Visit to the frontline

Josie's given me a big nagging for not having posted for ages so I thought I'd better do something.

 

I got back from 4 days in Pokhara yesterday. It's a popular tourist town where visitors can either chill out by a lakeside or use it as a base for treks up to hills around the Annapurna range. I was there for a meeting of  VSO volunteers from the HIV/AIDS program so didn't get much chance to be touristy and anyway its the wrong time of year to visit as the mountains are hidden by clouds (and the mosquitoes are in man-eating mode). We did have a nice hotel, not so grand that my conscience troubled me but it did have a swimming pool which I managed to use a couple of times. The trip served its purpose for me because I now know a little bit about HIV/AIDS as opposed to absolutely nothing - not sure I really needed to see photos of some of the symptomatic skin conditions though!  We also visited a couple of organisations where volunteers are working to see  a drug rehab centre and a care & support hostel for PLHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS) . Respect to all of those working at the sharp end. Memories of the visits will be great for topping up my enthusiasm if and when I wonder what I am doing here.

 

I'll try to do a tourist trip to Pokhara with Sheila sometime later in the year. The difficulty is how to get there. It's a 20 min flight (plus 2 hours delay for us on Saturday due to poor weather conditions) or a 7 hour bus ride. Sheila will not enjoy flying in a 18 seater plane that is a bit wobbly and you get to see the countryside by bus so it might be this even if we are warned about their regular accidents. Kathmandu and Pokhara airports are remarkable clean and uncrowded which was a pleasant surprise. However I reckon the security guys are topping up their, no doubt meagre, salaries by flogging all the cigarette lighters they confiscate.

 

Enough for now as we're off to our old haunt, the Pacific Guest House, to watch England v Trinidad & Tobago on their big (ish) screen. Those of you who know me well will be surprised that I'm going to watch a soccer match but not that I'll be supporting T&T. Come on you red and blacks (or whatever colour they play in)! With the summer weather that I gather has finally arrived and these afternoon matches, pubs must be the only place where anyone is doing any work in the UK. Hope you are all enjoying it and won't be too disappointed by England's performance.

 

Cheers

Roshan