Pokhara Update

 I have had some queries about what the towns are like so have added some pictures to explain. These two pictures are from Kathmandu in the suburb where the guest house was. We took them when we walked away from the town, just to stretch our legs- hence the lack of traffic and cars. The bottom picture gives you some idea of the power wires that are fairly typical of everywhere.  Once in Kathmandu we stepped off the footpath onto the road and nearly hung ourselves on the power wires. There are a couple of places on our road here in Pokhara where we have to watch the same kind of thing. The other day from our vantage point we watched a couple of young lads use a coil in the power wires as a basketball hoop, and shuddered every time the wires swung too and fro as they were hit.

 This is Chippledunga, the main street in Pokhara.  (It is about 20-30 mins by bus from Naya Gaun or 250NPR taxi fare.)The photos are taken from almost the same spot, but one shows the power wires better than the other. This is fairly typical amount of traffic for this street. In Pokhara you don't take your life into your own hands when you cross the street as much as you do in Kathmandu. However the main rule for the road seems to be that might is right. Traffic just pushes in everywhere. When we first were driven in from the airport at Kathmandu I couldn't believe the pushing and shoving into the narrowest of spaces that happened and nothing has improved in that regard in Pokhara. The other day when we went by taxi to Lakeside there was a bit of congestion on a roundabout but our driver was determined to get through. We got stuck right alongside a huge truck soooo close. Yesterday the joiner down our lane was getting an order out on a little trailer attached to one of these small tractors they drive. A truck with cement etc on came down the lane and forced himself right alongside the tractor, although with a badly placed power pole, it was quite clear he couldn't have got past. There was a bit of jostling and finally the tractor had to unload and then back back right down just in front of our place while the truck went on through. And I haven't even mentioned the horns. The more they toot the better they seem to think they can push through. We went for a meal on Friday night to another teacher's home. She lives above the shop where Ken was talking to the shopkeeper (below). We simply could not hear ourselves talk with the windows open above the traffic and the horns, and it was not much better when they were closed- just hotter!

This power pole is immediately opposite us. Not sure whether you can see all the wires coiled up. The light on it operates from a switch on our deck that the landlord turns on every night.

Pokhara 4

This is where the pupils sit to eat-- two of the tables move forward onto the dirt area, so there is plenty of room for all. The caretaker lights a couple of mosquito coils before each break to take care of the mossies . You might also be able to see the fan above the tables which we put on to make it more comfortable too. My classroom is immediately behind the tables and the computer room is to the left.
P.S. I now realise  that it was an unnoticed auto correct that put whisky clouds in the previous blog instead of wispy!

Pokhara 3

 These are photos of our time in Begnis Tal. The lake on the Thursday in the rain reminded us of Milford Sound with the whisky clouds around. Some of the row boats were out on the lake, the occupants using their umbrellas as a shield against the rain.

 These two photos could almost be placed side by side to give a panoramic view. This was the scene from the third floor of the hotel on  Friday morning. The government fish farm is in the foreground and of course the Annapurna Range in the background. You will notice Maccaphuchre which you will also be able to spot in the picture from our roof further down.

 Community washing at Begnis Tal.

 This buffalo was one of four who thought they would graze the green patch. The wall on the right of the photo is the garden wall directly below our deck.

 These are shots of our house. The kitchen unfortunately has only one window that opens and is a U shaped kitchen, so a bit low on ventilation. Ken is busy grilling our cheese and tomato sandwiches for Sunday lunch in his new Nepali trousers. We really enjoy the door that opens to a little back Juliette balcony from the dining room. Our first job in the morning is to open it to let as much cool air in as possible.

This was the view from our roof top on Wednesday morning. We can't take photos from our deck as the power wires intrude, but we can see most of this from there.

Pokhara 2

 This was an exciting event we viewed from our deck while we enjoyed our after dinner coffee. This twin axled truck had backed 200m down our lane. A lad was on the load of bricks all the way calling to the driver about the electric cables dangling in the way. When the truck was finally in position there was much discussion (three cups of tea?) about the next steps. They had to manually lift the heavy tailboard ( about 1500 deep). They had at least two attempts at it before they finality managed using two substantial bamboo poles and several guys on each side. The lad on the top of the load shot a bolt home when it was high enough so it stayed up. Then two of them worked to unload the truck. To start with they dropped the bricks onto the grass and from time to time the others gathered them and laid them neatly down. Then, when there was space they laid the bricks in groups of five or six  beside each other, not on top of each other, on the bed of the truck and the others picked up these same groups and laid them ever so accurately on the pile. They finished in the dark about three hours later.

 This was the view of the very neat stack this morning. Our house is in the background. We are on the second floor and you can see our excellent vantage point. We will post some photos of the inside at another time.

 This is the classroom after we have worked for a couple of days sorting things out. It is fairly small and I think 11 or 12 children and two adults won't have too much space for movement.  The blue mats on the floor are for the children to sit on, but they will have to be rolled up when we need to move in or out of the room as they have to sit slightly across the doorway.

This is the shop that we prefer to go to if we can. It is run by a lady from the church and is very convenient for us. She is most encouraging when we try to use our Nepali phrases with her. She always acknowledges us if she sees us walking past, which helps us feel at home.

Pokhara 2

This is a view from our deck of the lane, along which we walk to the main road.