinea pigs to try out the accommodation. It's in a great spot by the the river with a terrace overlooking the rapids where white water gives intrepid rafters a fish-eye view of the valley.
The rooms are very well appointed and a hot shower was a real treat after the dusty journey. We were all keen to retire early after a strenuous day.
Thursday 2nd November
A day to explore the river and to relax. Our resident geologist Pat Wherity gave us fascinating accounts of the age and origins of the many rocks. This was the last day our group would be together. Kate & Michael from Ealing, and Wendy & Ian from Cambridge were heading off to Pokhara in the morning whilst the rest
of us were heading back to Kathmandu.
Friday 3rd November
After breakfast we said our farewells and climbed into our respective vehicles for the road trips ahead. We were taking some of the staff who had served us during our stay in Kurintar back to Kathmandu. It's a familiar road for those of us who have been to Pokhara but still a dangerous one with many trucks/buses being driven by madmen!
Saturday 4th November
The focus was now on organising our trip to Jhapa. Kiran was due to meet us after breakfast to tell us how to get the the Community School in his village near Bardibas at the junction of the Japanese road east of the KTM valley, and the Mahendra highway running east-west along the Terai in the south of Nepal. We had heard from a mutual friend of his family that the school needed a water tank to give the children safe drinking water. So we were able to speak with Kiran's father in the village and arrange a time to meet. Later in the morning Fr Boby, the Nepal Jesuit Treasurer, came to the Hotel to let us know about the hired vehicle and driver he had organised for us. He is our contact in Nepal through whom we can reliably transfer funds for the school sponsorship.
Liz, Pat and I decided to eat at Fire and Ice, this evening. An Italian pizza is always a welcome relief from dahl bhat (daal and rice), and this place is just round the corner from the hotel.
Sunday 5th November
Left Kathmandu at 6.30 am to travel by SUV to Jhapa. Normall a 10/11 hour trip but since we were due to call in at a school en-route, it took us nearly 14 hours. A journey to forget really but it's the only way to travel without paying a huge amount to fly. The visit to the school en route proved to be a fruitless diversion as the water tank we were told the school needed had already been fitted by Save the Children and other funders.
It was an object lesson is verifying everything in Nepal, and that's why trustees come every year to check-out new requests and how funds are spend on approved projects. The school in question was not far from Bardibas town and had been founded 10 years ago by the Community, not the Government, so teachers' salaries have to be funded by local people. The Principal and the founder both thought we were there to help fund an English teacher needed because the Government requires all schools to teach in English. We could only listen and empathise with their need, as it would be an impossible long term commitment for KASIN to make. It was clear that the Community was doing a great job with few resources.
Krishna our driver was clearly experienced in negotiating the road to Jhapa but had the disconcerting habit of using his mobile phone to negotiate his next contracts as we wound our way down the many hairpin bends on the Japanese road. Since Krishna had no English, Bimal, Boby's administrator from Kathmandu, was travelling with us so we had an interpreter on hand.
We arrived at Maheshpur after 8.00 pm and were welcomed by Victor, Norbert and Thomas. After a dahl bhat supper we were shown to our accommodation under the nearby church - ensuite rooms with hot showers!
Monday 6th November
We were woken in the morning by the 6.00 am bell, dedicated in memory of my late father, calling the local community to daily Mass.
Breakfast at 7.30 comprised puri and a potato and bean curry. Puri are made from wheat flour an ghee, rolled into a small circle and fried in oil, puffing up into a hollow ball when cooked. A bit like a Yorkshire pudding but without the egg and milk!
After breakfast, we met Raja, the Principal of the Moran Memorial School, which has c. 260 students from the surrounding very rural neighbourhood. He had only recently taken over from Sanjay, whom I had met on my earlier visits.
After the obligatory marigold garlands and welcomes, we each said a few words at the assembly, with the senior children all quietly lined up in serried ranks. We then met in Raja's office to talk about the scholarship scheme for which there are now 10 sponsors for this school, and another 10 for Deonia, down the road. We discussed the issues of allocating specific children and concluded that it would be less discriminatory for the children in question if they were sponsored anonymously.
People can sponsor children for the cost of a pint of beer a week or a glass of wine. See http://kasin.org.uk/sponsor-a-child-at-school-in-east-nepal-for-the-cost-of-a-pint-of-beer-a-week/
However, it was clear from Raja that the sponsors' funding was giving the poorest children the only chance they had for good education. We decided not to meet the children individually, as we did not want others to feel left out, nor those in question to feel different. Instead we went round all the classes - the
It was great to have Liz and Pat, both experienced teachers, see the school and how it was run. Like me, they felt it is being run really well and giving the children a much better education than most Government run schools.
We also discussed twinning the school with St Anne's and St Mathew's primary schools back home, and the possibility of a small group of teachers and students from a teacher training college in Hull who approached KASIN for a link with a school in Nepal with a view to visiting it during the UK summer holiday. Whilst still hot in August, it is apparently cooler than early in the monsoon season. Raja was very enthusiastic about the idea as any help with English and teaching methods would be greatly valued.
A short video of the Moran Memorial School is avaiable on YouTube with the following link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGKtFNo03Gw
After lunch we were taken to St Xavier's School Deonia, about a 20 minute jeep ride down some more bone-jerking roads. This is a much bigger school, catering for over 800 students drawn from a more populated area around Bertimode, a nearby town on the Mahendra highway, close to Bhadrapur Airport on the Nepal/Indian Border.
Amrit, the Principal had recently taken over from Mathew, and had been succeeded as Principal of St Xavier's Jawalahkel in Patan (Kathmandu) by George. Juel is the Superior of the Community and Bursar, whom I have known since 2008. They both gave us a warm welcome and again we discussed the sponsorship programme, agreeing it should be anonymous. To date, 10 donors are supporting the scheme, but more are needed!
Due to Government requirements that all schools should educate beyond year 10 (14 yr old) to years 11 and 12, the school has had to build a completely new block which is nearing completion.
Again, we were taken round the classes many of which have 45 students, and we also met the staff, some of whom were pupils at St X and have returned after teacher training, which gives a great role model of what can be achieved.
Whilst Liz and Pat stayed with Amrit and Juel, I visited a the family of Sanju, one of the students I had met in January whose father had been ill. They live in a typical simple house with only a field where they grow millet and grass, and have a cow and a calf. The father can't find work as he's told he's too old when applying for jobs, so they have no income other than from selling millet and milk. Despite this they insisted on giving me hot milk and a snack, and did not complain. But it's clear that they will rely on Sanju to support them if she does well in her studies and gets a good job.
After a long day we returned to Maheshpur and relaxed in the fading light on the veranda of the Community residence before joining our hosts who had prepared
Tuesday 7th November
Due to Liz and Pat's itinerary requiring them to return today, and my need to be back to visit the Kathmandu Forestry College by Wednesday we were unable to call in at Sadikbari and Simalbari schools, also run by the Jesuits in even more remote areas of Jhapa. I had visited last year on the back of George's motor bike and my back-side has its own memory of that bone-shaking 90km ride. However, these schools need to be included in our sponsorship scheme.
We left at 7.30 after breakfast, this time without Bimal who was saying on to collect some data from the schools. After getting through Bertimode, the traffic seemed lighter and we made very good progress, getting to Bardibas for veg noodle soup lunch by 1.15. It's a long hot journey and air-con essential along the terai. We arrived back by 7.00 ish, grateful for Krishna's good driving but with sore ears from his telephone calls!
With our stored bags reclaimed, and after a hot shower, Liz, Pat and I visited Melrose, a new eating place nearby, for a beer and pasta, before retiring our shaken limbs.
Wednesday 8th November
It was time to say farewell to Liz and Pat after breakfast. It's been good to join them on their annual KASIN visits, and not only have they been great company, but I've realised tje value of their contribution to KASIN as experienced retired teachers committed to running an important if small charity.
With my other trustee hat on, this time representing the Ikudol Forest Trust (IFT), I headed off to the Forestry College where I had arranged to meet the Professor, Dr Ambika Gautam, to interview their chosen candidate for IFT's scholarship for the Diploma in Forestry course.
A walk to Ratna Park to get a green bus to Lagankhel, then a taxi round the ring road took 1.5 hours. The College is tucked away in what looks like a part residential area. I was immediately ushered up to Professor Gautam;s office where I met Shiva (male!), the Diploma Programme Co-ordinator. They explained that they had called for nominations from their first year Diploma students, and judged candidates on a number of criteria, including IFT's requirement for them to come from a remote area of Nepal. I was impressed by their rigour and objectivity.
The selected student then joined us along with her brother-in-law with whom she was staying, as her home was in the far west of Nepal. After some time interviewing her, I realised that she was a very promising student who showed every sign of being committed to putting her 3 year Diploma into practice for a further 3 years back in her home area as a Forest Ranger. With my endorsement on behalf of the other IFT trustees, we agreed to draw up a formal contract against which we would be able to transfer funds to cover the tuition fees of for the 3 year course. On the way home I called into St Xavier's Jawalakhel to see George, the Principal (ex-Deonia). He said he would be joining Boby and myself for supper this evening. After walking back part way to pick up a few gifts from the fair trade craft shops in Pulchowk, I headed back to the hotel to meet Binod at 4.30 to share my experiences over the past couple of weeks. He then kindly offered to drop me off at Boby's residence in Sanepa, Patan.
Boby advised Binod to take the ring road anticlockwise, given the rush hour traffic, and this was a good move but when we came to Sanepa, it was pitch dark, and with minimal street lighting we spent 30 minutes driving around in circles, eventually having to ring Boby to come and meet us only yards from the residence! It was sad to say good-bye to Binod, but good to know he is on his way to a successful IT/entrepreneurial career.
After a great re-union with Mathew (ex-Deonia), Boby, George and Bonaventure, the Nepal Jesuit Superior, and their generous hospitality, I was driven back to the Holy Himalaya, to prepare for an early start tomorrow.
Thursday 9th November
Up at 5.30, breakfast at 6.00 with a pack of tourists preparing for their respective treks, and a hotel minibus to the airport at 6.30 for the 9.50 Oman Air flight to Muscat.
With time to kill, I tried to update the blog using the airport wi-fi onlly to lose it all when trying to upload, so this update is a little late.
The transfer in Muscat was only an hour and the last leg to Manchester less crowded as the plane was only half full.
Back at Manchester early at 6.10 pm, the immigration clearance was as quick as I've experienced, and I was though baggage reclaim by 6.40.
Back home by train at 9.45. What a trip!
