Global warming, my backside!

We (including my Nepali friends) keep thinking winter is almost over but we got a shock yesterday. We had heavy rain in the morning and it got progressively colder before we got snow early afternoon. Apparently it has not snowed in Kathmandu for 62 years! It did not settle in the city area, which was pretty waterlogged, but it did outside and the papers are full of pictures of snow scenes. Sheila has been at a conference to the south of the city for the last 3 days and the hotel is in the foothills so they got a lot more than we did. After a grey start this morning, the sun is now out and although the temperature is still low, it does feel better when you can find a sunny bit to stand in. I was feeling envious of friends who are on holiday in Florida this week until I looked up their weather to find minimum temperatures below freezing – hope its warmer during the days.

We're waiting for load shedding which is meant to increase to 6 hours per day today. This is slightly complicated by the timetable not having been updated so we don't know when to expect it. We also have a transport bandh (strike) today which is a bit of a concern for Sheila and the rest of them trying to get back this evening. Tomorrow is a public holiday (Shiva Ratri when thousands of Hindu holy men hit Kathmandu and find enlightenment by smoking dope). All being well, we are going for a long weekend to Gorkha and Pokhara (about 6 hours drive east) with my boss and some friends. If the clouds lift there should be some spectacular views of the Annapurna range.

Cheers
Roshan