Village Life part 2

This trip started like every other in Nepal.  First you have to find the right bus, there are no signs, not stands and no queues. Luckily I was with locals so they knew the way. Once you locate the bus the next exciting moment is getting a seat, always a challenge when there are no such things as schedules or reservations.  Again we were lucky and got seats for the first part of the journey which was about 1 hour of the 3 hour journey. Now you must understand that we are travelling just over 100km but it takes over 3 hours.  Once we reached the first stop we had to change bus, there goes the comfy seat. The next buses were so overcrowded that people we sitting on top of the bus, but because it was a holiday the police were enforcing the no sitting on the roof law. They have finally realized this is a dangerous practice. But what this means is that those 20-30 people that were on top now have to find another bus to take.  There were no other buses. So we waited, ate, waited and ate more. Finally I was advised to get into the back of a pickup truck, keep in mind a small pickup with sides, meant to carry water jugs or gas containers.  So with some hesitation I climbed aboard, not so bad only 4 of us should be comfy, not, all of sudden people starting climbing on board, we were full surely it would be impossible to fit another person, but again I was wrong we could fit another 3 or 4 people. People were standing on the open gate and holding on for dear life. Finally we were on our way, it was standing room only, actually I was standing on one foot most of the way there was literally nowhere to place my other foot. I got wise to the Nepali system quickly. You must take advantage of someone else moving to get their spot. Case in point, there was a lady sitting on the wheel well at my feet (or foot in this case). Whenever we hit a bump she jumped up so one time when we hit a particularly big bump I manage to stick my other foot under her before she landed on it. Unfortunately for me she was rather large but the relief of standing on two feet was so welcomed I did not care about the sudden weight on my foot.  Then we reached the point where the road became a trail of rocks, dried up river beds and sand. This vehicle filled with people was travelling uphill on a single lane road. I was afraid. The bus came uncomfortably close to the edge of the cliff for my liking, but everyone was enjoying the trip so I tried to relax. After a few scares and 1.5 of travelling we reached a village where the women who was sitting on my foot got off. Finally I had a seat, not on the wheel well that was already taken, but rather on a sack of flour. Needless to say by the time we reached our final destination my pants and shoes were white, there was a small hole in the bag so every time I bounced on it some flour spat out.  Then we reached our stop, the truck stopped we climbed out, dusted off and walked up the hill to the house. The rest of the week was spent walking up and down hills, I participated in making cell roti which is a sweet flat bread made for Tihar, I also took part in the rice harvest, actually they made me a bed of rice straw and I slept in the shade for the better part of the day while the worked so hard to gather the rice. After the long day in the fields they carried 50kg bags of rice bag up the hill, about a 25 minute walk uphill. I do not know how they do it, I had troubled walking up carrying the empty water can, never mind a 50kg bag of rice on my back. Then it came for the return trip another challenge.  Being the last day of the festival everyone was returning to the city the bus was needless to say was overcrowded, at first I was hanging outside the door then someone managed to push me inside. Again I was standing in one position for 2 hours, there was nowhere to move my feet and if you do move then someone will take your spot so best not to move at all. This was a full size bus with people on the roof going down switch back roads down the mountain. I was afraid. The road was terrible with big holes and soft shoulders of dust, I was sure we were going off the side of a  cliff, but again the locals were sleeping, talking and otherwise feeling quite safe so I gave in to the fear and tried to relax. But more people kept coming on, surely we could not fit anyone else but they kept on coming and I kept getting more squished, so much so that my glasses in my shirt pocket got bent out of shape.  Finally my friend had a brilliant idea we got off the bus after 2 hours and took another bus for the remaining hour, with a seat. Such is life in Nepal, you come to expect it.  We the volunteers have coined a phrase which exemplifies life here, “Nepali Style”.

Babu Anjit and his mother, it was his first birthday.

Mother and grand-daughter giving Tikka to the cow in honor of Laxme

Binod and his nephew

Mother and son

The family

Giving Tikka to birthday boy

Binod and his mother

another nephew

getting ready to receive Tikka with my Nepali brothers. This  was the celebration of brothers where sister honors their brothers by presenting them with a 7 color Tikka and gifts of food. In return the brothers give money to the sisters.
Binod and his brother are not allowed to participate because their father died this day, so they asked if I would, it is a great honor and not one many tourist get to experience.

the kids watching

My turn, they use a banana leaf as a template

then I give Tikka to each sister

Binod and me after Tikka and Mala the flower garland

My new Nepali brothers, Binod's counsins

a walk in the hills

me and Anjit

The Himalayas

it was a high climb this day

this kids with the new baby goat, i guess kid with kid!!

the rice harvest, the men beat the rice against rocks so the grain falls off

the women cut the rice and tie it into bundles

the bundles are carried to the beating area

then the rice is tossed into the air and fanned to removed any loose articles

River Rafting

Finally I have a few minutes to update my blog. I have been so busy. I am teaching English to recruits for the Ghorka Soldiers for the British Army. I  get picked up from school at 1:30pm my motorbike then race down the mad streets of Kathmandu for a 20 trip to the institute. Number one rule when travelling or walking in Nepal is to carry a handkerchief  to cover your face when you are behind a vehicle that is emitting black smoke from the tail pipe and also from the dust. After 1 hour of helping the students with pronunciation and vocabulary my driver takes me back to Pepsi-Cola where I pick up Laxmi  from school and walk her to the orphanage where I remain until 6pm. At 6:30 I have another student who lives in my house until 7:30 at which time I have dinner. Yes still rice and lentils twice a day in case you have forgotten. Attached are some pictures of our river rafting some of the other volunteers and I did a few weeks ago. Now we are gearing up for the next festival, Tihar, celebration of the Goddess Laxme, on the first day they celebrate the cow, which apparently they use cow dung for the worship. The second day is for the dog, it is the only day of the year you are not allowed to hit a dog!!! Day 3 is for the crow and day 4 for the ox. It is also known as the celebration of lights so everyone decorates their houses and shops with colourful lights. I will be going back to the village I was at a few weeks ago for Dashain. There was a small earthquake last night, there is a innate reaction to earthquake that is to run outside, I did this without a second thought. Thankfully it was small and no damage was done.

Nicole and I receiving our Dashain Tikka

Village Life

My journey into the country side of Nepal was beautiful and very interesting. Life in the high hills is very difficult. There is no gas for cooking, only wood, there is electricity now and running water outside the house. There are no cars, no roads, only paths. The family I stayed with was very poor, they own 2 water buffalo, 3 goats (there was 4 when I arrived) and 1 cow. Everyday the sister-in-law must go out and search for grass and leaves for them, twice a day. The more they are fed the more milk they will produce therefore making more income. She is gone for 2-3 hours each time and returns with her basket on her back, walking sometimes up to 8km for 1 trip.

receiving Tikka from the mother, custom when a guest arrives at  the home