Road works : because the river is no longer in thready shallow channels, we have to climb to where masked workers labour in stone. Over piles of loose sharp fragments, we climb.
“ Yeeeeee-oooo” yell the men above, and rocks come crashing down.
Matt says, “Let me go first.”(Follow me, Dhurba.) He scans the unstable cliff above, the piles of shifting rocks ahead,and he calls to the workers in Nepalese.
We pass them, with greetings; namaste and praying hands. They smile at our mud-smeared faces. “What happen?” they ask, and we reply, “Sunscreen.” One young man runs after us, “What really happen?” he asks.
A young man is despatched by an older one to guide us through the rubble ahead. The path is by footfall, stones slithering, sliding underfoot. No-path. Hairy. The wind blows.
“You come,” says the boy, when I hesitate for rest. Matthew manages to get over the loose stones OK despite his sore foot. He looks back at me, watching my progress and I only fall twice, in safe bits, the last as we go down to the river, skidding on my butt and one elbow. So elegant. Not.
---- In my room, Matt stuffs his mouth with rice and curry, clowning.
“Now you have to say ‘Pimpilimpauxa or Pamploma,” says Nadashree. They sing ‘policky policky’ and ‘pimpimplosa,’ looking into each other’s eyes.
0930. Dhurba: “Airplane come! Yayayayayaga!” We hear it pass. M and D go up on the roof to see.
“Backpack! Backpack!” says Dhurba. “Is this our plane?” I ask. “No. Another plane is coming.” He looks at me, smiling, then impulsively kisses me.
Another plane lands! We are packing.
0945. Both planes have left. “Another is coming.” We wait.
15 July. POKHARA!
Took off (finally) this morning at ten to nine. So exciting, especially for Baba (Dhurba), after we missed the third and last plane yesterday. Nothing flies in the afternoon due to famous winds that blow then.
It was a beautiful, wondrous flight. Amazing. Waterfalls from above the plane to way way below and rivers weaving out of sight.We passed Poon Hill, the tower at the top where we stood an emblem.Terraced fields like stained glass windows. The countours aligned, rimmed with darker tones.
I have climbed
higher than a plane flies --
amazing
We saw the waterfall across the track; it came from high above the plane and swept far into the valley. WOW!
Dhurba was a delight to see. He loved it. Tongue out, eyes ashine, he gazed out the window with such a range of vulnerable expressions on his face that I could not look at him. We tried to direct him re his seatbelt, sitting back for take-off, cotton wool inj his ears, swallowing etc.
Matt called out landmarks; he knew exactly where we were as we flew across the terrain we‘d traversed. We held hands; all four Stubborn Bastards, and we sang our song.
Later I held D’s hand and Nad held mine from her seat behind me. The plane’s seats were single file down a central aisle. Not as powerful during take-off as a big plane, as we’d decribed to Dhurba, but he said later, ”Pee-pee,” pointing down. So he was pretty impressed.
We asked a passerby to take a photo of the four of us. It would have been the first. But a soldier came and stopped us. it seems it is a security risk to show the plane. We didn't tell him we'd already taken one. Or two.
Luxuries! A towel! Yaaaaay! Sitdown toilet! Yaaay! Air as easy to breathe as it is for eyes to see. Warmth, so cold shower is a pleasure. Places to put clothes in shower so they stay dry. A basin to wash clothes and places to hang them. Fans.
I greet my stored belongings like friends. Sheesh, I’d forgotten most of them. My book. My jandles. Aaaah. A soft bed. Space. Green dappled light. Shops. Email. Film developers.
Matt plays guitar, lying on his bed in the next room. D is ‘Going City,’ and will take the film. He wants to go email two hours.
Oh huge day. M,N and I lay about making up songs and stories, as D disappeared after I paid him.
Beautiful Nadashri
sleeping on the bed
she is like a poem
I don't understand
The photos are great! Some good ones!
“ Yeeeeee-oooo” yell the men above, and rocks come crashing down.
Matt says, “Let me go first.”(Follow me, Dhurba.) He scans the unstable cliff above, the piles of shifting rocks ahead,and he calls to the workers in Nepalese.
We pass them, with greetings; namaste and praying hands. They smile at our mud-smeared faces. “What happen?” they ask, and we reply, “Sunscreen.” One young man runs after us, “What really happen?” he asks.
A young man is despatched by an older one to guide us through the rubble ahead. The path is by footfall, stones slithering, sliding underfoot. No-path. Hairy. The wind blows.
“You come,” says the boy, when I hesitate for rest. Matthew manages to get over the loose stones OK despite his sore foot. He looks back at me, watching my progress and I only fall twice, in safe bits, the last as we go down to the river, skidding on my butt and one elbow. So elegant. Not.
---- In my room, Matt stuffs his mouth with rice and curry, clowning.
“Now you have to say ‘Pimpilimpauxa or Pamploma,” says Nadashree. They sing ‘policky policky’ and ‘pimpimplosa,’ looking into each other’s eyes.
0930. Dhurba: “Airplane come! Yayayayayaga!” We hear it pass. M and D go up on the roof to see.
“Backpack! Backpack!” says Dhurba. “Is this our plane?” I ask. “No. Another plane is coming.” He looks at me, smiling, then impulsively kisses me.
Another plane lands! We are packing.
0945. Both planes have left. “Another is coming.” We wait.
15 July. POKHARA!
Took off (finally) this morning at ten to nine. So exciting, especially for Baba (Dhurba), after we missed the third and last plane yesterday. Nothing flies in the afternoon due to famous winds that blow then.
It was a beautiful, wondrous flight. Amazing. Waterfalls from above the plane to way way below and rivers weaving out of sight.We passed Poon Hill, the tower at the top where we stood an emblem.Terraced fields like stained glass windows. The countours aligned, rimmed with darker tones.
I have climbed
higher than a plane flies --
amazing
We saw the waterfall across the track; it came from high above the plane and swept far into the valley. WOW!
Dhurba was a delight to see. He loved it. Tongue out, eyes ashine, he gazed out the window with such a range of vulnerable expressions on his face that I could not look at him. We tried to direct him re his seatbelt, sitting back for take-off, cotton wool inj his ears, swallowing etc.
Matt called out landmarks; he knew exactly where we were as we flew across the terrain we‘d traversed. We held hands; all four Stubborn Bastards, and we sang our song.
Later I held D’s hand and Nad held mine from her seat behind me. The plane’s seats were single file down a central aisle. Not as powerful during take-off as a big plane, as we’d decribed to Dhurba, but he said later, ”Pee-pee,” pointing down. So he was pretty impressed.
We asked a passerby to take a photo of the four of us. It would have been the first. But a soldier came and stopped us. it seems it is a security risk to show the plane. We didn't tell him we'd already taken one. Or two.
Luxuries! A towel! Yaaaaay! Sitdown toilet! Yaaay! Air as easy to breathe as it is for eyes to see. Warmth, so cold shower is a pleasure. Places to put clothes in shower so they stay dry. A basin to wash clothes and places to hang them. Fans.
I greet my stored belongings like friends. Sheesh, I’d forgotten most of them. My book. My jandles. Aaaah. A soft bed. Space. Green dappled light. Shops. Email. Film developers.
Matt plays guitar, lying on his bed in the next room. D is ‘Going City,’ and will take the film. He wants to go email two hours.
Oh huge day. M,N and I lay about making up songs and stories, as D disappeared after I paid him.
Beautiful Nadashri
sleeping on the bed
she is like a poem
I don't understand
The photos are great! Some good ones!
