First Day at Work

As first days at work go, this was easily my most memorable.

It started by trying to get a bus to the west of Kathmandu, surrounded by Holy Men, monks and house wives on the main street of Bouda, the place we are staying in. Most buses weren't going our way, and when one that was arrived it was jammed full good and proper, the windows filled with flat faces and bottoms. Fortunately, through the crowd of people (and I think through the legs of someone by the door) a young lad squeezed out the bus, followed by another, who was carrying a drum, then another, with a drum, and another. In the end a whole ensemble had removed themselves from he bus. It was still rammed but we could just about get on. Off we went with the 14 year old bus conductor hanging out the side door and me "standing up" in the bus with my head at right angles to my body. Comfy.

The journey lasted 25 minutes and we were early. That's when I took this picture. The boys were sat outside our office playing the Nepalese game of Garambot, a mixture of shove ha'penny and pool. They were loving it and playing very fast. This young lad was very happy and kept laughing and smiling, until it was his turn and he focused... I need to learn this game so I can take them on!

The next 5 hours in the office weren't the most productive, but we met everyone again and read more about the organisation.

Hopefully tomorrow we will get more organised and get a better idea of whats actualy going to be going on for the next few months.

After work we walked all the way back home, via one of the most sacred Hindu temples in the whole world. It is on the banks of the Basmati (sic) river and is all a bit different to your usual temple. The main difference is the open air cremations

going on by the (fetid, rubbish filled) river. The air is thick with smoke and bodies lie ready to be purified in the sacred water. Very interesting, very in your face, very surreal. Especially when you factor in the masses of monkeys, tourists, holy men dressed up, touts, men having their heads shaved and all the colour of the local people.

It was somewhat a relief to get back to our relaxed Buddhist guest house retreat to have a shower and change our clothes...