Goodbye to the Tamang Family and Hello to Fear Factor and Beautiful Scenery

Nepal Adventure - Up to the Tibet Border and The Last Resort

Up at 5:15. We do our final pack up and load Durga's truck up with all our stuff. 

Sunrise... the sun is struggling to be seen through the pre monsoon humidity.

Just as we are sitting down to a last breakfast with our host family, a truckload of army men show up asking for breakfast and tea. Mixing with a bunch of uniformed soldiers armed with rifles and hand guns wasn't exactly how I expected to end our time here, but hey, one of these days I will learn to expect the unexpected. Given that the country was embroiled in a bitter civil war not too many years before it makes for a slightly uncomfortable feeling, but then it is also my misgivings about what an army is for. In reality these are young country boys (one of whom is related to Gyan's wife) doing their time and showing the countryside that their new government is in control. And I can't help but smile when I spy Liam staring, jaw open, at the rifles and guns on show. Boys and war, somehow they go together with such ease.

Sumi gives Randall a Buddhist farewell

Even though we have been staying with Tamang family for only four nights we really have become quite attached. As we pile our stuff into Durga's truck Gyan and his family give us the traditional Buddhist farewell blessing and drape white cloths around our necks. The girls are inconsolable about leaving their little friend Sumi, but as this world gets more global it is not inconceivable that they will meet up again someday. We will miss our lovely Nepali host family.

And then we are off. Out of the rural dirt roads and down to the Tibet Road where we are scheduled to pick up a mini bus provided by the resort that we are going to stay at tonight. Durga's truck is making some sad sounds and while we wait for the bus to arrive Randall and Durga try to assess the problem. It's a bit funny to watch them, and I'm not alone, the local troop of monkeys also head out of the trees to watch them.

They get the car temporarily sorted and soon our mini van is loading our bags into the back and we are off along the Tibet Road.

The road that leads from Kathmandu up to the Tibet border is the main one through to the north, and as the tourist trade of Mt. Everest grows, so do the people travelling this route to get to the Northern approach to Everest. Someday, someday, someday I will get to see this amazing mountain! Not this trip though, too high in elevation for our small children. We will stop just before the Tibetan border at a world renowned adventure-tourism resort. I can't wait to see this place, supposedly it is literally perched in a cliff, high above the Bhota Kose River.

But for now we are bouncing along the road, through commercial villages that sell - with increasing stock every mile we get closer to Tibet - cheap merchandise made in China. One town obviously was the Large Teddy Bear knock off town, with every village store selling an assortment of over sized plush teddy bears. Something every Nepali child needs, right? Um, I think not. It's really for all those rich tourists heading up this road to the North Face of Mount Everest who stop and buy the dirt cheap knock offs as prezzies to take home to their children. Oh, but I digress....

The roads are often bad, and, oh, did I mention that the drivers in Nepal are shockingly horrible? But the real delay are the constant road blocks put up by the police. I suppose after ten years of horrible civil war it is the new government's way to not only show that it has a firm grip on power but also employs many people in it's cause as possible.

The subject of the Nepali civil war itself is interesting. It was essentially the Maoist party who tried to overthrow the reigning monarchy back in 1996 and they slugged it out for ten years, eventually becoming a struggling democracy in 2006. As with many political wars the result was that something like 11,000 civilians alone were killed and more than 150,000 civilians were displaced from their homes. I guess that explains the horrid overcrowding and congestion of Kathmandu! I know that for myself between the years of 1996 and 2006 I don't recall any media about what was going on here. It makes you wonder why the media blows one event that kills a hundred people out of proportion and never even mentions one where civilians are being affected in the tens of thousands. Just saying!

One of the many police check points that we went through on the three hour drive.

I pretty much lose track of all of the police check points that we have to go through. As a tourist bus with a bunch of whiteys in it we don't get hassled at all, they seem to be mainly aimed at preventing illegal trade etc amongst the local population. I do notice that Durga and family who are driving behind us get pulled over for questioning a few times. Luckily Fionna, Scottish to the core, negotiates out of it every time.

As we follow the wild Bhota Kosa river closer to Tibet the canyon walls become ever increasing in the slant and soon it is rushing river rapids below us and sheer cliff faces above us. I'm no good at heights and it absolutely terrifies me travelling these roads that seem to be hanging on to the cliffs while crazy drivers pass and random dogs chase the bus. But, well, if I wanted safe I should never leave my home right??

At long last we reach the stop off point for our accommodation for the night - The Last Resort. A world class adventure resort in the heart of this crazy landscape. Not only do they do white water rafting and canyoning, but they are also world famous for their bungee jump and canyon swing.

It is only now that it becomes apparent to me that to get to said accommodation I will have to cross a swing bridge that hangs 150 meters above the wild rushing river.

Did I mention that I am afraid of heights?

No, terrified.

I get vertigo.

This is my worst nightmare come to life.

Unfortunately, while I am processing all of this my family and baggage have all crossed and are busy checking in. They obviously are not affected the way I am! Thanks for waiting guys!!

There comes a time all people's live when they have to face their fears about something and I suppose this is mine. I am certainly not going to sleep in the street with the feral dogs tonight, so cross I must. And I do it. The fear is something that comes straight from the gut. Something visceral and all encompassing. Sweat glands that have never been activated before go into overdrive.

I feel silly writing about it now that it is over with and obviously I survived, but fear is a funny thing and can strike a person for many different reasons. Seriously, I will take swimming with a lone hammerhead shark any day over this. But OK, I am meant to do this. If I was logical I would obviously go as fast as possible and be done with it. But no. I inch along, snail like. An octogenarian Nepali man passes me with a basket of bottles perched on his head, coming from the resort. I pass the section where the bungee jumpers go from and nearly pee my pants.

Eventually I do make it. My children are feeling shamed by me, and I don't blame them. Who has the snail-like mother who prolongs her state of fear by moving slowly across the bridge of doom? Oh well, no one is perfect!!!

Looking down between my toes more than 150 meters to the rushing river. Have I mentioned that I am prone to vertigo?

Once across it seems that I have landed in a beautiful idyll. The resort is absolutely a little slice of heaven nestled into the cliffs. Cut off from the reality of the world it is beautifully landscaped and butterflies float around the semi tropical flowers. It's just starting to rain, but it is a gentle rain that combines with the river sounds coming from way below us that epitomizes tranquility.

Welcome to The Last Resort, Nepal

The grounds are like a fairy land and the the luxury tents are so peaceful!

The accommodations are luxury tents nestled into the vegetation. What a contrast from the village life that we only left this morning! I book in a massage and the poor lady who gets my lot has quite a challenge with my knotted muscles. She literally climbs all over me with her own joints cracking in a stellar effort to unbend my knotted muscles.

Dinner is a huge buffet in the common area. I stick with the Dal Bhat, I've gotten a taste for it by now! And we even order a bottle of Indian wine. Such a luxury. The resort has a well stocked bar and the resort is very full with all manner of travellers, all of whom are western. We pass the evening playing games, dancing and enjoying the atmosphere. 

Tonight will probably be our last night with Durga, Fionna, Jaimie and Rona so they have a little ceremony for the kids with special awards and presents for the things that they have noticed about them over the past three weeks together.
*Juliet gets the supreme best Dal Baht Eater Award.
*Liam get the Most Adaptable Award.
*Clara the best Back Massager.
*Liana gets the Award for the Best Jokester.
It has been such a fun journey with our new found friends. It will be sad to see them go, but they are on to Europe from here for a family wedding.

Soon the night winds down and we head back to our tents in the rain. Going to sleep with sound of the soft gentle rain and the rushing river below I am utterly content with the universe.

Namaste.

Sick Bed, Flowers and Snakes.... Nepal Adventure Continues

Nepal Trip - Day 15 - Last Day in the Rural Countryside

Last night was rough. Enough said. 

So, needless to say I'm worthless today. All I can do is sleep, read, sleep, roll over and sleep. It takes me until noon before I can get anything fluid down me.

The kids and Randall go out for another school visit and I spend my time drifting in and out of the sounds of the rural life. The sounds of the farm animals, cuckoo birds, babies crying and dishes being washed on the side of the hill in the heat of the morning sun.

My spot for the day... Luckily my favorite travel author is keeping me company.... Thank you Michael Palin!

The family comes back late in the afternoon with stories of visiting another school, painting flowers and bumblebees. And heaps of drama. I nod and go back to sleep.

While I have been sleeping, the day seems to have been a strange one, with the stars not quite aligning around us. The family's adventure started with the car getting stuck in a ditch, next to a cliff. Of course I am out of order, the power doesn't come on all day (well that's not too unusual), and on the way home Durga and Gyan saw a car crash on the road and stayed to help. No one knows when they will be back. And to top it all off at dinner Jaimie stepped on a snake and the whole place erupts in frantic screaming (mainly from Sumi) while the village women go after it with sticks, creating utter chaos. I am so glad that I didn't know about the snakes while I was laying in the outdoor loo all night! Soon the poor wee snake is dead and everyone is laughing around the table again under the stars, enjoying a final dal baht meal together.

It's been a fabulous time spent in this rural environment, but our time here is done. It's time to move on tomorrow. Our lessons have been learned, friends made and many a story to use along the way.

Hopefully I will be upright enough to make the journey to the Tibetan border tomorrow morning. Another bus ride through the Nepali landscape. I am always happiest when I'm on the move.

For now I enjoy the sounds of the night and watch a brush fire move it's way slowly up a hill on the far side of the valley.

Namaste....

Nepal Trip - Philosophical Musings, Mothers Day and Thunder...

Day Fourteen - Another Day of Village Life

What a good night of sleep I had. Being "off the grid" certain appeals to my sleep patterns!

After our hearty breakfast we pile into Durga's long suffering car and head off down the valley to the village school of Durga's home town. It's a little village much further down the dirt road from Gyan's house but we make our way, past many corn field, water buffalo and protective dog.

This is a much more progressive school than the ones we visited yesterday. The feeling is immediate! Gyan is one of the head teachers, which probably explains it. His dealings with the guests from First Steps Himalaya would have opened his eyes to more modern teaching practices. The children here in the Mulkarka village school are all engaged and learning. Fionna is very excited as apparently it is is quite the turn around from the last time they visited. FSH is planning to open a year three classroom at this school this year. The ideas of learning are trickling up from their early childhood educational concepts. It's a process, and here it is very noticeably working. There isn't one classroom without a teacher or books and no one is shouting!

We get busy doing a bit of fun beautifying. Clara paints a hopscotch and spends hours teaching the children how to play the game. What an absolute hit! The other kids do murals. Liam is particularly proud of his abc snake for the little ones.

Clara's hopscotch is a huge hit!

Liam's ABC Snake mural for the preschoolers

I have one question that is burning through my mind on this trip. How do we debrief our children after this experience? It is always a tricky question, especially as I am not sure how I feel about rural Nepal yet myself, so how do I explain the things we are seeing to the kids. 
I mean, we are living with people who live more or less like our ancestors did thousands of years ago. Is it right to put modern day values on such a culture? To expect them to grasp our modern values? Or does it simply push them into a situation that they are not ready for? Or are they completely ready for it, and just need to be shown how? But I suppose, just like with most humans around the world there will be the bright sparks that take the ideas and run, and the traditionalists who don't embrace change.

Again, what to tell the kids? I think it is very much individual what each one will take out of it. For one thing they will certainly realize that kids are fun to be with, regardless of nationality. And that the world is not such a scary place. That it is just as possible to have happiness without all the trappings of modern stuff. But also that where we, the Douglas family, come from has changed more rapidly than this landlocked, uplifted nation surrounded by the worlds tallest mountains. And also that globalization is here to stay...

Should we feel guilt over the fact that Nepali don't have what we have? Not at all. They are just in a different stage of their journey. Also, should we help? That's always a big one for me to get my head around. One side of me feels that if someone is below me then it is my duty to lend a hand to pull them up. Of course that is my own westernized judgemental-ism about hierarchy, but I'm trying to be honest with myself about this subject so that I can figure it out. 

The other side of me has a bit more common sense. Help when appropriate, when possible, but it is not a duty. The people in Nepal are beautiful strong people who are on their own journey. Yes, their journey is linked to mine in the sense that we are all humans on the planet earth. We are all brothers in a way. But to suddenly advance a journey faster than it's meant to be on isn't right either. To every thing there is a time and a purpose. So our children hopefully will come away with a more global view on the world. With an appreciation for all those people who went before us to create the modern reality of the western world that we live in, but also for the journey of other people. And to respect that.

The projects that First Steps Himalaya are certainly something that I can get behind. It's about teaching the people to teach themselves. Teach the teachers to teach (not shout or beat) and the Nepali youth will find their own way. That way the future is placed in their own capable hands to mold it the way that fits them, not recreating something from another land.

Our children will always remember painting a classroom and teaching the local kids to play hopscotch. The big kids will remember the shouting of the non-progressive teacher and the time wasting of all the children sitting in classes with no teachers or books. If it inspires them to be a bit more thankful for what they have, then great. It will give us many a great dinnertime conversation that may not sink in, or may only percolate to come up later in life. But for me it has filled in a gap in the part of the world that I needed to see. And maybe that is all I need to say on the matter.

Enough of these philosophical wanderings.... back to the story. After all it is Nepali Mother's Day!

 

After finishing with the hopscotch we are invited to Durga's family's house to partake in a Mother's Day celebration. It's a spontaneous festival spirit. Durga only comes back to his village to visit his family a couple times a year. These people live in a little cluster of houses in the village, just down the hill from the school that we were just at. The houses are surrounded by their fields of corn, beans and onions. Next to their houses are shelters for their water buffalo, goats and chickens. 

His family, aunties, cousins, nieces are dressed beautifully in their traditional dress - happy bright red and green outfits dressed with smiling faces. There are no men here, they are all off working in the city or over seas. Many Nepali men leave Nepal for the Persian gulf taking the grunt jobs that no body else wants. Sweating on the tarmac in Kuwait to send home a few extra rupees, leaving the women to tend the fields, raise the kids and carry on with life.

We are invited into one of Durga's aunties houses. They sit us down and are so pleased to share their special feast day foods with us, treating us like visiting royalty. I am given a tikka, or blessing, for being a mother, complete with special red dot on my third eye. They serve us a mixture of baked sweat breads, sugar crystals and to drink, coca cola. Earthen floors with animals braying outside, it is a surreal experience!

One of Durga's nieces demonstrates how they grind rice into flour for cooking.

But soon we are off home to where our hosts have left us a lunch of vegetable soup and deep fried rice bread. Jin Kari, our hostess has gone to visit her mother to honor her for mothers day, one of only two days a year she will be able to see her. Sumi, the daughter of the house, plays hostess and the girls spend hours with her visiting friends, playing in the bushes and even getting their own Tikka's. Juliet gets so dirty that everyone jokes she has become Nepali!

Sadly for me this was my last meal for awhile....

Clara and Juliet receive Tikka's from Sumi, our host's daughter

Sisters

The Buddha's revenge that has plagued Randall on this trip hits me sudden and hard. Within an hour from when I was happily playing with the village kids to suddenly rushing to the out door toilet/shower where I make myself a home. Ugh. I'm a wreck. This would be one situation where it would be very nice to have a toilet in the room. Oh well, my reality morphs from fetal position on the bed, to the sound of the world coming in through the the cement walls and tin roof of the outdoor dunnie. As it gets dark I am only vaguely aware of the raging lightning storm in the hills around us, while the stars burn brightly above us. 

It's going to be a long night. Hello reality!