Home again, Home again, Trippity-trot.

O.K. so it was HOT. Very. And HUMID. Equally very. And surprisingly good to get back to Nagarkot again as if it were home or something.!!

We went to Lumbini Peace Park which is an amazingly good idea and, as far as it is finished, it is great. Each Buddhist country is given a plot of land to use as a Buddhist Temple and/or monastery according to their own national traditions. The Park is full of small ponds and gardens. Somehow the whole thing works and will do more so when it is finished. I loved the Burmese Temple in gold and the Korean with its characteristic architectural outline. Photos encd.

The river was running too high for the jeeps when we were on our way to the Jungle Camp so the elephants were sent to meet us. (not on their own you understand). Our first experience was riding the elephant into water that came up to its ears. Thats deep.

Wild rhino do a smart trick with their molecules when Viv points a camera at them. (Credits for that concept to David with thanks). The result is fuzzy, black lines among fuzzy green which we KNOW is rhino but which doesnt much look like it.!!
The most important day of the Deshain Holiday is day 10 when family members turn to the oldest in the family for a special blessing. On that day we were quite close to Bhakta's family home. So he took us along while he went for the Tikka. His father gave us the blessing too which was an honour. The gifts are a date, some fresh fruit, some red thread (something to do with either tribe or caste) and some especially grown barley. Apparently this is the time of year when one's spirit needs to rise free of the earth. Every village, and many homes, provide a swing for the children and the young. We saw a few kites too doing much the same thing (rising above the earth). On the whole though Deshain is a festival of rethinking and paying homage to the ancestoral line, including and remembering those family members who have died. The next festival in a few weeks time is a much more light hearted affair of joy. So we are looking forward to that one now. Here it is called Tihar but it is also known as Divali.

So. Although it is Sunday here the schools went back this morning. Viv and I go back tomorrow upholding the British weekend as a national tradition we are quite fond of. So today we have done our lesson planning in a place where it is very difficult to keep one's focus from wandering. Our office has the most lovely view down the Kathmandu valley which looks just special at any time of day.
Somehow we have scrambled together some lessons and I am starting to do Art with one of my classes this week. Viv is still working on how to teach conversation lessons to a class of 80..

Love, And more to follow,
jill x