Sunday 12 May 2013
No strike but coffee and cake
Sunday 12th May
Have done the bulk of my packing but I can't decide what to travel in. It will no doubt be hot queuing at the airport but maybe cool when I get back to the UK.
Not sure if the strike has taken place. While I was packing I heard a marching band, mostly drums and a high pitch tootley thing, a bit like snake charmers use, going at it double time. I dashed down from the fourth floor and out of the hotel but the band had disappeared down another side street. Not a stone thrower in sight.
It is completely mad hot. I have stopped asking what the temperature is as it makes me feel worse. In the next few weeks, the next batch of volunteers arrive and I feel sorry for them, as apparently the temperature continues to rise until July when it is usually in the mid forties.
We have all completed the comments book for Social Tours who have coordinated the programme. I understand that it will be shown to the directors of the orphanage and future volunteers. So we have all made heartfelt and complimentary comments about the children and the didis, the tour guides, the excursion to the National Park, the cultural and historical places we have visited. We felt however that comments needed to be made about the pressure placed repeatedly on us by some of the directors and staff of the orphanage to buy things. At first we were happy to do it but when you are there for a month, it becomes onerous as our finances are finite. I could not resist a comment about the toilets as they are truly appalling and although they do get a cursory clean now, they still make a breeding ground for disease for the children.
This afternoon we have been invited for coffee with Social Tours. We should have had a farewell dinner with them but we wanted to have a change of venue and the restaurant we went to last night was just the ticket, if a bit pricey for Nepal.
Back from the coffee date with Bipin, lovely young man who is married to a girl from Nottingham. After coffee and cake, we were presented with another ceremonial scarf and a picture of a traditional circle of Nepali writing and signs which is beautifully made.
We are now really just kicking our heels and wanting to get on our way home ASAP. We leave at about 6.30am tomorrow which is good as we may avoid the worst of the heat as we queue to check in. There is no aircon at the airport, Bipin tells us.
Not much else to say except that the ME scored last night with the Yemeni football ref.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)