Nepal

Safe and sound back in Adelaide…In customs we only lost one knife cover because it was clearly skin…other than our knives they didn’t even look in our bags I think the smell turned them off =). Funniest part was that Katie got a pocket knife in her hand luggage the whole way from Kathmandu to Adelaide. Katie didn’t realize Darren’s knife was still in her bag from Pokhara…he had put it in there so he didn’t get it taken off him because her backpack went as checked baggage for that flight…a fairly lethal looking weapon too!!!

Left Dhaka at about 1:45am and started our 3 hour 5 minute journey to Hong Kong. We arrived in Hong Kong about 6.30am Hong Kong time (I think it was about 3am Nepal time). We were all too tired to do anything so we all bought drinks (I got an iced coffee) and we spread out for a while on their couches. We hung around there for a while before deciding to head out

Downstairs and out of immigration…being that we only had our hand luggage bags we had nothing to declare so we went to the appropriate desk and they waved us straight through…didn’t even take a look in our bags. From there we found a desk where the attendants were able to assist us with what to do in Hong Kong for a couple of hours.

We ended up catching the MTR (train) to Hong Kong city central…a 25 minute trip where we wandered around for a bit. We went into a huge shopping centre and it all looked really expensive so we found a balcony outside (3 levels from the ground) and stood out there and watched a huge constructions site for ages. Some of the others got cold because it was windy and trying to rain so they went inside to find the MacDonald’s. Eventually the rest of us headed in and found them in there. I had a chicken burger (HK$8 = A$1) and fries (HK$5 = A$0.60) they even tasted the same as ours but were so much cheaper. We sat around in there for a while, still all totally zonked until finally we decided to get up and go again.

It was decided we would catch the ferry across to Kowloon and wander there for a while before using our return ticket on the MTR to get back to the airport. So we went down to the piers to see if we could get directions to the correct ferry…there were about 8 piers I think, all pretty much next to each other. It just so happened we had arrived at the correct pier. Tickets were HK$2.50 each (total of HK$22.50 – A$2.80 for the 9 of us). You select how many adult tickets you want and it brings up the cost. Enter your money and press confirm. Your change is then spat out at the bottom along with 9 little ‘fake 10 cent pieces’ (that’s what they looked like, just little round disks). Then up to the little gates…you pop in your coin, and the bar turns for you to go through. Just as we walked through a ferry pulled up. The people off it unloaded and we climbed aboard. The trip would have taken no more than 10 minutes…it took longer to get everyone on that it did to cross the river. At the other side we climbed off and ambled our way towards the ‘markets’. I wouldn’t call them markets nothing cheap and cute to them…. On our way there though we had walked past multitude after multitude of expensive brand name stores Gucci, Swarovski, Prada…. We rapidly got sick of all the expensive stores and decided to head back to the train via the Garden of dreams (or whatever it was called). On the way we got some what lost and ended up at the wrong station. I was (and still am) sure we can’t have been too far from the correct station but they insisted on catching the ferry back to Hong Kong City then getting the train from there where we had jumped off it earlier.

All planned we got onto another ferry (this time the lower deck which was only HK$2 each – the first time it was the upper deck). From there we walked to the train station and caught the train back to the airport.

Back in the airport we were not required to check in because we had already done that, so it was just a matter of going up to the immigration desk with our passports and departure cards we had filled out earlier. Once through there our bags were put through a scanner and we walked through the scanner just like Adelaide airport. Into the airport then and we went up to the food area for dinner. I had MacDonald’s, a chicken burger with fries and sprite…it was great to reintroduce western food again =).

We waited around for a while and then Winnie and I got sick of sitting there so we went for a walk for about an hour or so. Arrived back just before the others decided to head down to the departure lounge. We walked down to gate 2 and I was sitting just long enough to read about 3 pages of a book before our flight was called.

Originally I had been seated in row 70 (no kidding) and the rest of the family were spread out throughout the plane. I feared my seat was strapped to the tail or something however we did manage to change our seats earlier so it didn’t matter. I was in row 63 with Winnie (in the middle of the middle 4 seats) so we were meant to board in the first lot. By the time we had the whole group rounded up the line was huge…still don’t know how they fitted them all on the one flight!!! We waited around for a while until nearly everyone had boarded and then joined the queue. Just inside the door we were required to have our hand luggage ‘searched’…I opened the zipper, told him what was in there and then he said ok and waved me through.

Our flight left nearly on time at 7:30pm. I am so excited that we are on our final leg now…8.5 hours of flying from Hong Kong to Adelaide but the last bit of the journey none the less. Well after updating my diary it is now time to try and get some sleep so I am not tooo tired tomorrow.

Time spent walking (approximately): 240 minutes (4 hours)
Amount spent on food: HK$53 – A$10.40 (exchange rate – A$1 = HK$8.00)
Breakfast – HK$13
Dinner – HK$40

Woke late this morning and really didn’t want to get out of bed. Eventually did get out of bed and packed up the room, locking my suitcase. We then had the rest of the gfamily load al their bags into our room because we then are only using the one room for the afternoon till we leave. Went out for a wander in Thamel with Winnie again then to use our last few rupees and to swap over Aussie dollars for our hotel fee (mine was A$80 for the 3 weeks). Whilst out we got our prezzies for the little boys and a really nice ‘happy skirt’ for Winnie (it’s really bright flowers and looks really cute).

We had Hot Breads for breakfast again…I had a vegetable pizza bun that was really tasty and Winnie had a chocolate doughnut…her first one all trip and she really loved it…too bad we leave today. We wandered for a bit longer then getting quite bored. I found a little black jacket thing with frills and lace that is really cute and after some convincing from Winnie it was bought for 600rs…the sleeves are really long but after a bit of consideration I worked out how I would fix that.

Back to the hotel then where we sat around for a while and then headed out to Pizza hut for lunch. Today we made a special trip out there to try it out…it’s new and we were interested in finding out what it is like. On the way mum had asked us to get rid of some DVD covers…if you give them back to one of the stores they can reuse them. So Winnie decided she would try get money for them… =). We walked from store to store asking if they bought the covers back…I think most of them had no idea what we were talking about….but we continued asking anyway. We were ready to give up when we came across the last one, I said to Winnie, ‘it they wont buy them just give them to them’. I waited outside while Winnie went in.
“do you buy back DVD covers?”
“no”
“would you like these then?”
“how much for them?”
“20 rupees?...10 rupees?”
“8 rupees each”
“ok”
Yay…we got 60 rupees that we didn’t even had to earn. Winnie and I then decided to take a rickshaw to Pizza Hut. We walked past a big line of them and they were all pushy and in your face so we kept on walking. Then we came across one just waiting on the side of the road…
“do you know where KFC is?” (just next to Pizza Hut)
“ok”
“how much?”
“150”
“no, 60?”
“70”
“sorry we only have 60 rupees…” By now I had no rupees left other than my hotel fees for dad.
“ok, ok” (wobble of the head and nice smile)
So we climbed aboard and had about a 5 minute rickshaw ride…far beat walking it. We were nearly there when we saw dad walking up the road. We called out to him and he heard us but could not see us (we watched him looking all up and down the street for us =P). Arrived safe and Winnie ran into pizza hut to get dad to take a photo of us with our rickshaw driver. We paid our driver and left him with a nearly full block of chocolate that Winnie had not really liked…he smiled huge and was really happy =).

Into Pizza Hut for lunch then where it had a green apple cooler drink (really really nice) and Dad, Mum, Winnie and I shared a chicken supreme pizza. It was really nice and quite western…a good way to end our trip when we are all getting a bit sick of Nepali food.

We stayed around there for a while before walking back to Thamel. Back in Thamel, the others enjoyed their last Espresso Bar…I enjoyed sprite from the supermarket whilst going through our photos to create a CD when we get home. We left there a couple of hours later and were headed back to the hotel. The bus arrived just after we packed our last things into our cases and locked them back up.

Off to the airport…it took us 40 minutes to get to the mouth of Thamel…only takes 10 mins walking but we got caught in a traffic jam, luckily we had allowed ample time to get to the airport so were still early even though the rest of the trip was pretty slow.

Arrived at the airport and unloaded our cases out of the back of the fancy silver van we had been taken in. Firstly through the door…boarding pass and passport check…then into the check in area where all our bags went through a scanner and we were pat searched. Our flight hasn’t even opened yet so we sat around on our cases waiting for about an hour. Our flight check in eventually opened and we booked our luggage straight through to Adelaide...my bag only weighed 21.3 kg. Darren’s was 37 kg for his case and a smaller bag he had to purchase to fit the rest of his stuff in. Originally he had been told he would have to pay $40 per kilo for his other smaller bag (5kg) but when they worked out he was part of a group, they checked it in at no extra cost. He mentioned just as we left the airport he should have asked on of the girls to pack his case…too bad he hadn’t asked an hour earlier. All our bags were overweight…some a little more than others. We eventually had that all worked out and sat on the ground just out of the way to file out our departure cards…fairly sure I should fill one, photocopy it and then just hand it in; we seem to have to fill them out really regularly. Up the escalator and into the immigration area…. There were two sections…really full section for the Nepalese and an empty section for foreigners. We walked straight up and I was first at the desk. The gentleman behind the desk study my passport for ages trying to find my current visa…eventually did and was satisfied…stamped it and passed it back. I then waited just outside the door for the rest of the group. From there we headed into the waiting area before going through to the departure lounge. We stayed in the waiting area for about an hour then and waited while some of the others had coffees and spent their last rupees. Eventually went through the last scanner where our hand luggage was scanned and we were once again pat searched. Yay, missed out on having all our hand luggage rifled through to check it and went straight through to the departure lounge. We were in the departure lounge just long enough to wait for Dad and Darren before we went off to the gate because our flight had been called. We waited then at our gate till we were allowed to walk to our Dragon Air Airbus A330…walk to the plane…no bus to get on =). We waited a couple of minutes before we were taxing out. It was 11*C outside when we left and we were travelling at 235km an hour just before we left the airstrip.

The flight to Dhaka was 1 hour and 10 mins. In which we were served little chicken/vegetable (I had chicken) yiros things and a fruit box…just enough to stop my stomach grumbling =). Ouch Ouch Ouch…we were about 20 mins from landing and I think one of my ear drums burst. I have had blocked ears in a plane before but nothing like this…it’s really really sore…. Now its not sore, but I can’t hear out of it and it feels terrible =(. I really hope it goes away as fast as it came. :’(

Arrived safe in Dhaka at 12:40pm where we had a … stop over before we flew out to Hong Kong. For the stop over we had to remain in the plane which was quite boring coz we couldn’t even sleep…all the lights are on and there are people moving around…as well as the guy near me singing.

Time spent walking (approximately): 180 minutes (3 hours)
Amount spent on food: 535rs – A$7.90 (exchange rate – A$1 = 82.5rs)
Breakfast – 135rs
Dinner – 400rs

Woke up and had a beautiful hot shower again (you have to get in before the others or the hot water runs out far too rapidly). Went walking again with Winnie this morning and bought salad rolls from Hot Breads. We went to a couple of scarf shops and I bought a black pashmina with colorful embroidery that is really pretty. Unfortunately for that man, when we were in there our salad rolls were dripping sauce on the floor…whoops. Then back out and walking again we picked the onion out of our rolls and deposited it in the gutters. Can’t normally come at throwing rubbish in the gutters even if they all do…but this was only food that the dogs would get before it biodegraded anyway.

From there we wandered back towards the hotel and stopped at a little scarf shop opposite the hotel alley way. I found the black pashmina with design I had been looking for and was very excited, Winnie also bought herself a different scarf.

From there it was back to the hotel to grab our bags and head out to Chabahil. We had lots of bags today because it is the last day we will see the brethren and sisters so any clothes or blankets we are leaving need to be taken today. Because it is a public holiday it is a bit harder to find a taxi but we eventually did. The driver was really grumpy though…we had trouble agreeing on a reasonable price but eventually did. Then when we got in I noticed he turned on his meter (which they normally wouldn’t do on a set price). From there he proceeded to drive really slowly till we got to Chabahil!!! When he stopped he wouldn’t take us any further…his meter had now come to 200rs (which it definitely shouldn’t have under normal circumstances but he was being a brute) and he refused to go further. So we took our bags and walked the extra. That same distance on meter is normally only about 100rs when they drive normally.

Today is their Subaraptree festival…no idea what it is about but reading in the paper later it appears there are something like 800,000 people that go to it.

We got out and walked from there to Chabahil…a bit over a 20min walk. We arrived at Chabahil almost right on time (meant to start at 12pm). Darren did the session on the wilderness wanderings. He had done Egypt to Sinai for Dhumbarahi, the Tabernacle on Saturday and was now finishing off the journey to the Promised Land. Because it was a public holiday many of the children were there as well so we started a little Sunday school session at the back of the hall where the children could color, draw and do puzzles…they seemed to enjoy it.

The class finished about 3.30pm and we talked and began our good byes. When most of them had left, Sister K invited us up for noodles to which we agreed. After enjoying them we said more sad goodbyes and all us kids headed off…Brother Kishon and Sister K will drop Mum and Dad back at the hotel…they insisted!

We walked for a while unable to find taxi’s before an empty one finally pulled up for us. Kathryn, Katie, Hannah and Winnie all climbed in and Shelley, Darren and I continued to walk. We walked for a good 20-30mins extra before we finally managed to catch a taxi back to Thamel. In Thamel we met up with the others and went into Espresso bar for dinner and something to drink. I shared a pizza and fries with Winnie that were once again really good.

We wandered through a couple of shops on the way back to the hotel, figuring that Dad and Mum were down the road a little bit further having dinner with Brother Kishon and Sister K. I went into a little scarf shop who was the one I bought my black water shawl from 2 years ago and bought some more scarves for prezzies…some really pretty ones =).

Almost back to the hotel then we spotted Dad outside Wiezen’s bakery. We didn’t want to flaunt that we had just been out shopping as Sister K thought we were packing our bags at the hotel (no such luck =D). Darren, Katie, Shelley and I…4 Aussies walking noisily down the street tried to pass the bakery surreptitiously…and even succeeded. Scarves over our heads and bags at our sides out of sight we hurried past, seeing them standing at the window of the bakery. We raced back to the hotel figuring they wouldn’t be far behind and were lucky enough to get into the hotel and dump our bags before Dad and them turned up…was a little bit close!!

It still wasn’t that late yet and being our last night we were too excited to sleep. Winnie and I talked for a while as I packed up the last bits for my case. Eventually Winnie said to me…‘my case is full and I still have so many things to put in it!’ I told her to unpack the whole thing and I would repack it from scratch…I have had several overseas trips now and a small case the whole time that have proved valuable in improving my packing skills. With little effort I had it all repacked with plenty of room to spare…much to Winnie’s awe. We talked some more and continued to tidy the room before we finally went off to sleep. Wont get much sleep in the next couple of days

Flying Tuesday night…Hong Kong all day Wednesday…Flying Wednesday night.

Time spent walking (approximately): 150 minutes (2.5 hours)
Amount spent on food: 650 rs – A$7.90 (exchange rate – A$1 = 82.5rs)
Breakfast – 150rs
Dinner – 500rs

Walking with Winnie
Salad rolls for breakfast - sauce all over scarf mans stools, onion strings in gutters
bought black pashmina i'd been hanging out for
Opposite hotel alley way, scarf for Winnie and the plain black scarf i'd been looking for
Back at hotel - packed bags to ensure all things going to bro and sis here is separated out
Many bags in taxi – snotty taxi driver
Chabahil study class – started 12 finished 3.30
Sad goodbyes
To Sister K’s for noodles
More sad goodbyes
Back to Thamel
Espresso bar for pizza, fries and drinks
To one of Kathryn’s friends stores to get some prezzies to bring back
Back to the hotel
Talking for ages
Repacking Winnies suitcase…I managed to fit the same amount of stuff in nearly half the space when I repacked (she's obviously not been overseas before)
Talked some more
Bed time

Will update it properly later =)

Slept in this morning after a bad night…not getting much sleep at the moment because I’m not feeling well. Finally got up and headed out with mum to our little wood shop (a place that sells incredibly carved wooden things). From there it was back to the hotel to meet up with the others and then out to Sister Uma’s for lunch.

We arrived at Sister Uma’s about 12pm and were invited into her little café to eat. First we were served steamed momo that was really tasty though so filling. Normally when we go to Gilingches and order momo we are given 10 pieces with a sauce….here we were served 15 pieces and it was only entrée!!! We taught them all how to play UNO then…young and old…and they all seemed to enjoyed that. After that we were served a plate of rice with shredded carrot, bean stuff, spicy chicken…that was one plate. The next plate had some sweet fruit thing, cauliflower and a spicy potato salad with onion.

We managed to share a plate between two which we were very grateful for. We sat around for a while and talked before heading off to sisters class. Sister’s class was held at Brother Harry and Sister Rada’s. Quite confusing…we had been told it started at 3pm by some, 5pm by others and had no idea what time it actually did start. We arrived just before 4pm and there were already quite a few people there yet even more arrived just after us at 4pm.

The class went until about 6.30pm after which we were served beaten rice, goat meat, chick peas and coke…please no more coke…I didn’t like coke before but now I can’t wait to be rid of it.

Left sisters class and walked back to ‘movie theater bridge’ to catch taxis back to Thamel. We all met up back at the hotel and then headed out to LeBistro for something small to eat…no one was hungry after having eaten so much today. I had a small margherita pizza with fries that was really tasty.

Then Darren walked in…he survived bungy jumping and the canyon swing!!! He was then telling us all about it…I have no intention of ever doing it, it sounds terrifying!!!
‘Freefall 100m then swing out 250m at 150km an hour on the canyon swing’
‘The minute you fall off you are just…nothing…. The ground is just rushing at you’

Time spent walking (approximately): 150 minutes (2.5 hours)
Amount spent on food: 375rs – A$4.55 (exchange rate – A$1 = 82.5rs)
Breakfast – 50rs
Dinner – 325rs

Woke early again this morning to be get ready for the meeting…yay, get to wear my Punjabi today =). Got up (even though I really didn’t want to), got ready and ate my cold vegetable pizza from last night at the bakery…it was really tasty still. From there we picked up all our bags (multiple because of Sunday school things and prezzies we are leaving with the brethren and sisters) and headed out to the mouth of Thamel to get a taxi. We stopped in at the supermarket to pick up some of the big party pack fizzies for lunch.

Just so happened to get a taxi at the door of the supermarket and were grateful to get in so as not to carry our bags a long way. Arrived at Chabahil early and went upstairs to talk to Sister K. Talked for a while then noticed the time so raced down stairs. We sat down at the start of the meeting but the hall was filling up fast so decided to head out to the Sunday school room and get ready for Sunday school so that those sitting through the memorial meeting would have a spot.

I taught Sunday school again even with only half a voice (I think Elisha – our translator – had trouble understanding me a lot of the time). We did recap of last week to start with then dealt with Elijah on Mount Horeb and passing over responsibility to Elisha. The kids seemed to understand it all and had incredible memories. They answered just about all the questions with no problem at all…even the really little ones. We let them colour for a while then started them with their activity. Katie had had printed pictures of the children from last week and they scrapbooked them on some coloured paper. Stickers, coloured paper, crayons, glitter pens and a lot of fun.

We finished up there by 1pm as planned, ready for lunch. We packed up and headed down stairs and the meeting wasn’t quite finished so had to try keep 20 kids quiet and occupied on the street. Eventually they were done so we headed inside and handed out the momo and roti we bought for lunch. The momo was a bit spicy but nice but the roti was really good. We also handed out cups of fizzy for everyone and they all seemed to enjoy it. “I’m so full” they were saying…pity they don’t believe us when we say that.

We all filled up and then Darren did a study class on the tabernacle that was really excellent. We mingled for a while and then all went our ways. Han, Kathryn and I went up to Chabahil to pick up Han and Kathryn’s Punjabis before heading back to Sister K’s where mum and dad had stayed to talk with Sister K. We played a couple of games with the sisters to show them how to play them then I played with little Lois who was so so cute. Left Sister K’s about 6.40pm and walked to catch a taxi before heading back to Thamel. We walked for a while before finally finding a taxi that took us right to the door of the hotel.

From there it was out to dinner at Food bazaar again…bad bad idea. We ordered at 7.40pm and were given our dinner at 9pm!! We waited for over an hour for our orders and were given no reason as to the wait. More frustrating we saw others come in after us, get served and then leave before we even had ours. Some ideas we wanted to come out with were… “do you need help killing the buffalo?”, “was the chicken too hard to catch”, “did you have to wait for the grain to grow?”, “do you need help milking the chicken?” (we were getting really frustrated by the last comment so were all in fits at it). So close to leaving but they told us 10 minutes till our food would come out (8.40pm)…8.55pm still no food!!! Eventually got our food and just wanted to get out of there. We asked for the bill and said about getting a discount because we had patiently (cough…cough) wait so long. First they said, “we give you a discount tomorrow” to which we replied “we wont be back tomorrow”. Their next excuse was the manager wasn’t there. By now we were so over it we paid the bill with the 1 rupee (A$0.012) discount and got out of there. Off to Baskin and Robins for dessert of ice cream for those who wanted it. Back to the hotel then and into bed.

Time spent walking (approximately): 120 minutes (2 hours)
Amount spent on food: 580 rs – A$7.10 (exchange rate – A$1 = 82.5rs)
Breakfast – 85rs
Dinner – 500rs

I skipped breakfast this morning and we left about 11am for Sister Sucra’s for lunch. We caught taxi’s to the ‘Hyatt Regency’ a big hotel and then walked from there. We had been told their house was just next to a party palace which are normally really well sign posted…well this one wasn’t. Luckily, most Nepalese are friendly so we managed to find our way by asking the gawking bystanders. It is really funny watching all their heads turn as they ogle as you walk past…tourists out here?? And they seem to know where to go??

We did eventually arrive safely at their house and were served a delicious meal. Entrée was a potato and chicken dish and battered, fried cauliflower. We all filled up on that then they bought out the rice and dahl, potato and chicken dish and chili chutney. That and coke that was literally a bottomless cup…the more you drank the more they filled…I ended up leaving it full and then drinking it all at the last minute =). Once we had finished eating we went out onto their balcony to watch the wedding in the party palace below…A Hindu wedding, it was quite interesting.

We left there about 1:45pm to walk to Sister’s class. On the way to sisters class we were still walking at 2.30pm (meant to start then) and were quite lost, even with the Nepali. Walked up and down for a bit then a nice man on a bike stopped and showed us the way. Eventually arrived at the sister’s class about 20 minutes late. Dad did the class on angels and we had some interesting comments and questions but it all went well.

In case we hadn’t eaten enough already we were then served another traditional Nepali meal after the class. The food was once again really nice but we were all really full. Poor Radika (who had cooked us lunch) was very apologetic that we were being served more food =). After that mum and I walked back to the Chabahil markets with Sister Sucra, Radika, Esther, Alishiba (all one family) to collect my Punjabi =). Arrived there and my Punjabi was all ready to wear…really hope it fits. I was lucky that my saree was also ready to be picked up so now I don’t have to go back tomorrow.

From there mum and I caught a taxi back to Thamel. The others had caught taxi’s back to Thamel from the sisters class. Coming back towards the mouth of Thamel we were about 15mins from our hotel and I saw Shelley and Dad out the window, walking. I waved as we went past and then asked the taxi to pull up so they could jump in, he was quite a nice driver =). Into Thamel then where mum and I found the little lady selling bags that we had found 2 years ago.

Into Espresso bar then where I had a chocolate mousse. We headed back to the hotel then, via both of the bakeries and I tried on my Punjabi…yay, it fits =). The saree was slightly more comical…a strip of about 6m of fabric and no instructions. After failing miserably at my first try I googled it and followed the instructions…quite a bit easier =). Still don’t think I have the art for it but Radika has said she will give me lessons tomorrow…see how that goes =D. Off to bed then…good night.

Time spent walking (approximately): 150 minutes (2.5 hours)
Amount spent on food: 250 rs – A$3 (exchange rate – A$1 = 82.5rs)
Supper – 250rs

Woke earlier again this morning and went out for a wander with Winnie again. I purchased all my necessary presents and was glad to have all of that out the way. On the way out I sent my washing off to be washed else where. It was 50rs (A$0.60) a kilo and was all ready, washed and ironed when I picked it up at 8pm tonight. Previously I had done all my washing myself but the weather here is really overcast so it was taking 3 days for my socks to dry…it is a pain in the neck having to wear them wet!! We wandered around for a while and I got some things for mum. Winnie and I both had fresh salad rolls from Hot Breads for breakfast…they were so nice and we really wish they did them in Adelaide…leave Subway for dead sorry. That was a late breakfast so we went back to the hotel to meet up with Han and Kathryn to go out to the Chabahil markets.

Can’t believe I almost forgot to write about our rickshaw ride!!! I have wanted to go on a quick rickshaw ride since we got here but the first time I asked one they said 200rs to take me to the end of the street…I don’t think so!!! We asked another today and he agreed on 50rs (82.5rs to the A$) for a trip that took a couple of minutes. Winnie and I both climbed aboard and I am sure I felt safer paragliding than in the rickshaw. It felt like the thing would fall apart with our weight in it. We did arrive safely at our destination and can now say we have been on a rickshaw ride…quite an accomplishment…now only have to go on a tuk tuk too

On the way to the mouth of Thamel Han got some photos printed and then we caught a taxi to Chabahil. We went up into the markets and to the place I bought my fabric from yesterday. The guy looked at me unusually for a minute then smiled when I said ‘namaste’ and he put two and two together as to who I was. Han decided to get her fabric made up as a Punjabi (fabric she bought last time she was here) and Kathryn bought new fabric to also get made as a Punjabi. Both girls went off to get their measurements taken just down the road and Winnie and I went for a quick wander in the markets…the markets are far more fun than Thamel that is far too tourist based. I found a really nice handbag and a new lap top bag (800rs = A$10 total for both)…I needed a bag that would fit all of my laptop bits in it which this one will and it even has Winnie the Pooh on it =). Headed back to the fabric shop then and met up with Hannah and Kathryn again. We then walked out through the markets and down Ring road to Sister Punam’s.

Down Ring road, under the bridge next to stink death river, up the other side, over the bridge then down next to the river to Sister Punam’s. Sounds confusing but we had to cross over the river but didn’t want to cross Ring road. At Sister Punam’s we were once again fed a traditional Nepali meal this time including sliced carrot, prawn crackers, rice, dahl, cauliflower and potato dish and chicken…really tasty…kunna deri meto cha (‘very tasty food’ in Nepali). We sat around for a while then and played cards. Sister Rada came in and gave all us Australian girls a scarf. I got a really pretty black one with blue flowers.

We left to walk to Dhumbarahi about 4:10pm. Darren did the class as the continuation of the wilderness wanderings. After that was finished, about 7.30pm, we sat around for a bit before walking Sister Punam and Alisha back home (about a 30 minute walk) and then catching taxi’s back to Thamel.

Back at Thamel we went to Espresso bar for ‘tea’. Most of us were still pretty full from our late lunch so only had something small. I had fries that were really nice, eating them as I updated my diary. From there it was back to the hotel and into bed.

Time spent walking (approximately): 240 minutes (4 hours)
Amount spent on food: 365rs – A$4.40 (exchange rate – A$1 = 82.5rs)
Breakfast – 135rs
Dinner – 230rs

We slept in this morning and then I enjoyed my first hot shower since last week (I showered at Pokhara don’t worry but it was icy cold water).

While on the topic of the hotel at Pokhara we were quite disappointed with what was meant to be a place that the diplomats stayed in. There was never any hot water and the manager guy assured us there would be. Every time we had a meal we asked if there was hot water, he would say yes and we’d go up and there was not a scrap of hot. The ‘WiFi in every room’ was terrible…the connection was excellent but couldn’t do anything other than send emails. At Horizon we can still upload photos and such even on a weak signal!! The waiters though were really great and the food was good. We were allowed to order what we wanted for our meals and still they tried changing what we were having because someone else ordered chow mien?! The costing was ridiculous…it was a reasonable price (including meals) but was worked out per person not per room so one room was $90 a night. Had we of realized we would have booked separate rooms and get ‘lakeside views’ rather than stuck at the back of the hotel. Dev our agent from Horizon that had booked everything was great though. He called us many times over the weekend to check we were satisfied…really great customer service. Right at the start we told Dev we were not happy with our rooms…we had been told we would have lakeside views. About two minutes after dad hung up the phone with Dev the hotel phone rang…we are almost certain it was Dev but still we were not moved. Anyway the waiters were great and really friendly, got on well with the guard at the entrance but wont be recommending there to anyone else. The Broadway inn over the road looked far nicer and much cheaper.

We headed out to breakfast at LeBistro then and I had the healthy breakfast…love the honey fried banana. After that our time was getting tight so we all headed straight off to Chabahil where we were meant to be at 11.30am so that we could walk to Brother Kana Lana’s for Cottage class. We arrived at 11.35am and waited around for a while till the others were ready to go. Sister K has two very irritating yappy dogs. They were tied to the fence when we walked through the gate and continued to yap non stop for the 15 minutes while we waited. Katie got up at one point and threatened it with her shoe…was quite funny because one very small do made a lot of noise but quieted when she was towering over it. The dog was tied to the main gate so she was shooing it away till the gate was closed and it was outside the gate…then saying “come on…into the road in front of the motorbikes” =D. The dog was by now driving everyone nutty!!!

We eventually left the dog and it’s noise behind and walked for about 10mins till we arrived at Cottage class. At Cottage class dad continued on with Revelation that was really good, it started at 12pm and was still going at 2:15pm. Finished up there and were fed fried rice that was really tasty…they even all ate the same thing this time…we had the same as the Nepali, not something better like normal (it’s quiet embarrassing).

After that mum and I walked with Monica and Kabita back to their house to see Sabita who is expecting and due any day. We stayed around there for about 2 hours I think and were fed more…aaaaggh, ready to explode. We left there and were taken a different way back to Ring Road where we were going to walk back to Thamel from. After 40 minutes of walked we eventually arrived back at Ring road (it had only take 30 minutes when we had been 10 minutes the other side of Ring road to then cross Ring road and walk to Monica and Kabita’s). Too bad we were a 40 minute power walk from where we wanted to be on Ring road – they had taken us a totally different way and I think we were half way to the airport. We walked really quick, both of us busting for the loo and wanting to get into the Chabahil markets to order my Punjabi so it could be finished before Saturday. Found the little fabric place that I bought my fabric from last time. We pulled out one pale blue and pink fabric that first off that I fell in love with. I then had a look at their Saree fabrics and found a really pretty white one with pale blue flowers.

A few minutes later Tarjan and Punam walked in and it got quite awkward because to them it was quite expensive, to me ridiculously cheap. Eventually just bought both and went off to get measured up. All measured up and the deposit paid, we left there intending on coming back on Friday at 4pm to pick up my Punjabi and the Saturday 5pm to pick up my Saree…luckily they are less than a 5 minute walk from Chabahil Ecclesial Hall and there are meetings in the afternoon there both days.

From there we walked back towards Chabahil hall and caught a taxi to Thamel. The driver was really funny and had no idea what Thamel was (the main tourist/backpacker area in Kathmandu) and kept saying “temple, you mean temple”. We eventually managed to get him to a reasonable price and then directed him there. We finally arrived at LeBistro and I ordered a Chicken Schnitzel that I shared around because I was not that hungry. The schnitzel itself was not very fat but was really delicious and I enjoyed it immensely. In case we were not full enough we then went across to Espresso bar where I had a hot chocolate and a few bites of Winnie’s dessert. Any guess I’m growing at the moment…I’m so hungry all the time…no not growing out unfortunately, up!

Anyway, after that we went into the supermarket to stock up on water and dad went into the Hot Breads shop to get some of their half price cakes (half price after 9pm). On the way back to the hotel dad stopped in at Weizen’s to see if they had anything nice half price (half price after 8pm). From there it was back to the hotel and into bed.

Time spent walking (approximately): 210 minutes (3.5 hours)
Amount spent on food: 650 rs – A$7.90 (exchange rate – A$1 = 82.5rs)
Breakfast – 190rs
Dinner – 500rs

Woke really early this morning to watch the sunrise…wouldn’t have missed out on much if I wasn’t there. I was upstairs by 5:40am in the dark on the verandah trying to get my WiFi to work to upload photos to my blog as I waited for the sun to rise. Eventually it started to get a bit lighter so I packed up my computer and headed up to the top verandah with my camera. We didn’t really see that much because it was so cloudy so only managed to take a few photos.

After that I went back down stairs for a while to try the internet connection again as the others ‘rose from the dead’. We had a late breakfast and then did the readings. It was then decided we would do the one hour boat rides. We hung around for a while until we finally had everyone ready and then headed off to the Fewa Lake (about a 2 minute walk from the hotel door). We hired two little boats for 300rs each for the hour. Kathryn, Shelley and Darren went fishing in one while Dad, Hannah, Winnie and I explored in another. The lake is huge (as you may see from some of my photos) so we paddled towards a little beach area over the other side till we saw people doing their clothes washing there and decided to go else where. There was a tiny little island in the middle of the lake with a Buddha temple thing built on it. We circumnavigated this not interested in getting any closer and almost ran into 3 other boats (all at different times). One had 3 Japanese in it so dad made a corny joke about no whaling!!!

We floated around for a while then intently watching the paragliders on the hill side, the ones doing acrobatics were incredible. Our hour went really quick so we headed back towards where we had hired the boats from. When we were nearly there we caught up with our other boat and decided to race in…that worked till a blonde in the other boat started paddling the wrong way and they turned around and were going backwards! Pulled into the shore then after a really fun ride.

It was now about 10 to 1 and we needed to leave the hotel for the airport about 1pm. I was starving and a few others were a little peckish. We stopped at the Organic Cafe (two doors down from the hotel) that does extra good hot chocolates (best I’ve had in a long time) and picked up takeaway. Then opposite the hotel, Darren, Winnie and I order French Fries (hot chips) and dad had an omelet and toast. The others had bought pizza and taken it back to the hotel to eat.

We ate quickly then grabbed our bags…the time was already 1:20pm and there was no second car to take us to the airport (only one little 5 seater). The hotel manager came out and said he would take one car load and then come back for the others because the airport was only 10mins away. Katie, Hannah and I all piled into the back seat with our backpacks (the boot had all the checked in luggage so that we could get that checked in while we waited for the others) and Kathryn jumped into the front.

We arrived at the airport and the car was checked at the entrance gate by two policemen. They rattled something off to the driver in Nepali, I can only guess they weren’t too happy there were so many of us in the back seat. We all unfurled and grabbed the bags out the boot to head into the airport to check ourselves in while we waited for the others.

I really can’t describe the airport…it’s a ‘be there thing’. The first area with all the check in desks would fit into the waiting area of one of our departure gate areas in Adelaide I think. We checked in the 6 bags of luggage, this time weighing a total of 36kg. He asked to see our passports and I told him mum was still coming and had mine. Katie pulled hers out, he had a quick look and said “where are you from?” … “that’s ok I don’t need to see any other passports”!!!!

We went and sat down and spied our luggage sitting on a table over in the corner…suspicious. We had sat for no more than 5 minutes than they asked us to come and ‘identify’ our luggage. We went over and had to unlock and unstrap all our bags so that they could feel inside them (not even look, just reached her arm down the side, pulled it back out again and went onto the next one. We didn’t have the key to Winnie’s bag so said they would have to wait to open that one…in the end they put it through with no checking anyway!!! Then went upstairs to the restaurant and out onto the veranda where we sat and watched the scenery go by then our plane come in and our luggage get wheeled over and loaded in. We decided to head downstairs and waited outside the security gates. We walked through one of the beepers that wasn’t on (the first bit of security so far other than our baggage inspection earlier but that didn’t include hand luggage). Then a lady called me to go behind a curtain where they ‘checked’ our hand luggage. She looked in the top of my bag and could only see cables…=D…my phone and two computer charges…and didn’t bother digging any further. She then opened my front pocket with my bible and pointed at my diary and notebooks and said “what’s this?”, I just replied “notebooks”…it was so obvious what it was =D. Then she shooed me on.

We were in the ‘departure lounge’ for no more than 5 minutes before they were hurrying to board us on our flight. Yeti Air again but this time the plane was purple not green, not sure why because they were even the same size plane still. There were a couple of empty seats here and there but we all buckled up and were in the air in no time (10 before our scheduled departure which was 2:50pm). Once again we were offered complimentary Yeti lollies and this time Yeti salted peanuts and fizzy…luxury!!

3:10pm we were landed already and unloading. We watched our baggage thrown from the plane to the waiting trolley then the trolley was hooked to the back of the bus we had climbed in and we were taken to the arrivals area. The arrivals area was a fenced in area with a u shaped bench that was under cover…they called it the ‘baggage claim’.

We waited around for a while then for our bus but were eventually picked up and taken straight to Sister K’s for Chabahil’s Prayer meeting. We didn’t stop for food or drinks after the meeting but were keen to get home and unpacked and some normal food that wouldn’t throw the system out of whack after flying. The traffic back to Thamel was ghastly but we eventually made it back to the hotel. I had to get the little lock on my bag broken off because the mechanism inside had cracked so the key no longer worked to open the lock and get everything out my bag. Poor little lock =( was quite a trusty little fellow.

We headed out to Food Bazaar for dinner again and I had a Spaghetti Carbonara again that was so delicious. Darren went off to get water at one point and it had been a standing joke all day about valentines day. Some of the girls had left heart shaped chocolates and crispy heart lollies and quotes from Song of Solomon (the KGRV – Kathryn Galbraith Revised Version) outside Darren’s room this morning…funniest part was he didn’t notice to start with and trod on them…Kathryn had to point out what he had just destroyed =). Well now he came back with two tubes of chocolates with roses in the top to keep them quiet =P.

Anyway, after that was back to the hotel to bed…it’s been one long day and I still haven’t unpacked my stuff in my room so I can actually go to sleep.

Time spent walking (approximately): 45 minutes
Amount spent on food: 300rs – A$3.65 (exchange rate – A$1 = 82rs)
Dinner – 300rs

Woke this morning to mum knocking on the door, “you need to get up, breakfast is nearly ready.” We scrambled out of bed and got ready to go out so we could go down for breakfast. Breakfast was a set breakfast again of toast, ‘potato salad’, scrambled eggs and a hot chocolate. It was really tasty but we were nearly finished when we were advised the bus was 10mins away. The bus arrived shortly later and we all bundled in.

About a 10 minute trip before we stopped at the Blue Sky Paragliding Office to obtain our tickets. We picked up our instructors (9 of us, 9 of them, the driver and another 2 gentlemen) in a 15 seater bus and headed off. It was about a half hour bus trip that started off well though soon became very bumpy.

On the way up the instructors picked which of us they would be taken. There were 5 Nepali instructors plus Zabdee from Scotland and Jessica from California. One of the Nepali held out all our tickets, name side down, and every one picked one out…luck of the draw. I had a quite gentleman, Buddhi who was really great. Jessica then told us a little bit about paragliding. The spot we were to fly from was 1450 meters above sea level and we would be landing 800 meters above sea level, down by the Fewa lake.

We arrived at the top of the mountain Sarangkot about 10.30am then walked up a little way to the area of Sirikot where we were to fly from. When we got there the weather was looking quite poor and really cloudy. We sat around for a while and watched many others leave but were told if we left now, our flight time would be no more than 10mins (meant to be a one hour flight). We sat around for a while watching the mountains appear and disappear behind clouds.

It was beautiful to sit up there and watch everything going on. I think some people thought us Aussies were a bit weird when we started singing ‘sun dances’. It actually looked like it worked for a minute when the sun appeared through the clouds. One of the ladies explained to us though that when there was only a little bit of sun all it did was evaporate more water and create extra clouds. You need the sun to make the hot air move up the mountains and create thermals or something of that effect.

Eventually we got enough sun that we decided to go…we would only get the half hour flight but it was better than nothing and we don’t know what the weather conditions are meant to be for tomorrow. We were all called over by our instructors and buckled into our harnesses with our helmets on. They then gave us a quick crash course (not literally ‘crash’) on taking off. To start with it is necessary to stand relatively still to get the parachute in the air then run down the hill to get it going. If they can’t get the parachute up before they run you need to try again. We had watched one man a minute ago do it very wrong…he had not looked to check his parachute was up properly before he started running and was almost off the cliff and his parachute was down one side!!! STOP STOP STOP seemed to be yelled from every corner and he stopped just before going off the edge of a ridiculously steep cliff. Some of the instructor pilots went over to speak to him then because what he had done was not only careless but life threatening if he hadn’t stopped.

After that little bit of excitement I was buckled up to my pilot and we were ready to leave. “Are you ready?”… “ok hold still” (making sure the parachute was up and steady)… “right, now run” (keeping the parachute up but starting it moving)…and run we did off the edge of the cliff and smoothly into the air. I can’t explain it in words but those who have done it will know it is the most incredible sensation yet so graceful. The thermals were not very strong but it was still long enough to make a reasonable length trip (we ended up only paying for the 30 minute trip). We went down into the valley and flew around there for a while getting quite close to the trees at times, “can you touch the trees yet” . Next he did zig zags starting small but getting wider (felt like we were almost on the side – next to our parachute). My stomach had felt fine all along but as the zig zags got further apart it had that sinking, falling feeling (not actually sick though). Before I knew it we were out over the lake preparing to land already. A few minutes longer and we had circled over the buildings and were headed down to the landing strip on the lake shore that was only about 5 meters wide. “legs up” and we came to the ground. Wow our landing was excessively smooth…I had my legs in the air and when we got close enough he ran to slow us down a bit then he kneeled and I sat on the ground as our parachute came to a slow and graceful landing. ‘zoooomm’ up next to us landed Katie and Jessica who had done a slide landing…get close to the land and both slide to a halt. There parachute came down on top of ours and before we could consider moving someone else came in behind us, another parachute on top of ours. I was unclipped from my pilot and then unwound myself from the strings. Waddling off the runway I tried to get my self out of my harness (certainly wouldn’t fall out of it in a hurry). Full of excitement we all gathered and chatted as the rest of the gliders came in. We were standing around when a ‘new kid’ came in trying to do a spiral landing…utter failure…ended up skimming across the top of the water, bouncing up and then landing splat on the ground. An instructor and Jessica both went racing over because he could have killed himself and should have had a broken leg at least, though seemed to jump up unhurt. Katie had been trying to video a couple of the gliders landing and also got this all on video thinking it looked to be a graceful landing.

We were then offered complimentary drinks (generally because peoples stomachs are feeling giddy after that though we were all fine). We sat and talked with the pilots and watched others come in as we waited for our bus that had to drive down from the top of the mountain with mum and dad to pick us up. They arrived about 30mins later and we were glad we had flown from the top not driven =). They said that when they were coming down they had seen people everywhere at the landing below us…someone hadn’t taken off properly and had gone over the edge, parachute and all but never gone up in the air!!!

We were then taken back to the Blue Sky Paragliding office (bit funny when there was very little blue sky) where they processed the photos that the pilots had been taking and put them onto CD’s for us. We paid for that and received signed certificates from our instructors proving we did actually fly =D.

It was over so fast but now having looked over the photos it was so so great. Well worth doing for any of those considering it and I really hope to do it again.

I can’t believe I’m only at lunch and already written so much…today was pretty action packed =).

We arrived back at the hotel about 2pm (lunch was meant to be at 1pm) and sat down to fried buff momo…it was so good (I think I say that every time but I really love the food over here). From there we sat around looking at the pictures and movies that mum and dad had taken and that the pilots had taken. Darren then decided he wanted to go fishing so Kathryn went with him and off they went. Shelley wanted to go bike riding and tried vainly to convince Katie…no such luck. Han and Winnie went off, Dad disappeared and Mum and I stayed to update our diaries. Mum and I were finished soon after and decided to go for a walk. We met up with Han and Winnie and continued to walk as Kathryn and Dad flew by on bikes…not sure what happened to Darren in there. Shortly later we passed Shelley going the other way…quite a disheveled bunch we are.

We all met back at the hotel a bit later…some a bit wet when we got caught in the rain. It was the readings at 6pm and tea at 7pm. Dinner was Pizza’s, chicken I think they were…quite nice but the Nepali really need to just stick to cooking Nepali food, they do a much better job of that. We sat around chatting…talking about evil Valentines day plans while Darren wasn’t there and then talking about lamp posts and fake flowers when he was…subtle too =P.

After that I continued to sort through my photos, I have so many now it would take hours to upload them all and the WiFi here is hopeless…really unreliable.

Pokhara is beautiful. Quiet (not quite so many horns blaring), clean (no rubbish filling the streets), rubbish bins, a lot less pollution and so green and healthy looking. On the plane on the way over we had someone say “why would you stay anymore than 2 or 3 days in Kathmandu but Pokhara is beautiful. It has been a breath of fresh air (literally) here, yet…I can’t wait to have a hot shower again (they are freezing here – for a hotel that ‘diplomats’ stay in I’m a bit worried about what they call ‘hot showers’) and use a WiFi connection that will allow me to upload photos to my blog again.

Well today’s blog is long enough I think =) and I’m off to bed. Hope you enjoyed reading it and paragliding surely is an experience not to be missed. It felt like seeing everything from an angel or God’s perspective. We are all so small and insignificant. Flying in a plane proves this to a certain extent but what I saw today was incredible beyond words. Pokhara is a large city but in comparison to the mountains when viewing it from the air it is small and nothing to it. How awesome is our God and his creation.

Time spent walking (approximately): 120 mins (2 hours)

The alarm went off at 6am this morning and I lay awake for a while considering getting up. Eventually got up and cleaned up the room ready to go out. We left the hotel just past 7am in a very stylish Toyota van. After a some what bumpy trip (though much better with good suspension) we arrived safely at Kathmandu Domestic Airport.

Into the airport where they ‘checked’ our boarding pass (gave it a glance though didn’t even look at our passports). The other side of the door we had to pass all our bags through a scanner and then walk through a scanner (like in Adelaide before we got to the bag drop). We were all pat searched and then grabbed our bags. One of the airport staff helped us then…the lost bunch of Aussie. He informed us we had a 200rs airport tax to pay and collected our money to pay to the bank for us. We waited around for a while having arrived before the bag drop opened. About 20 minutes later the airport staff that had helped us came back to us with our new boarding passes. Looked more like a brochure with advertising on the front and back and a stamp with our flight no…no name, no seat allocation, no gate no, no flight time…only the flight no!!!

We watched our bags (6 bags going under the plane at a total of 27kg all up) get loaded onto the ground behind the desk. Next thing another man came up, loaded up as many bags as he could and walked off!!! We walked past the desk then to another area where our bags were put through a scanner and we had our ‘boarding passes’ stamped with today’s date. Pat searched again and into the departure lounge to wait for about half an hour.

Upon walking into the departure lounge we were advised our flight would be boarding from gate 2 (of 2). By now it was about 8.10am. We walked into the waiting area and found seats where we all sat talking and laughing.

A gentleman called our flight no and we raced towards the gate figuring it must be first in best dressed for the seating arrangements. We had half of our boarding pass pulled off…well in my case over half because he took several times to try get all of the correct section then took too much. From there we walked outside and onto our bus (under normal circumstances about a 20 seater bus I think) where we all tried to get seats near the door. It was a quick bus trip but a bit longer than the ones in the International Airport had been =). We pulled up beside a very little ‘Yeti Air’ plane and all unloaded. The plane had 30 seats (2 seats one side, 1 the other) which we all spread out on, most of us sitting on our own by a window till someone else came up to join us. Dad had an American gentleman sit next to him (who we had been talking to in the bus) who was coming to Pokhara for a religious conference of some sort. They had a very interesting talk apparently.

We sat down and buckled up and the air hostess brought around Yeti Air lollies. I never realized such a little plane could go so fast!!! Taxiing of we seemed to be racing down the run way…not long before we were rattling as we started our ascent. Up a little way and coffee was brought around in the cutest little cups.

The views of the mountains once in the air were incredible but after no time at all we were landing already! Landing was easy and pretty smooth though we did get really close to the roof of some of the houses before we came to the runway! In total the flight took 35mins and we were unloaded really quick with our bags. We had time only to walk off the runway and grab our bags before we noticed that more people were already loading onto our plane!

We were greeted out in the carpark with “Pitcher Group” sign. Expecting to be loaded onto the bus nearby we waited patiently as the gentleman who had greeted us came back. He did come back…driving a very fancy 5 seater car and another pretty fancy little car following. I’ll let you do the maths…there were 9 of us and two drivers in 2 five seater cars (bit of a squish but ‘no problem’). Luckily for me (on Winnie’s lap) we arrived at Trekkers Inn relatively quickly with few extremely bumpy roads. The hotel here is very nice, well if comparing to the one in Thamel though I still prefer my bed back home.

After a bit of confusion we had our room arrangements settled. Originally they had organized three 2 bed rooms and one 3 bed room for the 9 of us…too bad Darren didn’t want to go in with the girls =P. By then it was about 10.30am and lunch was not till 1pm so we went for a walk along what we thought to be the main street of Pokhara (have since found it isn’t). As discussed with the hotel staff, lunch was served at 1pm and was a traditional Nepali meal…rice, dhal, chutney, spicy potato salad and some spinachy stuff though was all really nice!

Some of the others were feeling ‘jet lagged’ so went to have a lie down (how you feel jet lag after a 35 minute flight I’m not really sure). Dad, Kathryn, Shelley and I went to discover a little more of Pokhara though having decided to hire bikes for an hour. Literally just the bikes…no helmets…only the driver of a motorbike or scooter have to wear helmets, no one else. That was great, we went around the river and got to see a lot more.

When we got back I still didn’t manage to get any of the other enthused to do anything so went in and set up my room. We had been discussing crossing the lake in little boats and walking the mountain to the Peace Pagoda (a 1.5 hour walk according to some). Then it was suggested we could get the hotel to take us part way up the mountain, we could walk to the top then down the other side and then catch boats across the lake. Eventually it was decided we would catch taxi’s to the Peace Pagoda and back again. We jumped into two taxi’s (ours looked quite fancy, hence we had the 6 of us in it – little 5 seater cars still). The first bit of the trip was great…bitumen…wide road…then it changed (we worked out why the hotel cars wouldn’t take us)!!! Bumping our way to the top we arrived all in one piece and then walked the 10 minute walk to the Pagoda. We didn’t find the Budha so interesting but the views from up there were incredible. Pokhara is HUGE, it stretched for miles (photos don’t do justice). We got there just as the sun was starting to drop behind the mountains…incredible even though the smog was starting to fall and it was getting quite hard to see anything.

Back down the 354 steps then to the taxi’s who had patiently waited for us, then down the road to Devi’s falls before back to the hotel. The taxi drivers were nice enough to stop and wait for us at the falls. The others arrived there first and went in but we got side tracked at some little shops in the entrance…by the time we went to go in they were closed (another day). Once again the taxi drivers were out waiting patiently for us. They drove us back almost to the door of the hotel.

We were out for about 3.5 hours and all the taxi drivers charged was 1000rs (about A$12) per taxi. Both drivers were really nice and happy to be our ‘guides’ along the way pointing out different ‘attractions’.

Back at the hotel we asked what time dinner would be (all our meals are provided here) and were told 8.30. It was only 6.30 then and we were all pretty hungry. They decided to make it 7.30 so we went down the road for coffees. I think I would have to say it was the best hot chocolate I have had in a long time…not even really sure why but it was just perfect =).

For dinner we were served Chips (french/finger fries they call them) and marinated chicken with a few cooked vegetables on the side…really really tasty. To our surprise this was then followed by tomato soup, equally as tasty but I was quite full by then.

From there I did my diary for a bit and then it was up to bed. We are going paragliding in the morning so need to be well rested so I’m alert to take it all in…terrified but also so excited

Time spent walking (approximately): 180 mins (3 hours)

Today is the memorial meeting so we all got our breakfast in dribs and drabs and met up at the hotel at 10am. I decided to have a salad roll (not really breakfast but needed to last me through to dinner). Headed back to the hotel then and met up with the others. We walked towards the mouth of Thamel then to catch a taxi to Chabahil and managed to pick one up for a reasonable price right outside the hotel entrance basically. We arrived at Chabahil at about 10.15 thinking we were 45mins early (no one else was there) only to find out that when mum and dad arrived at 10.35 they were late!!! It was meant to start at 10.30am.

We sung a couple of Nepali hymns then Katie and I and the kids went out to Sunday School on the top floor of the house next door (the room reminds me of my mental images of Elisha’s room). I taught the lessons on Elijah and was somewhat surprised to know that none of the kids (aged about 3 to 16) knew anything about Elijah. I taught for about 45mins I think then asked questions from the lessons…they all have incredible memories. Next the children coloured for a bit (it is amazing how something so simple keeps them so occupied and enthused). We let them do that for about 20mins I reckon then started them with the T-shirts. Katie had bought grey T-shirts and written a quote in permanent marker on the back and drawn a picture on the front that they coloured in with wax crayons. It was quite funny to watch actually…they all coloured in the pictures but none dared to venture out and draw anything else. Eventually one of the girls did and then they all wanted to do it as well (pity we only had 2 permanent markers). After that we took photos with all their shirts that was really cute. They then coloured for a bit longer and the session was over. I think we started about 11.30am and finished at 1.30pm.

We sat in the hall for a while and chatted before just our group were invited upstairs for noodles…extra awkward because then they were waiting for us for Youth Class that was meant to start at 2pm. Dad did Youth Class on Revelation (a big task for little time), I think the class went for about 2.5 hours.

After youth class we walked back to Thamel and to the hotel where we met up with Shelley, Katie and Darren who had caught a taxi back. We went back to Food Bazaar for dinner and this time I had a spaghetti carbonara that tasted just like the home stuff and was really really nice but so filling and a hot chocolate...don’t forget the hot chocolate =D.

From there it was back to the hotel to bed because we have to be up early tomorrow. We need to be downstairs with all our stuff locked in mum and dads room ready to be picked up to fly to Pokhara by 7am.

Time spent walking (approximately): 90 mins (1.5 hours)
Amount spent on food: 520rs – A$6.20 (exchange rate – A$1 = 83.5rs)
Water – 10rs
Breakfast – 210rs
Dinner – 300rs

Woke early again this morning to go for a wander with Winnie. Wandered out to the mouth of Thamel and I managed to convince Winnie to get a long skirt that is really pretty. Back to my jumper place then coz my other one the zipper is totally wrecked. Managed to get a new jumper for less than the sale price!!

Winnie has no idea how to bargain!!! It is so much fun…basically you go to a low price and then work your way up to a reasonable price you are willing to pay (never start high and try go down). If they wont meet your price you say you’ll come back later and invariably they will either come running after you or give it to you for that price when you walk past again, given it was a reasonable price offered. =)

Back to the hotel then to meet up with the others for breakfast. We all headed off to Weizen’s where I had a set breakfast including toast, fried banana (eccckkkkk), scrambled eggs and sauté potato. Sat around there for a while then headed out to get my photocopying (for Sunday School tomorrow) done. We agreed to meet up at the hotel at 12pm so were back at the hotel on time and there was no one else there. Went back into Weizen’s and they were still all sitting there. Decided then to meet up at the hotel at 12.30pm so Han, Kathryn and I raced off to my sleeping bag shop. I found a sleeping bag I like blue and beige brown, -5* that I did end up getting and a bright blue, fleecy, sleeping bag liner. Raced back to the hotel and was there right on 12.30. Waited around for a bit then headed out to the glasses place via new road where I got my new watch resized (a couple of links taken out) and a new phone cover because mine is falling apart.

I picked up my new glasses (well old glasses with new lenses) and was really happy with them though still like my new ones more. From there we walked for a couple of minutes before we caught a taxi to Chabahil for Sister’s class. Sister’s class was at Brother Laxmi and Sister Rebecca’s (brother Laxmi was the one who had a stroke last year just before we got there) and we all managed to squish in. After Sister’s class we were given noodles…first time so far this trip which is quite surprising. We walked to Calapul where we dropped of Jonah and then back towards Thamel, still walking. not much further down the road we could hear a wedding band (quite distinct) and stopped to watch. The band (all dressed in red) sounded incredible, followed by the car with the bride, bridesmaids and father and mother of the bride (we think –the girls were all dressed the same though – red sarees). We were just standing on the street watching, then they pulled up right in front of us and stopped, we can only guess it was some sort of blessing as they all stood in a big group and a man in the middle seemed to be blessing them. A young Nepali girl next to us said they were blessing and then the couple would go on their honey moon. Was quite interesting however we kept walking then and were back at the hotel about 45 mins later ready for dinner.

Walking to dinner I had someone say to me ‘we have a charming young boy here’ but I have worked out the perfect conversation killer is ‘Namaste’, hello in Nepali (has worked every time so far when you don’t want something someone is trying to sell you etc). We went to Food Bazaar for dinner, a large restaurant with mini restaurants inside it (different culture/country cuisines). I had a burger with fries which was surprisingly western and really nice. Back to the hotel then and off to bed.

Time spent walking (approximately): 180 mins (3 hours)
Amount spent on food: 500rs – A$6 (exchange rate – A$1 = 83.5rs)
Water – 10rs
Breakfast – 190rs
Dinner – 300rs