Thanks Nepal!

In a few hours I will be winging my way past the mighty Himalaya on a circuitous route that will land me in Vietnam! YEA BABY!!! (i am only a little bit excited...)

This, of course, has bought on some reflection about the last couple of months. Short version - Nepal is flippin awesome! Great land, beautiful people, fun language, yummy food (mito cha!) and adventures a plenty. Here are a few things I will remember as I leave....

The dogs that sleep all day and bark all night.
The thrilling taxi rides where horns are used more than the brakes.
Friendly people always asking what country I am from and replying (without fail) "Ahh, NZ. Nice country."
The donkey trains which caused traffic jams along the trekking paths (and their melodious bells clanging).
The shocking waste management system (put it in the river).
The views of the Himalayas that (sometimes) appear on the horizon.
The views of the mountains when you are in them! Holy. Moly.
Very young children shyly greeting me with 'Namaste"
Older children not shy at all, gang mobbing me and all yelling "MAM! GOOD MORNING! WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"
Street vendors who even after three months try to sell me the same things. Every time I walk past.
The Ahhh team.
Pasang and his amazing food (our sherpa chef in the hills).
.......

Ok and lots more but that will do.

If yu get a chance, come to this country. Its cool. I am leaving with plans to return someday to complete a few missions that didn't get done this time, but also with anticipation for the next adventure which I am VERY EXCITED about! Am meeting my friend-in-adventure Miss Amber in 48 hours (plus or minus a few for time zone changes) at which time we will unpack our bikes, pack our panniers and start turning the pedals!

(I drink about 5 litres of water a day here so Im no sure how I'm going to cope when I actually start doing exercise, outside, all day! Perhaps bike 2 minutes, pee, drink, bike 2 minutes, pee, drink....)

Well, until next time Nepal!

 My spot - communal area in the girls hostel. Toilet, washing and the stairs to the roof.

 The school day starts with Assembly which involves Simon Says, National Anthem, "Ättention!, Stand at Ease!, Attention!, Stand at Ease!..." and then the students head into the pink building one line at a time (literally because there is only space for that and they fill up the back classrooms before filling up the front ones. Think sardines!

 Year 10 (top level at this school) get the outdoor classrooms. Just as hot as inside but nice when the fan is working. Very funny class this lot which I taught a few times.

 Some of the young students who mob me every time they see me.

 My 2 very good friends, Monita and Knobin. We can't understand each other....but we have an understanding...!

 Games and laughing fills in most of the afternoon/evening.

 Some of the staff who have been coming for English lessons. Note the staff uniforms! Yellow is primary and blue is secondary.

 I have been befriended by Subha (2nd from left) and have had a few meals at her house and hung out lots. Next to her is her husband and one of her children. Other side of me is another teacher.

Fridays are house days so the students wear their house colours instead of regular uniform. Then in the afternoons they play sport. This court is the only space they have and there are 900 students so think like a mini tournament with alot of kids sitting watching around the edge.

Now, tomorrow I leave here and head back to start sorting out the \final few days in Nepal, sending some stuff home and getting ready for the cycle expedition. I will be very sad to go - and this has been a great way to spend my last week. I have had to practise my nepali lots but they are an english speaking school so i have never been in trouble!

First installment of a big week!

 Well, what a week! So much has happened, and I've found myself at a computer with internet that seems to be working, but without my diary so I will try remember all the golden moments I have been saving up to share! I spent my last day in Dhobighat and the International school by relaxing at a cafe and then navigating home through the next big monsoon flood! Was fun, and a nice way to prepare me for living totally Nepali style for the coming week....

 Some serious drainage problems here.

 I went to visit my friend Bhim and asked if there was anything he needed help with for my last week - he said "Yes, Ive organised for a principal to come in and you will do teacher training at his school!"(me WHAT??) So I have ended up at the Asian Public School - a nepali private school! I am living in the girls hostel and during the first part of the week was running teacher training sessions with the teachers as there was no school due to the strikes. Rubbish collection.......to be taken to the river! See next few pics!

 Boring pic but note my new forest nymph outfit which is my Nepali kurta swa which I have worn a few times and makes everyone tell me I look very beautiful. Beside me is Asmita, the youngest girl at the hostel - teaching me how to play my drum.

 And the view from the roof. Check out the river. Yum yum.

 Other direction - ......

 Have got some fantastic sunsets while hanging out on the roof at the end of a long hot day. There is often a wee breeze which is SOOO nice.

What to do when you're bored and alone....?

My favourite moments have been hanging out with the kids, or being introduced to the class something like this.....Änd here is our guest from NZ. She will be teaching you how to become a mastermind. And how to remember things forever, not just for a short time..."(WTF???!!!! um...................ok................) I cranked out old MRS GREN and ROY G BIV from Year 9 science which seemed to go down a treat. The students mob me whenever I am walking around school and I swear everyone of the 900 students have stopped with the hands in the prayer greeting and said "Mam! Namaste! What is your name??" They squeal with delight when I come into their classrooms and I think it's because I add some diversity in an otherwise BORING day at school!

The kids stay in the same classroom here and the teachers move. So imagine being in a small, squashed, hot concrete room with wooden benches ALL day. Yuk. Not inspiring at all. I wilt after about 5 mins.

Will add some more pics and continue the stories shortly....

Wandering the streets...

 I found myself this morning setting off for an urban adventure, seeing as there are no mountains to climb and the strikes have been lifted. Found what I was looking for at Patan Durbar Square - one of the old parts of the city and apparently quite nice. I am a pretty bad tourist when it comes to looking at buildings so I did the mandatory round snapping some pics and then found a shady spot and read my book...

 This was the most happening spot in the whole place and I wanted to get down there and join the queue just for a chance to play in the water!

 Scooters come a close second after the importance of temples...

 Kathmandu tempo fleet which always remind me of that episode of Mr Bean where the 3 wheeler van has to reverse into the parking building and then falls over...I haven't figured out how these babies work but they are always packed out and all you can see is odd limbs here and there squashed in!

Market on the corner - need a rainbow umbrella if you want to join!

Have just been to a tibetian paper shop whcih was INCREDIBLE!!! Got myself some sweet paper :)

Am back home now - off to have a siesta and finish my book me thinks! Have talked to home (happy birthday Ben!) and am feeling happy. Am increasingly excited about hitting SE Asia by bicycle soon with Miss Amber and am already planning some epic ginga domination activities! ALL the kiwis I have met here have red hair so everyone seems to think all kiwis are redheads....:)

Life in the 'burbs

 THought it was time for an update on the day-day things of life at the moment...pretty nice being somewhere settled for 3 weeks and am learning alot where I am working.

Highlight of the week was going to my friend Bhim's son's 15th birthday party. All the young boys were trying to sneak beer, and then really wanted to dance with all the adults. This guy in the red was a WICKED dancer! Taught me everything I know. haha.

 These are my kids Im teaching English. Pretty fun bunch and always try to make me believe they are sick so they don't have to work, or convince me how good UNO is for education...etc Little Jeuen walks so close behind me everyday that she constantly stands on my jandals. She ghost walks me without even realising it...!

 Every morning I walk to work and pass people at their temples, some grand and others just a concrete pit on the side of the road where they give themselves tika (red spot on forehead) etc. Quite cool.

 This is not Kathmandu...

 And me strutting my stuff amidst much laughter.

There are banda strikes planned for the next 2 days and 3 days next week as indigenous people (and the Maoists) attempt to raise their profile to ensure their rights are included in the constitution which is due ion a few weeks. So that means no transport, shops shut, demonstrations and school being put on red alert which means we try to do it secretly! I've been told its going to be fine, and not much is expected where we are but it will be interesting all the same.

I had some great interactions with vege stalls yesterday. I attempted to buy an onion - which didn't go dopwn well as the man couldn't understand why I would only want one onion...so I ended up with one BAG of onions! Obviously my nepali isn't THAT good! Quite funny though. I managed to get eggplant and a free tomato thrown in even!

The monsoon is def getting closer with temperatures getting steadily hotter (and more uncomfortable), the odd mosquito appearing and daily thunder storms. I JUST made it here this aftenroon dry and am now waiting for the next lull in the storm. Love it.

Have been a bit slack taking photos of where I am. Am getting more and more excited for the SE Asia adventure to begin in a few weeks. Am dreaming of rice fields by bicycle, monsoon floods and endless punctures...!!