INDIA/NEPAL 2016

Arrived safely at 12.15 pm today after a long but uneventful 7.5 hour flight from Manchester. The connection at Abu Dhabi seemed better than on previous flights. So vast is the sprawling airport complex, it took nearly 15 mins to taxi to the terminal after landing there. Another massive terminal is under construction now sporting their motto 'From Abu Dhabi to the World'. Along with a sprinkling of foreign tourists, the 3 hour leg to Mumbai was packed with Indian nationals many of whom seem to have the knack of staggering on board with massive hand luggage.  

Dressed for the cold of the UK and the mountains of Nepal, I was not expecting quite the wall of heat stepping out of the air conditioned 'plane. 28 deg C -wonderful! Though not quite sure what to expect down south...

A pre-paid fare to the Hotel Accord proved more of a test for the taxi driver than expected, as we struggled through 5 lanes of traffic and brought the oncoming lane to a standstill as we did a sharp contraflow U-Turn. The chap didn't speak English, but cleverly knew where to find other drivers who did, but less cleverly only after over-shooting the urban motorway by a mile or two! 

The Hotel is conveniently situated between the airport and Lokmania Tilak Terminal where I get the Netravati Express to Cochin tomorrow morning. The place is basic but clean, the staff really helpful, and the rooms thankfully air-conditioned and sporting Wi-Fi. Just round the corner is a row of shops where I've managed to get a SIM for my phone. (919867249561). So I'm all set for the 6 weeks ahead!

Thursday 11th Feb.

A 30 minute tuktuk ride to the station. 22 carriages pulled into platform 1 at 10.40 and I was aboard with my fellow passengers in an AC2 (air conditioned 2 tier) compartment.

I was fortunate to have 3 great travelling companions including Jesse and her 81 year old mother from the USA, and Pradeep, a Timetable Manager for the Kerala area of Indian Railways! Time passed quickly as we headed south with c. 1,400 other passengers. Meals were provided from the pantry car, chai and coffee wallas passed by frequently, and clean bed linen, pillows, towels  and blankets were all part of the package. OK, it was not quite up to European standards, but who can complain at a ticket price of £48.


Friday 12th 

Arrived at Cochin around 1.00 pm on Friday, and a tuktuk took me to FortKochi where I was staying near South beach. 

A good hotel, thankfully with air conditioning.
Was recommended Dal Roti, as a nearby place to eat - amazing vegetarian curry with superb paratha. 



Saturday 13th

Backwater tour of nearby inland waterways by boat. Wonderful silence as we were punted through lush vegetation and coconut trees.

Really interesting people on the tour including Polish military attache, Dutch tax lawyer, French retiree and family, Austrian IT specialist in COBOL, Israeli couple. 

Lunch in village on banana leaves.
Back to Fortcochi by 4.00 pm. 


On a stroll through Fortkochi, passed a cooking school and ended up joining 3 others for a Kerala cooking class. 

A fascinating experience with Meera and husband in their family kitchen with 3 others, cooking chicken and aubergine curries with dahl and chapatis. Dinner sorted!

Sunday 14th February

Tuktuk tour around Fortkochi, including Chinese fishing nets which punctuate the shore. Not much caught at this time of year, but an abundance apparently in the monsoon season.

The beach here would not get a blue flag for cleanliness, and in general litter abounds. This afternoon I took the ferry to Ernakulam, the main town of Cochin, for th princely sum of 4 rupees (around 4p) for a 20 minute journey. You get a better idea of the port and it gave me the chance to book a ticket on the Munnar bus on Tuesday morning. £2.80 for a 4 hour trip.

On return, I went to Santa Cruz Cathedral where the 5.00 English Mass had been replaced by one for religious from near and far in Malayalam, the local language, with music that would not have been out of place in a rock concert. The iconography in Christian churches is quite overpowering and brash, and reminds me of Calabria in Italy. But people are very devout. Kerala has strong Christian, Muslim and Hindu communties which seem to live in peaceful harmony, unlike the north of India. Indeed on buses here, there are pictures of a Hindu god, a Muslim Temple and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, side by side, as if to say we all travel together.

After watching a singing concert with some superb music, I finished off the day at Oceana, just round the corner from the hotel, where I had one of the best shrimp curries I've ever tasted. The 3 courses came to £7.50.

Monday 15th Feb

Breakfast outside in the shade with the thermometer rising. A delightful Chinese family joined me, the mother with excellent English. It's been great to meet such a variety of cultures, and rather humbling that they speak a foreign language so well. I was then approached by a couple who noticed the BD postcode on my hotel register entry - it turned out they were from Grassington, so had a long chat.

A relaxing day followed walking around Fortkochi and taking the ferry to the northern island. Not much to see really, as it's got a massive LPG terminal, and the lighthouse was closed as it was Monday. Whilst waiting for the ferry back, got talking to Adhinav, a Research Officer from Mussoorie, whose brother was a naval officer based in Cochin. Hadn't realised a major army and naval base was just round the corner.

He recommended a good place to eat, and so headed there in the evening after a visit to the Ayuvedic therapy centre. I was reassured I wasn't going to keel over, so indulged in a massage followed by a couple of beers, and slept the sleep of kings.

Tuesday 16th

Got a tuktuk to the bus station, struggling through rush hour traffic, and found the Munnar AC coach. After a 4.5 hour journey, climbing from sea level to 1,700 metres, I was met by the brother of the homestay, and ferried/karted to my next resting place, leaving the main road for a narrow track which led down to the Green Magic Home.

View from my room in Green Magic Home

It's perched on the side of a hill with stunning views facing south. Robin, the Indian Manager, is a top notch cook and couldn't be more welcoming and helpful. A couple from London are staying here and we all had dinner together sharing experiences of India and beyond. They recommended a tuktuk with Ramesh who had taken them around the area earlier today and had proved to be a mine of information.

Wednesday 17th

Breakfast on the balcony before setting off with Ramesh. Before heading up the hills we visited Madupetty dam, and then up a private road through the tea estates. My cousin Midge's father, Charlie Robertson, was the manager of a tea plantation here in the 1950s so I was keen to discover where the bungalow was located where she and her brother John grew up. The views are magnificent in every direction, with tea plants wherever you look.

Tea picking as such is no more, as the tops of the camellia plants are now cut with a pair of shears, one side having a recepticle to collect the 'golden tippies', which are progressively bagged. Met up with a Russian, Dimitri, and his Ukranian wife who stopped for a chat in perfect English about their conflicting political allegiances. True love has no barriers!

It seems the eucalyptus trees were brought over from Australia, and a variety called Grandis now surrounds the plantations, with their tall slim trunks and peeling bark. Planted within the tea slopes are what I understand to be Grevillea (?) trees to provide shade for the young plants before being ring-barked and removed. 

On the way up we saw huge honeycombs perched high in an old tree, evidence that bees will draw their own comb without the aid of fancy boxes, though the harvesting of honey becomes somewhat more treacherous.

As we climbed further up the slopes, Ramesh stopped suddenly and pointed to a couple of wild Elephant feeding on the banks of the lake. Apparently a lucky sighting! 

The tour through the tea estate escaped from the tourist trail and gave me the chance to understand the sheer scale of the plantations. Some of the bushes are 100 years old and many of these are being ripped out and replaced by new young plants that will take four or more years till they can be harvested. The reliance on manual plucking has been reduced by mechanical tea harvesters which trim the bushes along gaps in the planting.

Back in Munnar, I visited the Tea Museum to see a fascinating video in the history of tea in Munnar and a look round a tea processing factory. I remember Charlie saying that tea bags provided a solution to deal with the residue left from the grading process, akin to floor sweepings. But the marketing men would no doubt say they were specially 'graded' to give a fuller flavour! 

Included in the tour was a memorable talk by Sunil Chalakat,

a lean elderly Indian sporting a Madonna style radio microphone, about the health benefits of green tea and the advantages of taking time over emptying ones bowels, with the help of a rather faded diagram of the large and small intestines. He had his audience captivated.

Afterwards, I asked him where I might find out which plantation Charlie Robertson was manager of, and he suggested a visit to the head office of the Kanan Devan Hills Plantations which had acquired a majority holding in the company from Tata which had taken it over from the Finlay Estate for whom Charlie worked.

So Ramesh took me to find the place and I eventually was let in without an appointment to see George Varghese who made a couple of calls and gave me the name of the Chokanad estate as having a CB Robertson as a manager in 1951. Bingo! I shall head there tomorrow to take some photos for Midge and John.
Back home for another excellent meal, this time with the company of Rory from Wexford, a botanist who is an expert on Irish mosses. An invasion of French tourists had there dinner elsewhere. Whilst it would be possible to eat in town, transport would be needed, and Robin produced some wonderful Keralan dishes.


Thursday 18th February

Ramesh dropped me at the junction with the main road, and I walked the back road to the Chokonad Estate where I was told Charlie Robertson was manager.

The silence was captivating, only broken by the sound of birdsong and the rustle of leaves. The road winds though acres of tea plants, past the tea processing plant, and up to the manager's bungalow which has the most superbly kept garden complete with lawn in immaculate condition.

I was greeted by the house staff as Morgan Varghese, the present day manager was working in other parts.

I was able to take enough photos for Midge and John hopefully to recognise their old home.

A short way down the road back to Munnar lay the High Range Club, a real colonial establishment founded by the British 120 years ago,

and reminding me of the Planters Club in Darjeeling. Sporting tennis courts, a cricket pitch and a 9 hole golf course, this monument to the past is kept immaculately maintained by an army of staff and patronised now mainly by rich Indians. There was no-one around as I explored the main reception rooms, but eventually the Secretary appeared only to confirm that there were no records of members going back to the 1950s other than presidents of the Club.

It called for a pot of coffee in the expansive lounge, brought to me by a smartly dressed waiter. As I sat and drank, I could almost here the piano being played and the hubub of conversation which filled the room in the days of the British, and thought about Charlie and Helen who would have no doubt enjoyed many a happy hour here. From the list of names on the President's Board, it looked like the Indians took over the management of the estates around 1974.

Back to Munnar to look around the town, and have lunch at the Rapsy Restaurant, before returning home in Ramesh's tuktuk for a lazy afternoon and evening, in readiness for my 6 hour journey by bus to Madurai, east of here in Tamel Nadu.


Friday 19th February

Rory, John and Vicky, left after breakfast for Cochin, whist I headed east on a public bus. Air conditioning was provided by open windows and we were treated to one of India's violent movies at full volume as if the repeated klaxon wasn't sufficient to keep us all awake. Changing buses at Theni after a surpriingly good veg. lunch including tandoori mushrooms. The final leg of the journey involved travelling at high speed down narrow roads and being thrown round hair-pin beds. I was relieved to reach my destination near Madurai at around 4.00 pm

Saturday and Sunday 20th/21st February

Took off with my good friend Selvam, a priest for the Madurai Diocese whom I studied with in Rome. His friend Anthony kindly lent us his car with driver Pandi, and we headed off to Kodaikanal up in the Western Ghats, staying with the Medical Missionary sisters who have a retreat house there. It was a relief to get some cool air after the scorching temperature of the plain. Some amazing views and wonderful hospitality.

Monday 22nd Feb

Selvam and Anthony took me in to Madurai to see the impressive Meenakshi Amman Temple, then back to collect my things and get the overnight train to Chennai, this time in AC1. Good night's sleep.

Tuesday 23rd Feb

Flight from Chennai at 10.40, stopping at Kolkata to pick up more passengers than on to Bagdogra airport near the Nepal border. From there a pre-paid taxi to Kurseong where I've been staying a couple of nights to retrace my Dad's footsteps, visiting the very bungalow he stayed in with Mr Patterson, the Singell Tea Estate Manager at the time.

Wednesday 24th Feb

A couple of nights at Cochrane's place was like stepping back in history, but it was comfortable enough and a chance to meet Elaine and Richard from Edmonton over dinner, and share our travel stories. Fortunately, I was leaving before the place was invaded by a group from Yorkshire that day.

The exact location of the bungalow emerged after a visit to the Tea Association in Darjeeling, situated beside the Planters' Club. John Norman and I became day members there in 2004 on our way back from Sikkim., and met Teddy Young, the sole remaining British Tea Planter who has sadly since died. I decided to get up at 6.00 a to catch the Toy Train from Kurseong - a great experience running alongside the road then suddenly crossing to the other side much to the chagrin of drivers!

However, the current Chairman of Tea Assn. Mr Sandeep Mukherjee, pointed the way, though did not have any records dating back to the 1930s. After a brief walk around Darjeeling, I caught a shared taxi which dropped me off at the junction to the Singell estate, just north of Kurseong. Darjeeling is a busy town perched on the side of a hill, with traffic congestion worthy of Delhi. With the Toy Train sadly now with a reduced service, and steam only used for tourist trips between Darjeeling and Ghum, the main form of transport is the Jeep.

The road to the Singell factory and bungalow zigzags down through the tea plantation, and I soon the Manager, Chandra Deo Gurung who was fascinated by the photocopies of Dad's photos which he confirmed were of his bungalow.

After taking present day shots of the same views, he invited me into his home for a cup of Darjeeling Tea (of course the Fine Tippy, Golden Flowery, Orange Peeko, 2nd Flush!). It was quite emotional to be in the very sitting room where Dad would have sat, drinking tea from the same now 100 year old bushes. It's been a long held quest to visit the place, and here I was.

Thursday 25th Feb

After an early breakfast, I got a shared 'micro' up to Kurseong from where the shared jeeps to Siliguru left. I bought two seats, a trick I learned last year, for more comfort at 75p each! Leaving at 9.00 am we were soon down on the plain by 10.45, and then another shared minibus from Siliguri to the Nepalese border for £2.00. After getting my visa exit stamped the Indian side of the border, and entry visa endorsed at the Nepali immigration post, I soon found a bus to take me to Birtamode for another bus change to Deonia, where I was staying with my Jesuit friend, Juel who had organised our group stay at Godavari in 2013.

This district is called Jhapa, predominated by more tea estates, but the wide expanses of cultivated countryside hide a desperate level of subsistence living. 

Friday and Saturday 26th and 27th Feb

St Xavier's school here is run by four Jesuits. It was founded 17 yeas ago to provide education for the many families eeking an existence from the land, many of whom were working on the local tea estate earning a pittance. It's an impressive establishment, offering many students scholarships to cover the tuition fees. For less than the cost of a pint a week, (£3.00), a child here can be sponsored through their education.

On Friday morning, I was introduced to the 600 pupils at their assembly and invited to give a speech after being presented with the traditional scarf and flowers!

I was then taken on the back of a motor bike to another Jesuit school nearby where I spent the day with Frs Paul and Sanjay, and Br Clarence, visiting the local tea factory in the afternoon. Nearby a new church was under construction for what is becoming a growing parish community.

On Saturday, Mathew, the Principal at St Xavier's asked me to accompany him to a Parents' Day at a school in Bagdogra, near the airport, where he was the principal guest.

After 3 hours of dancing, prize giving and speeches with the PA system at full volume under a very hot sun, I was glad to get back to Deonia. But before escaping, I was called upon to help give out prizes to some of the children.

Sunday 28th Feb

After waxing lyrical about bees yesterday evening, George asked me to take Year 9 for a class on the honey bee at one of this morning's classes. (Schools only have Saturday as a day off in Nepal). I was happy to oblige, so hurriedly put together a PowerPoint presentation last night. The feedback from the 60 odd students seemed positive, as did the suggestion to install a bee-hive in the grounds.

George then took me on the back of his motorbike to another mission station about 40 km away in Sadabari, in what must be one of the remotest areas of east Nepal. There I was called upon to be the school photographer for each of the 5 classes! Then back to Deonia for a farewell supper.

Monday 29th February

A walk to the nearby road junction for a haircut, beard trim and cut-throat shave, polished off with the statutory head massage which this time extended to shoulder arms and hands. Thanks, Ram, for the invigorating experience! 
Back at the school, one of the teachers then wanted to have a chat with me about counselling as she had been asked to help some of the children in this way. 

As the day progressed, the temperature was rising steadily. I was told that May and June in these parts are sizzlingly hot. 

At 3.30 I headed to the junction again to catch the bus to Kathmandu. This was going to be the mother of all bus journeys, arriving the next morning, west along the Mahendra Highway, then north to Kathmandu. This was the overland trip John Norman and I were supposed to take in 2004, but due to the Maoist insurgency at the time, we had to fly. 

The price of the ticket at £8.00 for a 'deluxe air-conditioned' ride seemed ridiculously cheap compared with £150 for a flight, and with two recent plane crashes in 3 days and Nepal's bad air safety record, I felt the wiser choice. Juel had thankfully managed to get me seat A1 with the most leg  room, but it was still a gruelling ride. 

In the dark of night we stopped at what seemed a deserted petrol station which soon burst into life to dispense diesel, firstly into the bus then 8 x 100 litre containers which appeared from the luggage holds. The black market for fuel was clearly active, but not surprisingly since the blockade of fuel from India was still restricting supplies.
  
Tuesday 1st March

I would say 'deluxe' was stretching the meaning, as was 'air-conditioned' since it was switched off after a couple of hours, no doubt to save on fuel. After a long 18 hour journey, I arrived in Kathmandu sustained only by a packet of biscuits and some mango juice, having been warned not to touch the food at the meal stops.  The delay was partly due to a huge traffic jam as we climbed into the Kathmandu valley. It took another 2 hours to get to Godavari where I would be staying for a few days.

I was surprised to see little earthquake damage in the capital, but realise that the old buildings and temples would have been hardest hit, and the poorly built houses of the poorest would have suffered most.

I've been the guest of the Jesuit Community here at St Xavier's for the past 6 years, having first come to the nearby Ashram in 2004. The Community were given the Rahner's old summer palace in the early 1950s, when the Jesuits were asked to found a school. As a result of the earthquake it is no longer safe, and it is possible it will have to be demolished.

I've told the story in a previous blog, but the first Jesuit here was Fr Moran, an American who was a keen radio ham with a call sign 11 Mickey Mouse. He managed to bring with him what must have been a huge valve operated transmitter-receiver which, from this very building, sent the news to the outside world of Hilary and Sherpa Tensing's conquest of Everest!

At that time, the Jesuits will have been educating the privileged classes of Nepal, but they have since focussed their work on providing schooling for the poor, the majority being Hindu, with Christians, Buddhists and Muslims in the minority. 

Wednesday 2nd March

After breakfast, I took a walk down to the village to visit the local bee-keeping workshop, and was warmly welcomed by Sanu Bhai Basel, the owner, who showed me the hives and foundation he makes and sells. It seems domestic beehives here are not dissimilar to those we use in the UK. I agreed to come back tomorrow to find out more.

I've decided to go to Pokhara on Friday to visit Victor who runs a day centre for adults and children with learning disabilities, He was the Principal here when I first visited Godavari. So Ratan, the Tai Kwando gold medalist who works here and who was our driver and guide when I came with a group in 2013, took me on the back of his bike to Kalanki to get a bus ticket - as if I needed another bone-shaking experience!

Then I met Binod, my friend and interpreter, over a coffee and pakora in the Jamal cafe, where we caught up with news and discussed the water filter system we are due to install at the Mahjkhanda School. We plan to go there a week on Saturday. 

Coming back to Godavari, we saw the huge queues of motor bikes waiting for petrol. Binod had to wait two days for his latest fill-up. Can you imagine it.

Thursday 3rd March
Outside the residence where I'm staying, I noticed a small bed of plants with ayurvedic properties, and was prompted to visit the Botanical Gardens just round the corner from the Ashram here. Dipak, the manager, was very welcoming and mentioned there were two horticulturists from the Edinburgh Botanial Gardens, working on a new scheme of native Nepali plants. Since I last visited in 2008, the gardens have developed greatly, and the new garden being developed is really impressive.


I was able to talk to David and Neil, who were doing the planting, and Nye, the graphic designer of the information boards, about their project which is to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Memorandum of Understanding between Nepal and Britain. It would seem this is the reason for Prince Harry's forthcoming visit to Nepal. But plans for him to open the garden have fallen through. However, it is going to be an impressive planting scheme when the plants have matured a bit.

The weather here is warm, but the atmoshphere is misty, so I am unlikely to see the Himalayas until I reach Mahjkhanda, and even then it is not guaranteed!
Godavari is a great place to stay as it's on the edge of the Kathmandu valley (1,300m) and about 200m higher up so away from the worst of the pollution. 

Friday 4th March

Up at 6.00 for an early breakfast, then a bike ride with Ratan to Kalanki on the ring road to catch the bus to Pokhara which leaves at 8.00. I'm getting the bus which drops me just round the Corner from Sishu Bikas Kendra, the day centre for children and adults with learning difficulties which I visited in 2012 when Cap Miller was here. It's a great project, as anyone handicapped in Nepal, as in India, is normally hidden away as the parents think they are to blame. 

The journey was pretty uneventful, and not being a tourist bus, stopped frequently to drop of parcels/newspapers and collect some organic ginger from a grower en route. I eventually got to my destination at 3.30!  

I'm the guest of Victor, who was Principal at Godavari School when we first met, and Ignatius. Victor was the first Jesuit to go to Deonia, Jhappa in East Nepal, where I have recently visited, and was telling me how he went alone 18 years ago to start the mission, overseeing the building of the school, against initially much local resistance from the local community, and obstruction from the Tea Factory owner. The tea workers used to get 50 rupees a day (c. 50p) but now get 210 (£1.40) which keeps them trapped in poverty, as they live on tea estate land, in very basic dwellings. 

Two Hungarian cyclists turned up last night, looking for accommodation, so were given a couple of rooms here. They started in June last year and have come via Turkey, Georgia and Pakistan covering 13,000 km so far, with the intention of travelling round the world. I take my helmet off to them.

Saturday 5th March

I'm staying in the guest room on top of the house and would normally be able to see stunning views of Fish Tail and the Annapurnas, but they are covered in mist and the weather looking very unpredictable.

Took a walk down town to the Lakeside but was caught in an incredible electric storm with rain and hailstones, so took refuge in a local cafe. With any luck it should clear the air.

Walking down from Bagale Tole revealed another side to Pokhara than the tourist strip beside Lake Phew. Men were playing Carron, a board game of sliding counters akin to pocket billiards and kids playing table tennis on an improvised table with bricks as their net. Basic shops of every variety serving the local community with the contrast of a western style bathroom store selling modern earthenware, and one whose sole product was balls of string. 

Hindu temples punctuate the route, some embracing the trunk of a large tree, others built pergola style in red brick with bronze bell at the entrance. Stacks of sugar cane are appearing everywhere as Pokhara prepares for Maha Shivaratri, the Hindu festival celebrated annually in reverence of the god Shiva. It is believed to be the day Shiva married Parvati.
The sugar cane is plunged into a bonfire, then whacked on the ground to make a load explosion. What fun!

These few days have been a chance to relax a bit and indulge in the luxury of reading, and having siestas.

I decided to go back to Kathmandu on Tuesday so as to give time to prepare things for Mahjakhanda.

Sunday 6th March

Still the mountains are shrouded and the rain clouds are gathering again. 

I was invited to visit the Montissori school for infants at the Jyoti Centre, about 20 minutes walk from here, run by the Cluny congregation of Sisters. Never having really understood the Montissori principles, I was really impressed how 2 - 5 year olds were grasping simple tasks and concentrating on various activities without a great deal of supervision. Again, they struggle to finance it as the majority of children taught here are from the poorest of families, and they have to employ quite a number of teachers, with overheads of c. £1,200 a month, but what a start to life these kids are getting. 


This evening there was a prelude to Shivaratri with a huge party being staged just outside here on the road by the temple. Men dressed in various guises with masks and long dresses danced the night away with drums, cymbals, and singing till 2.00 am. 


Monday 7th March

At last! The mountains were radiant in the early morning light. This was worth the wait. From Pokhara, you can see Machapuchare (otherwise known as Fishtail) flanked by North and South Annapurna. This is the view of Fishtail from my rooftop room.

The photo doesn't really do the view justice, but it gives you an idea!







Tuesday 8th March

Bus from Bagale Tole, Pokhara to Kathmandu. A better ride and some people from the parish as company. Still long queues on the way up to the valley, so back by 3.00. A bus to Sadobato on the ring road, then a microbus to Godavari.
Once you know the routine here, travel by bus/micro costs very little. The cost is being crushed and bent double. The best way to travel is by Green bus, run by the Government, where seats are more available.

The Wi-Fi in the residence here is not working, so these blog posts are less possible at the moment, and when I go to Majhakhanda on Friday/Saturday, there is no internet for a week.



Wednesday 9th March

When I was in Maheshpur, in east Nepal, I offered to help find a bell for the church when back in Kathmandu, so today I visited Patan Industrial Estate where there is a foundry. 
A fascinating collection of craft industries, from rug making and wood carving, to jewelry making. The wood carving showroom wasn't doing much business today!


I guess with a significant drop in tourist business - one person I met claimed it was down 50% - these business really struggle to make ends meet.

I eventually tracked down the foundry and met the two brothers who now run the business. They use the lost wax method and I had a detailed tour of the process. A full size bell is first moulded out of wax with all the intricate detail in relief. 

It's then covered with layers of a fine mixture of clay before being covered with a mixture of clay and dung, with a hole for the wax to escape. When set, the clay is then heated and the wax is 'lost' from the mould, after which brass or bronze is poured in.

The cast bell is then finished by hand. The process takes two months. It seems bronze, although 40% more expensive, gives a better tone when rung.

The bell illustrated here weighs around 35 kg!

As I left, three huge sacks arrived, containing raw beeswax which is vital for the casting process. So the bees don't only help to pollinate!

I then went to New Road to meet Binod and plan the trip to Mahjakhanda. Ishan also came to discuss setting up a library in Mahjakhanda Government School. He has done this for a number of other schools around Nepal including one in Tipling where I first met him last year.

Friday 11th March

Got the micro into Langankel then a Green bus to New Road to get some money changed at the Bank of Nepal. Met Binod at his college then went on a hunt for the materials for the water filter system. Managed to get 2 dexion style shelving units which had to be dismantled while we waited, then loaded onto a bicycle rickshaw and taken to the bus to Chapagaun where Binod lives. We followed the bus on the bike!

Then in Chapagaun we bought buckets, plastic piping, connectors, and a 200 litre header tank, all of which we managed to get onto the truck which was leaving for Chapeli where they would be left at the ropeway station.

It was great to see Binod's family again, and to stay the night with them all in readiness for an early start for Majhakhanda the next morning.


Friday 18th March


Just returned back to Chapagaun after an amazing week in Majhakhanda. The school had a 2 day programme of celebrations for its 50th Anniversary. We managed to set up the water filter system but due to delays in getting the header water tank up on the ropeway, another visit will be required to commission the system.

I now have to rely on a borrowed computer so uploading of pictures will be difficult, but I'll try to get some up.

When I get more time, I'll expand on the last week's events. Meantime, bye for now. 
 
 

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