I'm pleased to report that I have finally managed to meet the first Scots of my trip - a couple of fine young ladies from West Linton, called Sally and Rhona. They are at the KGH for a few days before heading for Everest Base Camp. It has been nice to talk about some familiar people and places for a change - including some folks we know in common (Hi Duncan & Anne and team!). Last night the 3 of us and Merryn (from Hastings) had a good Thai meal at the Ying Yang restaurant. The waiter took the picture!
I'm currently looking at a couple of volunteering opportunites here - i.e. spending some time with the organisations to learn more about what is required and how I can help. It is all very interesting and I'll let you know more in due course.
In the meantime the nearest I've been to a tourist in recent days involved a visit to Pashupatinath. This may not fit with everyone's idea of a tourist trip though. It is a holy Hindu site on the river on the outskirts of Kathmandu, and is a major site for public cremations. I sat on the opposite side of the river for 2 or 3 hours watching the whole process. It is intended to be totally public; so I didn't feel too much like a voyeur. It was certainly all very interesting and thought-provoking. I confess that I took a couple of long shot pictures, but will steer clear of posting them here.
2 comments:
Hi Alan,
Great to be in touch.
Goog luck with the volunteering effort. Hope you have better luck than Denise and I when we went thru Thailand just weeks after the sunami. Everyone we tried to help [including the usual agencies]would only ask for money, and not actual help. Seemed to us to be run by the big guys wearing black shades and driving 4 x 4 ´s. One should not be cynical, so hope you can succeed in your endeavors.Excellent blog, keep up the good work.
best from Alan and Denise
HI Alan,
Your reports are taking me back to 1994 and our original trip there. Catherine and I have really fond memories of Nepal; though I am not sure Catherine was all that impressed with life at 20,000 feet!
I am glad to see you have continued your long term loyalty card for the Kathmandu Guest House.
Good luck with the searching for volunteering opportunities. If you decide to climb a mountain there, may I recommend Pokalde in the Everest region - it is the mountain that the 1953 Everest team made a first ascent for acclimatization.
Very jealous, from Richmond.
Mac & Catherine
Post a Comment