Training galore

So the last week has been pretty jam-packed with training so I haven't really had a chance to blog. However, there have been some exciting and adventurous things happening! So, let me get started =)

After we got back from training on Tuesday, the sky was (finally) clear enough that we had a view of the Himalayas from our guesthouse. It honestly is one of the most surreal sights that I don't think I'll get used to this whole trip.

They're quite far in this photo but we will eventually be very close to them! I even managed to do quite a good (if I say so myself) panoramic shot of the rooftop view, so you can see how busy Kathmandu is with the towering hills surrounding the city.

Unfortunately, one of our team members received some bad news from home and they will be leaving the programme and going back to the UK. It's such a shame because I know this person was super excited to get stuck into the work. They will be sorely missed but keeping this blog going will inform them of everything that's going on in the communities and all the work we've (hopefully) done. 

Wednesday was our last session of training in Kathmandu (there's still plenty more to come...), but luckily for us it was a half-day which gave us a chance to explore. Just after training, we headed to Patan Durbar Square. Nisha, one of the Nepalese counterparts, was telling me that the wooden carvings and the stone monument were carved out entirely by hand.

That REALLY must have taken some doing, as you can see the extent and size of them in the pictures.

We also went to the Garden of Dreams which looked quintessentially like a Victorian English garden. I would've felt right at home if it were only for a china tea set, finger sandwiches and scones. It really was peaceful in there despite the honks from the hoards of traffic outside. I also noticed that this place was the perfect for a little stroll with an admirer. So many giggling couples - it really was quite sweet and innocent. Unfortunately, my pictures of the garden were all taken on my camera so I have none to share. Maybe I'll try and upload them another time.

Rosie and I decided to head off into the shopping district, as there were a few things we wanted to get before we headed to Besishahar. I really wanted a cosy yaks wool scarf (which I got), but also ended up with a beautiful blue skirt. My shopping habits remain consistent wherever I am in the world, don't they...? We did get a bit lost, but actually it was great to have a bit of an explore. I find that you really get to see things properly if you get a bit lost now and again. Well that's my theory anyway...

Travelling on Thursday was an experience and a half! And boy was it a LONG journey... I was pretty gutted as well because we were travelling during the Holi festival but when we stopped in a couple of villages, the Nepalese were gracious enough to bless us with colour. I got a good amount of blessing as you can see here...

We arrived in Besishahar around 3.30pm and decided to have a bit of an explore of the town. There's a suspension bridge towards the end of the town which crosses to a very steep incline of steps. I presume this is how people living in the hills reach the town. I also found the people to be so friendly and smiley. Reassuring...

I woke up on Friday pretty early for 6am yoga. The views I have when I wake up are absolutely stunning. I mean look at this...

All my ideas of yoga went completely out the window when I had to majorly work out the abs... urghhh. Plus, when Steve Carrell (the yoga guy is literally Steve Carrell's Nepalese doppelganger) told us to relax our five senses, all I could think about was the taste of strawberry ice cream and smell of bacon and sausages. Not yoga, but torture!!!

Our training sessions have been great since we've been here, and it's really getting us to think about our time in community. I am REALLY looking forward to getting properly stuck in. Bring on the communities!!! 

I'll give you one last bizarre anecdote from yesterday before I head off to bed... we had coleslaw sandwiches and chips for breakfast. Yes, you read that right. Coleslaw sandwiches.
Coleslaw sandwiches.
Coleslaw sandwiches.
Nope. It doesn't get better no matter how many times I say it...

Namaste everyone!

Alice x

Kathmandu in style

Well... what a journey to Kathmandu. After a pretty rubbish flight to Doha in terms of trying to get comfortable, we had the most amazing experience in (wait for it...) BUSINESS CLASS! That's right... free upgrade! I won't make you all jealous too much, but you can live through my experience with photos. Sorry... =P

Arriving in Kathmandu was somewhat interesting as it involved a two hour wait for our bags. We did get to see the copious amounts of TVs the Nepalese purchased in Qatar and 'meat joint' bags (striped bags or blankets that were wrapped up with lots of rope). Our drive from the airport to the guesthouse just made being in Nepal very real. Lots of honking horns and dogs barking. Guess what I heard this morning...? I'm learning to get used to these sounds as they inevitably wake me up.

If you're wondering about food, breakfast this morning was absolutely delicious! Banana pancakes (immediately thought of the Jack Johnson song), mango juice and a really, really nice coffee. Ooooo I loved that pancake. Wonder what I'll be having tomorrow... =)

Today was all about exploring Kathmandu (basically being MASSIVE tourists). We headed to get Nepalese SIM cards first and I honestly thought I was signing my life away. They needed our fingerprints, photocopies of our passports and a passport photo. Not exactly the process at Carphone Warehouse is it?
It was then a long walk to Swayambhu aka the Monkey Temple! Long but really, really fascinating. It was very evident that Nepal is a developing country. There is rubbish in the streets, stray dogs and the roads are in complete disrepair. The city is also quite polluted with a smog layer covering up the views of the mountains in the distance. I could really feel it on my chest and in my eyes today. Nonetheless, the people are very friendly and a lot of children waved and said hello to us today. Even got to practice my 'Namaste' (hello AND goodbye in Nepali). We also witnessed a funeral procession on our way to the monkeys. Lizzie (our team leader) told us that when Hindu Nepalese people die, their body is transported (within a matter of hours) along the Bagmati river to the crematorium. Once there, their body is washed to cleanse their sins and then burned. The ashes are collected and then deposited into the river. Hindu monks and children under five don't need to be cleansed as they have no sins. Up until 1925, if a man died his wife would jump onto the fire with him. If the fire didn't kill her, she would then be beaten to death by relatives. Thankfully that doesn't happen now! It was interesting to witness the ritual of how Hindu Nepalese say goodbye to their dead.

We eventually made it to the steps of the temple, and boy were they STEEP! Monkeys were EVERYWHERE and I got some great shots of the cheeky little buggers. One nibbled on one of our bottles and tried grabbing the same girl's bag. Clearly she was the 'chosen' one! Towards the top of the steps, a very large amount of people were moving the deity between temples. It was so vibrant with colour. The women were dressed in red and the shrines has rich pinks, yellows and oranges. It was beautiful. I even managed to get a video of the men negotiating the really steep steps. I'll try and post it! The top of the temple had really amazing views of Kathmandu, slightly obscured by the smog, but beautiful nonetheless. Then... the rain hit. Slippery steep steps and water... you can imagine.

We decided to head back towards the guesthouse and eat out for lunch. At the 'Big Belly' restaurant I had the Nepalese menu called Thali. This consisted of a dried vegetable soup, rice, a lentil sauce, vegetable dhal, an assortment of greens, a spicy sauce and banana in yoghurt. It was delicious, and if this is what I have to get used to, then I'll be quite alright!

The rain didn't hold off so we headed back to the guesthouse and spent the afternoon chilling. There were two big storms today and the lightning and thunder was very exciting. Not so much when the windows shake... This will be really good for the smog though. Clear away some of the dust.

I got my first taste of momos at dinner, and I have a feeling I'll be eating lots of these little creations of heaven. Vegetable ones are my favourite so far!

Anyway, training starts tomorrow and I have to be up early so I better finish up for today. Looking forward to meeting the counterparts and getting to grips with all the information. I have a feeling I may be pretty tired tomorrow...

Namaste!

Alice x