More news, all is still well..

 

Monday the 15^th was another holiday, The Festival of the Horse, and I had some free time doing the day and ventured into Thamel as the Downtown core of Kathmandu is called, about a half hour fast walk which is sometimes impossible because of traffic, since there are no sidewalks anywhere. It was my first time on my own, I find it a bit challenging for the reason that everything still looks the same to me, with a million signs and little shops everywhere, and a lot of streets divide in two and I might as well toss a coin as to which one to choose at times, but I made it there after first going the wrong way which lead me to a street where raw sewage was running beside the road, in cases like that it would be nice to not be quite as sensitive to aromas especially that kind. I was walking around watching people do offerings to their God and taking pictures, which by the way I still can't get to work, hopefully one day, so you can get a better idea of how it looks here. I went to see the palace where the Prime-minister came that day and he arrived as I was there so an astronomical amount of people came to  see. After wards I walked along very tiny traffic congested streets to get to the big Temples, from the 17^th century made in the Malla period, Krishna, Bisnu, Shiva, Kathmandu Temples and Lavmari House. I meet a young University student who showed me around for a couple of hours to the different temples. Walking back I wasn't a 100% sure which way, but all of a sudden when I was really doubting myself came one of the guys from the hotel on his motorbike so he gave me a ride the rest of the way, what a relieve, who knows I might still be walking around if not for him. My throat is hurting now after all the dust and smog, my poor lungs inhaling all that everyday, not good if you are a bit of a health nut as me, there goes 30 years of hard work right down the drain.. uhhhh... The Orphanage: I really like it here the people working here are super friendly and nice, two men and two women and Christina who have been showing me around and telling me everything so far left last night Tuesday the 16^th, I will miss her. There is a young man Karna who is more or less in charge of the place and is also a teacher at one of the schools where the kids go, he is super nice and makes me feel right at home and his english is really good, then there is the cook Bisnu, who is a younger maybe mid twenties guy who also does all the shopping for the Orphanage, he is really nice as well, but at times hard to understand, then there is Enjana who sews and fixes all their clothes and helps at meal times, she is very shy and does not talk that much but sweet , and last Indira who is really sweet but barely speaks any english, she cleans and cooks as well an helps at meal times so it is all good. They all sleep with the kids I am the only fortunate one with my own room. everything here is run really punctual and strict, but the kids are really happy, appreciative, always smiling and very well behaved.They tell me it is not always so. Today I was in Paradis, found a place in Thamel amongst all the craziness called the Garden of Dreams, there are big brick walls or nice old buildings all around it and then a beautiful quiet garden with very few people because there is an entry fee, so a lot off my free time when the kids are at school will be spent there I think, reading books, so relaxing, pretending the air is clean at least.

Tonight I am invited to Kaji's house for dinner, he is the owner of the Hotel I stayed at and the guy who started the orphanage with Vibeke in 2003. 

All for now Mamaste Inger

Started Volunteering..

Finally back.. I started my volunteering job Thursday, now it is Sunday, I tried to download some pictures but no luck, but one day I will get it to work. Kids are really nice and well behaved and staff at the Orphanage are really nice as well!!  I am fine and coping with the different life style, which I will tell you is really different. Don't get me wrong when I write what it is like I still enjoy everything, it is not a complaint just facts of things here.  I miss my bed or should I say mattress, I guess it is an upgrade since I actually have a bed in my room now compared to at home. The mattress is about 4 inches thick but where my big behind is, it is down to about a half inch so needles to say it is hard as a rock, that and barking dogs all night, generators running to pump water because of water shortage due  to 12 hours of no electricity every day 2x6 hours at different times every day, all that said I am sleeping pretty good. My room is pretty simple cement floor no closet or screen for windows, so at times I have little unwanted guests, like little lizards or whatever they are called in mini version. My last shower was under a tap of cold water, since the shower does not work  when  the power is out, we have drinking water and water for shower and clothes wash and that isn't very clean water. Trying to get used to all the dirtiness, filth, garbage, smell, pollution, dust and crazy traffic consisting of cars lots of motorbikes, bikes and pedestrians in one muddle without any traffic lights or stop signs. Walking the kids to and from school brings me in the middle of all that every day.   All for now and hope you are well and do enjoy your luxury life where ever you are.
Namaste Inger

Holi

Hey all!!!! I am back from my trek and survived an incredible week in the Himalayan Mountains, so many things to tell,  I will start with the only bad thing, it was way too short I wanted to stay another week or more, since I was just getting accustomed  to it all and could enjoy everything to the fullest. It was so spectacular and interesting, that I could go through pages writing about it, so I will spare you for now and go back to my second day here in Kathmandu, Feb.28th. I got up and got dressed warm since it was chilly in the morning, went out on a terrace opposite my room, barely made it there to look out and was hit by a water bag... alas, soaked already, back to change. Went downstairs where everything was totally crazy by now, everybody who walked the streets were totally covered in dye powder smeared in their faces and water hurled at them from all directions, it was just too nuts to go outside so we went on top of the building to see things from there, where people were pouring water down on the street by the bucket fulls, we then got into a water fight with the neighboring people, so wet again. In the afternoon when things quieted down a bit we risked venturing out but of course didn't get spared, by the time we got back to the hotel I was soaked and red. Walking the streets of  Kathmandu makes me wonder how I am going handle this City for 2 months, the streets are so tiny, dirty, polluted and full of crazy traffic and I will be right smack in the middle of that every day. I am with Christina she is now volunteering at the Orphanage but leaving there in five days, so just enough time to fill me in on everything which is a huge help for me, she is a young girl from Denmark and really sweet. Everybody at the Hotel is super friendly and helpful, but I will be leaving there today. I will bore you with detail of  my trek later when I have more time
Namaste, Inger

Made it...

Feb. 27th sitting here in Delhi airport after a relaxing but long and delayed trip, with all my luggage, which was supposed to be sent all the way, just got this feeling I should check the belt and sure enough, there it was going around and around, glad I didn't leave it behind, it is 1:30am and I am falling off my chair from tiredness, and still have another 8 hours to go before my next flight, but I still feel OK. 5:00am and still awake after some nuts, a carrot, chocolate, dried mango and a cup of tea, perfect breakfast and I feel great now.I sure feel like the odd one out sitting here and everybody is looking at me, maybe because of that reason or waiting for me to nod off, so they can help themselves to my stuff or just because I am good looking..I am joking of course...I have arrived in Kathmandu and all I can say for now is wow!!!!! Looking at the mountains from the plane was spectacular the sun shining on the snow capped mountain tops was so beautiful, I will be there in 2 days, not at snow height though.the city from up above was amazing nothing like anything I have ever seen before. The drive from the airport was totally surreal I will have to talk about that later, I am Downtown Kathmandu and it is crazy, tomorrow they have a Festival called Holi where they trow dye and water balloons with colour at you, they already started, as I was walking down to the internet cafe somebody was trowing water at me.
Pic's to follow sure some interesting ones tomorrow.
Signing off for now, so far so good, Inger

This is it..4 hours to go.

I am now on my last  leg 4 hours to go....but still have to pack my suitcase. Everything is snow covered here, beautiful and pristine. I will miss everything here, my handsome boys and their sweet girlfriends, all my amazing friends, my bed:-) tennis, hot showers,  my luxury life all together ++ , but I am excited about trying new adventures, see you all in 95 days!!!! Got to go, bye everybody Hugs Inger.

Giving up my Oasis.Fifth post.

Wow 3 days to go, OMG I can't believe it. I will be moving out and my boys (men) will take over my beautiful OASIS when I am gone, and live in comfort while I am in a place with no hot water, hence only cold showers, well being a Viking it shouldn't be too tough for me:-) and a hole in the floor as a toilet, that on the other hand......  I have been eating everything in sight to fatten up a bit since my diet will consist of Dal Bhat for breakfast and dinner for 2 month and as you all know I eat all day long so that will probably be my biggest challenge.Not because I am picky at all I will eat most things as long as it does not consist of bugs.  Still haven't started packing. A big thanks to my friends who made it to my farewell party, for the delicious food you brought, that I am still eating of,  for the donations and gifts, thanks Helene for organizing it all. I did a couple of small hikes the last 2 weekends so I should be ready now, just have to trow my stuff in a suitcase play my last tennis match, and a lesson which I will dearly miss, and thanks to my tennis team and Wayne for putting up with my absent mind lately, do 2 more training sessions, which are becoming increasingly tougher, but thanks Cory for getting me in shape I feel so much stronger now. Karen thanks for organizing a tennis tournament for me, I wish I could be there, and if anybody wants to help out let  me know.
Inger

Getting closer. Forth post.

Time disappears on me only 9 days to go, but I am almost ready, all in it's place.I bought a bunch of stuff for the kids ( one being a soccer ball, so maybe I  can brush up on those skills again since my tennis will be on the back burner for a while, love playing soccer) just wish I had room for more.I am trying to remember all their names, but it might be easier when I meet them.Which I am really looking forward to. I will fly from here Feb. 25^th to Delhi and it's a 17 hour flight, refueling in Brussels.  I am then waiting from 10:30pm to 7:45am for the next flight to Kathmandu  arriving on Feb.27^Th, after a long but I am wishful  interesting  journey. March 1^st I am starting a 10 day hike in the Himalayan Mountains, about a 7 hour drive from Kathmandu, in the Langtang Valley,  a description of that is: The Langtang valley is aptly called "the valley of glaciers". Here, mountains rise soaring towards the sky. The valley offers pine forest, swift mountain streams, rugged rock and snow- capped peaks, grassy downs and meadows strewn with daisies and wild primulas. In the upper part of the valley there are snow ridges spanning angry torrents, high passes enveloped in mist, tiny lakes of crystalline brightness and glaciated mountain giants. That.... to me anyway,  sounds totally  amazing and I can't believe that  I am so fortunate to actually being able  to experience  that and just in a few days from now, how exhilarating.That said I must admit I am freaking out about going on my own, but I guess I will survive this too, I just need to get there then I will be fine.

Inger