Day 13 - Friday
- Early start this morning to catch the 8 am bus to Battar. Note to self: If you're taking a selfie on the bus, someone will notice!
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| He's Handsome. Oi! I saw him first... |
- Once we’d arrived, the teacher (Parshuram) met us and we
went to the factory to get pricing for
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| Steelworks factory |
the steel joists to reinforce the school
building that didn’t collapse during the earthquake. Now when I say factory, don’t
be thinking this was some massive warehouse with smelting works etc. It was a
yard under a corrugated roof. All in all about the size of a 2 car garage. The
back garden was a scrap yard for old iron which could be cut down or perhaps
taken to the larger location where the steel is shaped. (I am just speculating on
this.) We went into the office which had 1 small desk and two large beds in it.
Seems this is where the workers sleep. Perhaps it’s a 24 hour operation… In
fact, yep one big fella came in, climbed onto the bed and went to sleep whilst
we were in there. After much discussion about the type of joists, where the holes
should be, how it would attach to the pillars etc, we got some pricing.
- Next: The carpet shop. Bought the carpet for the Computer
Lab. We have to collect from the shop tomorrow to take home on the bus. That’s 28
sq. metres of carpet on a 2 metre roll. On the bus! (How long was the roll?) NB: the transportation costs for that steel are about 3,000 Rupees on a truck. 1,000 on the bus!
- Next stop was the electrical store where I bought electrical
testing screwdriver, several plugs, some electrical tape, multi socket bar,
light switch, lamp holder. Going to fit some electrics sockets and a light into
Hindou’s room.
- Hindou bought a battery & solar powered lamp. Does she
have no faith in my technical ability???
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| Hindou Trip Tropping over the bridge |
- Got a bus + 15 minute walk including crossing a steel rope suspension footbridge (and of course the odd motorcycle) to Parshuram’s house. Parshuram
& his wife live with his parents. His 2 uncles also live there with their
families as their houses were destroyed in the earthquake. They have built 2
new 3 room houses on the plot but are as yet unoccupied due to a small ceremony
required to ensure luck once they move in. This is due to take place tomorrow.
Seems this ceremony can only be done at certain times of the year and then at
only certain times of the day. So timing is everything. In a country that
operates on “Nepali time” as I’m told so often (which basically means “whenever”)
this seems a little incongruous.
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| So Cute.... |
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| Ahhhh! |
- The house, as you can imagine to accommodate all those people (and us), is quite large. 3 buffalo in a
lean-to just in front of the house, several goats running around and a baby
calf tethered to the banister at the foot of the stairs. It was 3 months old
and the mother died giving birth so they are bottle feeding him.
- We went upstairs to the third floor where there is a kitchen and large
rooftop area for sitting/ eating. Parshuram (teacher – in case you forgot
already) lit a small wood fire in the corner under a little steel frame. Then
he placed a large soot blackened steel pan full of buffalo milk, extracted moments
before from the buffalo, to heat. Once simmering it was poured into tin cups
for everyone. I have to admit I was not looking forward to that particularly but
it was truly delicious! An almost almondy flavour. Probably enhanced by the
cooking over the wood fire. Dinner – Dahl Bhat – at 8 o’clock and then we
played Yahtzee (Yatzy here) for an hour before going to bed. Yes – an actual
bed! Still a hard board with a futon on top but there must have been something
about being off the floor as I slept like a baby…..
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| Massive roof patio |
Day 14 - Saturday
- …. Until 5am when everyone in the house was up! Dogs were barking, cattle were lowing, children were shouting and of course, cocks were
cocka doodle dooing. So I decided to just give up and join them. (By being up that
is, not making the noises!) Went to the roof terrace. Amazing how in bed there
was so much racket but when you’re up and about, it’s all so tranquil.
- The family were off to bless the new properties and prepare
them for habitation with good luck so I sat on the chair to watch the rising
sun. Didn’t quite manage it as was fast asleep within minutes. Oh well, I’m
sure it will come up tomorrow too so there’ll be another chance.
- Fantastic hospitality (they've had 50 volunteers stay in the last 2 years) but it was time to go back into local village to get the bus to home (via change
at Battar). Oh, and to buy a light bulb! The one thing i forgot.
Whilst at the bus stop a local man (they love to practice their
English) asked us where we were from. When he discovered we were volunteers he
told us he had an American volunteer staying with him and insisted we go to
meet him, just a few mins away at is house. So off we went. Met Max who
unfortunately really was an American. Just kidding Max (in case you ever read
this). Chatted for a while and traded phone numbers in case we are back in
Battar. He is here for a year as part of a US government aid program. He and
his home-stay father accompanied us back to the bus stop where the native
Nepalese treated us to nice cold Coca Colas whilst we waited. So hospitable – this is a
complete stranger we knew for 10 minutes only!
- Back at Battar: Went to the carpet shop. Asked them if they would take me
and the carpet to the bus “station” (basically a turnaround point for buses in
the road). They said no. I asked: When bus coming? Stop here? They said “Yes”.
I asked 5 min? “Yes!” Coming in 10 mins? “Yes!” Coming in 15 mins? “Yes”. ….. OK, so he doesn’t understand me. Another
customer stopped by to help. A local bus was coming along at that time so he
stopped it and asked the driver to take us to the station. The bus was full. And
I mean F.U.L.L!! But the driver said “Yes”.
Carpet went on the roof. Hindou somehow squeezed in. I got one foot in the open
doorway and hung on. One hand on the roof rack, the other stopping the carpet
from rolling off it. Last time I did that journey it was 2 people + all luggage
on a motorbike so I felt marginally safer this time.
- Bus to Gorsyang was also full so up to the roof we went for
the 2 hour journey (9,000 Fit Bit steps/bumps) back. Well, it should have been 2
hours but rounding a bend we came across a JCB digger scraping away the cliff
wall in order to make the road wider as half of it had dropped away down the mountainside.
This happened on the way to Battar too but the digger was just finishing off
and moved out of our way. Not quite so lucky this time and bus had to park up
for half an hour. This is a land where everyone learns patience. You have to because
of "Nepali time".
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| View from Bus approaching Gorsyang |
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| Another View from Bus approaching Gorsyang |
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| Playtime! |
- Milan, son of Homestay family has come back from Kathmandu
with his parents. I think it’s because it’s holiday but not totally sure. I
bought some little polystyrene aeroplanes for him from England. I opened them
up and we built one together. Within minutes there were a dozen kids clamouring
for one. Luckily there were 9 planes in the pack so myself and one of the
other customers in the restaurant (and seems close friend of Theresa and Bhim)
helped me make them all up and the kids all played out on the street with them.
- Whilst I was out there, supervising flying races, there was
a lad of about 17 on a motorbike. Seemed to belong to his brother or friend.
Anyway, it was clear that he didn’t know how to ride it as he kept stalling
trying to pull away (no experience of a clutch!). So I climbed on the back with
him, put my hands over his hands and helped him to learn how to maintain revs
whilst letting out the clutch. And we were off.... He may not have known how to use
the clutch but he sure knew how to use the throttle!!! Gravel road, Shorts and
T shirt, no crash helmet. And did I say “road”? Mmmmmm! Anyway we survived. At turn
around point about half a mile down the road, we met the owner of the bike coming
the other way. He dismounted his friend’s bike and climbed up behind me for the
trip back. Now teaching clutch control
with three on the back of a 150cc!
- Rest of the evening was spent in the restaurant playing Uno with
the kids and catching up on the blog. Not had dinner yet but I think I know
what it might be…. J
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| Is Dan really that short? |
- And of course, whilst I was away, I sadly missed having to
do this:
Well done Dan, Jim, Tiarnan & George!
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