Brief update

Just tooooo busy to blog. It takes for ever because of slow Internet and I haven't enough time. So this is just a brief update as it's 11.30 pm and I have to be up at 6am.

Pokhara weekend was really good. It's a great place to be, beside the second largest lake in Nepal surrounded by mountains. The flight is only half an hour but spectacular mountain views.Always in sight of Anapurna II and Anapurna South and Fishtail.

We saw two sunrises make the snowy peaks go pink (also the wonderfully clear night sky on the ride to the viewing point), we climbed up to the World Peace Pagoda, and lost our way coming down, nearly coming to grief down precipitous slopes in the Royal Forest. Ended up with a hilarious rescue by ladder and ferry boat. More later – hopefully tomorrow night when the others have gone home and I have time to myself! Visited a Tibetan village (in Pokhara) and sat in a Tibetan monastery listening to the monks chanting, banging gongs and cymbals and playing horns. Walked by the lake in hot sun (it's lower than Kathmandu so warmer).

Sunday night in Kathmandu saw the exciting final of the great muffler knitting competition, with an outside judge presiding. Later! 

Dancing partners at the Naxal leaving party

On Monday morning we went to school for assembly and were given the traditional welcome/thanks scarves and little gifts, and gave the large block-mounted photos to our classes in return. Emotional farewells again to our teachers. Margaret F and I went to join in the fun at the orphanage party later on, and were glad to be there to support a very emotional Brenda who was overcome at the point of departure. Not surprising – those kids are adorable and they have worked closely with them all this time.

In the evening Social Tours treated us to a farewell dinner along with Graham, another independent volunteer at Samata, Harri,the director of the orphanage, and Sushil, the Samata school “manager”.

Today has been a day of finishing off our shopping. Tomorrow I will send the others off at the airport then continue to my new abode, a guest house in N Thamel, about 10 minutes from here. I will be going to Practical Action's office to find out about my visit to their project and should have time to expand on this post.