Happy holiday w/e

Having spoken to Josie from a cold, wet and windy Felpham this afternoon, it seems cruel to mention that it is pleasantly hot here – too late I said it. Hope this does not spoil your bank holiday BBQs.

 

Apologies for the lack of postings recently. Been busy and no real news to tell you – the latter never stopped me before you may say. So what can I ramble on about? Various teachers unions have closed down schools and most District Education Offices for the last 10 days. Teachers preventing children getting an education is a sensitive issue in any country and it is particularly bad here because the dispute is heavily politicised. It has not been helped by the Minister of Education referring to the unions as "terrorists" and the police getting stuck into a crowd of demonstrators (some of whom probably were teachers) on Friday, injuring 70 including 12 seriously. Sheila got stuck at her office for a couple of hours on Friday because they had a 2 hour transport strike and today, in protest against the police action, the whole of Kathmandu was more or less shutdown for the whole day – no transport and most shops closed. A couple of friends were due to fly out today and I'm not sure how they managed to get to the airport. Either they managed to get a tourist bus (identified by special licence plates and big signs in the windows saying "Tourist only") which are normally left alone by the pickets or a cycle rickshaw. I'm sure the cycle rickshaw wallahs pray for transport strikes because they do great business and can pretty much name their price.

 

Of course the other thing you'll want to know about is our latest plumbing news. Our toilet has become increasingly temperamental to flush in recent months. This does encourage us to save water by collecting our washing water in bowls/buckets to chuck down the loo. Fine for "short toilets" as we politely describe them here but not always effective for "long toilets" so Sheila asked the landlord if he could fix it. As has been mentioned before, the Nepali language doesn't have many of its own plumbing terms and he quickly confirmed he understood "cistern no flush". The plumber was meant to come this morning but didn't, presumably because of the strike, and turned up this evening just after the power had gone off for our twice weekly 2 hour load shedding. With our landlord holding our rechargeable torch to illuminate things there was much banging and crashing and the bathroom floor was covered in more parts than I knew existed in a cistern before they proudly showed me a seriously knackered washer. Shortly afterwards, now working by candlelight as the torch had run out, it was all back together again and we have a smoothly flushing loo – fantastic! Yet again it reminded me of the benefits of renting, with the landlord on the spot, as opposed to owning. In the UK, I would have been stupid enough to try and mend it myself which would have involved at least a whole day, several smashed knuckles, multiple trips to B&Q to get parts/tools and water everywhere – DIY I do not miss!

 

On the sporting front, I've managed to get Americas Cup results on the internet. I'm rooting for the Kiwis although it is worrying that they let the Spaniards win a couple of races and if the Cup stays in Europe I'm more likely to get to see it next time round. Good on the Spanish for getting to the semis – goes to show what a new team can do. I watched some of the early stages on a DVD my brother-in-law sent and apparently he has recorded hours more for me – Reg, if you read this, no need to send me all of the semis but if you can record the LV final and the AC final that would be wonderful. Saw a couple of interesting rugby results earlier, Wales, who had been accused of sending a 2nd team, nearly beating Australia and South Africa thrashing a very weak England. Need to start seriously investigating where I'm going to be able to watch the Rugby World Cup later this year. If I could have been bothered to find a bar showing it, I could have watched the Monaco Grand Prix this evening. I'm not sure whether its my little TV tuner box or the cable shared between 5 households that is the problem but I can't pick up Star Sports which showed it. Will check the internet when I send this to find out if Lewis Hamilton managed to get his first win. Apart from being an amazing driver he seems like a nice well brought up boy – always thanks his team and doesn't slag off the other drivers. Obviously not trained at the Jensen Button School of Communications.

 

After my opening gloat about the weather, I should mention that I'm just shaking off the last of a stinking cold that I've had for 2 weeks.

 

Cheers

Roshan

 

P.S. Almost forgot, we will be in the UK in the 1st 2 weeks of July so hope to catch up with many of you then. Normal note to the Ktm criminal fraternity – our landlord, his 5 brothers and his fierce dog will be looking after our flat whilst we are away.

All aboard!

After the excitement and unpredictability of tuk tuks and buses to work in Bhaktapur, travelling in UK will never be the same again – here’s a few of my travel tales from the last week to give you an idea of what I mean…

- Enjoying the luxury of a seat but then being joined by 3 large goats and then 3 lorry tyres which had just been retreaded and still had wet rubber

- Getting a seat behind a woman with 2 large live (well, only just for one of them) chickens sitting on her lap

- Standing squashed next to four poles 4" by 4ft that kept falling on me

- Getting caught up in a sack of greens (coriander?) nearly as big as me and that were then later carried dragged off the bus by a girl smaller than Josie!

- Having a bit of a seat (Nepalis insist on getting even a 10th of one's bum perched where poss) surrounded by 5 of the dirtiest small kids you have ever seen and the littlest one scratching her head hard!


- A bus that went off in the totally opposite direction than expected, something that happens regularly here with traffic jams etc. But somehow I still ended up at correct place in the end?!!

- Getting a seat behind the driver and sitting on left side of bus that, unfortunately, ultimately gave me to much of a view of us hitting or being hit by a motorbike right under my window. After much shouting the bike rider jumped on the bus (leaving his bike and bus completely blocking one of the busiest junctions and rush hour…oh well), pushed past me and all other passengers and grabbed the bus driver’s keys and continued to argue. There was a huge crowd in road and petrol everywhere from bike so I decided to walk a bit and look for another bus...


And today my 1st bus had another live chicken, this time loose and just dumped on floor near driver and owner. On the 2nd bus I was surrounded by family who laughed and pointed at me! And half way home the 3rd bus stopped by road block where just all buses had stopped. We were fairly near airport on the junction of the city ringroad so I got off for the long walk home.

I saw some taxis running but all werefull except for 2 who would not use meter and I would not negotiate silly fares. More than half way home from (walk was not too bad as less traffic and so fewer fumes) a bus on a different route came along packed. I joined a string of students and managed to get just up steps and inside and stood on one foot holding bar with 2 very sweaty hands! 500yds further all stopped again and the bus took a u-turn as whole of the next road was also blocked with a sit down protest and red flags. So finally, I got on no. 5 and had the fun on a very bumpy narrow, winding up hill track on the fullest bus I have been on yet until I reached an area I know and pushed, squeezed my way through until I finally fell out the door and walked the last 10 minute home, very hot and sticky!

Apparently there is halla (rumour) that the Department of Education office will be locked again tomorrow, this time by striking private school teachers who are demanding permanent contracts. The trouble for me is that I won’t know until I get there so it could just mean another day of entertaining travel tales rather than actual work!

Each day different - I love Nepal!
Love S