tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30549501502481895432024-03-14T06:28:15.992+00:00SagarmathaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-9463917505860983842014-08-26T15:38:00.003+01:002014-08-26T15:54:04.969+01:00The Final One - Can You Help?<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Dear Friends</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Thank you so much for reading along with my blog and for the many comments on the blog and on Facebook which have helepd me feel so supported. It's been a wonderful adventure and I hope that I have managed to help a little at the school too and raised awareness of the work they do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The money raised before I went has been used to fund the shipping of the books. There is enough left to buy the school a printer as they currently have no internet nor any means of printing, photocopying etc. However, they have concerns about the ongoing running costs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have pledged to raise 6000rs a month (about £50) to fund the running costs and here I hope you may be able to help. There is a scheme called the <a href="http://kumbeshwar.com/kumbeshwar-kids/" target="_blank">Worldwide Friends of Kumbeshwar Kids</a> and through this scheme you can sponsor the school. If we can all dedicate even a couple of pounds each month to this cause then this would be enough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In the UK one off or regular donations can be made to:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Bank details:</b><br />HSBC Sort Code 40-13-17 Account Kids of Kumbeshwar No 51377388</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /><b>Cheques can be made payable to</b><br />Kids of Kumbeshwar UK and sent to<br />Maggie Adams Langley,<br />52 Osborne Mews,<br />Sheffield S11 9EG</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For the rest of the world, please see the website or contact me and I can put you in touch with local groups.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you are setting up a standing order, please add "Printer" in the reference line so that they know the money is specifically for this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am going to treasure the time in Nepal and, once over the jeg-lag, am determined to help them as much as possible. Watch this space!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Thank you once again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />Goodbye for now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Jane</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-36555531603687812982014-08-26T15:23:00.002+01:002014-08-26T15:23:42.857+01:00Day 32 - Homeward Bound<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Up at 5.20am to yet another bout of unwellness. Final packing and weighing of case then made it down all 30 stairs with 3 bags and case without either dropping anything or falling. It was raining a bit so sheltered under the eaves of the Swotha Kiosk while waiting for the taxi. It was fascinating to watch the early morning worshippers around the Krisha and Radha Temple in Swotha Square who made offerings, pressed their foreheads to the stones and invariably walked clockwise round the shrines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Taxi arrived just after 6am and headed off the wrong way to the airport. It transpired that the driver had to hand over some keys and a bag to his friend after which we turned round and headed the right way. It was good in a way as we ended up going round a lot of the places I have been recently so I was able to see them for a last time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Arrived at the airport in good time and at the third attempt managed to locate the correct door to go in. All doors led to the same place so I dont' really understand what the fuss was about! Went straight to Oman Air check in and realised I was over the weight limit for luggage by about 2kg. I said nothing and neither did they and they tagged the bags and sent them on their way. A big relief.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There are strict import/export rules on Nepalese Rupees so I changed all my remaining rupees into dollars at the bank counter. Then up the escalator to passport control and into the much smartened up departure lounge which now boasts 3 coffee shops, gift shops and decent seating. This is a huge improvement on the bare room of previous trips. I got myself a coffee and bottle of water and paid in dollars receiving my change in rupees. When I commented that I couldn't take them out of the country he took them back!! Spent about an hour reading and drinking my coffee before going through security to the departure lounge no 2 (bare and uncomfortable) and straight to the gate (bare and uncomfortable). After a short delay we were loaded onto the plane and settled down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was delighted that there was no-one in the middle seat of 3 and settled down for the 4 hour flight to Muscat. Given the generally murky weather outside I didn't hold out much hope of a view and certainly there was no view of the Kathmandu Valley or city as we took off. However, once above the clouds I was finally rewarded with the tops of the Himalayas poking their heads into the sunshine. I took many photographs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The flight was relatively uneventful although due to the state of my stomach I couldnt' eat and just had water. Oman Air are great but they are not generous with their cups of tea! Ate more immodium and then listened to Jennings' Diary on my MP3 player which I had downloaded before leaving. I watched the Skymap and we flew over Nepal into India then turned right and flew over Pakistan, Southern Afghanistan (which is just barren) then over the Oman Sea to Muscat where we landed on time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Disembarked quickly then stood in a queue for 10 minutes to get through transit and into the main terminal. I was feeling really poorly by this time and when I tested my blood my sugars were low having not eaten for 24 hours. I headed to Costa Coffee for another milky coffee and a sandwich then to the Pharmacy opposite where I explained my predicament and that I had another 8 hour flight and the immodium was having no effect whatsoever. After a short lecture on the importance of eating the pharmacist gave me two lots of tablets - really not entirely sure what they are but I wasn't in a state to argue - and told me how to take them. I then bought sweets and plain biscuits at WHSmiths (Yes, in Oman!!) and headed to the departure gate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At the gate I was informed I could not take my water through security. I pointed out I wasn't well and needed to take medicine but they were unrelenting. So I sat down on the floor by a pillar and took what I needed to before going back to the gate where the security guards made me take everything out of my rucksack and turn on the laptop, take off my shoes and were generally unpleasant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Had a bit of a melt down then and cried. I got onto the bus to the plane and when I got on the plane I said to the stewardess that I was feeling unwell and if they had any spare seats could I possibly sit on my own. She said she would see. Settled into my seat and we took off late (a connecting flight was late in apparently) and it was a bumpy take off. After about 15 minutes the stewardess came over and said to the man next to me that I wasn't feeling well so would he mind moving. He got a coveted seat by the bulkhead and I had 2 seats to myself which was brilliant. I curled up with the seat rest up and dozed. The stewardess asked me if I wanted to be woken for meals and I said no but when I next opened my eyes and the subsequent times after there was always a fresh bottle of water or juice. They were really kind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I really didn't think that the flight would ever come to an end. I listened to more Jennings until the battery ran out then tried to read but couldn't. Started to watch a film - The Railway Man - then fell sound asleep for about an hour and a half until we hit bad turbulence over the Czech Republic which was nearly disastrous to my stomach but ok. Then watched the end of the movie (it was very good) and dozed until we finally landed about 30 minutes late.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was impressive that from arriving at the gate to walking out of departures to meet dad took a little over 15 minutes including passport control where the electronic gates were slower than the real people desks (I went for a real person!). Luggage all arrived then met Dad for a welcome big hug. We went back to the car then out onto the M25 in the rain and dark. It took about 2 hours to reach home where Mum had a hug and a cup of tea waiting. I had a hot shower then drank the tea - bliss - before heading to bed and sleeping like a log.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was great being away but it's lovely to be home!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-47747939265358654612014-08-24T12:32:00.002+01:002014-08-24T12:32:27.162+01:00Day 31 - Packing and the part of threes.<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke up and ran to the bathroom - someone had their revenge! Spent the morning dozing, reading and trying to do the online check in for Oman Air. For some reason the internet here kept going off and then there were problems with their servers but finally managed to check in and reserve my seats.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are from yesterday's deluge number 1. There was another equally severe about an hour later.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The courtyard at the back of Cosy Nepal</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I had planned to pack then to go to Thamel for a wander round ending up in the Garden of Dreams for a meal. I spent a lot of time in the Garden of Dreams with Hilda in 2009 and I was looking forward to reacquainting myself with it and also a good feed as I remember they do lovely food. However, due to the state of my digestive system I deemed it unwise to venture any further than downstairs to the office to pay the bill then to see Lalita in the shop for more loo roll and a packet of crisps...apparently they are good for rebalancing something or other??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Packed and managed to get everything into my suitcase and, despite all the presents, the case was underweight! Result! Then realised I had forgotten bits and pieces so piled them all up on top of the case ready to have another try at packing later on. Ate crisps, dozed, read Harry Potter (number 4) and took loperamide (Immodium) which took a really long time to have any effect. I was getting rather concerned about flying tomorrow so Skyped Mum and Dad and decided that if things were still unstable in the evening I would go to the CIWEC clinic for advice and medical help for insurance purposes if I had to delay the flight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Went downstairs to Swotha Kiosk for a final pot of tea with Bikesh and a bit of fresh air. I sat in the sunshine and drank the Ilam tea (Nepal grown) and finally started to feel better (I think the caffeine may have had something to do with it!). Everything was grumbling and hurting but I think that finally whatever it is in my system is starting to shift out properly. I even started to consider soup for dinner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Said thank you and goodbye to Bikesh and took a photo. He has been so lovely and helpful with all sorts of dilemmas and I know he has been keeping an eye out for me too. I hope we will meet again.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eLyh2Wg3LCM/U_nMI_ahBFI/AAAAAAAABNQ/ooedRGLSHFM/s1600/P1360907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eLyh2Wg3LCM/U_nMI_ahBFI/AAAAAAAABNQ/ooedRGLSHFM/s1600/P1360907.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This has been a most wonderful place to get a really good cup of tea and watch the world go by. Even better, the alley on the right leads to my apartment....couldn't be closer!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lovely (and rather scrummy!) Bikesh who has been such a support.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Back to the apartment and it's time for a Southward Family Tradition - the part of threes:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Best 3 meals:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) Steak and chips at Cheenos</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) Momo making lesson with Prakesh and Anastasia</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) Vegetable Pakodas and Beer at Casa Pagoda</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Best moments at school:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) My birthday surprises</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) Sports Day</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) Teaching class 5 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Best sightseeing moments:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) View from Swayambu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) View from Nagarkot</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) The Huge Shiva Statue</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Best meetings:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So many lovely lovely people but edited highlights...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) The teachers at the school</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) Harihar and his family</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) Anastasia</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4) Bikesh and the Cafe Swotha Team (I know that's 4 but I couldn't leave them out!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Worst moments:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) Bus and taxi rides while trying to get to Dhulikel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) Upset stomach on the final 2 days</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) Bites</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Most enjoyable moments (not school):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) Long lunches and dinners in Casa Pagoda watching life go by in Durbar Square.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) The Kumbeshwar Festival</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) Wandering round Boudhnath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Things I have learned (not limited to 3):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) Buses are fun with a friend but not on your own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) Ditto taxis when in a remote area.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) I can talk to people and make friends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4) I have started to get to grips with Nepali.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">5) I'm not a totally useless teacher.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6) I can travel a long way on my own and survive admirably.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">7) Skype,WhatsApp and Facebook are lifesavers for keeping in touch with family and friends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">8) The team at Cosy Nepal have been a fountain of information and help and it really pays to book decent accommodation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">9) I hate shower curtains.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">10) You can make decent leaf tea in a coffee press.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">11) I am apparently allergic to flea bites!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">12) My Kindle and the wifi in the apartment have kept me reading...about 13 books!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">13) I have learned to knit....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">14)...but the elephants remain unfinished!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">15) Buying presents is a lot of fun (asis watching people open them)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">16) A smile and a Namaste goes a long way towards making friends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">17) Nepalese streets flood in the monsoon and my walking sandals have been invaluable. In fact, now I think about it, I haven't actually worn any other footware all holiday!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">18) I can deal with touts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">19) Silk is ridiculaouly cheap here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">20) I want to come back...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Best things about going home:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) Seeing family and friends</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) A British cup of tea with a dash of milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) My own bed (although I've slept really well here)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you can think of any more "threes" to add then either comment below or on Facebook and I'll add them in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This is not the last post, by the way (unless one of the two planes crash tomorrow - yes, I'm still terrified of flying!) so keep looking. I have other things to add once home, including some video clips. I shall also be looking for help with supporting the printer in the school - more later.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-79863674672028519712014-08-24T08:08:00.003+01:002014-08-24T08:08:32.044+01:00Day 30 - acquiring an intimate knowledge of bathrooms...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Up and dressed leisurely and went out for breakfast to Cafe Swotha where I had 2 pots of tea and the healthy breakfast.. Spent almost 2 hours there reading and relaxing. Stomach was sore but ok. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Walked to Patan Dhoka to the big supermarket there to buy an extra bag for packing to come home. On the way up the escalator I felt unwell and had to rush to the facilities. Bought bag (but no luggage labels anywhere) then walked back to the apartment where I was unwell for the afternoon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Spent the time reading, dozing and drinking dioralyte but at 3pm had plain noodles with marmite to rehydrate them - lovely and nutritious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Had a shower and got changed then watched the rain out of the windows - it was torrential. Luckily it stopped at about 5.45 so I headed out to buy a packet of tea as a present and headed down to Koruna's house where I had been invited for dinner. The roads were wet and slippery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On arriving I was given a "snack" of chips, cake and Bombay mix then we sat and chatted. I also spent time with her nephew helping him with his English homework but was stumped when he asked me about the present perfect continuous tense....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">More chat and water to drink then a delicious dinner of vegetable curry, paneer, puri, chapati, 9 bean soup, chicken curry and pickles. In Nepal it is rude not to eat food so I ate it with enjoyment on the basis that it would either cure or perpetuate the stomach bug and that the chilli might help. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I left soon after and walked through the dark streets with my torch. The rain had come down again and the streets had been totally flooded...jokes about white water rafting on the streets of Kathmandu. Luckily they were less watery but still wet and slippery. Got in and went to bed with my book. Hopefully will feel better tomorrow.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-53003887346850738212014-08-23T04:31:00.003+01:002014-08-23T08:51:47.681+01:00Day 29 - Goodbyes and traffic problems<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Up at normal time and had a breakfast of a cup of tea and biscuits while packing for the night away at Dhulikel. Walked to school as normal and signed in then went to see the children at assembly. When they went in I went round the junior classes taking photographs and saying goodbye then to the library for the final planning and checking everything was good for the morning's lessons.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ANSUgjrBsdY/U_gIifRDn4I/AAAAAAAABJI/ZugZ1RXdPD4/s1600/P1360846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ANSUgjrBsdY/U_gIifRDn4I/AAAAAAAABJI/ZugZ1RXdPD4/s1600/P1360846.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Class 3</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1HjE8q1E94c/U_gIiZxd1-I/AAAAAAAABJE/5zgyQoiT-P4/s1600/P1360854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1HjE8q1E94c/U_gIiZxd1-I/AAAAAAAABJE/5zgyQoiT-P4/s1600/P1360854.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Class 4 - the girl front left is Jeny (pronouned Jainy!!)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ruqD3rxM6Lc/U_gIiTb1PyI/AAAAAAAABJA/wRuf6ju-xgQ/s1600/P1360857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ruqD3rxM6Lc/U_gIiTb1PyI/AAAAAAAABJA/wRuf6ju-xgQ/s1600/P1360857.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Class 5 with whom I spent a lot of lessons</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Had maths with class 2 which was difficult due to the language issue and the teacher was called away. I did my best but they didn't really understand which was a shame. Then to the library where I read some of the old annual reports but was then called to class 5 for the English session - I had got my timetable wrong! Did a lesson on sentence structure and they really enjoyed it and seemed to get the idea. Then to class 3 where I read them We're Going on a Bear Hunt and then we acted it out - very silly and very enjoyable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">That was the end of my teaching so I headed to the library to give back all the resources and planning sheets I had borrowed and to hand over the remaining lesson plans. At 12.25 I went downstairs to be ready to say goodbye to the children as they went home and it was lovely to see them all and say farewell but emotional. I walked to the main building with the staff and they went in for a staff meeting. I took the opportunity to say thank you and goodbye then walked back to the apartment feeling rather tearful.They have been so generous and friendly and I have loved my time at the school.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-epKA00TXvRs/U_gIkdKdVtI/AAAAAAAABJU/nMBvKso_B38/s1600/P1360858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-epKA00TXvRs/U_gIkdKdVtI/AAAAAAAABJU/nMBvKso_B38/s1600/P1360858.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My timetable and school planning sheet</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sewing training near the school</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G33ETANWMqY/U_gJvUmEFSI/AAAAAAAABMI/yIWyobZofhU/s1600/P1360862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G33ETANWMqY/U_gJvUmEFSI/AAAAAAAABMI/yIWyobZofhU/s1600/P1360862.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Class 5 boys </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Picked up the last things for the trip to Dhulikel then went to Cafe du Temple for momos and a pancake. Then walked to Lagankel past many lovely material shops a shop selling all manner of different household goods. Eventually I got to the bus park and managed to get on the right bus for Bhaktapur. I had decided to get the bus halfway then a taxi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The bus set off but got caught up in bad traffic and it took an hour to reach the airport - about 4 miles. There was nothing I could do but sit and take photos of the roadside views. The pollution and dust were thick and the driver rather kamikaze - he kept being stopped by the police for driving on the wrong side of the road.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lagankhel bus park</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Patan Southern Stupa - there is one at each compass point. This one is in a garden tended by the Rotary Club.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Roadside views</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We turned right onto the main Bhaktapur Road then immediately left. this took us via the old road to Bhaktapur which was very interesting as it went through small villages and paddy fields. I ended up at the far end of Bhaktapur with few other people around. I asked at the kiosk where I could get a taxi and was pointed up a small road to where there were a small collection of buses. I managed to find a taxi and negotiate a fee. However, shortly after we had set off the taxi driver phoned his friends and then stopped and asked other taxi drivers as he didn't actually know the way to the place I was heading! On finding out it where it was he then decided to increase the fare - I had no choice but to accept.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We drove out towards Dulikehl past Sanga where I was last weekend. About 2 miles past Sanga we came to a complete stop. There was no traffic coming the other way and lots of people walking. After a bit of discussion the taxi driver told me there was "no chance" of getting to Dhulikel as the road was blocked and there was a 4-5 hour delay. I asked him to return to Bhaktapur which he did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On reaching Bhaktapur I asked him to take me to the bus park. He initially turned down a road I recognised but then down small back streets. I felt really uncomfortable and unsafe and didn't like this at all. I waited until I spotted somewhere I recognised and then got out as soon as I could paying him 2000rs although he tried to tell me he wanted more. It was not a good moment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We had stopped in the main square and just by a coffee shop so I went inside to have a drink and to see if there were any hotels in Bhaktapur that I could stay in instead. There was wifi in the cafe so I linked up and had a look. There was nothing I fancied and I decided to go back to Kathmandu by bus. I didn't have the guidebook with me so followed my instinct and good sense of direction and walked for about 15 minutes through Bhaktapur to the gate where I found a bus going to Kathmandu. I got on and took the front seat. Two little grubby girls got on and sat just behind me and I kept feeling their fingers trying to see if I had anything in my pockets. I didn't and turned round to give them my best teacher stare but it was not a comfortable ride. We eventually got to KTM and to Ratna Park bus station. This was not ideal as I still had to get to Patan and it was now dark but at least I was off the longer distance bus by nightfall.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Bus stops are often called by the shop name they are near. This is the first one where the address is a bus stop!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After asking around I found the bus to Patan Dhoka. We sat there for ages then suddenly the driver got in, turned on the engine and we went without warning. It was another 30 minutes drive through KTM and over the Bagmati River up to Patan Dhoka. Finally I was able to get off the bus and pay - all the bus journeys, which totalled about 3 hours, cost 75p!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was not feeling well and thought I was probably hungry so went to Dokhaima Cafe for dinner. This had been recommended by Cosy Nepal and it was clean and the waiters were so helpful. I ordered a fresh lemon soda with salt - lovely - and a virgin mojito then vegetable tempura with soy sauce dip and homemade spinach pasta with chicken. It was a very nice meal and the service and surroundings were great. It came to less than I had anticipated too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I walked through the dark streets back to the apartment with my torch and stopped only to buy more toilet roll! I got back and found that they had taken the chance of me being away for the night to varnish the floor. Luckily it was dry but the apartment smelled of varnish and I had to shut all the doors against insects. Skyped Mum and Dad then tried to get to sleep but struggled due to the heat,residual anxiety from the journey and lack of fan. The electricity finally came back on at about 10.15 so with the fan going I finally fell asleep.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have now learned that buses in Nepal are fun if you have someone with you but not so good alone. Despite the costs, taxis are better but be careful who you get as a driver. It's the first time in 4 weeks I've felt unsafe in Nepal and I was very anxious but managed to get myself out of a sticky situation for which I am thankful. It also means I have an extra day in KTM....what to do????</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-44999490303721969572014-08-21T14:10:00.004+01:002014-08-21T14:10:54.371+01:00Day 28 - A brilliant birthday<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Happy birthday to me! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke up with the alarm and checked my email and Facebook in bed to find several welcome messages. Up and dressed then went to Cafe Swotha for a repeat of yesterday's healthy breakfast plus a mull over the lessons I had planned but wasn't happy with. They brought me black tea and I requested a small jug of cold milk so enjoyed a "proper" cup of tea with breakfast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Walked to school via the temple then signed in. I was greeted by the staff who wished me a happy birthday then up to the library to replan the lessons. At about 9.30 Karuna, the head, came in and we proceeded round the school to each class where the children all sang Happy Birthday and I had to wear the special hat. I had bought enough sweets for each child in the school to have one and it was lovely to give them out. One boy in class 1 also has his birthday today (as does Bijayata's brother!) so we had a photo taken together.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ujjal whose birthday is also today. He was giving the teachers sweets.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the birthday hat!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving out sweets in the Nursery</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kindergarten</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Ujjal - he is very shy and didn't want to smile.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Class 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Class 3</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Class 5</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was supposed to teach maths but was late for the start of the lesson because of giving out the sweets so the teacher had already started. I helped the children with their work and tried to explain fractions in simple English - not easy. Then a session in the library sorting out resources and chatting to the teachers before an English lesson with class 3 doing spelling by hangman (you have to guess each letter consecutively so have to understand the blends and patterns in English to predict what comes next) then the final lesson on habits with class 5.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At the end of the lesson Anju took me upstairs to the library where, to my amazement, the teachers had decorated with balloons and were all gathered. I sat at a table in the middle and they burst a balloon containing glitter over my head! Then they gave me a chocolate birthday cake and sang happy birthday while I tried to blow out the candles (they were trick ones!!). We had a photo with everyone together then shared the cake. I gave out a woefully inadequate box of chocolates (it looked large but had few chocolates inside) and then was given a gift of a shawl and a card. I was so touched and felt really emotional. I was able to thank everyone for their generosity and friendship over the last month then people scattered to have lunch. I was given a final task of jumping with a pair of compasses to burst the final balloons then was rewarded with a cup of milk tea.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surprise chocolate birthday cake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Singing Happy Birthday</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-129OkLTwcto/U_XtvnTRSkI/AAAAAAAABGs/gwBERuq1Ij4/s1600/P1360806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-129OkLTwcto/U_XtvnTRSkI/AAAAAAAABGs/gwBERuq1Ij4/s1600/P1360806.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to blow out the candles and making a wish.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6IikVCIoH04/U_XtxJSMfmI/AAAAAAAABHA/X98fSyGrhsM/s1600/P1360808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6IikVCIoH04/U_XtxJSMfmI/AAAAAAAABHA/X98fSyGrhsM/s1600/P1360808.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With all the staff. I shall treasure this photo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zNFzOdmhesU/U_Xtx1pCcFI/AAAAAAAABHE/vwxDCInOXdE/s1600/P1360809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zNFzOdmhesU/U_Xtx1pCcFI/AAAAAAAABHE/vwxDCInOXdE/s1600/P1360809.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting the cake into 17 - not easy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MHvfmrPmf9Q/U_Xty3VYXCI/AAAAAAAABHQ/sRk0JLF6CqA/s1600/P1360815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MHvfmrPmf9Q/U_Xty3VYXCI/AAAAAAAABHQ/sRk0JLF6CqA/s1600/P1360815.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the shawl present.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kril-ZxnDVY/U_Xt0NUJXxI/AAAAAAAABHU/34cSTP-wjhw/s1600/P1360817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kril-ZxnDVY/U_Xt0NUJXxI/AAAAAAAABHU/34cSTP-wjhw/s1600/P1360817.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still trying to work out how to cut the cake into 17!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With chocolate on my nose</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the cake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a cup of tea - every day at 2pm I have been brought one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glitter on the floor from the balloon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to burst the balloons.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Koruna and I then walked to the hostel where we left a big bag of sweets (I had lots left over) for the hostel children. I was able to meet some of the staff there, many, of whom have come through the hostel and school themselves and to see some photos of the children. Then back to the family home for lunch of paneer curry, buff, chicken, potato, rice and daal. This was followed by fresh mango and King Curd from Bhaktapur - delicious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I headed back to the school where I was in time for another cup of milk tea and a chat with the teachers in the library. For the final session I went to try and help out but nowhere needed me so I headed to the nursery where I was thrown in front of the senior nursery children (aged 3 and 4) and asked to do an impromptu lesson on counting to 20. I think I did ok! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After school I went to the office to see Kiran and to pay for the shipping of the books (about £450) and there is enough money left over to buy a printer for the school. I have committed to finding the funds to resources the consumables for the printer each month so will be fundraising again...I'll put the details in a later post if you are interested in helping out. Then Kiran presented me with a hand knitted poncho which is beautiful. I was very touched indeed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I walked home via the temple ponds where the children were swimming and having a great time and spoke with Bikesh at the kiosk who,on hearing it is my birthday, invited me for a complimentary cup of tea. I gratefully accepted and after putting my things in my room and trying to skype Mum and Dad (both out) I went and enjoyed the sunshine and a pot of delicious Ilam tea (local Nepalese brew).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I manged to speak to Mum and tell her about the day then wrote up the blog. I'm now heading out to Casa Pagoda once again for a celebratory bottle of Everest beer and something to eat. A wonderful and extremely memorable birthday.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-19200099562672385922014-08-20T14:16:00.002+01:002014-08-20T14:16:37.156+01:00Day 27 - Books!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Up before the alarm for a warm shower and dressed. Someone keeps lining up all my toiletries in height order! Decided to have breakfast out so went to Cafe Swotha for the "healthy breakfast" of scrambled egg, wholemeal toast and marmalade, curd with dried fruits and banana and a cup of tea...all on one plate (not the tea obviously!!). It was very tasty and filled me up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Walked the temple route to school past the stone tanks which have been filled with water again. When I asked about this I was told it is not another festival but just for swimming in and having fun. On the way home from school there were several boys from class 3 and 4 who were swimming and called me over very enthusiastically.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Signed in and carried one of the boxes of books halfway to the school before being relieved of it. Climbed up to the library and opened the first box when the others arrived carried over by the staff. They seemed really delighted with the books and I'm pleased that they are the right sort of level and very good quality. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boxes arrive</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramina and Koruna insepcting them.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As librarian, Ramina now has to cover them all in sticky back plastic and then catalogue them all by hand and on the computer. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The games library but we couldn't find the dominoes. I made some out of paper to demonstrate how to play.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Spent the first lesson checking my planning and chatting with Ramina,who presented me with a pair of knitting needles, then headed to class 5 to get them for circle time.This was on what makes us feel sad and went better as the children are more comfortable with both the format and me. Then I had a break before teaching maths (the empty sum challenge) and social.In social we are talking about good and bad habits. I debated what to do for this lesson and decided to do it as a circle time discussion as it was with class 5 again. We started with a round then we talked about bad habits and what their effects are. It was a sensible and wide ranging discussion in English and Nepali and the children started to talk a little about people they know with bad habits. I felt a lot better about my teaching abilities after this morning's lessons!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Class 5</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Social" - this is a mix of history, geography and socail studies. This lesson was done through circle time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_Nc8-LKk20/U_SdeI2KHdI/AAAAAAAABDg/usmFNjIlamI/s1600/P1360727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_Nc8-LKk20/U_SdeI2KHdI/AAAAAAAABDg/usmFNjIlamI/s1600/P1360727.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The children knew a lot about the harmful effects.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found this on the wall too late! Will use it tomorrow.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lunch was a cup of milk tea in the library then bamboo, gourd and potato curries with rice and lentils (delicious!). Then it was class 2 who are a lively bunch! As the books had arrived I pulled out "We're going on a bear hunt" and did this with them. We went through vocabulary first then I read them the story. Second time through we dramatised it and the children repeated it. It was a lot of fun. If I was here for longer then I would get them to learn it for performance.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunchtime games.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The rest of the afternoon was non teaching and I transferred the electronic resources I had brought over onto their system and deleted things that were not suitable. Then I gave a dominoes lesson and chatted to some of the teachers as well as preparing the lessons for the next 2 days. On consideration I'm not entirely sure they will work....I need to sleep on it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At the end of the day I joined class 4 for homework and gave them the camera to take pictures. This is the result...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I then left a little early with Koruna, the headteacher, and we went to the shop where she presented me with a woollen hat as a memento. Today is the "party" day for all the employees of KTS and we went right up to the roof where there were many chairs, food and drink. We were served curries - peanut, potato,buff, beaten rice, bamboo soup and pickles all of which were HOT. This was washed down with Nepalese home brewed strawberry wine - sweet and interesting! - then curd with a milk sweet to cool down. It was very pleasant with all the people involved chattering away and I discovered that there were 450 expected for the party but the whole organisation incorporates over 2000 people. It's a big operation. Some women knit from home so they can take care of the house as well. I am constantly amazed by the flexibility and adaptation of KTS to help as many people as possible.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountain Dew (fizzy drink) or strawberry wine.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chatting over food.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious Bhaktapur curd with a milk sweet that I couldn't pronounce(made by boiling milk until it is solid - no added sugar).</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Koruna and I left to go shopping and walked up to Mangal Bazaar to her friend's fabric shop. Here we were greeted enthusiastically and I was shown a dizzying array of beautiful silks. I chose in the end a blue and green patterned 6m length of sari silk and paid just under £15 for the lot!! It's all wrapped up in newspaper so I can't take a picture of it but I need to work out what to do with it when I get home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Bought an extra packet of sweets for the children then got some money from the ATM and walked home past a world record attempt involving dancing - couldn't quite work out what it was raising awareness of. Home and skyped Mum and Dad before having a quiet evening in. I was planning to do my washing in the machine and had left the washing basket where I would remember to do it but it has disappeared so I assume it has gone to the laundry!!! Oh well, I'll have clean clothes to pack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-75795689733034967662014-08-19T15:24:00.001+01:002014-08-19T15:24:16.899+01:00Day 26 - knotty lessons<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woken at 11.30 pm local time by my wonderful little brother who had Skyped without checking the time difference! Ignored the phone and went back to sleep. Woke just before the alarm, up etc etc then had breakfast of instant noodles - am trying a different approach from biscuits. These were whole grain (good) and chicken flavour (good) with added dried vegetables (good) and a huge amount of chilli (not good). This was washed down with a cup of tea and a half hour read of my new book, The Rosie Project which is excellent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Walked to school saying Namaste to the people I recognise and was greeted by one of the teachers on her motorbike! After signing in I walked round to the school and was in time for assembly. The children lead it and start with exercises before singing the National Anthem and then a prayer...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Once assembly had finished the children counted themselves in and I went up and round each of the junior classes saying hello. One girl was crying and standing in a corner by the window and I felt helpless not being able to talk to her in Nepali so I just stood with my hand on her back for a couple of minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Up in the library for the first lesson I checked all my planning for the day then helped Ramina teach Scrabble to class 4. It was great fun and the children got the hang of it quickly. They only have one set so had to effectively play in teams although this time as they were learning they had all their tiles upwards so we could all help. Then to class 2 for maths. The maths teacher wasn't in so I said I would be fine on my own....wrong! It's not that I can't teach but the children in class 2 are lively, they are younger so their English isn't so good and they claim that they do not understand I word that I say!!!! Typical children with a new teacher. We struggled through slapboard then I tried to teach them multiplication bingo and had to ask for the English teacher to come and translate for me. It wasn't a complete disaster but was certainly challenging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A free lesson next to regain some pride then another maths lesson on my own, this time with class 5 who are the oldest children and so have much better English. We carried on with the Four 4s challenge from yesterday and they were much quicker today. We ended with a game of Fizz Buzz. Then class 5 again for social studies about good and bad habits. We started with revision of key words and their meanings then read part of the textbook chapter before ranking habits best to worst. I had deliberately including eating sweets and this provoked discussion about habits which are good in moderation but bad in excess. This went much better and the children were able to sort into good/bad habits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lunchtime and time for a cup of very welcome milk tea with Ramina then lunch at the family house which was spinach, daal, rice, paneer curry and gourd curry with fresh mango to follow. I had to rush as I was teaching the first afternoon session on Hansel and Gretel. We recapped the story we had read last week then read slowly the next part up to where the children are truly lost in the wood as the birds had eaten the breadcrumb trail. I then got them to act the story out which was great fun and some extremely enthusiastic birds "ate" the breadcrumbs. The children needed encouragement to act but they enjoyed it as did the teachers!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Then one of my favourite afternoons followed. Class 5 came in to do some knitting. I was given some wool and a pair of needles and managed to learn how to knit, back knit (is that purling Anne?) and to combine the two stitches to make patterns. I persevered doggedly and the teachers were very patient helping me (as were the children). Then class 4 came in and did sewing. I tried to help but they were ok so I went back to the knitting and only had to have one row pulled out which I count a great success! Class 4 stayed for the rest of the afternoon including the homework session as they did not have any homework. I love sewing and crafts with children and it was a relaxed and enjoyable session. The children are so full of fun, despite having difficulties in their home lives, and it's a joy to hear them chatting and giggling. Some of the teachers were playing music in the library too as it is coming up to the School Foundation Day celebrations and all the children dance and sing so they were choosing music.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with knitting and very patient tutors. Ramina, on the left, has a book that the children stick their samples in to show their progress in knitting as they learn new skills. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Class 4 sewing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds and fish made from recycled materials. They were experimenting today with using the fibres from the husks of ears of sweetcorn for weaving....nothing is wasted at all.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok, it's not brillliant but I was trying different stitches. I'm very proud :-)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After school I went to sign out to be told that the books have finally arrived!! The shipping company used by the school have transported them successfully and they are now here ready to be unpacked tomorrow - I can't wait! I was also invited to a "get together" after school tomorrow in the office so must remember to wear a skirt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Walked home a different route and then spent an hour or so lying on the bed with the fan on (electricity is on tonight despite a scheduled blackout) and reading. Then I transferred to the Swotha Cafe to carry on reading and to eat dinner- chicken and vegetable pitta bread with salad and "fries" which turned out to be crisps as they are renovating the kitchens. Then home in the dark to Skype Dad and then to write the blog. Early night tonight after a quick shower and sleep. I'm going to be dreaming about knitting....(and yes, Anne, the tapestry is STILL the elephants!).</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-28457521262947789172014-08-18T15:10:00.002+01:002014-08-18T15:10:11.145+01:00Day 25 - maths, further maths and ICT<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke up this morning feeling refreshed and ready for school. Got up and realised my bananas definitely seen much better days so resorted to (sugar free) digestives and a cup of tea for breakfast. I've now worked out how to have a more healthy breakfast but with less than a week to go it doesn't seem worth buying in had muesli and local curd and fruits. Next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Walked to school and arrived just as the children were going in from assembly. Went up to the library and reacquainted myself with my timetable as I'd left all my stuff at school last Wednesday then wasn't in. Did a bit of swift planning then took maths with class 2 on multiplication and division. Class 2 are not the youngest but their English is developing and there is always a language difficulty there. However, they seemed to understand in the end and managed to complete the task.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After a "free" lesson where I did yet more high speed planning I took maths with class 5. I've taken the approach with them of doing applied maths, so problem solving. We started with a game of Fizz Buzz which was well received then I set them the Four 4s challenge. I've noticed that Nepalese children are very very good at memorising and copying down examples and can do just about any method you give them. However. they are less able to cope with applying the skill sin more open ended problems. There was a lovely buzz in the class as they worked, rather confused at first but then got the hang of it (I'll explain it below if you don't know the challenge). It went well and they were set the challenge of finishing all the numbers to 20 for homework.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I then talked with the teachers for the next lesson before going up to have lunch. I'm feeling much more at home now and more comfortable to chat. On returning to the library I had a few minutes on my own which were very welcome and I prepared some resources for tomorrow and read the Himalayan Times which, unfortunately, was reporting the news of many more deaths from landslides and flooding. You may have seen this on the BBC news.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After lunch I taught the first lesson on Logo which went well albeit much slower than in the UK but I think this was a language issue. The children drew different sized squares. In the next lesson the teacher and I looked through the ICT textbook and saw which bits would be useful and which not. Then the final lesson of the day was animation using Pivot Animator and I challenged the children to animate two stick people playing catch. The results were extremely humorous and the children enjoyed the challenge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The final session of the day was homework and I joined class 4 to help them. I'm not sure how much help I was as I can't help with the Nepali and I'm not sure my explanations of the passage they had read in English were very helpful but we ended up chatting about footballers and the children showing me their scrapbooks (when I say "we" chatted about football I have to admit that THEY chatted about football and I tried not to appear as totally bemused and uninformed as I actually am!!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At the end of the day I went to sign out then to the shop where I bought Paul's holiday present (I won't tell you what it is as it's going to be a surprise but it is handmade!). Then i walked back to the apartment and sorted out my bag before returning to Swotha Kiosk for a very welcome pot of Ilam tea. I sat and read Harry Potter on my Kindle and all was well with the world. Afterwards I went to the Washa Pasha pharmacy (Washa means medicine in Newari and Pasha means shop) and got some more strong anti-histamines. I finished the ones from the hospital yesterday and immediately came up in bumps and lumps and itchy again. I have a pack of 10 which will see me home and away from whatever it is that finds me so tasty. I then went to the mini supermarket and bought sweets for all the children and a box of Cadbury's for the staff for Thursday and a few bits for me. As it was nearly 6pm I headed to my favourite Casa Pagoda for a restful meal of Everest Beer, a lemon soda and the strangest spaghetti carbonara I have ever had which came in a gratin dish covered with melted cheese!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I came home through the dark streets - load shedding until 8.30pm - and back to the apartment where I had a welcome shower and wrote the blog. The rest of the evening will be spent sorting out presents and reading....I've read so much here in the absence of TV and it's been a really welcome change. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">....I haven't got any further with the tapestry!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">NB No photos today. Had a camera free day.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Four 4s challenge:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) You can only use 4 4s ie 4,4,4,4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) You can use any operation- + - x / ( ),powers, factorials</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) Using only these numbers / operations you have to make all the numbers up to 20.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">eg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">16 = 4 + 4 + 4 + 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> 9 = (4/4) + 4 + 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">17 = (4 x 4) + ( 4/4)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-50790703836224269262014-08-17T13:41:00.001+01:002014-08-17T13:41:09.031+01:00Day 24 - Krishna's Birthday<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Slept like a log last night for almost 12 hours. Up and dressed then had a lazy half hour before going out to find breakfast. Came out of Swotha Square to find an extremely long queue of women and children in highly coloured clothes snaking round the lanes. Bikesh explained that it is Krishna's birthday today and that the women were waiting to go into the temple -a wait from where we were of about 4 hours! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women and children queueing. The people in front of the rope were begging, giving tikka and merchants.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the umbrellas - sun shades rather than against rain this time.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I went up to the Shade Collection which is a silver jewellers to have a look at the bracelets. I had seen one which I really liked. The collection was beautiful and the bracelet was tourmaline and silver and exquisite. However, on enquiring I found it was 24,000rs, about £240!! Too much. I had a look at the earrings which were similarly beautiful and expensive and left without buying anything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I walked up to Patan Durbar Square past many stalls selling everything from spices to clothing to key rings and to Cafe du Temple for breakfast. I am sick and tired of eggs in every form so it was with great relief that I found muesli with the local curd on the menu and it was delicious. I sat and read for a while and watched the line of men edging forward to the temple. For some reason they separated the men and women out and the two lines came from opposite directions.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shop selling thanka (Buddhist religious art)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Durbar Square</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selling peacock feathers for luck,.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the Krishna Mandir</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I wandered through the square and had red tikka applied to my forehead by a man who then insisted on being paid - I gave him 15rs rather than the 100rs he was demanding. I was also offered peacock feathers but explained that in the UK they can be considered bad luck although here they are good luck.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvnDcpiFkSg/U_Cfb6dYd2I/AAAAAAAAA9Y/9jc4zNDj8a0/s1600/P1360592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvnDcpiFkSg/U_Cfb6dYd2I/AAAAAAAAA9Y/9jc4zNDj8a0/s1600/P1360592.JPG" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stalls selling all sorts of things.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Items for puja.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GJsQk5aq-0Y/U_Cfd1Gb5KI/AAAAAAAAA9s/FRWeVCf4ORU/s1600/P1360595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GJsQk5aq-0Y/U_Cfd1Gb5KI/AAAAAAAAA9s/FRWeVCf4ORU/s1600/P1360595.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The men and boys' line. The girl in green is a Nepalese Scout in her uniform. They were helping to control the crowds.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXR4rYxF8qg/U_Cfdwb0R6I/AAAAAAAAA9w/9eiRel_3IQQ/s1600/P1360596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXR4rYxF8qg/U_Cfdwb0R6I/AAAAAAAAA9w/9eiRel_3IQQ/s1600/P1360596.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small shrine set up in Durbar Square, later the scene of much singing and cheering.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2EuGuMU4YZ4/U_CfgjWxiiI/AAAAAAAAA-M/ooc27jGXUzw/s1600/P1360597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2EuGuMU4YZ4/U_CfgjWxiiI/AAAAAAAAA-M/ooc27jGXUzw/s1600/P1360597.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Krishna Mandir</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wJHej24ZgsM/U_Cff_dzYZI/AAAAAAAAA-A/EfulytYyor4/s1600/P1360600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wJHej24ZgsM/U_Cff_dzYZI/AAAAAAAAA-A/EfulytYyor4/s1600/P1360600.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lighting candles outside the temple.,</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I had put today aside for buying gifts and I made my way to the Lagankhel Road and back to one of the material shops I had visited last week. There I purchased embroidered material for myself and Mum. I then walked through the back streets purchasing little things for everyone and finally making my way to Swotha Kiosk for some well earned tea.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For Dad - local version of Feasts!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OZXDkaGP_6Q/U_CfmBFeSSI/AAAAAAAAA_I/JdfjvaN-WuU/s1600/P1360609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OZXDkaGP_6Q/U_CfmBFeSSI/AAAAAAAAA_I/JdfjvaN-WuU/s1600/P1360609.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swotha Square turned into a motorbike park. Later it was full of people having singing and drumming contests.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women's queue.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After a break and returning to the apartment to drop off the shopping I headed back out to Durbar Square for a delicious lunch of vegetable pakodas - rather like onion bhajis but mixed vegetables with tomato sauce to dip them in - and an iced coffee. Then I was intending to walk round a bit more but the streets and square were much much more crowded and not pleasant. I bought some essentials (toilet roll, water, twix!) then fought my way across the square to the gate to the apartment. This was locked and my keys had slipped to the bottom of my bag but I was rescued by one of the Cosy Nepal owner's wives and returned to the room.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Emd06ljrBeQ/U_CfmZuWosI/AAAAAAAAA_M/K1RzL8c7v4o/s1600/P1360611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Emd06ljrBeQ/U_CfmZuWosI/AAAAAAAAA_M/K1RzL8c7v4o/s1600/P1360611.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selling snacks of beaten rice, corn and puris,.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-33TCtJrhE-0/U_CfnGybUNI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/UHMqwPkQwGs/s1600/P1360613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-33TCtJrhE-0/U_CfnGybUNI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/UHMqwPkQwGs/s1600/P1360613.JPG" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making fruit slush- the wheel grinds up the ice then the bottles hold cordial which is poured over to flavour it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dxZgUOO5wAM/U_Cfn2u88dI/AAAAAAAAA_c/Yd813kmsu1E/s1600/P1360614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dxZgUOO5wAM/U_Cfn2u88dI/AAAAAAAAA_c/Yd813kmsu1E/s1600/P1360614.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The increased crowds in Durbar Square</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nt8i9Dd87UE/U_Cfn0ae_3I/AAAAAAAAA_k/-Zw19blPaxQ/s1600/P1360615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nt8i9Dd87UE/U_Cfn0ae_3I/AAAAAAAAA_k/-Zw19blPaxQ/s1600/P1360615.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More items for puja.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I decided not to go out again due to the crowds so had a relaxing afternoon playing patience, reading and watching an episode of Bake Off on You Tube. I also manged to Skype mum and Paul. It's very noisy outside with drums, singing, tambourines and flutes and much jollity and apparently it goes on all night! I've been told that the night market and dancing is worth a look but I think I will see how thick the crowds are as I'm a bit apprehensive about going out with so many people...I think you have to choose your risks. This is definitely a more rowdy festival than those last weekend. The first at the Kumbeshwar Temple was joyful; the second, "cow" festival was more sombre remembering the dead and this one is one huge party from what I can gather. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">School again tomorrow and I'm going to have to wing it a bit as I left all my planning at school before having 2 days at home unwell. I have some ideas ready and I know that the afternoon is ICT and another scrabble masterclass with the children....my knitting lessons continue on Tuesday!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-35671515364667461132014-08-16T13:13:00.003+01:002014-08-16T13:13:33.077+01:00Day 23 - A very tall statue!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke early and washed. The running water is very spasmodic, often only an hour a day if that so all water for washing and cooking etc has to be stored in containers. I got dressed then joined the family in the kitchen for breakfast. First we had a Nepalese herbal tea which apparently cures just about everything and was delicious. Then I had omelette sandwiches with curried vegetables and Harihar made me a cup of BRITISH tea - it was amazing!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After breakfast we set off on a tour round the school. This was very interesting and extremely scenic too. The school is a boarding school for about 1400 pupils aged 11-18. It is co-educational. The school is set on a hill with spectacular views and a lot of steps! On the way up we met a large number of hte teachers and I was introduced to them. The children were just coming out of their Saturday morning study classes (homework) and raced down the stairs to watch the inter school football match (they won!). Photos to tell the rest...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7CnJQWGTEGg/U-9FHAduTTI/AAAAAAAAA1s/2R8Vzt2JxbY/s1600/P1360474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7CnJQWGTEGg/U-9FHAduTTI/AAAAAAAAA1s/2R8Vzt2JxbY/s1600/P1360474.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For Dad - cricket pitch in the process of being completed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DFa-uaZvclA/U-9FHQ1DNxI/AAAAAAAAA1w/ouGx4p-jiwE/s1600/P1360476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DFa-uaZvclA/U-9FHQ1DNxI/AAAAAAAAA1w/ouGx4p-jiwE/s1600/P1360476.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View across the rice paddies and vegetable plots.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pPE3UOOlMeo/U-9FHDd_9gI/AAAAAAAAA1o/iUTa8kwB3hU/s1600/P1360478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pPE3UOOlMeo/U-9FHDd_9gI/AAAAAAAAA1o/iUTa8kwB3hU/s1600/P1360478.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inter school football.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YDs2DuHpFiM/U-9FIy57_FI/AAAAAAAAA2I/wwaTeMyX24M/s1600/P1360479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YDs2DuHpFiM/U-9FIy57_FI/AAAAAAAAA2I/wwaTeMyX24M/s1600/P1360479.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dormitories</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xX_joTC0Qig/U-9FI38pCSI/AAAAAAAAA2A/-qkIELJdxJI/s1600/P1360481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xX_joTC0Qig/U-9FI38pCSI/AAAAAAAAA2A/-qkIELJdxJI/s1600/P1360481.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Junior Medical Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OD9Rcz11Tkg/U-9FJBFVlgI/AAAAAAAAA2E/IF8z0i5z8v4/s1600/P1360483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OD9Rcz11Tkg/U-9FJBFVlgI/AAAAAAAAA2E/IF8z0i5z8v4/s1600/P1360483.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Junior Classrooms</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_H6F-fgDhcI/U-9FK_1lMII/AAAAAAAAA2g/iF7Yop9Cn0A/s1600/P1360487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_H6F-fgDhcI/U-9FK_1lMII/AAAAAAAAA2g/iF7Yop9Cn0A/s1600/P1360487.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is where the students can have their work put up for all to see. They are divided into 4 teams and the team captain decides whose work gets to go up. The other side of the board has the daily newspaper pasted up for students to read.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four team flags.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VOx-IqgFRJg/U-9FL3jCiOI/AAAAAAAAA20/LBa4f3OLoYk/s1600/P1360489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VOx-IqgFRJg/U-9FL3jCiOI/AAAAAAAAA20/LBa4f3OLoYk/s1600/P1360489.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the canteen - I have never seen such HUGE pans.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_qtVel1grw/U-9FOEu4TWI/AAAAAAAAA3M/cBOSQVdg6Xk/s1600/P1360499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_qtVel1grw/U-9FOEu4TWI/AAAAAAAAA3M/cBOSQVdg6Xk/s1600/P1360499.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senior classrooms</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RFSZN9fI040/U-9FPiLLa3I/AAAAAAAAA3o/jgHX_5Gzlkk/s1600/P1360502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RFSZN9fI040/U-9FPiLLa3I/AAAAAAAAA3o/jgHX_5Gzlkk/s1600/P1360502.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is part of a model of the whole campus.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MPTZKcJdgDM/U-9FQOvvfnI/AAAAAAAAA3s/QAIrhRSJuTo/s1600/P1360503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MPTZKcJdgDM/U-9FQOvvfnI/AAAAAAAAA3s/QAIrhRSJuTo/s1600/P1360503.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entrance to the school.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We left the school grounds and walked up (I think everywhere in Nepal is up!) through the village to the statue of Shiva which is on the top of the hill. It was a pleasant, relaxed climb, not hurried and I was able to keep up easily. We passed several stalls selling pickles (achar) and one selling fierce looking local tools. As we climbed the views became more and more wonderful. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chillies in vinegar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We arrived at the top where there is a hotel and spa then after water and a rest we walked round to the other side of the hilltop to see the statue. The statue is the largest of Shiva in the world and is 143ft high. It towers over the valley below and we were able to see the whole of hte Kathmandu Valley. It was a spectacular and very peaceful place. We walked around the complex and took many photographs...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JNDUketIdIk/U-9FUqsnbxI/AAAAAAAAA4s/UfkLnIcTPJ8/s1600/P1360512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JNDUketIdIk/U-9FUqsnbxI/AAAAAAAAA4s/UfkLnIcTPJ8/s1600/P1360512.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shiva is against violence and so killing an animal is violent therefore no meat in the complex.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the children's play area.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View over the KTM Valley</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s6tIo1XA8cE/U-9FWdYKM1I/AAAAAAAAA5E/Tr1JuzeUhk8/s1600/P1360522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s6tIo1XA8cE/U-9FWdYKM1I/AAAAAAAAA5E/Tr1JuzeUhk8/s1600/P1360522.JPG" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The largest Shiva in the world.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8hQZFQ2Dlg/U-9FX2fgwGI/AAAAAAAAA5c/OOYy5KkA2sQ/s1600/P1360526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8hQZFQ2Dlg/U-9FX2fgwGI/AAAAAAAAA5c/OOYy5KkA2sQ/s1600/P1360526.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harihar with his beautiful family.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m5lEzQZ66ME/U-9FYToKoYI/AAAAAAAAA5g/I3U7a-kS_Io/s1600/P1360528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m5lEzQZ66ME/U-9FYToKoYI/AAAAAAAAA5g/I3U7a-kS_Io/s1600/P1360528.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and with me!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PkBfKCNg8Cg/U-9FZHXxxAI/AAAAAAAAA5s/TqxlL35Y1WA/s1600/P1360530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PkBfKCNg8Cg/U-9FZHXxxAI/AAAAAAAAA5s/TqxlL35Y1WA/s1600/P1360530.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harihar's wife with me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l76YzC934-w/U-9FZq7d7AI/AAAAAAAAA50/L9LPNKegjSY/s1600/P1360533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l76YzC934-w/U-9FZq7d7AI/AAAAAAAAA50/L9LPNKegjSY/s1600/P1360533.JPG" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This gives you an idea of the size.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kathmandu Fun Valley (Water park)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ff6LWxPANlk/U-9FhZuec5I/AAAAAAAAA7U/lkYbYEvaUQI/s1600/P1360560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ff6LWxPANlk/U-9FhZuec5I/AAAAAAAAA7U/lkYbYEvaUQI/s1600/P1360560.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conch shells used in worship.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pani Puri - apparently a "youth" food.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You need to read this carefully, especially no 15!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At one point they were advertising a wine jacuzzi too!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5uuS4cV4F8U/U-9Fn-z53oI/AAAAAAAAA8U/hqY5uti5Rco/s1600/P1360573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5uuS4cV4F8U/U-9Fn-z53oI/AAAAAAAAA8U/hqY5uti5Rco/s1600/P1360573.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After a quick look inside the hotel we walked down to the village and to the local cafe for lunch. I had the pakodas, rather like bhajis, which were delicious. We then returned to the school and there was a jeep leaving for Kathmandu. I was very sad to say goodbye to Harihar and his family and I will make sure I keep in touch. They were so hospitable and caring and a joy to spend time with. I was taken to meet the main Policeman at the school who presented me with a large picture of Lumbini (where Buddha was born). It is about 4ft by 1.5ft and in a frame so goodness knows how I am going to get it home!! I accepted it with gratitude, said goodbye and then was driven in comfort back to Patan. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can just see the statue on the top of the hill.</td></tr>
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On returning to the apartment I skyped Mum and Dad then went for a cup of tea at the Swotha Kiosk. While there another festival procession went by this time with an older lady in a chariot preceded by the laying of a white cloth. The men all had multicoloured topis (hats) and the ladies were in red and black saris. I hadn't taken my camera so missed getting pictures.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The evening is yet to be decided but I think it will start with a long shower and change of clothes then an evening in planning present buying tomorrow and reading. It's been a lovely day.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-60022909343726180422014-08-16T11:14:00.005+01:002014-08-16T11:14:45.327+01:00Day 22 - Coffee, buses and Nepalese hospitality<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke up still feeling rough so decided not to go to school but to doze for a while longer. Up, showered and dressed then read with a cup of tea for a while. At about 11am I decided to brave the outdoors, despite the rain, and set out to Casa Pagoda. There I had a honey latte (I was expecting a teaspoon of honey but ended up with about 1cm in the bottom of the glass), mixed fried rice and a plain latte while reading and enjoying the fresh air. Walked to the local small supermarket to stock up on sugar free biscuits and to try and find milk. Milk is really hard to find in Kathmandu. You can sometimes get long life cartons but fresh is very difficult to find. I ended up with a small carton of soy milk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Walked back to the apartment and packed for an overnight stay. I also played patience on the computer. I left at about 3pm to walk to Patan Dhoka. I was delayed slightly by yet another festival, this time to Ganesh. Once at Patan Dhoka I bought chocolates as a gift for the family I was going to be staying with then decided to get a taxi to the Yellow Pagoda Hotel to meet Harihar. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The journey was through fearsome traffic but was entertaining looking at the shop signs. On arrival at the extraordinarily yellow hotel I found that Harihar was in a meeting on the 5th floor and the lift wasn't working. With a few muttered words I climbed all the way to the top to the Buddha Room where I found Harihar hard at work with his friends finalising the plans for a reading scheme in Nepali. I had time to look around and was fascinated by the work on the walls, all in Nepali, where they had been finding suitable words to use in the scheme introducing one character/sound at a time. Harihar explained he has been given 2 sounds and 20 words to write 2 stories for the scheme...not an easy task!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We walked down all the stairs then out into Kathmandu. We walked along Kantipath, up and over the roads, then to a small cafe located in the basement of a building near the main road. Here we had much needed cold drinks (I had a mango flavour one) then we set off for Ratna Park bus park - the "old" bus park.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We found the bus we needed and - a bonus - found seats. The seats were very narrow and quite uncomfortable but better than standing. The bus pulled out after about 5 minutes and we made our way slowly out of Kathmandu, past Bhaktapur and up over the rim of the Kathmandu Valley to Sanga. I amused myself by looking out of hte window and saw a market under tarpaulin that must have stretched 1km, a restaurant called the "hob nob restaurant" and the Kathmandu Valley fun park which - most unlikely - is a water park with slides located outside Bhaktapur!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We got off the bus in Sanga which is a small village straggling along the main road. We walked down a side road past shops where Harihar bought a few bits and pieces, and up to the Police School. This was in beautifully landscaped grounds and we walked for a further 8 or so minutes round the edge of the sports fields and vegetable plots to Harihar's house.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-huMVMtOzdvs/U-8uimryIII/AAAAAAAAA1Y/sYc_XU2T3TA/s1600/P1360472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-huMVMtOzdvs/U-8uimryIII/AAAAAAAAA1Y/sYc_XU2T3TA/s1600/P1360472.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was given the most wonderful welcome by his wife and daughter and flower posies which I took a photo of so as not to forget (I have them here now and they are a bit battered but still beautiful). The electricity was off so there was a small, low energy light bulb to light the room. I was offered cucumber picked straight from the garden, which was delicious and refreshing, then we went into the kitchen for a lovely meal of rice, lentils, vegetables, poppadoms and crisps and okra with an omelette. I tried the local ghee which is mixed into the rice and lentils and was very tasty. This was followed by bananas - much smaller than the UK ones but much sweeter - and then Nepalese tea (without sugar for me) with lots of spices in. I was very tired and retired to bed soon after. It was very cosy under the mosquito net with my book and torch and I slept really well.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-1218741344073808662014-08-14T15:31:00.000+01:002014-08-14T15:31:01.146+01:00Days 20 and 21 - Viral something-or-other<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hello</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sorry for not updating the blog yesterday but have been struck down with a viral something or other and been stuck in bed/apartment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yesterday:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Went to school feeling rough. Taught an english lesson on third person then a circle time session on talents. Break then taught a lesson on habits. Lunchtime was feeling very tired and grey but was cheered up by the arrival of rice pudding. Checked blood sugar and lowish but ok.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Started the afternoon with a drama based lesson on the Hare and the Tortoise. This went well and they enjoyed it. Then a masterclass on how to play Scrabble with several teachers which was a thoroughlly enjoyable experience. We planned to teach the children the next day. I spent the final half hour with the nursery and was put on the spot to sing nursery rhymes - not much call for that in year 4 so I struggled on for a while before they put me out of my misery and sang to me instead. Did you know that Row Row Row your Boat is international?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Walked home in pouring rain and lay on the bed for a while feeling sorry for myself. Went early to get dinner (chicken pitta bread with crisps and salad) then home and in bed by 7.30.Slept....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke up feeling like I had run a marathon despite sleeping for almost 12 hours straight. Got up but was dizzy so decided not to go to school. I couldn't find any phone numbers that I had been given so had to resort to email. Spent the morning being alternately freezing then boiling, drinking rehydration sachets and water and regular paracetemol. Dozed and read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This afternoon was much the same but about 3pm there was a knock on the door and it was Koruna, the head teacher from the school. she was armed with a a bottle of guava juice and had come to check I was ok. I was really touched. She stayed for abut 10 minutes and was lovely. After she had gone I finally worked out how to make a decent cup of tea using a coffee plunger and read/dozed a bit more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It started raining at about 6am (so I'm told!) and it is still raining now. It's that completely vertical,heavy rain that you just know will soak you the moment you step out of the door. However, I needed to eat (having run out of instant noodles and biscuits) so I bundled up and braved the rain to go to the nearest cafe - Cafe Swotha. There I had lasagne and hot honey and lemon then returned home to get ready for bed early. The electricity is on overnight tonight so I can run the fan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Think it's just a viral thing plus being tired. Can't do much without feeling dizzy, including lying down, so am taking it easy. Probably not going to school tomorrow morning but I do have a journey to Sanga to see Harihar's school in the evening tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be ok for that as I really don't want to miss it and time is now running out. Off to eat more paracetemol, drink more water and get comfy in bed. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-7977096357555869352014-08-12T16:39:00.001+01:002014-08-12T16:39:05.905+01:00Day 19 - lessons taught, lessons learned.<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hello</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A short blog tonight as I am full of momos and rakshi!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">School was good. I taught lessons on multiplication, problem solving, being British, Hansel and Gretel and animation.In return I learned how to knit and heard children read in Nepali.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Knitting was fun! The children all came into the library and got on. I was tutored by Sina who was excellent and taught me how to cast on for the first time in my life. I gave the children the camera and the following resulted...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First cast on...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The teachers were learning too!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After school chilled for a while then went for a Nepalese cooking lesson. Much fun was had by all kneading the dough, shaping it, stuffing it with marinaded buffalo ("buff") meat and spices and trying very hard to form the correct shape (after needing to redo our first attempts and declaring it "disaster limitation" Prakesh was proud of our efforts). Momo making is a very social affair. You make, they cook and then as they are ready in batches you take turns to eat then make some more. Rakshi, the local rice and millet spirit, is served liberally. I also sampled a sweet momo - a first! - and it was truly delicious. We then tried to think of other fillings such as nutella momos, vegetable momos, fruit momos and maybe beef. It is possible to freeze them so I foresee an afternoon with the radio on making loads for the freezer as they can be cooked straight from frozen, either steamed or boiled.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients - herbs, spices, buff meat, onions, garlic. Squidge together with hands and leave to marinate for about 3 hours.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roll out dough (flour and water kneaded together and rested for 2 hours)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is half a potato on a stick. Used as a brush to grease the pan! Genius.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add filling</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shape - we learned 3 different ones.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrange in steamer and steam for 7 to 8 minutes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eat....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eat more...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and more...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vs52u7H7t1s/U-ozhafZawI/AAAAAAAAA0I/xNRxd-L91XQ/s1600/P1360457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vs52u7H7t1s/U-ozhafZawI/AAAAAAAAA0I/xNRxd-L91XQ/s1600/P1360457.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and drink liberal amounts of rakshi.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Had to say goodbye to Anastasia this evening as she flies home tomorrow. It's been a real pleasure getting to know her and sharing adventures and I will miss her. Everest beer, while good, isn't the same on your own!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Off to bed to sleep off the rakshi....goodnight!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-65277275314535008492014-08-11T11:58:00.002+01:002014-08-11T15:03:53.118+01:00Day18 - Wanderings.<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke at stupid o clock but managed to get back to sleep for a while. Up and dressed then went to Durbar Square as today is another festival. It was noticeably more subdued - this festival is to remember those who have passed away in the last year (and previously) and consists of a large procession through the streets of Patan. It was very colourful once again but the mood wasn't as festive; more contemplative.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I had a good look around then headed to Casa Pagoda for breakfast overlooking the square. I had the Indian breakfast of lassi, puri, vegetable curry, omelette and tea. </span><br />
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after an hour or so things started to liven up so I went back to the centre of the square and climbed up onto one of the temple platforms to have a better view. I stayed there for a good half hour just watching what was happening. Many people were dressed in white which is the colour of mourning in Nepal. Some were in very ornate dress, especially the children who were given small gifts of Fanta, bread or sweets by worshippers. Some people had headdresses on with a cow's face on the front and a picture of Ganesh on the back and with two "horns" of coloured windmills. Priests came out from the temples and sat under umbrellas. There were several bands and people playing instruments and a dancer who made me dizzy with his whirling.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patan wind band!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mobile Band</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After about an hour I felt I needed a drink break and wandered through the back streets eventually ending up at Casa Pagoda once again. One iced latte and lemon soda later and I was refreshed. I walked through Durbar Square and all the crowds had dispersed, presumably on the procession round Patan.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I wandered down Laginkhel Road and looked in all the shops. There were metal workers, jewellers and the most wonderful material shops which are a sewer's dream. I browsed in several of them and found the saris material was chiffon or silk and the kirtas are cotton. The Kirta are sold as lengths of material - you have to sew them up at home! They are beautifully decorated with embroidery and I am looking forward to buying some. Unfortunately my watch strap broke again so I tried a few jewellers to see if they could help. They were all extremely grumpy and unhelpful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I detoured off the main street to the minor streets behind and found whole communities and specialised shops, including a sewing machine shop. It was quieter in these streets but people were sitting out and chatting. I eventually worked my way back round to Durbar Square then to Swotha for a much needed pot of tea.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4MjbkTA-jzA/U-if7b8MG9I/AAAAAAAAAwA/FY06GK1Zo9U/s1600/P1360361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4MjbkTA-jzA/U-if7b8MG9I/AAAAAAAAAwA/FY06GK1Zo9U/s1600/P1360361.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sewing Machine Shop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wJMlpX3fFJo/U-if7XmFdFI/AAAAAAAAAv8/ZfJYbmgCO-8/s1600/P1360360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wJMlpX3fFJo/U-if7XmFdFI/AAAAAAAAAv8/ZfJYbmgCO-8/s1600/P1360360.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patan is the metal work district,.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DvOxCe1e4iU/U-if7-CYq6I/AAAAAAAAAwM/DA87vs5vZgw/s1600/P1360363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DvOxCe1e4iU/U-if7-CYq6I/AAAAAAAAAwM/DA87vs5vZgw/s1600/P1360363.JPG" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodness only knows what else they fit!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WR-8zUnbG4M/U-if8qxCoDI/AAAAAAAAAwU/C3vbiEpcgv4/s1600/P1360364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WR-8zUnbG4M/U-if8qxCoDI/AAAAAAAAAwU/C3vbiEpcgv4/s1600/P1360364.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a laundrette but a local chemist!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After the tea I walked down to Kumbeshwar Temple to find that the water has already been drained out of the two ponds and the lingam dismantled. I went into a shop I have walked past every day to school and bought a carved wooden wall clock that I had been admiring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On returning to the apartment I followed Bikesh's advice and booked a night at a luxury resort in Dhulikel (my plan-let!), just on the rim of the Kathmandu Valley. I am looking forward to it and am hopeful of some mountain views.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The rest of the afternoon was spent reading and drinking water then I met Anastasia for dinner at Cheenos. A really lovely day exploring the local area.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Update:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As I was walking along the road to meet Anastasia I met the procession returning to Durbar square. Here are some photos. This was followed by paneer skewers with rice and tomato sauce (proper not ketchup!) and coffee ice cream. Fab evening!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-71408918738687764832014-08-10T15:07:00.000+01:002014-08-10T15:07:15.767+01:00Day 17 - Festival time!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Must have slept well last night as I had backache when I woke up from not moving all night. Woke early as usual then dozed and read until 8.30. Up etc and then went to Casa Pagoda for breakfast. Today is the big festival of the area where the lingam (penis) of Shiva is worshipped at the Kumbeshwar Temple. The streets were all in festive mood with flags, many, many stalls of hawkers selling everything from tableware to turmeric and lots of noise, bustle and gaiety.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I
settled to a breakfast of coffee and french toast while overlooking
Durbar Square. From there I had a fantastic view of the groups who were
making their way round the myriad of temples in the local area and worshipping at each. They were accompanied by different groups of
musicians, some playing drums, some flutes and some cymbals. There were
also some Nepalese instruments which sounded a bit like an oboe but
harsher. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9Rrcskfp74/U-d5hFgQpGI/AAAAAAAAAoU/m_Yxa7_x4b0/s1600/P1360100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9Rrcskfp74/U-d5hFgQpGI/AAAAAAAAAoU/m_Yxa7_x4b0/s1600/P1360100.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one's for Mum - flute band!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O0bCnEnq8LE/U-d5iOu6XTI/AAAAAAAAAoY/YoV6LcIld2E/s1600/P1360101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O0bCnEnq8LE/U-d5iOu6XTI/AAAAAAAAAoY/YoV6LcIld2E/s1600/P1360101.JPG" height="400" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flute seller</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spice stall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HIyw2MGfW9A/U-d5j1kdurI/AAAAAAAAAow/-iiK8gBwKkM/s1600/P1360115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HIyw2MGfW9A/U-d5j1kdurI/AAAAAAAAAow/-iiK8gBwKkM/s1600/P1360115.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Necklaces.I bought a string.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After
observing for an hour or so I left to meet Anastasia at the Golden
Temple which is just round the back of my apartment. The streets had
been closed to traffic and were full of people dressed in their finery,
excited children with balloons and devout pilgrims.We walked down to the
Kumbeshwar Temple in ever closer crowds and were greeted with a real
fiesta of sound, smell and colour. Anastasia got herself a sacred cord
bracelet and tikka on her forehead. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children in the small pool</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We went first to the small tank outside the temple complex which had been filled with water for children to bathe in. They were having a great time despite the rather alarming colour of the water. There was much good natured pushing and splashing and diving in. We then bypassed one of the many cordons and entered the main temple complex to the big pool. This has been slowly filling up over the past few days and was now full and had a walkway across to the big golden lingam in the centre. Here men and bigger boys were diving in and bathing in the equally disturbing waters and we were told that the boys, who were having a grand time diving, were in fact rescuing coins from the bottom and earning themselves a bit of pocket money on the side! One of the boys was from class 5 and was very keen to show off his diving skills.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pgqY5bXjw3s/U-d5pNEj5QI/AAAAAAAAApQ/3vAjQplOIdQ/s1600/P1360126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pgqY5bXjw3s/U-d5pNEj5QI/AAAAAAAAApQ/3vAjQplOIdQ/s1600/P1360126.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main pool. The lingam (penis) is in the centre under the canopy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village shamen (Witch Doctors)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We spent time just soaking up the atmosphere. Still photos don't really do it justice and I have taken many movie clips but the laptop I have here in Nepal and the internet link aren't really up to uploading them. I'll have to do that when i get home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We had been invited to Koruna's house (headteacher of the school) to watch the festivities and were warmly welcomed. We took off our shoes and had a spectacular view of the whole temple complex from her father's bedroom! Many members of the family came to join and visit and we were treated to many welcomes and a cup of tea. We then joined the grandchildren and great grandchildren for lunch which was a special menu for that particular feast day consisting of 9 bean soup, chapatis, potato curry, spicy fresh pickle, chicken curry and a dessert of curds (as in curds and whey) which had been sweetened - the texture was strange but it tasted delicious!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After thanking the family for their generous hospitality we headed back into the crowds and managed to make our way back to Swotha Square. there we indulged in a pot of tea each in the shade and watched the festivities in comfort.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The rest of the afternoon was spent in the apartment reading and trying to bring my plan-let to fruition - no luck yet. We then met for dinner at Swotha Cafe where I had pasta carbonara and a spiced lassi. We sat and chatted for ages then, as it was getting dark, went back to our relative rooms. A very colourful and loud day...apparently the festivities continue all night so I'm not convinced that it's going to be a peaceful slumber! We will see.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-13917738156413651792014-08-09T15:22:00.003+01:002014-08-09T15:22:37.698+01:00Day 16 - Into the hills.<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Saturday today so ceremonially turned off the alarm last night only to wake at 7.15. Messaged Anastasia and we agreed to meet for breakfast at Cheenos. Did all the necessary then wandered there slowly through awakening streets. Lots of vegetables and fresh meat around (live and dead) and the shops were slowly opening for business. found Cheenos and went in and ordered a cup of black tea. When Anastasia arrived we both ordered the Cheenos special breakfast (non veg - a safe place!) which was bacon, potatoes, scrambled egg with nutmeg, toast, sausage and onion, accompanied by a fruit juice.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the supermarket (water and umbrella stop) - Union Jack toilet roll!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We decided to walk to Lagankhel bus park to pick up a bus to Bhaktapur. It was about a 25 minute walk through the back streets and finally down the wonderful road leading from Durbar Square the Lagankhal which is lined with vegetable and fruit stalls, many material shops,shoe shops, household goods and bedding. It was noisy and colourful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We found the bus after asking a few times and got on. A few minutes later (there are no timetables as such) the bus pulled out to make the hour journey to Bhaktapur. This is still in the KTM Valley but is another old town and beautiful - I have been there a couple of times before. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now, catching a bus in Nepal takes rather a lot of guess work. Firstly there are very few marked bus stops, you just have to watch when people are gathering and gather with them. Secondly, there's no timetables - the buses just leave when they are full or when the driver has finished his cigarette. Thirdly, you are just as likely to be sharing the bus with livestock and sacks of rice as people, the spare wheel lives inside near the front (loose) and if there are no seats then people stand, hang out of the doors or ride on the roof. Fourthly, any signage there many be, and there isn't much, will not be in English but Devanagari. They are hot, smelly and wonderful and incredibly cheap.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What every bus driver needs...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We drove out to Bhaktapur past the Bagmati River, airport and along the new road. We kept stopping for passengers and at one point seemed to be racing another bus which had skipped ahead of us. The music was on loudly as on all buses in Nepal. It took about an hour to get to Bhaktapur then to find the stop we needed. we walked a little way up the road to the bus park and hopped on the bus to Nagarkot. It was almost empty which should have alerted us to the fact that we had just missed one and we sat in the park - a short, unmade patch of ground really - for a good half hour. In that time the bus filled up with people, plants, sacks and shopping. We finally started off after much revving of the engine and went so slowly at first that I seriously doubted that given the load inside and on the roof we would make it out of the town never mind up the hills.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-96sAcqb9P_E/U-Yrz-xR_sI/AAAAAAAAAjs/o_qiJ7bJgFo/s1600/P1350986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-96sAcqb9P_E/U-Yrz-xR_sI/AAAAAAAAAjs/o_qiJ7bJgFo/s1600/P1350986.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curiously, all buses in Nepal seem to feature toothbrushes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RCU4vDDYF20/U-Yr0xHGo5I/AAAAAAAAAj8/kiARXzB0BTk/s1600/P1350990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RCU4vDDYF20/U-Yr0xHGo5I/AAAAAAAAAj8/kiARXzB0BTk/s1600/P1350990.JPG" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the first Christian sign I've seen in Nepal.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We made slow progress up the valley and started climbing almost straight away. The bus was packed and I was on the inside so I couldn't see much of the route which,, given the loading, I was quite thankful for. A local Nepalese boy started talking to us and practising his English. He goes to the army school in Nagarkot as his father is in the army.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arriving in Nagarkot</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">An hour later we had climbed right to the top of the rim of the KTM Valley and were disgorged into a small, Newari village - Nagarkot. The views, despite the haze, were stunning. We walked along the "main" road for a while then returned to a restaurant we had spotted in a hotel. We asked if we could sit outside and they agreed even thought they were concerned we did not have a table. We ordered two (lukewarm) beers and a selection of nibbles and sat back to enjoy the stunning panorama. In the spring and autumn when the air is clear there is the most wonderful panorama of the Himalayan range. However, being summer it was cloudy and the view was spectacular but maybe 60% of what it could be. The cameras struggled with the panorama with the haze so the photographs do not really do it justice. As we sat there the haze gradually lifted a little and we were excited to see shady, far away outlines of mighty mountains.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Nagarkot bus park.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've never seen a zero milestone before.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunchtime view</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Menu misprints</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By far and away my favourite menu misprints so far!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jane and Anastasia - the two intrepid explorers</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After 2 hours of talking and eating we wandered back to the bus "park" as we had both agreed we did not want to be on the local buses at night. After a short photo stop on the mound at the head of the village we boarded the bus and sat right at the front. The driver was enjoying a break so it was about 20 minute before we left. Initially we had a young driver who was careful, courteous to other road users and with whom we felt really safe. There are some alarming hair pin bends on the road down to Bhaktapur and he showed very great skills in negotiating them and avoiding the large coaches bringing tourists up and the local buses which were even busier than when we had arrived.However, he was deemed too slow so drivers changed and the second one was far faster, rather reckless and felt much less safe. We descended through paddy fields planted with lush green rice and back into Bhaktapur. After the fresh air of the hills it was noticeable how the air in the bottom of the valley felt gritty.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spare wheel in bus</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way down</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bus coming up (in the rain)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A delightful discovery round the back of the bus park in Bhaktapur.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We eventually found the bus back to Patan and boarded. It went straight away and was busy but comfortable. It was fascinating driving through the outskirts of the city and looking at all the shops. we arrived back in Patan and walked through a real sea of people to Durbar Square. The quiet street we had walked along in the morning was thronging with people shopping, talking, eating and generally having a very good time. Tomorrow is the big festival for the area so I think that the excitement has already started tonight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We parted having agreed a time to meet tomorrow and i came back to the apartment for a very welcome cold shower. Then blog and photos and lots of water before relaxing and reading. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was wonderfull to be out of the city for a while. Much as I love KTM and Patan especially it is very polluted and busy. Rural Nepal is much gentler and very much more scenic. I'm keen to see more and have a plan-let forming.....more later!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-75547371236792111942014-08-08T14:33:00.001+01:002014-08-08T14:33:07.308+01:00Day 15 - Sports Day<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woken up by the alarm, unusually. It's usually the bells. Got up, dressed etc then slipped and slid my way to school. It had rained hard in the night and many of the pavements are made of brick or tile and are lethal if you do not take care.I signed in then headed to the school where I caught assembly. As the children lead into school from assembly they count in English, each one has a different number - a quick way to do the register. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The noise level from the children was appreciably higher this morning and they were all excited. I hovered in the corridor for a while then stepped into class 2 where I attempted to entertain them with some songs. However, lack of language, sheer excitement that it was Sports Day and trying out a new teacher meant that this was not entirely successful. I battled on through a repertoire of Ten Green Bottles, 5 Speckled Frogs, Heads Shoulders, Knees and Toes, the Three Cornered Hat song and a new inventions of sit down/stand up to practice distinguishing B and D. I then gave up and the children quickly dispersed. I followed them outside and there we had sports day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was a wonderful morning, so happy and exciting. Each class had 2 different events and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd all got a prize. The parents had been invited to watch and all the school were outside, cheering each other on, singing and playing drums and generally being children. I took loads of photographs and I will let them tell the story:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marble on spoon race!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onlooker. She won the rings (hula hoop) competition later in the day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badminton finals</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A singsong </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teachers adjudicating</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing a clapping game (the boys kept annoying them!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging sweets game with the Kindergarten.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Musical Chairs finals</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rings (hula hoop) final</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The nursery - burst a balloon by sitting on it game.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Musical chairs in the nursery</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Books on head race.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Motorcyclist driving straight through the sports day - no-one batted an eyelid!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching intently</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lining up for the presentations.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receiving the prizes - copy (exercise) books ,pencils, pens, colours,erasers, ludo and snakes and ladders (varied with age!)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After the prize giving the children went home 30 minutes early and the teachers were all extremely happy both with how it had gone and the extra long weekend due to festivals. I went to the school shop where I bought a lovely "rainbow" carpet and arranged for it to be posted home. I also talked with Kiran about the final arrangements for shipping all the donated books and they should be here next week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I went with the head teacher to her family home but to the ground floor this time as it is the festival of her Uncle's passing today and they were commemorating. In the morning they had had priests to do rituals to honour the dead (we missed this due to sports day) and I went in just as the eating had started. We had a wonderful lunch of rice, paneer curry, vegetable curry, aubergine, pickle, poppadoms and sweet rice pudding followed by curd. They are so very generous sharing their food and their family celebration with me. I left and walked back to the apartment where I relaxed and read on the bed with the breeze blowing through the room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At about 3pm I headed out to Casa Pagoda for a drink. I started with lemon soda and an iced coffee and sat a read for a long time. I moved on to a cup of tea then the heavens opened and it threw it down with rain...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As the roads had flooded and I did not have a waterproof with me I decided to sit it out and read. I ordered a cold beer (Everest) and momos and carried on reading while watching the magnificent rain.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moms (steamed dumplings stuffed with a variety of fillings - these were chicken and vegetable) served with a spicy dip and accompanied by Everest Beer. Well, there was no point in getting soaked!!!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3 hours later I finished and the rain had stopped. I splashed back through the streets to the apartment where I put on my jim-jams and the fan and had a lazy evening in. A thoroughly enjoyable day all round.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-36811402676765106872014-08-07T16:09:00.003+01:002014-08-07T16:09:57.030+01:00Day 14 - fun and games<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hello</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A quick blog tonight as I'm off to bed. Today has been a gentle day with school this morrning. I joined the English class first thing to help with writing then the yr 1 class for a science lesson on vegetables. Then a long chat with teachers in the library and planning before lunch. This afternoon, more games including skipping and carom board then back home for a cup of tea at Swotha Kiosk and a leisurely dinner. I've spent the past 45 minutes trying to send a personalised post card to Grandma...the electricity keeps going off and knocking out the internet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Bites much much better today, thank goodness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Photos below:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Science lesson with the Kindergarten (yr 1)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thursday is reading the newspaper day!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The children read in English and cut out their favourite stories. I'm going to do this with my class when back in the UK.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skipping....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carom board (beaten again!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ludo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I lent the camera to the children....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This innocent looking stone is one of many found outside homes and is where the ancestors are remembered. Walking down the street there are lots of them amid the paving and concrete.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filling the pond at the Kumbeshwar Temple for this weekend's festival.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-40109349044896413302014-08-06T15:38:00.004+01:002014-08-21T12:01:16.633+01:00Day 13 - a trip to the hospital<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke up feeling much brighter after a good night's sleep. I have finally worked out how to put the fan on. I cannot use it during load shedding but of the two sockets in the room only one is connected to the battery backup. I've plugged the fan into the extension cable on the other socket so when the power is on, the fan is on throughout the night and if the power fails then it will stop and not drain the battery. The different was incredible and I slept well until about 6.30 when the temple bells started.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Had a shower then breakfast of croissants. If anyone can work out a way of warming croissants using only a 4 ring butane gas burner then I would love to know! Then walked to school where I signed in and was slightly earlier than usual so caught assembly. This was outside in the lane next to the school and the children sang the national anthem and - I think - a prayer as well as doing some exercises (in the UK we would term this brain gym!). Then they all went into class. I got what I needed from the library then went to teach English to class 2. This was a lesson on colours, animals and where they live. I had differentiated it which the English teacher found rather bemusing but it worked well and I was pleased. I now have them all saying "basket" with a short A as in the north of the UK (Anne - we will overcome!!!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Then i had class 5 for circle time. We had introduced it yesterday and so today was a little more intense. We started with rounds and games then talked about things that make us happy. I got them to do some paired work and there was a bit more forthcoming from them. The teachers in the library translated for me when the children did not understand but they really need to do it in Nepali so that the language is not a barrier to the discussion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I settled down in the library to mark the books from class 2 and was joined by the head teacher. We talked for over 2 hours about a wide range of topics from education to life in the UK and Nepal and, most interestingly, her faith and beliefs. It is conversations like these that i really treasure and it was lovely at the end of it to feel we had made a better connection.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I had milk tea with the teachers at lunchtime then up to the family home for daal bhat with chicken. I didn't eat the chicken kidney! A group from Italy who are visiting joined us and asked me about the school. I excused myself to go and play carom board with class 4. On returning to the school I saw that there was something going on outside so went to investigate. There the younger children were preparing for a game of "apple bobbing" but with sweets on a string rather than apples. It was wonderful to watch them.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badminton (with the emphasis on the BAD!!!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nursery Class having their 2 hour afternoon nap.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snakes and ladders with class 1</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hula expert</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School gong</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chin ups on the old swing frame.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The school building</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My afternoon cuppa</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I let the children borrow the camera...the phrasebook has been invaluable.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boy behind had a nose bleed! I think this is called photo-bombing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drain cover</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The teachers' sign in board (the other side of the star is red)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweets on a line</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I then left to sign out and walked to Patan Dhoka to pick up a taxi. I managed to bargain the fare down to 400rs - about £3 - for a 20 minute journey. We drove through downtown Kathmandu dodging the many motorcycles and the rickshaw drivers. One man with a rickshaw was really struggling and as we drove past I realised he had 5 sacks of rice plus a passenger sitting on top of them...no wonder he was tired!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carving of Ganesh on a door on the way to Patan Dhoka</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An ingenious engineering solution in the taxi!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bites - ouch!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At the hospital I went in and was greeted by a shiningly clean clinic with air conditioning. I filled in the detailed forms then sat and waited. I was called in an given a preliminary examination by no fewer than 3 nurses who took height, weight, BP, pulse, temperature and medication history. I was then sent back to the waiting area to await the doctors. As they were already with a patient I was given a cup of tea and magazine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Two doctors then arrived and I was taken to the examination room. There one of hte doctors who is training for their new clinic opening in Pokhara took a full medical history then took a look at the bites on my legs, some of which are going septic. Using insect repellent and a mossie net has not helped and they itch like crazy despite anti histamines. I was installed on the examination couch which was on a wooden base about 4ft high. Then he left me for a while t consult with the other doctor. I spent the time looking at all the labels and was amused to see that there were "protective googles" available as well as a vasectomy kit next to the sutures!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On returning both doctors diagnosed an allergic reaction to flea bites. I was given calamine lotion, strong antihistamines and antibiotic ointment for the infected ones plus advice to return if this does not help. I then went to pay the bill - $75 - which I thought was very reasonable given the length of examination and care. I have authorised this with the insurance company so can get a refund when in the UK.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I had planned to get a bus back but as the taxi was so cheap I decided to get another one back. I managed to negotiate 400rs again and we drove back through the smog to Patan Dhoka passing some rather familiar signs on the way....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At Patan Dhoka I got a bit panicky as I was running short of cash and 2 of the 3 machines I tried wouldn't accept any of my cards. I finally found one which did and felt much better once I had cash again. It's a very vulnerable feeling. I browsed round the supermarket and found Edam, a very small wedge, which was priced at almost 1000rs (about £10)! I settled instead for the Nepalese "made with cows milk" cheese as a change from the yak variety which tastes of soap.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A leisurely dinner in Cafe Cheeno followed starting with an iced coffee, then a steak (REAL steak!!) cooked perfectly with seasonal vegetables (okra and green beans) and potatoes, boiled, hollowed, stuffed with melted cheese and with a small dab of tomato ketchup on the top! I moved inside for my cup of masala tea as I was getting bitten. Then a slow walk back to the apartment where I managed to Skype Mum and wrote this blog. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'm off for a much needed shower now then reading. I'm getting through books very quickly here and my kindle is a godsend. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Weird notices of the day:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At the restaurant: "All burgers are served with salad and fires".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Over an educational establishment: "School for sponge learners".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />...the mind boggles!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-7313114791401253912014-08-05T14:51:00.002+01:002014-08-05T14:51:26.797+01:00Day 12 - bites and planning<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke with more bites than ever and this even with insect repellent. They are so itchy too despite taking antihistamines and treating with insect bite stuff from the UK. Bit down this morning - after the euphoria of arriving am starting to find everything SO different and am craving some normality. It's a bit of sensory overload I think. KTM assaults you on every front - smell, colour, sounds, taste, touch- and it is a bit overwhelming. I haven't yet learned to filter out some of the aspects of life here and while I am trying not to miss a moment it does mean that I am in sensory high alert. So this evening I got home early, booked an appointment at the doctor for my bites and bought instant noodles and crackers for an evening in. I'm in my PJs and regrouping. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I will be fine. I just need to stop for a moment and regroup then go on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today at school I spent the first 3 sessions planning lessons. They have a proforma that they use printed as a pad so I hand wrote my lesson plans for the week. It took a lot of persuading to get the teachers to sign up for lessons that they want me to teach but I have finally managed it and there's about 2 a day. As with all training the most valuable discussions are those informally over Nepali milk tea (without sugar for me!) and the deepening of relationships. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I taught 2 sessions of circle time before lunch for two very different groups of teachers. The children were a bit bemused, although they enjoyed the games, and found the discussion very hard. I had to talk with the teachers afterwards and persuade them to use Nepali for circle time so that the children feel comfortable. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After lunch were more games and I got to play badminton (of sorts) and skipping outside, embarrassed myself trying to hula hoop, and then back to class 4 for grudge matches of tigers and goats. Then a walk home in the heat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'm 12 days into the adventure and I am overall enjoying myself greatly. There are things which frustrate me, which are hard to deal with (especially the poverty and filth) but overall it's been positive. I now have to drink a lot of water, plaster my bites with witch hazel to try and stop them hurting then go to bed early. Tomorrow I have to teach English and circle time part 2....no rest!</span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-52724381250046207352014-08-04T13:19:00.001+01:002014-08-04T13:19:31.464+01:00Day 11- The children<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As all teachers will know the best bit of the job is always the interaction with the children. Planning, preparation, assessment are all things you have to do but never will a lesson go exactly as planned because the children's responses are always different, unexpected and original.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today I have had a day interacting more with the children and it has been a delight. I started with breakfast at Swotha Cafe (the "not quite an English" breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, butter, yak cheese and a dubious sausage that I could not eat) then walked to the school. I joined the teachers in the library and was allocated to class 5. the first lesson was Nepali so I had time to observe the children. They are the oldest in the school and, just like home, many of them pushing adolescence so there was a little more attitude from them. They copied out the tricky words from the story they had read then copied the picture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After this was science but the teacher didn't arrive. The children told me they were studying "matter" (solids, liquids and gases to you and me) and so I decided to be proactive and get teaching. After requesting a chalk pen to write on the blackboard I drew 3 circles and challenged the children to fill them with examples of solids, liquids and gases. They amused me greatly when coming up with liquids by mentioning alcohol, whisky, rakshi and beer! However, this was less amusing later when I found out many of them have parents with alcohol difficulties. The children then copied the work into their books and I asked them to add two more examples of their own. This they found really difficult and needed a lot of prompting. The teacher hovered at the doorway but he is shy and didn't want to come in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Then it was English and I had an activity planned on calligrams - words written to mimc their meanings, BIG for example. This went really well and the children seemed to enjoy it. The teacher also had a go and we talked about how this approach can be used with new vocabulary and also for displays. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After maths - tortuous fraction simplifications - and social studies where they were talking about being Nepalese it was lunch time. I spent the first part in the library with two teachers sharing their daal and tea and chatting. I showed them pictures of my family and they think Paul is very handsome! I then dashed upstairs to the family home for daal bhat with vegetable curry followed by mango and curd, then back down for the afternoon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This week is "sports" week. I've put it into quotation marks as there is no outside space, no sports facilities or equipment other than a couple of racquets, and no space inside. Sports week was a chance for the children to play games together and for the teachers to join in. I was taught how to play carom board - a little like snooker but you flick the discs with your fingers - and tigers and goats which I won and lost about equal amounts. Having the time to chat to the children and interact with them was really special and i have a very very enjoyable afternoon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At the end of the afternoon we went outside to play musical chairs. You have to look at the background in the picture to get an idea of the only place they have to play games and add to this the stench where the flooding on Saturday has washed unimaginable things down to the school. The teacher stood in the middle and the music was a tambourine beat but the children loved it and were very good! Who knew it was such an international game!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I signed out and had a chat with Rudha in the shop before asking if i could use a computer but as it was load shedding there was not one available. There is not enough electricity in the KTM Valley so a system of rolling power outages, known as load shedding, operates 24 hours a day, usually for 2 blocks of anything up to 8 hours or so twice a day. In the apartment we have solar panels and battery backup but have to be careful that when it is load shedding time we do not use too much electricity. In the school they do have battery backup and all the classes have a single low energy lightbulb so when the main strip lights go off one child stands on the desks to switch the lightbulb on. When the mains power comes back on the children and teachers all do a sort of puja to give thanks and then the low energy bulb is switched off. It's a fact of life here. Most people do have some sort of battery backup but the unpredictable supply is obviously a huge problem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As I couldn't print what i wanted to I walked slowly back to the shops opposite the apartment and bought some water and a treat of a Snickers bar (rather melted but it was lovely!). I then went to the Swotha Kiosk for a cup of Ilam tea while reading and relaxing for an hour. Then it was time to return to the apartment and to write the blog. I'm planning to go out for something to eat later but it is pouring with rain again and I left my cape in Sushil's car! I think I may have to go and search for an umbrella.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">NB </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) The large landslide you may have seen on the news has happened in Eastern Nepal about 75 miles from KTM. At least 10 people are confirmed dead with over 150 missing and not much hope of their recovery. The dam of slipped mud and rock has blocked the river and also the road between Nepal and Tibet and a large lake has built up behind it. This is causing much concern for villages both by the river which are being swamped by the lake and also the fear that the unstable mound will slip further and quickly release the built up water causing catastrophic flooding further down the river in both Nepal and India. The army have blasted 3 small channels to drain the lake slowly but all villagers living downstream have been evacuated to higher ground and are not allowed back to their homes. This has also knocked out 3 power stations so the electricity supply is even more strained than normal. I am safe in KTM, away from the area and the flood risk but obviously concerned for people in the region. My thoughts and prayers are with them and I just pray the dam holds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) Thank you all for your comments. It means a great deal to log on and read them. I appreciate you all. x</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-28824225249529628312014-08-03T15:44:00.002+01:002014-08-03T15:44:10.846+01:00Day 10 - an adventure!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Got up a little gingerly after the Raksi and discovered that my clothes and shoes were still wet. Got dressed and had breakfast then caught up on the blog from yesterday. At 10amI went down to the kiosk on Swotha Square to meet Anastasia. There we shared a very pleasant hour chatting over tea in the sunshine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We had decided on an adventure day so had a sketchy plan only. We walked through the back streets to the local market which was packing up but there were still wonderful stalls of spices, daals, meat (including a goat head) and fish and rather a lot of dried fish and chillis. We took lots of photographs and then continued through the streets at a very leisurely pace taking more photos and just enjoying the atmosphere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Once at Patan Dhoka we made our way to the large supermarket where I managed to track down both batteries and a large, squashy pineapple toy to use in circle time. </span><br />
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We then had a browse round the rest of the store, which is over 4 floors, before finding the restaurant next door. This turned out to have a wonderful garden and we sat for a long time over lunch (club sandwich with fries and chilli sauce and iced coffee).<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We wanted to visit Swayambu (the monkey temple) so decided to brave a bus. Anastasia has used them a lot but this was the first time for me and I was glad to have someone else there. We had to ask around to find the right bus - labelling is either non existent or in Nepali - then boarded. There is no timetable, the bus just goes when it is full and we only had to wait a few minutes. The ride was exhilarating and very interesting through large parts of Kathmandu to Ratna Park where we managed to get out. The journey was about 20 minutes and cost 15rs - about 12 pence. We then transferred to a taxi to get to Swayambu and negotiated a 300rs fare. Unfortunately this did not take us to the top of the site and we were faced with the stairs....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We slowly made our way up the stairs taking lots of rests and photographs, especially of the monkeys who were playing all around. It took a while to get to the top but I felt extremely proud of myself for managing it. We wandered round the site and then down to the Hindu part. It's a wonderful place,very peaceful and atmospheric and with amazing views over the valley. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Once finished we got another taxi back to Thamel. Thamel is the tourist area of KTM and is where I stayed in 1996 on my first visit to Nepal. We were dropped off in the middle and walked and I finally managed to orientate myself when we saw the Kathmandu Guest House. The area has changed a lot since 1996.It's much busier and better looked after but still an assault on the senses with bags,pashminas, clothing, statues, singing bowls on every corner not to mention the guest houses, cafes and restaurants and many, many tour operators. We walked round a new shopping mall then back to the road I had remembered. One of my favourite places in 1996 was the Pilgrim's Book House just up the road from the Guest House. I was keen to find it again and was really dismayed to find it had burned down last year. I don't know why this affected me so much but I felt extremely sad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We wandered down the road, peering into shops then decided we needed a drink. We went to the Roadhouse Cafe and ordered two bottles of Gorkha Beer (cold!). These were just right and we sat there for ages chatting and drinking the beer. There was classical music playing - Beethoven piano sonatas - and it was extremely relaxing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We reluctantly emerged from the restaurant to walk through the streets to the main road as no buses come into Thamel - the roads are too small.. It had started to rain. We walked down past the Garden of Dreams then to Ratna Park. We managed to find a bus stop and to get on a bus heading to Patan Dhoka. What we didn't know is that it was still on its outward journey and after 40 minutes travelling through traffic we found ourselves back where we had started, albeit heading the other way. This was in no way a waste of time. I love travelling by bus as you see so much more and we saw lots of KTM including a Pizza hut,KFC and branch of Clarkes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We eventually arrived back in Patan Dhoka and paid our 15rs for what was over an hour on the bus. We walked back through the streets to our respective houses and I was very glad to have a long, cold shower and then to Skype Paul. I caught up with the blog while eating Bombay Mix and drinking water. A lovely end to a lovely day.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-30655425716779497182014-08-03T05:06:00.002+01:002014-08-03T05:06:19.094+01:00Day 9 - a Holy Day.<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Woke up yet again with the mosquito net wrapped round me. Am not sure what I am doing wrong. It doesn't seem to make much difference if I sleep under it or not as I'm still getting bitten.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Had a lazy start to the day with a cup of tea and book. About 10am I decided to leave and made my way to a local chemist to buy some loratadine (anti-histamine) as I couldn't find mine. 20 tablets cost 120rs - about £1 and I took one straight away. The difference has been incredible so even if I am getting bitten now the itching has stopped.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Went to get a taxi and looked for my friendly taxi driver Raj from earlier in the week. Initially he was nowhere to be seen but as I managed to bargain a 400rs fare (down from 700rs) he arrived and offered to take me to Pashupatinath for 500rs. I pointed out his friend had offered 400rs and after a little good natured bargaining and ribbing from his friends he agreed and we set off.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now, driving in Nepal is rather an experience and the best way to get through it is to imagine that you are on a fun fair ride. Nominally they drive on the left as in the UK; in practice they drive anywhere there is a gap. Overtaking blind is common, the roads are in a dreadful state of repair and the taxis themselves would have been condemned long ago in the West. I try and think to myself that they drive here every day, they know and understand the roads and the "rules" and if they damage their cars then they will have no livelihood so they are not likely to take overly ambitious risks. It's a leap of faith but necessary to get around. There are few seat belts and the one that was fitted to the driver's side in this particular cab was not attached to an inertia reel but knotted through the bracket at the top! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After a hair raising ride we arrived at Pashupatinath. I paid (with a tip) and then walked down the lane to the ghats.The walk took about 10 minutes and was lovely through woodland and with a wide variety of handicraft stalls to look at.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Pashupatinath is the Holy cremation site for Hindus. It gives great merit to be cremated here and all Hindus are supposed to make a pilgrimage to the temple once in their lifetime. There were several fires burning across the river and i sat down to think and observe. People were taking photographs but i did not feel it was appropriate to do so. A young man came and sat down beside me and started telling me about the ghats. He then asked if I needed a guide and I said no. He went away and I then decided that actually a guide would be a good idea so went to find him. It turned out to be a good decision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We walked around the site, peering in temples and watching the rituals. There are two cremation areas, one for the rich and one for the poor. On the rich side there is a slope down to the water and as we watched a body was brought to the slope and placed there. The relatives then washed the face and feet of the dead person in water from the Bagmati River (holy, it joins the Ganges in India) and also anointed the body with a mixture of rice, water, milk and flour which had been offered in the temple above and which makes its way to the river through a channel. Then they took the body to the ghats and processed round 3 times - there are 300,000 Gods in the Hindu Pantheon so this was once round for each 100,000 of them. the body was then put onto the pyre and the eldest son lit the fire. After this the firemen took over and tended the fire. The relatives have to stay until it is all consumed - about 3-4 hours for a man and 4-5 hours for a woman as "they have more fat" - then the ashes are pushed into the river.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was a serene and beautiful place, full of atmosphere and interest and it felt holy. We crossed the river and went to the Social Care centre behind the Ghats which Mother Teresa worked at. It's the only elderly home run by the government in Nepal and the residents are clothed, fed and looked after there.On the site there are also hermitages for both Hindu and Buddhist Sadhus to meditate in and a "corneal extraction centre". This, rather gruesomely, is for taking out the corneas of the dead person for use in helping restore the sight of a relative.It's the only body part which can be donated in Nepal and only to a relative. The eye hospital is nearby so the transplant can take place swiftly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I paid my guide (1000rs-about £8) then set off up hundreds of steps to the top of the site. This led through woodland, a deer park and there were many monkeys playing. At the top there is another temple but I continued on and down the other side before crossing the river and walking up through the suburbs of Kathmandu to Boudha. </span><br />
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It was a very interesting walk through "normal" people's lives past houses, shops and green spaces. It took about 30 minutes at a gentle pace and eventually I crossed a busy road and arrived at Boudhanath.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Boudhanath is the Buddhist area and is dominated by a huge stupa. The stupa is a representation of the universe (I forget the details) and you have to walk round it clockwise while spinning the prayer wheels. Apparently spinning the prayer wheel once at Boudhnath is the same as saying the prayer written on it 11,000 times. I wandered round slowly and then headed off down a side road to find the Garden restaurant as it was well past lunchtime. I spent a happy 2 hours there eating momos and drinking water, lemon soda and a banana lassi while reading. It cost the princely sum of 480rs - about £3.50!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I browsed round the local shops then back to Boudhnath to walk round a couple of times and to go up onto the stupa itself. I managed to find and buy a small mani stone (prayer stone) but resisted everything else.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NlM_VNPTw90/U920liiBYcI/AAAAAAAAARU/a-clsJ9bzYg/s1600/P1350510+(Medium).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NlM_VNPTw90/U920liiBYcI/AAAAAAAAARU/a-clsJ9bzYg/s1600/P1350510+(Medium).JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was then time to get a taxi back. I opened negotiations and they started at 1000rs.I pointed out it had only cost 400rs to get there and eventually got them down to 500rs. Another hair raising ride later I was back at Durbar Square where all the shops which sell batteries were shut! On returning home I skyped Mum then everything happened at once....my washing arrived, beautifully clean and ironed, Anastasia arrived to talk about an adventure tomorrow and Sushil rang to arrange to meet in 15 minutes time! I hastily got ready and arranged to meet Anastasia tomorrow then headed out. while we had been talking the monsoon had got going and the rain was extremely heavy. I ended up paddling up to my ankles through flooding up to the top of Durbar Square. There I waited in the rain but Sushil was delayed by work and flooding so I had to take shelter in a temple. The cape Dad had lent me proved no match for the monsoon and I was completely soaked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After many misses Sushil and I finally met and we waded through the flood - now up to my knees (and i don't like to think what was in it!) - to his car. I was completely dripping wet, through to my inner garments. we drove through the city to Lazimpat where we met his family and went into Nepali Chulo restaurant. His wife had kindly brought me a towel and in the car with the heater going I had dried off a little. However, I was still wet when i got home 3 hours later!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Dinner was really lovely; a variety of Nepalese dishes accompanied by rakshi (local rice liquor - it's VERY strong) and Nepalese singing and dancing. Sushil's children were there and they loved the books I had bought them and chatted to me in English. It was so lovely to see Sushil again after so many years and it was a very happy evening.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sushil's driver dropped me back at Durbar Square where I squelched through the mud to the house. I was feeling a little woozy from the rakshi so got changed quickly and went to bed where I slept extremely well.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054950150248189543.post-82956599158248856442014-08-01T13:53:00.001+01:002014-08-01T13:55:30.599+01:00Day 8 - The Nepalese Education System<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have just spent the past 90 minutes with an inspiring man. Nothing like "that" (before the gossip goes around!) but this is a contact who does teacher training in Nepal and who has visited UK schools. We were put in touch through a mutual contact in the UK and arranged to meet this afternoon. I was very interested to talk to him about teacher training in Nepal. The discussion over tea and iced coffee was wide ranging and varied. We discussed what I have observed in the school and how I can approach giving training and also the general state of Nepalese Education and how it needs to change. I don't want to say "improve" because much of what I have seen is great but there is a need to modernise and to embrace other methods. There is not a culture of inspection (stick) or improvement (carrot) to drive up standards and head teachers do not have the power to hire or fire their staff. Teachers are relatively low status here and not paid handsomely and there is no "stick" to make them try to take steps to change their practices, most of which come from when they were taught themselves and have not changed since.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was interesting to find out that there is no fiction used in Nepalese teaching with the exception of the odd poem. Every text has to have a basis in fact and a moral - for example, there was a poem today which was being used for a competition but it had a large number of flower names in and the final teaching point was not the poem per se but the flower knowledge contained in it. The children are presented with facts and factual situations and not immersed in fiction or fantasy. Thus they end up with a rich general knowledge but not the ability to lose themselves in a book for pleasure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Harihar - the man I met - is involved in writing children's books in Nepali and local languages through a project called Room to Read. They are slowly starting to develop fiction materials for children in their native languages. I did question with him the value of so much of the teaching being in English. The books used are quite archaic in language and not being in the local language means the children are reliant on new vocabulary and the teaching points are lost in translation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It has been an eye opening day all round. Having observed at the school for 4 days I took the opportunity to talk with the headmistress at the end of the morning today. Having done so I feel a lot happier about my role at the school and the direction that the training should take. At the subsequent staff meeting I was able to speak with the whole staff and they asked for help with children who are falling behind (SEN) and how to help them emotionally. Having thought about it I am going to introduce circle time to the children and staff as a forum for discussion about cultural and emotional issues. This is going to be very different from what they are used to but I think, in3 weeks, I can only touch the surface of what is a long term project.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Harihar has invited me to his school at Sanga, about 20km outside Kathmandu. I will be staying the night and have some time to look round the local area as well as seeing the school he teaches at (a police boarding school) and hopefully a rural school. It's a wonderful offer and I am really looking forward to it. This will probably be next weekend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At school today there was a definite change of emphasis - as the English teacher put it,"fun Friday". It's only a half day so I started with English language puzzles in the library, Nepali poetry with class 2, Maths using pistachio nut shells to multiply and finally social studies about greeting guests. I was with the younger children whose English is not so good but was able to communicate with them ok. After the staff meeting and lunch with Kiran and his family (daal, rice, fish, two vegetable curries, one made with a vegetable only found in Nepal and India) I walked back a different way and ended up in a Thanka (Buddhist art) shop talking with the owner and artist Bibek. He showed me some exquisite thanka and the one I really liked he priced at $180!!! This is rather more that I can afford but I have promised to go back to talk with him again. Then the customary tea at the Swotha Kiosk and time at home to read and relax. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have also put my laundry out in the supplied basket and am looking forward to it returning in 1 1/2 days! There is a washing machine but I would like to give work to the local community and the price is probably less than £10 for a full wash and iron so I think it is money well spent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Off out for Momos for dinner then I don't have to get up in the morning. I need to decide what to do tomorrow as it is a free day so dinner with my guide book I think.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6