Robin, Judy and the Great Himalaya Trail

Time flies when you're having fun!

2012-02-11T15:54:00.000+05:30

And even when you aren't sometimes! Where to start?
Well, the new job is really busy and despite having a system which throws up all your accounts sorted however you like, management still insists on emailing stupid Excel spreadsheets with loads of different colours (the meaning of which I don't know) with missives that say things like 'Team please do all the green accounts before you go home'. And basically, if you get this and have loads of cases you just have to stay back and complete it. No matter how long it takes. And you have to get 3 hours 'talk time' every day which only registers calls of 20 seconds or more, so if you get the dreaded Telstra 10 second message woman you have to talk really s l o w l y to make 20 seconds. Because I'm not taking inbound calls yet I am not getting 3 hours a day, and am a bit bored with having to submit records of all my actioned cases. C'mon guys I'm not 19 years old. So we shall see how this pans out - I mean the people are really nice but some of the stuff is just ridiculous.

Robin has managed to get the apartment in Katty fairly well sorted out but still doesn't have decent wifi and had to invest in a gas geyser for the bathroom. So much expense that we weren't really expecting: geyser, inverter, new laptop, spare bed. I've stopped counting but I just have to make sure I can pay the bills....
I was really looking forward to spending some time at the pool this summer (ha there's a joke) and I STILL haven't been to the pool. And probably never will. Since we got back on 1 December there's been about 12 hours of sunshine. So totally boring. I had a whole bunch of summer clothes made by Master-ji in Delhi last year and I despair of ever getting to wear them.
I had to buy some new software for the computer to get the slide scanner operational so hopefully I can get some old holiday snaps scanned in my spare time (the time that I am NOT spending at the pool!). And I bought a USB turntable so that I can convert my records to MP3 and stick them on the iPod. Well that's the plan anyway. Having a few issues with, I believe, 'the interface'. Whatever that is. I'll try again tomorrow.
Oh and I had a horrible eye infection that lasted for 2 weeks - I was rather lucky I panicked when I had a sore eye and managed to get into a specialist straight away. The pain was awful and I ended up having 3 days off work (always a good look in your first month) and couldn't even sit in the loungeroom because the skylight made the room too bright (with this overcast weather. Ha!) And I couldn't wear my contact lenses for 2 weeks. But I did manage to get to the T20 cricket - I'd never been before and it was SUCH FUN! I must make more effort to go see some games in India next time.
'Rosemary's Baby' is on the TV - I remember being scared witless reading the book when I was a teenager. So far, so strange.
I will try to report more regularly, eye infections notwithstanding.....

Busy as a one armed paper hanger with an itch

2012-01-22T11:26:00.000+05:30

That's what this week has been like. I managed to avoid having anyone come over on Monday night to say bye bye birdie to Robin so we got to spend a little time together, before I had to leave him when I went to work on Tuesday. Predictably I was a sooky lala for most of the day but toughed it out to hang in there at the office and receive endless messages from sir about the luggage, the queues, the excess baggage charge and the rip off refreshment prices. He got charged excess luggage by THAI (but really he DID have 60 kg and they only charged him $208 for a couple of kilos) but I think he did pretty well to squeeze himself and all his luggage onto the chockers jumbo. After 12 hours in Bangers airport he then got to Kathmandu where they had to have 3 goes at landing cos the one runway was full as 8 flights landed at once - sounds like the local supermarket car park on Saturdays! Anyway, he finally made it into town and the hotel where he was only going to spend a couple of nights before moving to the 'luxury' apartment - remember the one with 24 hour electricity GUARANTEED.
Well what can I say: not 24 hour electricity, no hot water into the kitchen (what, you mean you wash up in HOT water?), no glass in one of the windows in the loungeroom (he found that out after his first night there and it was 0 degrees), no gas connected to the gas cooktop, no drinking water and I can't remember what else. Such an adventure. Oh and the shower curtains I bought him at Red Spot Boutique didn't have curtain rings. And his helper threw a box down the stairs which contained the glasses. Oh and a bottle of beer exploded all inside his new fridge. I'd better stop now.....
He had his first dinner party last night which despite being deprived of electricity seems to have gone well. But I do wish he would stop sending SMS messages like 'how much baking powder do I add to flour for pastry' and 'what spices do I need for nachos'. Strewth.

The view where I get off the train...

I meanwhile have been working away very busily (for not much result it must be said) but I get to wander around the Botanical Gardens in my lunch break which I rather enjoy. Every night since Robin left I have been out for dinner so I am looking forward to a quiet one this evening....
Have a great week and stay tuned for more adventures!

Long time no see

2012-01-15T10:29:00.000+05:30

Hi everyone and Happy new Year (better late than never). I could say something stupid like I can't begin to tell you how busy life has been, but since I am about to tell you how busy life has been, I shan't. If you see what I mean.
New Tear's Eve was quite boozy and fun-filled, especially the bit where we jumped on the Wii to try downhill skiing etc - luckily we had the safety bean-bag in front of the TV in case of accident. We didn't need it though. Somehow.
Robin and I went to day 1 of the India Australia cricket test - a great day's cricket but India have been oh so disappointing - and continue to be so. They have some of the best batsmen in the world but they just can't pull it together on the field. Sad really but I am winning bets with my Indian friend... if I can ever collect the $$$.

Beautiful Babai River, Bardia NP, Nepal

Speaking of which I have been at my new job for nearly 2 weeks now and after a very strange start it seems to be going well. It took over a week for them to get me the important paperwork to sign - they didn't even know my surname!!! And they still haven't sighted any ID. But they DO have my bank details so I am looking forward to visiting the ATM on Wednesday. Woo hoo!
Robin is flying back to Nepal on Tuesday and so life has been a flurry of last minute bro love visits from his mates, late evenings which seem to be centred on bottles of wine, and STUFF everywhere. He is having a few 'issues' with the 'advertised amenities' of the apartment he was planning to rent, not the least of which being the 'guaranteed 24 hours electricity'. I guess the guarantee was for 24 hours a week, not per day. Our dear neighbours had a spare barely-used counter top fan oven/grill which they have given him (and it only weighs about 20 kg) and of course electricity would be good for that. And the fridge, computer etc etc. Better him than me...
So I will be back to single working girl status again which of course has good and bad points. Robin will be spending the first few weeks in Kathmandu getting some stuff sorted out (like electricity) before going trekking with Baz and Howie (from our recent trip there) walking from the western border of Nepal east for a couple of months. Then, hopefully India for a very exciting trek in Nanda Devi. After that there are a few plates spinning at once - just have to see how long we can keep them all up on the sticks! I'm hoping to get over there around monsoon time but who knows. If I can work out where he is.
I am going to head off now and enjoy the brief bit of sun - hasn't this summer been a bummer so far?
Take care and I promise updates will be much more regular once BSR gets to the 'du and everything goes crazee!

Good grief it's New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T10:14:00.001+05:30

Where did all that spare time go? We have been very busy since we got back organising this year and next year. After many attempts I secured a paid job (YAY) which starts next week, and Robin has arranged his sponsorship (better late than never) and has booked his ticket for the middle of January to head back to Nepal to the apartment he has arranged. He will be busy trekking, making maps, updating the guidebook and who knows what else. Oh yes, he is working on some smartphone apps too which I have helped with (being so smart at such things) and we hope they will be out soon - you will be the first to know.
The credit cards have been getting a bit of a hammering thanks to no job, but I am cheering myself up with the thought of all the POINTS we'll have... I think I know where my first few pays are headed!
Strewth these blasted planes overhead are driving my nuts - it's like the blitzkrieg today!
Our Christmas was a fairly sedate affair with mad nanna on her leave pass from the maximum security twilight facility (and with not a lot of idea what was going on - but she knew who Robin was after 10 months away, still not sure who I am though!).
The Hawaiian party I wrote about 3 weeks ago was fun - there were some really bad outfits there, and interesting uses of palm trees.Here's the gruesome twosome and some awful carpet....Well at least I wasn't wearing a coconut shell bikini.
I have my new iPhone 4s now and I love love love it. And it has a sparkly pink protector in case I drop it.
Just before Xmas I was cleaning the oven (a pyrolitic one which heats up to about 500 celsius) when the inner door glass broke. Into about 10 million pieces. Fantastic. First time we've had to clean the oven with a vacuum cleaner! When I rang the manufacturer on the Monday the woman said "oh we are only sending someone out if you are using the oven to cook Xmas lunch. Are you cooking Xmas lunch?" so of course I said YES. Otherwise I'd be waiting for weeks. And they fixed it for free. How kind.
And of course what has kept me sane has been the cricket - the chance to sit back and enjoy Australia beating India (especially when I won a $10 bet with my Indian friend) is worth being under employed. I am still not sure if I should go double or nothing on my bet with Adi, as I think the only game India are likely to win will be Sydney. Must give that more thought. Pity I only get to go to day 1 and day 5 (if it lasts that long) of the Sydney test thanks to my new job.
My highlight for this year which is rapidly disappearing into the sunset would have to be getting my 2nd eye done (not that the op was such a highlight considering the anaesthetic didn't work) because I can now see better than I have been able to since I was about 4 years old. And that was not yesterday! And Robin's highlight was definitely being able to complete the Manali to Srinagar trek, which everyone told him could not be done.
Well I hope you are looking forward to a great NYE wherever you are and whatever you do. Stay safe, don't drink more than a bucketful of anything and see you all next year when there will be more thrills and spills on the GHT - this time with more India, Nepal and maybe even some exciting news for Pakistan.

Where have I been all week?

2011-12-10T07:57:00.000+05:30

At home, that's where! Had a good flight from Bangkok last week - the plane was pretty empty so everyone got a row each and I enjoyed the delights of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie. LMAO.

I managed to drop my iPhone at the luggage carousel - it still works but is definitely a health hazard as you can see. Good thing our phone contract had expired so I managed to get a new 4S delivered, so I can now use a phone without getting shards of glass embedded in my fingers.
The weather since we got back has been pretty ordinary and I have had to get out of the summer part of the wardrobe and concentrate on the long sleeved end. Boring. Still no exciting job offer. Boring. Test cricket Australia v NZ - only a bit boring...
Tonight we have Rhonda's 50th birthday party and it is a 50's Hawaiian theme - which would be fine if the weather was warm but I think I will have to ditch the grass skirt and coconut top - which probably isn't a bad thing! And I lost the toss and get to be designated driver. Which means Robin gets to do the honours at Xmas.
Puss was very happy to see us and I can't tell you how many times I have fallen over her as she darts around me. Pest!
Robin is hoping to head back to Nepal in mid January as he has a lot of businessy things to attend to, but I plan to be here in Sydney until mid year before I head back to Nepal and India. No firm plans yet, it all depends on so many things.
Today I drove to the shops in the next suburb and discovered that the nearest parking spot was in fact the one I had just vacated out the front of home.. so I drove back home, parked and walked. Summer Hill shops on Saturday are a nightmare, and today was no exception. There was a guy outside the bottle-o playing Hungarian songs on the piano accordion, the 'band' outside the bank playing Eagles songs, and some children who were playing maybe clarinets or something (very badly) delighting us all with Xmas songs. I HATE XMAS SONGS! But the highlight of the trip is this place:

I think the people in there must be very scary.....and in all the years I have been wandering past I have never seen or heard anyone in there, but every now and then a new gnome feature appears.
I need a cup of tea and a relax in front of the cricket after that experience.
Have a great weekend

Homeward bound

2011-11-29T17:19:00.000+05:30

Hello from our last night in Katty. Tomorrow it's Bangkok airport for a sleepover then back to hopefully sunny Sydney. If that was 4 month in Nepal, Sri Lanka and India well I have had it. It has been many things, but dull wasn't really one of them. I've just got time to check a few things, like the newspapers... and here are some items you may enjoy...

Keep your seatbelt fastened until the plane comes to a complete stop.

Plane tickets and passport? Check.

Road safety Katty style

Visa expired today and you fly tomorrow? Check!

If she weighs as much as a duck she's a witch..

And so it's namaste from me, and it's dib dib dib from him.

Thanks to everyone in this crazy part of the planet and I hope to see you all soon.

Now where did I put last week?

2011-11-27T15:50:00.000+05:30

Strewth, how can it be the last 3 days in Nepal already? And what was I doing all week?
Sunday was our friends last day, and then we had some other mates come back so it was a moderately sized evening at Sams for what has now become Singalong Sunday. oh dear me...
The week has been very busy with Robin looking at various options to occupy himself here next year, while I look for meaningful and remuneratively excellent employment in Sydney...Fingers crossed and thanks everyone who is keeping an eye out for me. We have also been apartment hunting which is q reeal exercise in frustration, becaue landlords assume you work for an NGO and couldn't give a rat's how much rent they charge. Oh buddy you are so wrong. We are hopeful that Robin can find something decent to share with a few friends which isn't too far from where we currently are, but is less noisy and chaotic.
I found a cafe with free wifi and great chocolate cake (which even has chocolate cream and icing!) and also does a mean chicken and avo salad roll. After 4 months that tasted pretty good.
Today I visited friends in Shivapuri and helped bottle some home brew - which I was pretty good at - and then we sat in the garden having lunch and wine in the sun. The wonderful sun which has been out all week, except at night obviously! My goodness the nights shave been cold and many places now have their fires roaring - if I wasn't on the iPad I could show you some pics... Maybe tomorrow. Got an excellent virus on the iPad and iPhone which did some interesting things and I hope I have now fixed it....never use an unsecured network.
Singalong Sunday night loome ever larger so I think I had better prepare myself.
will try to post some of my excellent pics as soon as I can get the laptop away from sir.
sayonara

here comes the sun mmmm

2011-11-20T17:04:00.002+05:30

At last us 'valley denizens' can get our clothes dry, heat our shower water and warm up. It is truly marvellous that the sun came out after 5 days of dreary. I seem to have started an unofficial facebook club of laundry lovers here in the 'du. And we are all very excited of course.

Our mates Neal and Rhonda leave this evening for Honkers then Sydney - we spent some time this morning in the cargo place cross the road organising to send 41k of 'stuff' back home, so I dropped some of Robin's blasted books and maps in so I have more room in the bag for my important stuff.

Thought you might like this from the Times of India.

It brightened my day!

Well I have finally managed to extricate my laptop from sir, so here are some pics from the rafting trip:

Back from the wild west

2011-11-18T12:58:00.000+05:30

What a great trip we had to the jungle, when the flight finally left. We had a jungle walk in the afternoon where we saw nothing, then the next morning at 4 am (whose stupid idea was that?) we drove for 3 hours to get to the raft put-in point. I was not amused.
Drifting down the Babai river was wonderful, so peaceful, and there were just some small rapids where we sometimes got stuck and had to get out and drag. Lunched along the way and then set up camp beside the river. The following day we drifted a bit more till we got to the Mahendra Highway where we had to finish. Along the way we saw crocs, a wild bull elephant, otters, a huge sambar deer and loads of beautiful birds. We did not however see a tiger, even back in the jungle... But we did have prints on the beach where we camped. We finished the rafting near an army camp, so as we were waiting for our lift of course 2 of the boys came over to chat to us and get their photo taken. When I can get to my laptop I'll download some photos, but Robin has been updating software and things aren't going to plan...Gosh that sounds like a "what I did on my holidays" composition from 4th class!
Our flight back here was delayed by 2 hours so we had a free cabaret at Nepalgunj when a drunk Nepali businessman spent at least half an hour abusing airline staff. What a dick. Also met an Aussie pilot and ended up in Sams with him till the wee hours - he hadn't arranged a place to stay so he got to sleep on our floor on the downmat with a sleeping bag. See how nice we are by rescuing people!
Once again the Lukla flights have not been leaving - I think it is pretty hilarious but I may be alone on that one...
Tonight we are off to Dwarikas for the posh barbecue. I hope they have heaters there as the
weather has been very cold for this time of year - about 6 at night and no sun during the day. it is seriously interfering with my laundry efforts.
enjoy your weekend.

Look out jungle here we come!

2011-11-10T12:48:00.000+05:30

Heading off tomorrow to Bardia for some r&r in the jungle - and hopefully to see some animals. The weather has been lovely here in the 'du and the sun has been out all week which makes a nice change from last week when it was cold and damp. I think everyone has managed to get rescued from Lukla and town is full so it will be good to get out for a few days.
Robin got back safe and sound on Tuesday from India, and Neal and Rhonda came back a day early from their trek due to the undelightful weather they were having. Despite that they had a most enjoyable trek by all accounts. It has been a very hectic social whirl with people coming and going and everyone wanting to catch up. We have been locked out every night so far but I think we may be back a little earlier tonight since we are on the 8.30 flight to lovely Nepalganj in the morning.
I had better continue with my pathetic packing attempts - I sometimes wonder why I bother, and then realise that I haven't! Which is why I am always doing things at the last minute I guess.
Have a great weekend and I hope next time I can tell you about seeing a tiger.... fingers crossed.

Greetings from the gym

2011-11-07T11:56:00.000+05:30

That's right I am back into it and I guess it is a good idea... try telling that to my knees though. At least I don't feel quite so guilty about having a toasted cheese sandwich for lunch afterwards.
Well people are still 'stranded' in Lukla although about 20 flights got out yesterday (which would be about 300 people) and I am pleased to say that most of my friends here are of the opinion that these people are not so much stranded as useless, lazy and want to have something to complain about. No doubt when they all get back they will be able to whinge about the lack of hotel rooms in Katty and the unavailability of flights to wherever they are going next. That's what usually happens anyway. Why should this year be any different? One friend has suggested I record a 2 minute rant for Youtube and we can make it go viral. I'm thinking maybe not...
On the social front I have been very busy with friends arriving to go trekking (to Everest but I changed their minds for them), helping an Aussie mate here with his office, and gossiping.
Yesterday afternoon we had a big storm here which caught a few people unawares, and then the weather got really really cold. I didn't get to the ATM and didn't fell like going at night so I had enough money to buy a dodgy kebab (which actually wasn't dodgy) to go with the beers at Sams, which I didn't leave till midnight. Dirty stop out. Tonight is my last singles night so I am going to make the most of it. Maybe. Depends on whether I make it to the ATM...
So BSR arrives tomorrow, on the wings of this magnificently not quite right article from Indian media. I had no idea he was an 'ace mountaineer' (or as my friend put it 'mace mountaineer'). Oh someone from Sams wants to know how many woolly hats without bobbles you can get from an average sheep. Any ideas? We googled it but didn't get an answer. It's really important or I wouldn't ask...
I have a feeling that I am going to get some snide remarks about the messy state of our room here, so I am thinking that maybe I should try to tidy it up a bit before sir comes tomorrow. Trouble is I am still looking for some things so everything is just kinda spread everywhere - and I have to get all my warm clothes out as well as stuff for the jungle extravaganza later this week.
I can hear the ATM calling out to me.. I had better pack up and get out there before people coming from Lukla get all the money.

Still no Lukla flights

2011-11-04T11:01:00.000+05:30

It has been about 5 days since people managed to fly to or from Lukla, and the local TV news was reporting last night that there are 3000 people stuck in Lukla and another 500 in Phaplu just down the trail. Trouble is, Lukla is running out of meat and veg, and people are running out of places to stay while they wait for their flight.
A very simple solution is to walk for another maybe 2 days (since you have already been trekking you should be fit) and get to the roadhead, catch the bus to Katty and not miss your international connection. Alternately, you can sit in Lukla or Phaplu and complain about how somebody else should fix the problem. And how your travel insurance won't pay, and you have to fight with everyone for the first seats once flights start, or you have to bribe your way onto a chopper.
Everyone here knows that every year in late October or early November there is about a week of bad weather when flights to the mountains quite simply cannot go. Overseas tour operators should know this too, because they are always complaining about how much it costs them to evacuate people and change flights. So, why not just change your stupid trekking programmes to allow for the weather problem, or just give the staff instructions that if the flights is cancelled they immediately start walking for the roadhead? That way people could still get out in time. Why is it always that the Nepal Army has to waste time and money flying enormous helicopters up and down to Lukla to rescue these idiots? It makes my blood boil. But I guess you can see that. That's my opinion and you are most welcome to it!
At least the people here in Katty who were hoping to go to Everest are smart enough to see that their holiday is slipping away and they just go somewhere else for trekking.
So what else? Well I missed Raj's birthday bash in Delhi but Robin went along and ate too much food. Robin had an interview in the Hindustan Times - the English they attribute to him cannot possibly be his but it is an interesting angle...
People here are still excited about the 'peace deal' between the major parties, who now admit that they are embarrassed that they wasted 3 years arguing about petty rubbish instead of working for the benefit of Nepal. Maybe now they can get on with the business of actually running the country. Dr Bhattarai really does seem to be doing a good job and he has the confidence of the people. If his previous efforts as Finance Minister are anything to go by we may just get positive change here.
The weather here right now is what can technically be called 'dreary': damp, foggy and COLD at night. Thank goodness for my Red Spot Boutique doona I brought all the way from home.
And in vitally important breaking news, the Fate of the Nepali Calendar hangs in the balance...Do not read if you are easily befuddled or demented. You can see why this country is such a basket case when you read this.
The reason it says 2069 is the Nepali calendar is a bit in front - I forget exactly what it is based on but right now it is 2068 and 2069 starts about 15 April next year.
It's Friday and some more friends are arriving just as others leave, so the frantic social whirl continues. Spent last night chatting with an interesting Saudi photojournalist. Now that's something you don't get to say too often!
I am going to see if my washing is drying on the balcony (probably not) and think about going to the gym. Or not. I am feeling rather lazy after I spent the morning updating my CV in an attempt to procure work on my return home. Ah the joys of being a contractor. Have a beautiful Friday!

And it's hello from Kathmandu

2011-11-02T11:56:00.000+05:30

Where the sun hasn't come out....but it is party time! I'm here with Neal and Rhonda (Neal getting in early for birthday celebrations), Bazz (who I haven't seen for like 8 years) Rodney (we call him the Sea Captain) and Anjou. Just having a few relaxing drinks before Bazz decided to ring the bell for goodness only knows what reason - which meant we all had to have another drink..... oh well.
Kathmandu is still packed to the gunwales - there were only 3-4 Lukla flights on Sunday and nothing since so people are stuck where they don't want to be - and some are starting to get very cross. Good thing the only place I will be flying to is Nepalganj to go to the jungle. There are some very big mahseer in the river and the time for fishing is almost over, so a whole bunch of people I know are headed down to Bardia via Nepalganj to see what they can catch. We are going down to play in the jungle but there will also be a spot of fishing so I am told.
Of course the big news here is that the political parties seem to have finally agreed on some peace points and maybe now Nepal can move ahead.
But I just couldn't resist this letter in the paper today. It is the most astounding example of Nepali logic I have seen for some time......

WTF? Car racing fans going to Lumbini - time to ring the bell again Bazz!

last day In India for now

2011-10-30T11:17:00.000+05:30

And it will be weird to leave. Again.
Thursday's karaoke was kinda strange. There was a family from Mumbai in town for Diwali with their very fat 10 year old out of boarding school. He was 'entertaining' us with rap songs with quite a bit of language that most of us would deem unsuitable for a 10 year old....I managed to get a bit of singing in before the large Indian fellow in a pink shirt (who rather fancied himself) took over doing Hindi numbers for the rest of the night. Oh well.
Friday I was put on hold for the stupid Metallica concert which of course didn't go ahead so what a total waste of time that was. As if you couldn't have predicted that there would have been 'technical and logistical issues'......
But the Formula One has been fun - I have been teaching Raj the finer points of F1. Because I learned to drive in Bankstown!
Last night was another night of singing and dancing my way into the hearts of hapless drinkers. Had loads of fun and NO BLUE DRINKS. Adi, sadly, was in the mood to sink too much alcohol and kept jumping up on the seat then saying Oh Judy I am so drunk and nodding off on me for 2 nano seconds before leaping up to sing. Oddball.
Today I am on a quest to find the man from the office here who has my passport and money which I wanted changed into $. I do hope I find him soon... I'd better ask Raj when he gets back from the paan shop.
Final F1 race today let's hope nobody dies like the last 2 weekends in motorsport.
I am assuming that Neal and Rhonda got their stupid Qantas flight yesterday before Qantas was shut down. Didn't I say all the free fizz in the world at Qantas club doesn't make flying Qantas OK? Didn't I? So with any luck they are cooling their heels in Hong Kong before flying to Nepal via Bangladesh this evening (as you do... such a direct route!). And if I get my passport back I'll see them tomorrow.
Robin and the girls finally made it to Srinagar late last night and are having a rest on a houseboat before they get their plan sorted to get back to Delhi etc etc. I don't expect I will see him for a week...

whoosh there goes another Diwali

2011-10-27T14:15:00.002+05:30

.

About a squillion crore rupees up in smoke last night. It was fairly quiet (and that is of course all relative here in India!) until after everyone had performed their Lakshmi Puja, then whacko off it went, non stop till goodness only knows when. I gave up and put the a/c on (who the hell could breathe what was passing for fresh air I shall never know) and stuck in the ear plugs. Bliss.
So yesterday was a fairly quiet one at home, with family visitors coming through. Then Raj and his wonderful sister and her family went out for lunch, so I was home alone having a wonderful quiet time when my darling friend Manish turned up to wish me festive greetings. I don't think I have ever seen anyone look quite so handsome in a striped kurta shirt as he did yesterday. No, really! And here he was, to give me a present and a kiss. What a lucky girl! Anyone who wants more than that is just plain greedy.

I am just having what has turned out to be an extremely pointless and stupid Facebook conversation with someone in Nepal...I asked him (since he runs a trekking agency and has some people in the area) how a couple of villages are after the earthquake and landslides. Fine didi he says. Oh so all the houses are rebuilt and everything. Oh no, he says, no houses left no schools. Deep breath. OK Einstein, so where are the people living? Or are they all dead? He tells me that they are 'camping'. So, I venture, what in particular about THAT makes you say everyone up there is 'fine' you bloody idiot! no answer.... Then I asked what about food. The reply, and I can't believe I am writing this, is 'They had some extra foods'. Yeah maybe they did 6 weeks ago. I bet they don't now. And winter is closing in. Fack!!! It is no wonder that country is disappearing up it's own drainpipe when you have idiots saying everyone is fine because they are at about 3500m altitude, with winter coming, no fuel, a sheet of plastic to live under and no food. Yeah fabulous. Oh well.

Meanwhile, I went to the hair do emporium this morning - got up and found myself unable to stand the hair anymore. Much better now.....The birds are singing and tonight is karaoke. And tomorrow might be stick ball. Which I will lose.
And another New Year has just whirled into view - Newar New Year. So Happy Nepal Sambhat 1132. I feel young again.

Hey Fatty, step away from the sweets!

2011-10-25T14:05:00.000+05:30

Delhi cops used to take 'Fat Sweaty Coppers' to new heights - or should I say widths? But no more. All hail the plan for the Brave New World.

DUCK! Diwali is coming

2011-10-24T13:28:00.000+05:30

That's right, firecrackers and strings of lights EVERYWHERE in Delhi now. Only 2 days to go before the big night when we shall all no doubt choke on the smoke, if the week leading up to it is any indication. Seriously dodgy looking corrugated tin open fronted shacks are springing up all over town to sell fireworks, and right now in our garden a well dressed young man in very pointy shoes is up a ladder with yet more lights - the trees here are more bloody electric than environment at the moment.
After I last wrote I managed to get food poisoning (not from anything blue) and so spent 2 days existing on lemonade and a piece of toast. So I wasn't much fun. But I did enjoy the 2 good results in the Rugby and well done New Zealand for hanging on against the French - that was one tough match. Last night got a tandoori chicken home delivery (thanks Manish) which I had to stop myself from completely devouring in record time, and now feel much better.
Brave Sir Robin and the girls meanwhile have been testing my patience again. I got the call on Saturday morning that they wanted to have a dessert, and could I please send thru a steamed pudding recipe. None of them can cook, or even have a remote idea about batter etc, so I found the simplest recipe I could and sent it over 5 SMSs to them. Now, BSR is always telling me what a fantastic judge of space and volume he is, whereas I am apparently crap at it. The recipe called for 125g of flour, so I said 250g is one cup, 125g is therefore half a cup. Obvious really. Oh, and I must point out that to call them I usually tried for an hour or so nonstop before getting thru. If I was lucky. Anyway, finally late Saturday I got thru to them just as the pudding was coming out, oh we didn't get the quantities right says Robin because ..... we only had small cups....what a dick. He then engaged in conversation with everyone else for some time while I was shouting down the phone 'if you want to talk to them I will hang up and see you in Nepal next month!'. That got his attention....
Anyhoo, they are now heading via an unexpected route to Srinagar, which they should reach by next weekend all being well, though it is going to be very cold they have been assured that the crew this time around aren't a bunch of panzies. Hopefully. They sure don't make them tough like Nepalis here in India.
And coming up for my last weekend in town we have the inaugural India F1 Grand Prix which will not be as big a palaver as the CWG we hope. It has certainly affected the Delhi-ites driving abilities...
Neal and Rhonda seem to be getting very excited about getting to the 'du next Sunday - it will be great to catch up with them again. And to get some new clothes to replace my dead ones - thanks Iain and Trek & Travel!

did you miss me?

2011-10-21T16:10:00.003+05:30

I tried doing this on my iPad a few minutes ago but could only manage a title and no body text. Useful. SO here I go again on the Macbook.
Now what was happening. Monday I went at peak hour to CP on the metro which was surprisingly civilised, and got my changed again plane ticket. And had to fight off and shout at touts who were trying to get me to go to the market or their friends blasted shops. Had breakfast on the way home because the person who contributes nothing in terms of money or food to the house ate all my bread and peanut butter. I'm too old to be living in shared accommodation like this!
Anyway then went off to Khan market for the nth time to check the final dress which still wasn't right so I told him to give up and make a shirt instead, to be collected on Wednesday. Then Raj finally appeared from his mysterious 2 day trip to some mango orchards and we had dinner and some drinks. Tuesday was a busy one as BSR called me in a flap to say that the 3 weeks rations they had were finished after 2 weeks because the cook and 2 of the porters were crooks and I would have to get them sacked and get a replacement team. Great. So I rang the agency and shouted at them, and said that if they did not fix it ASAP I would personally ensure that the whole world knows how CRAP Indians are at arranging trekking. Oh and the crew were scared of snow. FFS.
I wasn't feeling quite right by this time, so was enlived totally by this challenge (not). Raj and I had also decided to get some decorations to do up the house for Diwali so off we went, with little Kana the Japanese student driving the whopping great Landcruiser round Delhi to AG Roy Marg where all the traditional Diwali stuff is sold. By about 9.30 I was so cold and sleepy I felt like dying. I crawled into bed with blankets etc on and was unable to breathe, and got no sleep all night. I had a pounding headache, awesome fever and a horrible rash, and my guts didn't feel too good either. Took several handfuls of anything I could grab, and thank goodness someone got me a hot water bottle. I managed to get downstairs for about an hour and lie on something other than my bed but it really wasn't worth it, so I went back upstairs and crawled into bed. Manish came to visit briefly (didn't bring flowers or grapes though!) which brightened my day. I had various diagnoses from people, such as virus, malaria and dengue. Thank goodness Manish convinced me to wait another night, and Wednesday night was much better. And at 3am Thursday I woke up knowing exactly what it was - blue food colouring. Which I am allergic to. And which was in my shot on Saturday night. How stupid. Won't make that mistake again. But I did get to watch lots of James Bond movies on telly.
So Thursday I finally left the house for 10 minutes to go to the ATM and I really enjoyed getting out. Had to miss the karaoke at Harry's but there is always next week. My last one...
Last night I had a sleeping tablet to make sure I got an uninterrupted sleep (well until the school marching band out the back starts at 7.30) and woke up to Vinita bringing me bed tea, which I drank and promptly fell asleep again. Got down at 11 am just in time to polish off some breakfast before the rugby, which of course Australia won. And I WON A BET. Sorry Ade, but you know it was a forward pass..... I will be collecting it on the 9th and if you won't be in town leave the money with Verena!
BSR and the girls are now in Panikher near Kargil and are finalising their plan to trek to Srinagar, which will take 6, 9, 12 or some other number of days. I've lost track frankly. Depends if there is more than 1 micron of snow. I can't get over what a bunch of pansies these Indian 'mountain men' are. Have a glass and a half of toughen up princess is what I say. No wonder hardly anyone bothers trekking in India - you'd be better off hiring nanna as a porter. And she would probably make nice cakes too!
So the weekend looms anew and my dance card is practically free - I am calling in a favour to avoid something I don't want to do and let's see what turns out.
Tomorrow I will definitely go to Khan market to collect the things I meant to get on Wednesday. I hope.
Go the All Blacks.

bad weekend for losing money

2011-10-16T22:20:00.005+05:30

What a god awful pair of rugby games that was... Crummy French Irish ref who sent the Wales captain off and then what the Wallabies were doing I cannot say.... So now I owe another 50 bucks and should probably give up on picking teams in comps.Had a fairly quiet one yesterday what with the rugby being on in the middle of the day, but I did manage to change my ticket for Kathmandu to the 31st so I can have some more time here in Delhi before I get back to no power land.
I'll have to go on the wonderful Metro again today - I can't wait to see what shenanigans are happening in the ladies compartment...

And in some jolly airline news from Nepal I give you these:
A flight for Lukla had some fun and games
A cargo flight had a bumpy landing
And a good reason to hang on to your luggage
And you wonder why I am convinced that I'm going to go in a plane crash in Nepal.....
On a lighter front however, the government is really concerned about what the citizens think. Either that, or surely this MUST be a joke. As if the phones would ever work anyway!
I'm thinking of opening a karaoke bar in Katty. But because of the power cuts of course I need a way to do it without electricity. So I thought it could be 'unplugged' but how do the performers read the words? What do you reckon about having someone hold up the lyrics printed on cards...With a torch shining on them in the dark of course. It could be such fun.
Robin and the girls appear to be about halfway to Srinagar and any week now I am expecting a call...

Here for a good time, not a long time...

2011-10-16T11:58:00.004+05:30

Which may be just as well....
OK so I didn't have vodka for lunch on Friday - we all went out to Oh Calcutta instead.
That night I went with friends to Underdoggs, a particularly classy sports bar. There was miles of security and we thought it was because the cops found loads of RDX up the road in Ambala earlier that day. But no, it was because Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt (who shares my birthday but I look better) from BIGG BOSS (India's Big Brother) were coming. I think Manish really wanted to check them out but we stopped him. Anyway, we had some food and beers and I managed to lose my double or nothing bet from the T20 last week when I backed NSW and then RCB, by playing some dreadful pool against Manish who has obviously spent too much time in pool joints. This establishment also has a game where there are drinks lined up on either end of a table (much like 10 pin bowling) and each team of 2 has to try to get a ball into the other end's cup. Then the loser drinks. Frankly any game that involves the constant requirement for a mop and bucket should be a worry. And my goodness the girl who lost wasn't very well. Glad I avoided that one.
So to Saturday, where I busied myself with my new Facebook identity and watched Wales suffer an ignominious defeat at the hand of a crappy rugby ref. Well what do you expect he speaks French. And I didn't bet on them so it was nothing to do with me.
Then I managed to find the car and driver out the front at the same time so went to Khan market to the tailors and a bit more shopping, and was on my way home when I had to divert to buy food for a visitor (as if I didn't have enough to carry!) then got ready for Saturday karaoke. Oh dear me...
Benningans was chockers when I arrived but luckily my seat was saved. I had just opened a beer when the girl next to me suggested I try her wonderful looking pink drink. So I did. And I liked it. So I ordered one and downed it sharpish. Cosmopolitan indeed! Then beer, then another Cosmopolitan and I was ready to rock! First it was Adi (who is a fantastic singer - his Led Zeppelin is super) and I dancing while Manish sang, then Adi dragged me up to the mic to sing. So KC and the Sunshine band got a whirl with Give it Up (I bet a few people wished I had!) then Staying Alive (wow that was a real treat for the punters) followed some drinks later by Zombie. Awesome. It was decided that Adi shouldn't have rum and coke anymore but that a blue shot of god knows what might be good. And because Manish was driving he couldn't have one so he convinced me to join Adi. Great idea. Tops. Cheers. Thanks guys. Love you heaps ;)
And so after getting home about 2am I was woken by the god botherers out the back at stupid o'clock so gave in and got up. I decided to change my flight from here to the end of the month so that I have more time here for fun and also only need a 30 day visa for Nepal. Instead of the only other option of a 90 day one. So now I get to go back into CP on the metro tomorrow to get my new ticket, and then Khan market for my final frock at the tailors. PHEW.
And of course in another hour we have the Wallabies... I hope they win cos I bet 50 on them and if I lose I may be forced into another double or nothing pool game. And we all know what will happen there.
Time for food...

Lane driving is lame driving

2011-10-14T12:51:00.004+05:30

Anyone who has been to the subcontinent will understand that road rules are somewhat haphazard. In Pakistan there used to be signs that said 'Lane driving is sane driving'. We figured that here they would have to say 'Lane driving is lame driving'. Nobody is in the least bit interested in staying in their lane, and every last bit of space is taken up. Which makes for some great traffic jams. I spent about an hour trying to go about 10 kms yesterday. What a waste of time.
Speaking of time wasting and oxygen bandits, Yahoo customer care (ha) sent me an email to say that there have been other users with the same mail unaccess as me. So they asked some ID questions and then sent me THE SAME STUPID RESPONSE. What a bunch of losers.
Last night was Hindi karaoke night and since I don't know Hindi and can't sing I spent my time drinking, gossiping and dancing. Which seemed like a good idea at the time. Today for penance I went to the post office - there's 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back. There seems to be something about trying to do things on a Friday here that has me jinxed.

I finally got to the tailors on Wednesday (with the same taxi driver who got me lost on Monday night) and the fellow has done a sterling job on my clothes, so tomorrow I go to collect them.
We have had an almost never ending stream of guests and drop-ins here at soap opera central. I can never work out who is here for business or pleasure. People just wander in and out, get cups of tea, even curl up for a sleep! etc - yesterday I had to drink vodka at lunchtime with one lovely fellow who is back today and wants me to have more vodka. Possibly NOT a good idea.

Enjoy the weekend.

Go the Wallabies!

Why I hate Yahoo email

2011-10-12T12:23:00.006+05:30

As regular readers will know, my email has been playing up since the end of September. I have written to Yahoo every day with no success.
After their last stupid email this morning here is what I sent them:
DO ENJOY!

Dear Robot,

I think you must be a robot as a human would surely have read the trail of emails about this. I will assume that you are a robot that was trained in English. Therefore, I expect that you will be able to follow the content of this email. I apologise in advance if you are easily offended.
I have typed these things till I am blue in the face, but WTF I apparently have nothing better to do with my time.
Since 30 September I have had trouble with my Yahoo email address which is xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My husbands email which is yahoo works fine on the same computers and same internet connection. I have sent requests etc to Yahoo every day since then, and I still have the same problem. I get automated stupid responses then a follow up which does not address the issue and when I write again the loop starts anew.
I have attached a document of what I think are the highlights of this marvellously pointless exercise.
Just a few suggestions for next time this happens to people. You may choose to implement them or not, I really don't care because I will never use your crummy 'service' again...
If someone says they can't log in to their email, why do you send an information request to that email? Dumb
If someone says they have carried out all the tasks suggested in your mail, and followed everything on the laughably named HELP page, and still their email doesn't work, why do you continue to tell them that YOU are happy to report you couldn't replicate the error. WE don't care that YOU are happy. We are NOT.
Why do you ask for screenshots and suggest people use an alt tab function when they have advised right from the start they use an ipad and there are NO SUCH KEYS.
In fact, why even bother sending ridiculous automated template replies to people that say you will be happy to help within 24 hours. I have been waiting more than 10 times that long and have not had one sensible interaction.
Good manners prevents me from telling you what I really think about this whole thing.
I can appreciate that perhaps, like Blackberry, there has been an outage that affects many customers. If so, tell us. If not, find somebody with a brain to sort out my individual problem. If you are unable to hire anyone with a brain you should use a different employment agency or pay more money. Remember, if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
If you can solve my problem please feel free to email me.
If you wish to apologise for the appalling lack of customer service or common good manners in your 'organisation' (I can't believe I called it that), please feel free to email me.
If you want to send me another automatic response or stupid template with unhelpful hints like use the alt tab button, may I suggest you use your time more productively and have a toilet break.
Goodbye

I will let you know if I ever hear anything useful...don't hold your breath.

Dilemmas in Delhi

2011-10-12T11:28:00.004+05:30

What an odd week it has been, and we are only up to Wednesday. Hmm where to begin.... Monday afternoon perhaps...
After having left over puris for lunch with my friend Manish and a chap called Ajoy (nicknamed Butch I know not why) Manish and I wandered up to the cake shop for some muffins, then we had a bit of a business meeting thing about a website while I kept trying to get my Yahoo email to work since the Indian call centre fix only worked briefly. Which is better than the Australian one...
Manish was helping out with karaoke on Monday night in a bar on the rooftop of a mall in Gurgaon but couldn't give me a lift, no worries I will get a taxi since the driver was busy. Well I could have taken the metro but really....Gurgaon is about 25 k away. So I managed to get a taxi eventually and gave him very precise directions viz turn left out of the enclave, U turn at the junction and just go straight. For reasons I shall never know he did something else, then finally dropped me at what I believed was the correct mall and tried to overcharge me by saying he had no meter, although when I booked the taxi I was told it had a meter. So we argued for a time and I shoved Rs500 at him and got out. Wandered all around the wrong mall and then rang Manish. He couldn't work out where I was so asked me to go into the street (which incidentally was unlit and no cabs around) to try to spot any landmarks. I couldn't so I walked down the street in the dark past guys peeing into the bushes and thought that perhaps it wasn't such a good idea, when I chanced upon a truckstop and found a random bloke who was only half drunk and asked him in English to speak to Manish on the phone in Hindi. I gave him the phone and he talked to Manish in English then me in Hindi. Finally I got the phone back and Manish gave me some directions, then my helpful drunk friend's face lit up and he stopped a really crappy passing bus and so I got on. I was the only female and when I told Manish he was horrified. Where are you, don't hang up he kept saying. Finally I saw a sign for some big hotel and he told me to get off. NOW. So I started yelling stop the bus and in the end jumped off while it was still going. And there was Manish right behind me. What a darling.
Had a good laugh and several drinks after the escapade. What a dick. I did not however enter the beer chugging competition. One had to consume a 1500ml jug in 3 minutes to get it for free. Of course the local boys had no technique and after swigging about a third of it in 15 seconds they all felt sick. Buckets were rushed to the stage. How tasteful.
Manish ended up staying the night at Raj's so in the morning Raj went to Old Delhi and bought us different puri and halva as well, then we had a wonderful singalong around the piano (well we liked it!!) before another meeting about a website in Japan for Spanish wine. My life is so interesting.
The home front here is not a happy one with clashes between Raj and CA. I do so hate Raj asking what I think, but as I am here as his guest is it my duty to have an opinion and report to Raj. Ham in the sandwich.
Last night however I was very lucky to go to Gurgaon again (this time in Raj's car!) to visit his charming sister and her husband who are staying with their son. I first met them 2 years ago at their wonderful estate in Dehra Dun in the hills north of Delhi. Pushpa is from a royal family in Bengal and both he and Raj's sister Mohini have the most exquisite manners and are a real delight to spend time with. And the food was delicious too.
This morning the Days of our Drearies continued in the front garden for the whole street to enjoy, especially as the power had gone so nobody could enjoy their Indian soap operas. There's one right here. I tried to sneak past but got spotted unfortunately. And 2 hours later it continues although CA has gone to breathe in some more incense at the ashram.
I hope to get Raj to take me to Khan market soon so that I can check my clothes at the tailor. Perhaps we can have lunch.
Or perhaps I have to solve another problem that just landed in my lap. Holiday what holiday?
Here's a lovely orchid from the Botanical gardens in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
And Robin misses all this fun!

Go the mighty Wallabies!

2011-10-10T12:28:00.003+05:30

I think that game took 10 years off my life. Especially as it was only 10.30 here in India and way too early for a glass of wine. I was trying to teach the finer points of the game to Raj, my delightful India host who finally returned from Japan.
Since he arrived on Saturday evening the house has returned to some sort of normality - the cushions are all out on the garden furniture and shopping has been done by someone other than me. And I have a distraction from listening to CA recite inspirational poetry by Sri Aurobinda (Jai Mata! he always adds at the end, to indicate just how marvellous it is). Enough to drive me mad. And why he continues to tell me I should: get up before dawn, sit cross legged (with MY knees?), eat only paneer (Indian cottage cheese), chapattis and tulsi tea (herbal stuff that you can't put milk and sugar in and contains precisely no caffeine), and hang out at the ashram all day I cannot imagine. No thanks mate I'm watching the rugby. Then the cricket. With a beer. Jai Mata!
Still not a lot of news from BSR but if you check out SPOTWALLA you will know as much as I do. Which is not much!
This morning Raj took me for breakfast in Old Delhi - haven't been there for 10 years so will do a bit of sightseeing later this week on the fabulous metro and perhaps I can get groped again. Here is a picture of breakfast: the dough thing is a puri, with pickle, spicy chick pea and different spicy potato.

And speaking of puri, I can't believe I forgot to tell you about The Worst Thing I Have Ever Drunk. (Thanks to sriniv for the flickr photo.) Had it at a lovely restaurant called Punjabi By Nature. It is a smaller version of the puri pictured and you place a small hole in the top, pour in the vodka mixed with cumin, black pepper, raw mango or tamarind. I put one with cumin in my mouth (how bad could it be I thought) and half of it came straight back out onto the plate. Meanwhile the others are looking at me going oh that looks like it is awful, and I was wondering how the hell I was going to swallow it or get rid of it. No potted plants so I had to swallow. YUCKO. It came with a free beer and I know why. Even over a week later my stomach churns at the thought. It was worse then Gammeldansk which was the previous winner, even over salt butter tea. And boy did my guts suffer next day. made me wish I'd gotten a hangover instead. But of course I didn't drink more than 1. Even BSR who can normally drink anything had a look of horror on his face when he went for the raw green mango flavour. And chipmunk cheeks!
So I have been sticking to beer and rum since then rather sensibly I think. Most days I wander up to the SDA 'Rainbow' market to get some dinner (before Raj arrived anyway) and stop at the local Beer and Wine shop to get a bottle of beer to bring home. I think I am getting a reputation as nice ladies wouldn't go there. The place was a real treat on Friday night about 9 pm as the staff barricaded themselves in behind cases of beer and dispensed 330ml bottles only (except to me of course).
In bizarre news from Bihar state (is there any other sort?) a man gets annoyed. I really like the bit after the ad in the middle where the cops indicate precisely when he started to behave abnormally.. make sure you read it!
And in weird news from Goa, a couple decide they have had enough and they're not gonna take it anymore.

Last but not least, the sign outside the Cricket Club in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where we spent a wonderful afternoon before flying back to Kathmandu.
Have a beautiful week!

Madam, let me help you!

2011-10-08T10:26:00.004+05:30

Oh please don't! These are the 5 scariest words you can hear in India, especially around Connaught Place. How did I forget that? Especially in CP? Let me explain.
Yesterday I had to achieve 2 things only, which is 1 too many but there you have it. First, change plane ticket dates for return to the 'du, and second, go to Mr Gopal the tailor in Khan Market.
1.Since the tickets were booked online with Jet, go to Jet website. Discover unable to change online. Ring office, spend 25 minutes on the blower to get them changed BUT I have to go into their CP office to pay $10 to change my ticket but not Robin's as mine was a different fare but we are on the same booking and paid the same price, to travel on the same dates, go figure. OK so far, considering.
2.Decide to combine shopping trips and go outside to find the driver. Madam, says the chowkidar, not here. When is he coming? I don't know. Fine, go back upstairs grab material, passports etc etc and walk up to the shops to get an auto to the metro. Cos I learnt my lesson about walking there the other day when I almost melted. On the way to the shops I see an elephant complete with mahout gossiping to the ironing man on the corner - the mahout was gossiping, not the elephant.
3. Descend into metro and decide to buy a Smartcard (yes NSW transport, even India can manage to have them!!!)and while I am at the service counter I hear manic screaming coming from the escalator gliding up from the platform. There appeared an elderly Muslim gentleman and a younger thuggish fellow who were going at each other and the elderly guy was really giving it to him. There were some cops and security trying to separate them, and finally they got them into the glass room where all we could see was the old guy trying to strangle the young bloke. Tickets please!
4. Finally got on the metro and managed to get a seat. Win! However, when I went to get off at CP with about 10,000 others the crush was unbelievable. The people getting on don't wait for those getting off, and there was a poor disabled fellow in front of me who was getting seriously stomped as he tried to get off. So I stuck my elbows out, started screaming and made like a crazed chicken flapping my way out, trying to help this poor chap get out.It was a very attractive sight, but even after he managed to get out people trampled him and he ended up on the ground with people just running over him. Delhi people are SO rude.
5. This is the fun bit. CP is 3 circles, and you need to know which one you want, or which block. I thought I wanted G but I really wanted P or something like that. Now, CP is where all the gormless recently arrived foreigners hang out (a bit like Circular Quay at home) so any foreign face is fair game. I had forgotten this. As I wandered around in ever decreasing circles, about to disappear up my own backside, a fellow offered to help. Yes madam Jet airways come I will show you. And promptly led me to a carpet shop. Oh look I said Jet Airways also sells carpet. He didn't get the joke .I set off again only to have someone take me to their friend's travel agency trying to sell me a ticket to Agra. No thanks. Then someone said his brother had a nice jewellery shop and perhaps I should just go there and avoid all these bad fellows trying to sell me things!! Finally I stood there shouting at the guy saying Gandhi ji would be appalled at their behaviour (that usually stops them) and he showed me where Jet airways was, and he was right.
6. Back to the delights of the Delhi metro with tickets in hand, but no carpet or jewellery, still carrying my large bag of fabric, headed for Khan Market, change at Central Secretariat for the violet line! Luckily the tailor was IN and I dropped of my frocks to copy, my material and my measurements. He isn't sure if he has the machine for jersey, but he knows someone who does. And for about $300 all up, material plus tailoring, I will have 4 new dresses and some kurti shirts. Next Wednesday I go back for fitting etc. Fingers crossed. I then did a spot of luxury shopping: a 4 point universal power board, peanut butter, jam and biscuits. Then I went to Chona's to reward myself with a walnut brownie with icecream (soft serve no less!) and chocolate sauce. But don't you want any food madam? asked the waiter. Oh no, this IS food I said!
7. The trip home in the Ladies Carriage was horrific. It was very crowded, and not just with ladies. There were some most unsavoury fellows in there ogling (eve teasing it's called here) the women, and rushing into seats when women were standing, so one local lady took such exception that she started chastising them for their rude behaviour. She then pointed at me and I believe she was telling them how bad they make India look to foreigners. Fair point madam. After she got off and the carriage got more crowded one of these boys moved near me and was staring at me, I ignored him so he stuck his hand on my upper lady parts. I gave him a slap and offered to take him to the police. He didn't want to go.
8. I got home and had a drink. Then I had another. Then Captain Ashram came in looking all radiant and asked if I knew anyone interested in ecological sheep washing. Time for another drink.
Go the Wallabies.

Festival Fabric Shopping Bonanza

2011-10-06T17:47:00.000+05:30


Couldn't decide! So I bought the lot.

Ah Nehru Place, what a fine address for fabrics. The 4 at the top (jersey and georgette) are for copies of dresses I currently own, and the 3 cottons at the bottom are for kurta shirts. Tomorrow I will have to go the the tailor in Khan market to begin the process of copy and sew (as opposed to copy and paste). Hey, one of the fabrics is plain! Louela, a lovely Indian teacher who lives where I am staying, came with me, and kept saying "Oh Judy you pick such bright colours. Just like a peacock!" then laughing away. We ran out of money so had to come back home. But before shopping we fortified ourselves with a dosa lunch from the place in Green Park, AB, and some sweets from downstairs. Don't think I shall need much dinner.
As it is Dussehra today I might wander to the park to see if there are any fireworks going on. I saw the locals were busy putting up decorations etc when I got back form the shops. Apparently that is the done thing in Delhi. All afternoon trucks were going on the main road with statues of gods and goddesses and loads of boys playing drums and singing. Could be fun!
If you have been watching Robin's Spot page you will see they didn't get too far today. Maybe it was too cold. Maybe he had a birthday lie in. I wouldn't know.....

email success!

2011-10-06T11:01:00.000+05:30

Don't know why I didn't think of this solution earlier. Instead of emailing yahoo Australia who were clearly in 'grand final long weekend who gives a rats' mode, I emailed Yahoo India and got fixed in an hour. Of course, India is the home of the help desk. Foolish woman!
And my cable finally got up and running so I can enjoy the Rugby World Cup, T20 cricket and news that I can understand. I told you last year about the shouty flashy news here and it hasn't improved. One I saw last night had about 6 different flashy things going on at once while the reporter shouted from out the front of some building. Pass the paracetamol.
My eye infection is getting better too. Pity I can't use my new contact lenses just yet. Hey get this, I was at the shop in Khan market the other day and the man said oh, we can have those for you about 7 this evening can you come back? Oh no, I said, I don't have a driver (all foreigners here have a driver as you'd be nuts to try it yourself), so he said well madam where are you living we will deliver them for you. So later a little man on a motorbike came with my 3 boxes of contact lenses which cost me $100 Aussie and no fee for delivery. Think I might get some more!
The noisy tamasha out the back was some south Indian christians and their max volume was much louder than mine so it was rather difficult trying to watch a murder mystery. Not only do I have no idea whodunnit, I have no idea what they did!
I am off for south Indian dosas for lunch then fabric shopping to get copies of some of my expensive dresses.
No further news from Brave sir Robin (it is his birthday today) and the girls. I don't expect a phone call for a week or so, but I should get a Spot most days.
Make sure you check out the shared page to see where he is. And sympathise with me trying to do a weather forecast that he probably won't get. I think I should just say clear and cold and leave it at that.
And RIP Steve Jobs. Thanks for making computers and software even I can understand.
See ya later

Yahoo is driving me nuts

2011-10-05T15:14:00.000+05:30

ever since I got here on Friday my email has been playing up and in fact is all but inaccessible. I can log in to Yahoo but whenever I try email it throws me out. I have now sent about 12 angry HELP ME messages to 'customer service' at Yahoo with the only response being an email from some bloke called Don who asked me to reply to some questions, and when I did the email bounced back saying 'we don't check this email address anymore'. How completely useless. And infuriating. I managed to be able to check it briefly the other day by piggybacking on Robin's other mail server on the iPad, but now I can't even do that because the server crashed. Or something. HTF am I supposed to run a Logistics Empire if I can't access email?
So to anyone who has been emailing me... sorry.
In other irritating news, the cable TV that was supposedly fixed Sunday Monday Tuesday is still not working so I am stuck with Hindi shouty news and Jerry Springer. I got an eye infection yesterday and that hurts, AND the driver got back today so I arranged with him to go shopping. Yes madam he says. Then I got back from the chemist with my eye drops and the chowkidar (guard) said the driver had taken the car somewhere, maybe one hour, so I said fine when he comes you come upstairs and get me. 4 hours later I have given up. It is like Fawlty Towers here when the grownups are away.
Captain Ashram who you may remember from last time is too ethereal to be bothered with such stuff, and also thinks if you keep piling dirty dishes in the sink (which is full of water and floaty things) the washing up fairy might appear. The house servant is away for a week or so and I am convinced CA was not going to wash up, so I started to and got yelled at. But it STINKS. So I waited till he left and did what I could without any detergent... Honestly it would be so much better if one of the house owners was here. Drives me to drink. Short trip.
Oh and it is The Festival and Durga puja in the open ground right next to my room a huge tamasha (more like a schemozzle) is going on with a giant marquee and a very loud band. I expect it will continue for few days. It usually does.
Hopefully tonight I'll be heading out with Manish the karaoke bloke from last year. For some sensible conversation and dinner and drinks.
Meanwhile Robin, Helen and Toni are in Darcha where there is a forecast low of MINUS 11. Yucko.
Well that is enough whingeing from me for a day. Hopefully next time some of the busted things will be operational.

Greetings from Hauz Khas

2011-10-03T18:28:00.001+05:30

And here is Hydra having a drink from the tap. She is too naughty.
It has been pretty warm since we arrived and I am pining for a swimming pool but since it is the festival season that is a little hard to arrange. Oh well.

Robin, Helen and Toni at the Last Supper

Today I went back to sleep after being woken at 4am as the happy trekkers were loading into the car for a 16 hour drive to Manali. I arose many hours later and after breakfast and some internetverk threw myself womanfully into the business of shopping. I wandered up to the local Metro station (hadn't been there before) and whizzed off to Khan market for a spot of shopping. Almost over exerted myself so stopped for a beer and some chilli chicken before the Metro trip home and the long walk in the heat with my shopping. Ladies, DO take the ladies compartment if you travel on the Metro.

DANGER!!

Right then I'm off for a drink.

Ready for India...

2011-09-29T14:16:00.001+05:30

Last day in the 'du for a while. Packing mayhem continues unabated of course and somehow no matter how many times I have to do it I can't take less than about a hundred outfits.
Robin's talk last night went really well. There were about 100 good folks of Kathmandu there and I think they all got something out of it.
Well yesterday I promised you a good picture, and I have more than that. It's a festival BOGOF on photos!

I guess they don't wash

Deep Love for that orange suit!

He wasn't quick enough to get the light stuff!

One of Robin's trekking partners, Toni, should already be in India but we haven't heard from her, and Helen came in this morning from Everest. So it is all go for a Monday departure from Delhi to Manali for them. I might pass on the generous offer of 16 hours in a minibus to Manali on the sort of road that was on World's Deadliest Roads, which of course would be followed by 16 hours back again. Not really my idea of fun. Even with a sleep inbetween.
Guess I'll see you in India. Enjoy the long weekend and the grand final and the bad weather!

Happy Vijaya Dashami

2011-09-28T11:16:00.002+05:30

That's right it's festival time again. And in honour of it I have spent a few hours renovating the blog. I hope you like it. All the links you click on should also now open in a new page... Marvellous.
Back to the festival. Every Nepali is rushing to get back to their village, and the transport 'entrepreneurs' are charging outrageous sums of money for old folks to even perch on a wooden stool in the aisle of a crappy bus. Dashain lasts for 15 days, and today is the day to worship Durga. Dashain will be followed as usual by Tihar aka Diwali, which is my personal favourite. Many years ago we were adopted into a family here and every year my bhai (little brother) looks forward to us coming to his house to celebrate. It is a lovely festival and everyone can participate. So I must make sure that I return from India in time for Puru and I to spend the day together. That way he's happy and I get a present. Probably another pashmina cos a girl can never have too many.
Ssshhh! We have to be quiet because Robin is practising his talk for tonight. So many people have been invited and said they will be coming that it could be standing room only.
And just in time for the festival the rain has stopped. Hooray. And yes I have lots of washing on the balcony.
Yesterday was World Tourism Day and so the brilliant Nepal Tourism Board organised some things but frankly I don't know why. The first 3 foreigners to arrive at the airport got a free meal or something. Lame. Oh and Sams bar was allowed to stay open for one night only till 2am. Verena said she couldn't be bothered for just one night.
The GHT was officially launched yesterday too... yes I know we have been doing it for years. I can't explain why it has taken so long. Check out our Facebook page for more, and some updated info on the earthquake.
Robin reckons I should join Facebook, something I have vehemently avoided so far. Any thoughts?
I have a photo to put on the blog for you but today I am on the ipad so I can't, because Robin has his presentation on the laptop. But I promise you it will be worth the wait.
I had better start paying attention to the presentation or else!
Bye for now and enjoy the festival!

will the monsoon ever end?

2011-09-26T15:06:00.000+05:30

It has rained almost non stop for 6 months so I am told. I am over the rain and I've only been here for 2 months! So boring. I have even been ironing my undies in an attempt to get them dry. How sad is that. The only sensible footwear is thongs, even though it's about 17 degrees.
This is Kantipath, one of the 'better roads' in Kathmandu. I almost lost my footwear trying to get from one side of the road to the other. See why:

I was out with our Nepali niece Geeta trying to buy a Scooty for her to get to and from college - a boat might have been a better idea.
And here is a splendid bridge:

And following on from yesterday's plane crash (and subsequent bomb scare from a bunch of arguing fools in the departure lounge), I can report that of the 66 major crashes in the last 20 years, 62 percent were fatal. And there are usually 2 per year here. Isn't that great? They are usually CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain'. That means they crash into a mountain. All pilots here are taught don't fly into clouds in case there is a mountain inside. Oh dear. The rescue efforts here were somewhat hampered by gawping Nepali sightseers who had blocked the only access road with their crappily parked motorbikes. Fatalism has its shortcomings.
I'm off to water the garden. Ha ha ha.

another week, another disaster for Nepal

2011-09-25T11:55:00.007+05:30

This morning a Buddha Air mountain flight crashed on approach to Kathmandu. All aboard succumbed to their injuries, and initial reports, although sketchy, suggest that even allowing for the bad weather, the plane may have have been on fire. There were 3 crew, 6 'Europeans' and 10 Indians from Tamil Nadu - most likely pilgrims who come to Kailash or Muktinath. RIP.
In other news, the PM Mr Bhattarai is away, and the marvellously astute Deputy PM made a speech the other day wherein he said that he wished last week's earthquake had happened in USA or Europe. Oh dear. I don't think it was badly reported, I think the poor man is too stupid to know better.
It has rained almost all week and I have only had one day where the sun came out. Depressing. We are trying to pack for India, without even knowing if we have a visa, or if our host is in Delhi to entertain us. Robin has tent stuff all over the room and the hallway, and we have bags for the girls who are going trekking with him as well. Gawd. And somebody across the road in the Tibetan (ha!) shop is testing out a long Tibetan horn. Ouch my ears hurt. And I somehow have to sort all my stuff out. As if.
And look what I just found on line - oh I so want to be old in this country!!
KATHMANDU: The Elderly Citizen Welfare Society, Chabahil organised the Sports of Senior Citizens festival here at the Nepal APF Club grounds to mark the International Elderly Citizens Day on Saturday. More than 150 elderly citizens of Kathmandu Valley participated in the one-day festival featuring six events — spoon race, musical chair, seven-a-side football, breaking the pot, badminton and Intelligence Question test. Founder member and the attorney of the society Chhatra Pradhan said they organised the festival for the first time to support the elderly citizen. “We want to spread a positive message to the society through such festivals,” said Pradhan.

and then there was sun

2011-09-22T15:17:00.001+05:30

Finally after 3 days of unrelenting rain, to add to the post quake woes, the sun has come out and everyone is busy doing laundry. I had 3 lines going on the balcony today - and I'm supposed to be on holidays! At least I still have a balcony...
Kathmandu appears to have gotten off lightly although the old Hanuman Dhoka has some rather large cracks in it. A Nepali friend yesterday bemoaned the fact that immediately after the quake on Sunday, when all the nutty Nepalis had run into the streets while buildings were still shaking, the TV wasn't taking the opportunity to tell people what to do. All they did was show the 1934 earthquake aftermath. Which made even more old ladies scream. Nepalis really aren't very good in a crisis. Most houses here have potplants all over their rooftop edges, and if one of those came down and brained you I think you would need more than paracetamol. Also, the streets are really narrow and most buildings don't have straight edges, so running into the street just puts you into a shooting gallery really. This whole country is so poorly prepared it just isn't funny.
I now have 2 earthquake apps on my iphone and ipad just in case. One has very useful instructions on what to do, plus a flashing light, torch, whistle, megaphone that sends morse sos and a thing to make you keep awake if you are trapped. Not that you would ever get found in this place if more than a few hours had passed. But I guess it makes me feel better.
I am supposed to be packing for India but seem to have lost motivation after all the laundry I did. The weather down the road in Delhi is about 10 degrees warmer than here so I have to get out a few things I packed away. Maybe I can hit the pool there.
Oh speaking of pools and quakes. At the Shangri La on Sunday, many guests ran out into the garden dressed, as Uttam so quaintly put it "only in their panties" as it was just after 6pm and everyone was getting ready for dinner. So, the staff at the hotel grabbed all the pool towels to redignify the ladies. How sweet. Uttam is sorry he wasn't there to help. Instead he was at home with his son hoping that the 11 storey monstrosity under construction next door didn't collapse. And he was pleased his wife and daughters were out shopping!Uttam is one of the few Nepalis that you can trust in a crisis.
Anyway onto other news. Our hotel escaped without any cracks and the water got fixed quickly..
We watched what may be the worst movie ever the other night: Dinocroc versus Supergator.. I don't think any of them could act (no wonder David Carradine end up tangled in coat hangers in a Bangkok wardrobe!) and it was heartening to see so many of them get devoured. Do check it out.

That was my first earthquake

2011-09-19T09:17:00.002+05:30

Which was obvious by my reaction.
We had been watching Pakistan Zimbabwe cricket on the telly and had to go out to meet a friend at the bar, so I jumped in the shower to get ready. I heard Robin shouting something from the bedroom, but since it sounded like "wicket!" I didn't do anything. Then I opened the door to go get dressed and he was looking at me like I was a weirdo and yelling "Jude, EARTHQUAKE!!!!! Get dressed NOW!". So of course being the sort of person who has 3 emergency responses (cup of tea, cocktail or new hairdo) I was poorly equipped to respond properly. By now I could feel the room swaying and people in the street were squealing, so instead of trying to find a matching outfit I went for a skirt and a Target dressing gown. Don't know why. Then ran down 4 floors but couldn't even make it onto the street cos there were so many people standing around, especially the police who looked particularly ill equipped to handle the situation. After a few minutes we all decided there was nothing else happening so went back upstairs to put on something more sensible. Except that we had managed to lock ourselves out. Luckily one of our balcony windows was open so Brave Sir Robin climbed in and fell over all the bags underneath. Must tidy up.
Then we heard on the news that the quake was the biggest since the one in 1934 which took out a lot of people and buildings. And we also heard that some people died when a wall at the British embassy collapsed on them. Which you would have to say is bloody bad luck.
Our ambassador Susan called me to make sure we were OK, which was very kind of her, and said that she was busy manning phones at the embassy as the consul is on leave, so I guess a few frantic parents in Oz heard the news and were concerned.
I think we were very lucky not to have more widespread damage and destruction. A friend in the Everest region said it was pretty scary up there last night, as you can imagine.
So this morning we had no water as the quake broke the pump and some of the tanks, so we have come down the to American Club which we only joined last week, for shower, breakfast and some internet work. Maybe even a swim.
And we all hope there is no more earthquake.

The joy of newspapers

2011-09-14T11:39:00.000+05:30

not a good look

You should all be aware of my passion for whacky newspapers. And Sri Lanka didn't disappoint. Here are 3 I collected while we were away. Do enjoy

for everyone in Oz who has to layby bananas

And from the crime pages.....

If that was a holiday we had it.

2011-09-13T15:54:00.002+05:30

And what fun it was! We made the tight connection in Dellhi despite having to circle for a long time before we landed - mind you getting a lift in one of the golf buggy thingys to the transit area was kinda helpful. and then we ran. How dignified.

Dambulla - decorated by someone on LSD

Colombo is a pleasant city and very clean - and you should try the Galle Face Hotel while you are there. We toured around for 7 days round Kandy, Polonnaruwa and the tea areas, then stopped in Galle to catch the test cricket before we hit the beach. Which was a mixed bag really. It was too rough to swim so we played coconut bowling, and the hotel we stayed in was truly diabolical : it was like living in an episode of Fawlty Towers only we weren't laughing. They ran out of ice for drinks, they ran out of bread for toast, they delivered meals you had not ordered and their 'signature chocolate mousse' came out of a packet. Don't get me started on the flies. Or the 3 different mattresses we tried in an attempt to get a half decent sleep. Or the Dumb and Dumber team at reception - I'd have had more luck talking to an axelotl. So we bailed early (without getting a refund of our up front payment - so we didn't pay our drinks bill) and went back to Colombo. If you need a dinner set Colombo is the place as all Noritake crockery is made there and you can get a 95 piece set (that's a lot to wash up!) for about a thousand dollars. But I'm not sure how you get it back home. And girls, the Triumph shop has very reasonable prices! That's bras, not bikes.

The weird Cannonball Tree in Kandy Botanical Gardens (which are fabulous)

So yesterday morning we had to get up before we went to bed to catch the early morning Colombo Delhi flight before getting back to Katty in time for a dinner at the embassy last night. Phew.


Sunset - no filter

More pics later - we have a huge storm here now and I think I'd better stop.

I can hear the sea calling......

2011-08-21T13:48:00.001+05:30

Having loads of fun trying to pack for Sri Lanka - snorkels (I knew I carried them here for a reason), swimmers and lots of clothes of course, because I am a girl and I must have at least 3 possible outfits per day. I hope the fish and water there are more exciting than the fish pond at Northfield.....
The British Embassy has closed their British Council offices here, and so a whole load of furniture was up for auction on Friday. I went up there with some mates, and Buddhi from the hotel, on the lookout for mattresses, beds and wardrobes. There were some rather swish dining tables a friend of mine wanted, because all the stuff had been imported from the UK (the labels said British Foreign Service) and weren't the usual crappy plywood junk you can buy here. We all missed out but it was lots of fun - and one of the few times I have seen Nepali people queueing to get in (only 2 at a time were allowed through the front gate) and there were a few cartels operating and pooling their resources.Which probably kept a lot of people happy.

And now you see why I get such a good sleep every night on my very expensive Yusirong Pillow which contains 3 different sorts of swan feather if the advertising is to be believed. And yes, I do 'Feeling the natural and enjoy the health'. Thanks very much for asking.
We haven't had too much rain the last few days and when the sun comes out it is SOOO hot. It's been great for getting some laundry done before the trip - Brave Sir Robin thinks I am insane for doing all my own laundry when I am 'supposed to be on holiday'. But who is one shirt down since the laundry ripped a sleeve last week??? That's right, not me.
Yesterday I was Skyping a neighbour back home and giving them a tour of my balcony when they spotted my laundry drying in the sun and STEVE, yes you know who you are, asked if we were very high up because we could use the undies to parachute to safety if there was a fire. There's names for people like that. And they aren't very nice. Remember Steve, I know where you live.
Just to prove that some things never change here, the government recently introduced uniforms for all civil servants (who are often anything but civil) but of course most people pocketed the money (about $100) and carried on wearing whatever... as you see. I particularly like paragraph 2 about trying to bring uniformity into the uniforms. Whatever that means. I think my brain hurts.

Only 2 more sleeps till Colombo (assuming we make the very tight connection in Delhi). I'm really looking forward to the beach time, and having a day at the First Test Australia v Sri Lanka in Galle. There will be NO TREKKING and no CAMPING. But there will be a lot of relaxing.

More crazee news

2011-08-18T10:33:00.001+05:30

Well for starters today is day 1 of the indefinite nationwide transport strike because transport 'entrepreneurs' (as they are so inaptly called) have a 41 point demand that has not been met. I don't know what they want. Let's hope it ends by Monday as we have to get to the airport first thing Tuesday so we can go to Sri Lanka. And I am still waiting for my contact lenses which are somewhere on the Indian border no doubt caught in this strike.
Taxi drivers are also 'miffed' about something or other, I have forgotten what, and so joined in the strike action.
We are once again in Prime Minister limbo here in Nepal, with the last bloke resigning on Monday and the parties now have until Saturday (I think) to pick someone. The main candidates seem to be Sher Bahadur Deuba (who has already had 3 turns and was even sacked for incompetence) and Babu Ram Bhattarai (the Maoist number 2) who did a sterling job as Finance Minister and would have to be better than the other boofhead.
And of course the monsoon rains continues to fall as you can see. I bet this chap hadn't bargained on such a riverfront property when he built.

And you thought public transport was bad.....

And this just because it's unfortunate.

And from charming Thamel

2011-08-14T14:56:00.002+05:30

Where the streets are paved with this. Isn't it lovely. You need to have your wits about you at all times. Good thing I finally have my glasses and can avoid such hazards. Not everyone is so lucky, and of course when you jump out of a taxi it can be very tricky. But the rivers are full and we have electricity. And mould.
Robin, Jamie and I went for lunch to the Sterling Club and now they are sitting around playing Techno Kitty on the iPad - how stupid! Both over 40 and should know better - but it is such fun.
We booked our flights for Sri Lanka yesterday so are looking forward to making the tight connection in Delhi on 23rd. Fingers crossed. Otherwise it will be a seriously tedious 24 hours sitting in the airport waiting for the next flight.

Today is Gai Jatra (Cow Festival) where the family of anyone who has died in the last year can dress up as a cow or a hermit and groups of them wander around town beating drums. Of course.

And just so you know I didn't forget, I offer this to you from yesterday's paper (you guessed, The Kathmandu Post) to explain the dire state of politics in Nepal. Five points, seven points, no bloody point at all! Enjoy.

wish I was drip dry

2011-08-11T13:29:00.001+05:30

I just got caught in a huge downpour that my poor brolly couldn't cope with. Robin, Puru and I had been down to Indra Chowk to get some 100% cotton for sir to get some shirts made and Puru and I were heading back when the skies opened and we tried to shelter under the brolly with limited success. So we hid in a pashmina shop, then a khukri knife outlet before we finally gave up and Puru jumped in a rickshaw to go back to work. While I sploshed my way thru the puddles and got drowned by passing vehicles.
Despite the poor weather, a shopkeeper who was standing outside his Kashmiri emporium said to me "Hello madam would you like to spend your money in my shop?" When I said no, not right now thanks, he said "I take American Express, Visa, Mastercard.". Never miss a money making opportunity!
Met a lovely chap from Darjeeling last night who has worked as a trekking guide for some years and has done part of the India GHT and is now in Nepal to start his west to east traverse next Monday. A delightful fellow called Dhendup Lama. Hope it all works out well for him as he will be trekking right through December in the high passes where it can get extremely cold.
Went to Miss Juni's hairdo shop this morning to get rid of the hair beanie that has been on my head and making me sweat so profusely.I now plan to enjoy the afternoon movie - yesterday it was Octopussy with Roger Moore and lots of baddies with foreign accents. Who knows what delight awaits me today?

full steam ahead

2011-08-10T13:19:00.000+05:30

Kathmandu has become very muggy the last few days and everyone is getting frustrated with it. No deodorant seems able to cope. Sadly.
Had another visit to Tilganga and was told by Dr Ruit to go off and enjoy my new life. Excellent. I now need specs for distance (as opposed to everything else I needed them for) so I ordered 3 pairs today - 1 pair with transition lenses that change from dark to clear when you go inside, one lot plain for inside, and one dark for sunnies, and it cost me Rs 3000 (not even 50 bucks). And I can collect them on Friday and not in a week or so like at home. God love them they even gave me a discount!
So that means that soon I will be able to: see the TV, read signs across the road, find streets when I'm driving, spot UFOs heading straight for me, and avoid wild animals. All of which will be useful.
Rather glad to be here in the muggy old 'du as opposed to being mugged in London. Those people need a damn good thrashing. Mind you if you want to rob a bank in Wales now would be the time since all their coppers have gone to London. Not that I am suggesting anyone should do that. Just an observation.
Statistics released yesterday re civil aviation in this wonderful country reveal that 35% of the plane crashes in the last 20 years resulted in fatalities...What marvellous news! And the Ministry of Tourism has the worst record for fixing 'irregularities' - only managing 10%. Like the runway presumably.
I'm off to stand in front of the fan and disperse my aroma.

And in the news right now

2011-08-08T13:58:00.004+05:30

So I plan to apply for a job at this newly opened Ministry as soon as possible. I think it would be a great place to work....
You will be thrilled to know that my eye is improving every day - I even crossed the deadly Kantipath intersection 4 times today without my guide dog and I'm still alive. And speaking of pedestrians, the big investments for Nepal Tourism Year 2011 have been some green wheelie bins in Thamel (donated by the Chinese) and some rather randomly placed pedestrian crossings. I've not been brave enough to use them myself - they seem to give drivers an unfair advantage in lining you up in their sights. I prefer the duck out and stay on target method. Even with limited distance vision.

Meanwhile it looks as though I may have left it too late to get a Nepali drivers licence, if today's newspaper is anything to go by. As I mentioned the other week, the journalism in this country goes from bad to worse and this item in today's Post is a classic. Do enjoy.
The weather now is very muggy with big storms most afternoons and evenings. We gave up on trying to join the Hotel Malla pool and gym as it was too expensive, so we are now having a go at joining the American Club, Phora Durbar, where I was a temp member a few years ago. It has a great pool, gym, tennis, squash and is building a sauna too apparently (not that you need one in this weather!). The cafe is pretty good as well, and their wi-fi always works. Now we just have to wait and see.
The foreigners in Thamel at the moment seem to consist of: Hindu pilgrims off to Mt Kailash in Tibet or Muktinath in the Annapurnas, Japanese groups in matching vinyl vests taking the same photos of everything on the street (do not get stuck behind them!), and the gap year students full of good intentions and not a lot else. Until Friday night when the bars do a roaring trade via shots of Tequila. How very classy. Saw one last Friday night before 9pm on the ground in her white shorts and boob tube - such sensible attire...ERK!
Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting a lovely chap called Sunil Tamang who walked a huge chunk of the GHT all by himself earlier this year. He's 20 and very self motivated - he started with only Rs 28,000 (about $375 Aussie) and got all the way to Rara Lake in the west. A fine example of what you can achieve even with very little assistance.
And in news from the travel insurance department: 2 foreigners here required urgent assistance: one a male paranoid schizophrenic who had stopped taking his tablets, the other a female nymphomaniac who I'm not sure what happened to her. They were shipped off to the same secure facility, in separate vehicles, but the bloke jumped out of the ambulance on the way, the cops pursued him and he was finally bundled into a taxi. It is to be hoped they make a beautiful friendship together. Who knows how long the poor sods will be there before someone comes to rescue them.
I had better hand the laptop back to Brave Sir Robin who is champing at the bit to do some more work. I'm back to Tilganga tomorrow for another check up and more eyedrops - hopefully I can reduce it from the current 8 times a day I am on at present.

Eye eye Captain

2011-08-04T11:28:00.001+05:30

At last I can see. Out of both eyes. Properly. Only took 52 years! Thank heavens for Tilganga and the Fred Hollows gang. I had my initial appointment there on Monday and they managed to squeeze me in yesterday (Wednesday) which was great.
Here I am in my gorgeous operation outfit - which fits so well in all the right places! Obviously I was smiling as I had little idea what was in store for me.. last year's op went very smoothly but this time I wasn't quite so lucky. The cataract was reluctant to leave my eyeball, and I suspect that the local anaesthetic in my eye didn't work because I could feel everything - like the slice, the crochet hook thing to pull it out and all sorts of other stuff. But it finally relented and I am now enjoying a life of relaxation for a bit.
If you are keen to see my cataract op, you will find it here: I don't think I'll be tuning in any time soon....
And in other news, had a charming lunch at the embassy on Tuesday and our favourite bar reopens tonight HOORAY. No more having to make do with the sheer incompetence at Delima Garden (not known as Dilemma Garden for nothing).
Friends are gradually making their way back into Kathmandu, crappy runway notwithstanding. The TIA runway has been closed I think 5 times in the last few months because the firm who got the tender to repair the one runway had to spend so much money in bribes (for what, I have yet to find out) that they don't have any money for materials. So, they fill the cracks at night (in monsoon, so very wet) with a bit of sand, rubbish or whatever and a light icing of bitumen which of course doesn't set. And it is right at the point where planes touch down.
All aboard for a thrilling landing at TIA. Fasten seats belts and assume crash position!
Robin and I have joined the Hotel Malla pool and gym so once I get the all clear I can splash about a bit. And we are planning to take a short trip to Sri Lanka in a few weeks to help with Robin's visa situation in South Asia - he can't go back to India yet and can't spend much more time in Nepal right now. Tibet is now open again but has no beaches, Thailand is on the way home, Clifton Beach in Karachi is not really a sun lovers paradise so Sri Lanka it is. We've never been there so we are really looking forward to that. If it happens.....
Right, I'm going to recline now and look pathetic in case anyone comes to visit.
And I'll wait for the STAR movies James Bond festival which is on every afternoon.

If that was my birthday I had it

2011-07-30T11:51:00.001+05:30

Robin organised a little soiree at Dwarikas hotel last night for the Friday night barbecue buffet. There was us two, Puru my Nepali brother, Uttam my Nepali boyfriend, Toni who just finished the full traverse of the GHT and was flying to China today, our old mate Jamie, and Susan and Satish to lend an air of decorum. We had a thoroughly splendid meal, with cocktails, wine, bubbly and a magnificent chocolate mud cake. Then it got silly. I decided we would have a game of stick ball (pool to those of you with a misspent youth) between Aussie passport holders and the rest of the world. So it was Susan, Robin and I versus England (Toni), New Zealand (Jamie), India (Satish), and Nepal (Uttam and Puru). It was a showcase of appalling aiming but luckily none of us ripped the felt, although the white ball did go down once or twice thanks to her Excellency and the New Zealand player. Neither Satish or Puru had picked up a pool cue before so they can feel rather pleased with themselves. In the end Australia won, with the birthday girl sinking 3 including the black. Great effort but I still ache from laughing.Then 5 of us plus driver piled back into the small car we had and whizzed back to Thamel for a refeshing ale on the balcony before bed.
My appointment at Tilganga was postponed till this Monday so I am still unsure how much longer I will be waiting for the op.
And of course, in whacky news from Nepal, this one caught everyone's eye yesterday: "Prime Minister wading through labyrinth". And just when you were wondering how exactly one wades through a labyrinth, we were informed that he was also "on the horns of a dilemma". So clearly, even though he was wading his feet weren't getting wet. Because he was on those horns. Uttam reckons the journalists currently employed at the Kathmandu Post which boasted that marvellous article must surely be the incompetent ones from the world's worst newspaper, the Rising Nepal. Hopefully we can look forward to more of the same.

Back in the 'du

2011-07-28T08:55:00.001+05:30

Greetings from soggy mouldy Kathmandu, where even the old palace walls have slime dribbling down them. Charming. And I am struggling to get my laundry dry. But I am happy to report that finally I am properly warm for the first time since March.
I managed to get away with 38 kilos of luggage on Monday and then hopped on an almost full flight (thanks no doubt to the wonderful exchange rate) to Bangkok. In contrast the flight from Bangkok to Kathmandu was only about a third full and I managed to be first in the Immigration queue to collect my visa. The wait for my luggage was considerably longer, and of course it wobbled all over the place on my crappy trolley.
And despite my dreadful eyesight I managed to spot Robin before I crashed into him. Since then it has been a whirlwind of people visiting (and Toni who just completed the full traverse of the GHT is staying across the hall from us so I've been spending time with her) and getting stuff organised. Like a much overdue visit to Miss Juni's hairdo emporium. Today I was meant to be off to the eye hospital but Dr Ruit is on holiday so I have to wait till Monday for that treat.
There's not too many people around at the moment as monsoon isn't a good time to do much in Nepal (except perhaps wade through skanky water and feel mouldy) so we have been able to devote some time to the business of GHT. Robin is currently chatting to Hauser, a big German trekking company, about them running GHT trips.
Oh look the sun just came out - how fabulous!

ERGH#FWH%&

2011-07-23T12:51:00.000+05:30

That's how I feel. A hectic final week at work, the most god awful wind and rain all week, Robin losing his Aussie SIM card which meant I had to fart around getting him a replacement when I'm not 'authorised' on his account and all the other last minute crap that happens every blasted time.
Had a splendid last day at work - went out for lunch and then had a silly late afternoon when somebody misheard me saying that one should be careful on boats in wet weather as you could slip on the deck. Need I say more. And somehow it was my fault. Of course. Can you spot the spello on my present?


And just look at the lovely present I got

So today has been a mad rush hither and thither buying a few last minute things in the village of the damned (well that's how it felt!) and getting some free snags and snog from the butcher. Traffic jam to go see mum, tonight's rugby viewing and barbecue plans have changed about 10 times and I am over it. Oh and puss decided to teach me a lesson this morning by peeing on the blanket and doona. Great. It's been such excellent weather for drying laundry.
On a positive note, looks like I will get all my packing into 2 large bags which combined will weigh about 30kg.
Somewhere on planet earth the sun is over the yardarm.
Cheers x

Wish I had webbed feet

2011-07-20T16:49:00.000+05:30

Which will also come in handy for Kathmandu in monsoon next week. At least it will be warm. Because I am really OVER being cold. But I think I already mentioned that.
Must tell you, my ensemble for today (considering that it had been bucketing down all night) was: nice Sportscraft purple silk shirt, cardy from Derjeeling, Fairydown Goretex jacket, Mountain Hardwear Goretex overpants (work trousers in handbag), $350 black leather boots. My goodness didn't I look fabulous! Well at least I didn't have wet flappy trousers all day.
Robin is busy helping organise the GHT reception in Katty tomorrow - Toni and Greg made it the whole way (and well done them). Have YOU thought about having a go at some or all of it yet? I don't need to - I already have!
Well only 2 more work days. Wow. Weird. Kaz (who owns the job I've been doing) came in today for the 1st time since she went off to have cute baby Roman. It was a rather weird day - I felt like I was sitting in 'her chair' etc - when it's where I've been for 6 months! Such is the life of a temp. Good thing we are both wonderful humans who can deal with such things. I am very lucky that the boys at work are taking us all out for lunch on Friday - so I only have one more packed lunch to make: cheese and vegemite sandwich, fruit juice and some Shortbread Cream biccies for playlunch. Whacko. I live on the edge. Permanently.
I'm off to the fridge.

Countdown to Katty

2011-07-18T16:26:00.000+05:30

This time next week I'll be enjoying the inflight service on THAI winging my way to Brave Sir Robin. Wow that 5 and a half months has gone FAST. And have I achieved what I intended? Yes and no. I haven't done some of the 'house' jobs, but I have managed, I think, to do a damn fine job at the office. Considering how long it has been since I had to run a department and supervise staff (admittedly a whole lot less people now than I used to be in charge of) I am pretty pleased with it all. I hope the employer is too. So, only 4 more days before looming unemployment. Better get those bills paid!
The GHT trekkers with World Expedition are within a whisker of completing the whole thing. Wow. 157 days. Well done. It will be interesting to see how many people sign up next year with World Ex for it. Robin is busy helping to organise the fancy reception at the Radisson in the 'du on Thursday. He arrived back in Nepal on Friday and has been on the go ever since.
I'm relaxing and enjoying my last chance to watch The Amazing Race Australia... go the farmers! I'm gonna have to die wondering who wins Masterchef. What other garbage can I find to watch I wonder?
Speaking of which, how odd that His Holiness was on Masterchef last night - not sure what that was all about. Don't think he was either.
Last week I had a pyjama party of sorts. Greg came over to help cut down some frangipani and cut back the bougainvillea and have a wonderful curry and a sleepover. Some helpful soul at work suggested I could bring some offcuts of the frangipani into work to share. So on Thursday I gathered up half a tree, stuck it in some plastic bags and boarded the peak hour train - much to the delight/horror of other commuters. As I was a the bottom of the escalator in town waiting for a gap to jump on, the kind soul from work spotted my branches and started cackling. Loudly. In public. Thanks Jonelle for drawing even more attention to me. But hey, the cuttings went to lots of new homes and I hope they give much pleasure. And I looked like a dork.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Australia vs Samoa rugby yesterday - the Samoan tries were so jolly, especially the first one which STILL makes me smile when I watched it. I'm jealous of Peter who was sitting among the Samoans there yesterday.
Saw the aged parent on Saturday - she was complaining that the stuff on telly is always the same so I asked her to show me how that worked and she turned on the radio and stared at the blank TV screen. Oh dear.
Well I'm off to enjoy another splendid glass of wine while I still can. Gonna take some over to her excellence Susan so we can enjoy it together. Already booked in for lunch, assuming I don't have my eye operation on 2nd August. Fingers crossed.
Bye for now

Super Rugby result

2011-07-10T17:34:00.000+05:30

Wow what a great game - did you see it? I love Digby Ioane.
And Manu just won Dancing with the Stars! It's wonderful to see somebody just having so much fun. If only I could pick winners for money... And if only someone uploads his "Last Dance' on youtube...
Another busy week with work and a round of medical visits pre departure - all the usual girly yearly service things. Don't ask.
It has been blowing a gale all week in Sydney and I am relieved that I do not possess a hairdo. Or wear skirts in winter. Or live in a tent. The bloody house has been cold enough. And the wind makes Mrs Puss run up and own the house like a possessed fool. Which of course is somewhat annoying if I happen to be wandering through with a Ming vase or a bowl of hot soup. Highly likely in this weather - the soup not the Ming vase.
Only 2 more weekends.. and so many things to do. Like get organised, save a few thousand bucks (not a hope in hell), lose some kilos (as if), get a new back fence, a stereo for the car, retile the bathroom and finish reorganising what passes for the bookshelves. So what I am doing sitting around relaxing? Just that, relaxing. Because I deserve it.
I heard from Robin during the week (bit of a surprise - lucky the boyfriend wasn't around!) he got back to Leh quicker than anticipated but was heading off for somewhere or other for a few days. Tomorrow he heads to Delhi for a few days before going back to Katty to wait for me and get a haircut. Or something.
Did I mention I'm bored with being cold? Oh I did...sorry.
Neal just got back from camping in the snow with Lady Rhonda to test the gear she and I bought recently - a screaming success by all accounts. And my other neighbours Steve and Netty headed down to the snow today for a week. Mad.
Looks like I'm gonna miss the end of Amazing Race Australia - which I have thoroughly enjoyed. Robin would be appalled at the stuff I've been watching while he isn't here to complain. C'mon I work hard and deserve to zone out and have a laugh - which is what I do every Monday with the race - I just love Dave and Kel and the farmers - they crack me up. Remind me of some of my relos...Gotta love blokes who talk without opening their mouth in case flies get in. I adore their senses of humour (or is that sense of humours??).
I hope Kaz (whose job I'm doing now) has been paying attention to the Race and Masterchef as Soula (my next door neighbour at work) and I dissect the results after every show. If not, she'd better start watching NOW.
Right then, have a great week.

3 weeks to go!

2011-07-03T13:07:00.001+05:30

How did it get here so quickly? My single life will soon be over! Which is going to be very very strange. For 5 months now I've been able, within reason, to do whatever I want whenever I felt like it - really exciting things like staying up late watching garbage on the telly, eating stupid things for dinner and doing laundry at all hours. Ah well....But of course I will get to see Brave Sir Robin after such a long time. Well when I say see I don't really mean see, because my eyesight is getting so poor now. I'll be relying on him to spot me at the airport when I arrive. I hope I find the right man...
It was another busy week at work, with the mad rush for the end of financial year. I think our figures were pretty good so I'm happy about that, and soon Kaz will be back to take the reins and work her magic. Not sure if there will be a job for me there when we get back from Nepal - it's a bad time of year to be looking for work then too which is unfortunate.
This week I have a bunch of medical appointments (always have lots of those just before leaving) and on Saturday the finals of the Super Rugby - go the Queensland Reds! They played very well last night to beat the Auckland Blues, and now have to play the Christchurch Crusaders.
For some reason last night, after we had watched the rugby, our host decided to put Carry on up the Khyber on for us to enjoy (and he promptly dozed off in the beanbag). What a stupid movie (but we all laughed at Private Widdle, Bungeditin and the 3rd Foot and Mouth Regiment). And so unPC.
Meanwhile Robin is heading for Leh by the look of things. He expects to be back there in a week then back to Delhi for a few days.

This afternoon our Nepali niece and her husband came for a barbie. Neal got to be the barbie meister with help from Pallav, while Rhonda, Yashu and I sat round talking. Snags, corn, bread and individual pavs. Doesn't get any better than that.

I can't believe Robin went to Maccas

2011-06-26T15:45:00.000+05:30

Apparently it was after having been out to a bar with some friends, where it was cheaper to buy VB by the half dozen. So they had 24. And I was told that the Chicken Mac Maharaja burger was highly unappetising - what a surprise! Of course they don't have beef because Hindu persons don't eat it but they do have a range of chicken and vege stuff - not that I'd touch it with a barge pole. I can't remember the last time I ate Maccas - and I don't care if their toilets are clean.
So today I had Neal round trying to help me replace a bulb on the outdoor light - which was way more difficult than it should have been as we had no idea how to get the blown bulb out. So I took a photo and then had to go to - gulp - Bunnings to locate a little man to assist. Surprisingly he did and for only $4.40 I got what I needed and now have a back yard light again just in time for garbage night.
Robin went to the monastery in Leh this morning and saw the Oracle in action. She was busy donging a young fellow with a sword - don't know why but I expect he won't do it again. He was going to hit a few more monasteries this afternoon and he still has tomorrow to occupy himself - I know not with what.
I am now going to admit that I'm watching Dancing with the Stars - such tragic viewing but good for a laugh. Some people just don't have it! I love the outfits and the muscly guys. I'm going for Manu - devilishly charming!
Hey I forgot to tell you that during the week TIA (Tribhuvan Un-Intentional Airport, Kathmandu) was closed for a morning because the runway collapsed. How that country manages to run is anybody's guess. I'm so looking forward to landing there in monsoon.
And last but not least, here's a lovely review of Robin's guide book in the latest edition of the Nepali Times. Have you bought your copy yet?

We lost :(

2011-06-25T09:46:00.000+05:30

But at least we made it into the finals....but not for long.
Anyway, there's been heaps of things happening this week. Robin should just be stepping off the Kingfisher flight from Delhi to Leh. Lucky sod. I'm sure he'll be very relieved to be out of the heat and dust of Delhi, although every time I spoke to him he had just been out having a fun time with a couple of friends, going to a bar or a restaurant. So he'll now spend a couple of weeks trekking around Leh, and luckily for him there a couple of festivals (the Hemis Festival and another one I can't remember). He's never been to Leh before, and is hoping to run into the friends he caught up with in Manali a few weeks ago.
Robin also decided to buy an iPad during the week as he was struggling to download his pics onto the computer in Hauz Khas. Good one...
And he lined up a deal with a big map making firm in Delhi to produce topographical maps of the Indian Himalaya for trekkers. Yet another bunch of stupid maps to take up room in my luggage no doubt.
And thank goodness the sun is out and shining bright today - there's been a few days this week when I just couldn't warm up at all.
Only 4 more Fridays at work then I'm off. Wow it seems to have come around really quickly and am I organised? No.
So I'd better go start now!

We won!

2011-06-19T14:54:00.000+05:30

That was a cracker game at what used to be called the Olympic Stadium. I forget what it's called now - and I don't really care. The car park was chockers - we had to park on level 8 (the top) and yet the place wasn't even half full. How weird. Luckily for us we were at the end where the Tahs scored 4 tries. Pity my distance eyesight is failing fast thanks to my cataract, so I struggled to see a lot of it, but I did enjoy jumping up and down and yelling "Go. Run. YAAAAAAY" a lot. And I only spilled my drink a little bit. Steve brought some New Zealand Water (Sauv Blanc) and some Red Drink (Shiraz) as well as Portuguese Custard tarts, chocolate brownie and caramel slices. Neal and Rhonda made roast chicken bread rolls. It was very gourmet - and cheaper than the options available on site. I made sure I was warm in several layers of polar fleece and goretex that I managed to dig out from the cupboard. Next week the Tahs have to play the Auckland Blues in Auckland - that's gonna be a tough one.
Yesterday at lunch time Mads and Clare dropped in for a barbie. I can now categorically state that jetlag does not help man's ability to barbecue - in fact Mads bailed on his bloke duties and left it to us chicks to barbie the bangers, and they were pretty damn good even if I do say so myself. We all had a chat to Robin on Skype which was a treat for sir, except the bit where he found out the girls had used his barbie, AND that I had dared to scrub a portion of it before use....Oops.
On Friday night Robin went to a 40th birthday party for a friend of the business partner of the chap who stiffed him for money in the trek logistics. The Money Squirrel was there and apparently horrified to see Robin. Too funny. I would have enjoyed seeing that. Yesterday they met in an attempt to resolve things but it seems the MS is intractable.
Just got a call from Robin to tell me that he and a young Spanish friend of his absent host Raj, Perico, just arrived in Delhi so they tooled off to the fabulous Imperial Hotel on Janpath for Sunday Buffet. Robin wanted to let me know they shared s side of salmon. deep fried prawns, Foie Gras, NZ lamb, beef, pork, salad (which made 4 plates of entree and 3 of main) and they were contemplating dessert. Meanwhile I am reheating 1 chicken sausage left over from the barbie, heating up a bread roll and frying half an onion from last week sometime. Yum. AT least the wine is good!
Cheers! Enjoy your week and stay tuned for international money news.

Crazy busy mayhem!

2011-06-18T06:19:00.001+05:30

All donations gratefully accepted

That was a week that I would not care to repeat in a hurry. Where were we up to - ah yes Robin was in Manali having kittens about money and tents. And waiting to meet up with some friends for Joel's puja. Well the tents with all their broken poles could not be solved, but the puja went well according to all reports.
And as for the money problem... I think I have about 10 ulcers now. Robin probably has more. After much soul searching (and looking behind the cushions for spare change) Robin decided to leave the India GHT at Manali and get to Delhi as he had run out of money and the stress of trying to sort everything out without my fabulous assistance was just too much. So he is now in Hauz Khas, where I was last year, with Hydra the wonder cat and Captain Ashram. Before Robin decided to stop trekking, he had bought supplies for the final 3 weeks. So he took these down to Delhi where apparently Captain Ashram's eyes lit up and he told Robin that the food would be very welcome at the ashram, and Robin told him that was very interesting but not likely to happen any time soon. So now Brave Sir Robin is trying to find things to do that will get him out of Delhi where it is 40 something - I would love to be there and be warm. The stress this week of trying to sort out the money issues, and still having to go to work and listen to people's excuses for not paying their loans was an interesting exercise, especially in this awful cold windy weather which makes me sneeze constantly. For my part, I don't think Robin will be allowed (Management Directive here) to go trekking UNLESS Yours Truly has her hands firmly on the purse strings. Money is a wonderful thing, and everybody wants some of it. More of it. All of it. But now I don't have any of it.
So enough moaning. It is a wonderful sunny day and my friend Mads is arriving from Nepal any minute now. His partner Clare (my Yo Sis) is collecting him from the airport and we're having a barbecue lunch - snags all round. Then I've gotta dig out all the warm clothes I own as I'm off to the Super 15 Rugby tonight - Tahs v Brumbies. If we (the Tahs) win then we might just squeeze into the finals. I'm really looking forward to it.
And my Nepali niece and her hubby arrived on Thursday night - they are moving to Adelaide for study in a few weeks. Silly duffers left lots of messages on my voicemail yesterday 'Aunty we are here please call' but they didn't leave their phone number. Not very useful.
Our friend Andrew Lock got an OAM in the Queen's birthday honours list last week - well done him. I hope I don't have to call him Sir.
I also had a hot chocolate disaster the other night - I made up some hot chocolate with just a nip of brandy and as I lifted the mug the handle parted company with the mug, and I ended up with hot chocolate all over the kitchen floor. And not just hot chocolate, but the chopped up Neapolitan marshmallows too. What a horrible sticky mess. What do you mean you've never heard of Neapolitan marshmallows?
I have also been busy getting quotes for my neighbour Neal and his paramour Rhonda to go trekking in Nepal in November. Seems as soon as one thing stops another starts right now!
My hands are cold so I'm off to sit in the sun and await my guests.
I'll let you know how the Rugby goes if I don't get frostbite - at least the rain has stopped!

Did I tell you I hate the cold weather

2011-06-12T13:40:00.000+05:30

Which is pretty unfortunate considering how vile the last week has been. And of course most of my warm stuff is in Kathmandu in a storeroom. Handy. I've managed to dig up all manner of things in my attempts to make do and I have managed to get through without frostbite. An array of coats, hats, scarves and gloves has been employed and I even resorted to tights under my work trousers one day. On one particularly cold day I was sitting on the train with 2 spare seats next to me. The carriage was filling up and I wondered why people were standing when there was room next to me. Then I sensed someone was about to jump into the seat from behind me, when I heard them say 'Arab' and whoever it was didn't sit down. How odd I thought; then I realised that I was wearing a long black coat and had my pashmina shawl wrapped around my head and neck. Obviously I was doing an impeccable impersonation of a woman who may have hailed from Iran or something. How strange. And how rude! Makes you wonder about people sometimes. But hey, I got the seat to myself, the xenophobe stood up all the way and I was lovely and warm. Who lost that one?
Brave Sir Robin has finally made it to Manali (not without drama) and is enjoying being in a 2 room apartment for a few days. He has had a major difference of opinion with the chief of the organising committee in Delhi, and called me in a right tizzy just as I was getting home from work on Friday telling me to get this and that arranged and with a list of emails to send. I was back to being Mrs Logistics, from afar. Friday night was therefore somewhat disjointed - but I still managed to enjoy drinkies and home made pizza next door.
Yesterday had me doing more organising, and I was hosting the rugby barbecue across the road as the homeowners were away for the weekend and I was babysitting the cat and the Foxtel. How onerous.
Robin hosted a dinner party last night for some friends who had arrived in Manali to attend the memorial service for our friend Joel which is on tomorrow. Can't believe it's already 12 months since he died up there. After that he'll get his route sorted for the trek to Kashmir. Apart from the weather and passes he also has the security issues to contend with.
I just saw on the news that 180 flights have been cancelled today because of volcanic ash from another unpronounceable volcano, this time in Chile. That would be annoying. Not as annoying as the awful driving I saw today. It was absolutely bucketing down this morning as I pootled on the M4 to see mum. The speed limit is 90, I was doing less than that due to the heavy rain, and I was being overtaken by people doing at least 100 kph and changing lanes as though their butt was on fire. When I was coming back, I was right behind a stack where a P plater (of course) dropped the clutch at the lights and immediately lost control, skidding wildly and taking out the car in front of me. So of course I stopped to offer my advice on their motoring skills. And my details for the insurance claim.
OK I think it's time to turn the heater up and fix myself an aperitif. Because I am worth it.

Me Cold

2011-06-04T10:53:00.001+05:30

And not enjoying it. Even though I have about 8 shops worth of polartec in the house. How many more cups of tea can a person drink in one day trying to warm up?
I may also be cold because I have spent several hours in the frigid front room (I refuse to put the blow heater on) setting up a SPOT Adventures page for Brave Sir Robin. It has taken several weeks to make it behave, and at first it would only take about half the waypoints but I've got it working now. Just not sure what I'll do with the next lot of them when they come in as there doesn't seem to be a facility to add more to an adventure. This may become a series!
So check it out

More mailbox freebies

2011-06-02T16:39:00.001+05:30

Last week it was incontinence pads, this week Intensive Repair Mask! Sheesh I thought this was a young and groovy street (well it was in 84 when I moved here) but it seems we are now firmly part of the old fart demographic. Maybe next week it will be denture cleaner or lavender soap. Yuck.
I finally heard from Robin yesterday. He'd made it to Chitkul and then ended up somewhere else Kanf (or something like that) and was getting ready to head off into the wilds again. But excitingly he saw a Himalayan bear mother and cub the other day. He's back to sending me SPOT again so check out the page in your spare time.

Bob sent me a pic of Audens Col - hope you enjoy it. That's Robin heading off into the sunset.

Looking forward to the weekend. Hope you have a good one.

Sunday musings

2011-05-29T09:06:00.000+05:30

Why are Sundays so universally uninteresting, wherever you are in the world?
Well, following on from the other day when I wondered about the free sample of incontinence pads in the mailbox, yes we all got them but nobody knows why. None of us admit to needing them right now. Mind you, they're handy for the travel first aid kit to cover a big wound or burn. Just don't tell the patient what they really are!
Well, I've still not had a call from Robin but SPOT keeps me informed. And Bob is now back in San Fran trying to get ready to face the world. It seems there may be one or two logistical SNAFUs that I may have to deal with from afar. Despite certain assurances to the contrary by the guy employed to logisticate, Robin DOES need a permit for where he is going, and of course he doesn't have one. And doesn't know that he needs one. So, I have been sending him SMSs to say be careful, hide in bushes etc but I don't know if he has received the messages. The assistant logistician is trying to get the paperwork to checkpoints etc, but judging on current form I'm none to hopeful of success. My last message to Robin this morning instructed him to press the SEND HELP button on SPOT if he gets arrested by the army or the border police, and I'll get onto someone with BRAINS in Delhi. Like the Embassy. Cos I will know exactly where he is. Just one issue - I don't know whether Robin used his Aussie or Pom passport for India. And I need to know in case of any problem.....
Meanwhile, Katje and Henk made it to Simikot and the weather has taken a turn for the monsoonal. Not good news.
And Nepal has ONCE AGAIN failed to draft a constitution in time. So the 601 erudite members of parliament (oxygen wasting boofheads as you may recall) have given themselves another 3 months to stop arguing and do something. Anything. Nothing. Who cares? Not them. What that country needs is a damn good dictatorship and a few hundred pollies up against the wall.
I went to visit mum today at the hostel and was really impressed with the positive change in her. She seems far less batty (maybe because there are so many totally batso people there) and quite happy and healthy. Which is fantastic.
On the way home stuck in traffic on the M2 I had a good chuckle over a car number plate: SIKRX7. Yes mate, I'm sure your car is FULLY SIK - especially as it was on a tow truck when I saw it. SICK!!
My friend Billi climbed Lhotse the other day, as did Robin's old uni chum Simon, but on Everest north side where Andrew Lock and our friend Jamie are, the weather has taken a turn for the worse so they have been foiled in their attempts by all accounts. Not my idea of a good time.
And finally, article in Wanderlust magazine about the GHT and Brave Sir Robin. Enjoy.
I'm cold - time to shut the doors and do some ironing!

Should I be worried?

2011-05-24T18:12:00.001+05:30

Got home from work today, and apart from the usual Target and Franklins catalogues, and highly unwelcome window face envelopes, was a free sample from BrandPower of Tena Lady incontinence pads. What the? Did my 56 year old male neighbour get one? Haven't checked cos it's raining.
Robin is busy pressing SEND on SPOT but I've not talked to him - although it might have been him that called earlier tonight. At least I know he's OK.
Speaking of which, I finally got the bodgy Indian person calling me about a problem with my computer's Microsoft Windows operating system. After I let her rabbit on for a bit - I was busy cooking so couldn't be bothered talking - I said that I didn't have a computer that uses Windows so she would have to call someone else to get some money for her scam.
I'm just enjoying the final of Survivor Redemption Island - all in brawl would be the best way to describe it. I LOVE the final tribal council. Of course Robin dislikes this program so I have enjoyed watching this without his annoying interruptions.
I see the world is going to end on 21 October - pity really. Will the religious whacko be right this time? We shall see....
I note we have a severe weather warning tomorrow with 90 Kph winds - I'd better not wear a skirt and novelty hat to work.
Have a great Wednesday and enjoy the State of Origin if you like that sort of thing.

Here's a baby elephant at Bardia Jungle in Nepal from our trip last year. Hope he makes you smile.

Why wasn't I told?

2011-05-21T10:09:00.000+05:30

If I had known earlier that the world is going to end today I wouldn't have done 4 loads of washing, vacuumed and washed the floors and dusted. And I certainly wouldn't have taken a hundredweight of sausages out of the freezer for a barbecue tonight! And why oh why did I pay the bills last week?
I wonder what time it's due to happen - I mean, do I have time to do my hair and fix a cocktail or what?
PANIC STATIONS!

Woo-Hoo Friday!

2011-05-20T18:04:00.002+05:30

Another blinder. Work problem? Sorted
Physio? Another session for knees back and shoulders - owww
Friday drinks next door - done
Take away pizzas from Vic's at Summer Hill - you beauty!

Chocolate cake all round

Meanwhile in India, things aren't going so well. Bob has decided to bail out a little early and is heading to Simla and then Delhi to fly to San Fran and his beloved Jeanne. Lucky her - she gets her man back after a couple of months.
It all happened rather quickly, but I gather from the limited telephonic communications I have had that the pilgrim season, food, FLIES, accommodation, logistical issues and the sheer difficulty of everything about this trip have taken their toll on Bob. And fair enough. I want to say now a HUGE THANKS to Bob for having the determination and guts to come along yet again with Robin, to keep him company and be there for him. Having Bob there helped Robin get to where he is now. It means more to me than he can ever know. And thanks to Jeanne for letting him go - I know only too well how hard that is. I hope he takes you out for a great treat when he gets back.

Here's Bob, me and Robin in Sam's in the 'du after their Kanch to Everest trek in 2008. It's easy to tell who was trekking and who was logistics in this shot! It's a tough job but someone's got to do it! And I am so ideally suited - I have a computer, lots of phones and I seem not to need any sleep at all. Of course I could also multitask for Australia at the Olympics.

Have a safe trip back and huge everlasting hugs mero sati! Om.

And Peter - thanks - it's all under control. Go have a laundry picnic!

Welcome to my nightmare

2011-05-19T16:46:00.003+05:30

What a stupid couple of days. Got home yesterday with just enough time to grab the car and drive to physio - parked in by neighbour. No prob, got him to move but because the street is being dug up what used to be a 3 point turn ended up being about 57 in the Landrover. Stuck in traffic but finally got to physio (good thing he was running late!) only to find that when I scanned my health fund card it didn't work. Only just got the flaming thing because my other one didn't scan. Because I didn't have any $$ or credit cards on me I had to leave without paying - what a good look. So tomorrow I'd better take some other form of payment. And for that I pay $97 a month??
Got home, Lakshmi had delivered me a nice mouse that was flying through the air - so I called the neighbour (god love ya Neal) who came to rescue me as I was in Damsel in Distress mode. So there's Neal with a broom trying to corner the mouse while I try to control the struggling cat. Got that sorted finally, and was just trying to get my dinner, when Robin called me. Since I hadn't heard from him for a week that was kind of exciting, but I was in the middle of 'plating up' as they say on the cooking shows. Meanwhile, somebody was banging on the front door and through the peephole was a very bright light. That'd be Steve from across the road with his stupid Ebay torch. He was delivering a home made muffin and requesting some milk. And Neal came along with him - I don't know why. So I had to hang up on Robin who was mystified about what the hell was going on at home! By this time my dinner was getting cold but we had to discuss Saturday Rugby plans. PHEW!
Finally got to eat dinner and call Robin back. He was in Gangotri - the origin of the Ganges, and it's pilgrim season. The place was full of Hindu pilgrims and whacky western hippies, and there was no hot water, beer or meat. Depressing. They had a good trek but were very tired, and Auden's Col was not very interesting but they did get so see snow leopard prints.

Trango in Bhutan 2010

Today they were headed for some town or other but got separated from some of their crew, and the driver decided to take them somewhere else. With seriously crap reception. So we spent a frustrating hour trying to call each other - I have a landline, mobile and skype but just couldn't get through and Robin only just managed a few times on his expensive global roaming. I can't report much, but his crew have managed to trash his Trango tent poles and all the jets on the MSR stoves which they assured him they could operate. It constantly surprises me that trekking staff take no care whatsoever with gear. We love the tent and the stoves and to have them trashed (don't ask me how) is seriously annoying.
Add to that I had a very irritating day at work which, to put it mildly, shat me to tears. How ridiculous that I should be sitting at my desk after hours, fuming because of a staff member who can't be bothered to treat people with respect and do their job properly. Still, I'm where the buck stops and I have to deal with it. And fix it. Something to look forward to.

See me later!

Happy Buddha Jyanti

2011-05-17T16:35:00.003+05:30

Buddha's 2555th birthday today. So light a candle for him. And spread a bit of love. Today celebrates 3 great moments in Buddha's life: his birth in 623 BC, his attainment of supreme vision in 588 BC, and his enlightenment (death) at the ripe old age of 80.So it's a bit like Xmas and Easter with something else as well. Turkey and chocolate anyone?

Jambala - Buddhist God of Wealth

Not a whole lot else to report - it's cold here and I still haven't managed to see the 4 planets lined up. Lakshmi the Wonder cat (Hindu Goddess of Wealth) is driving me mad because she keeps pinching the warm spots in the bed. And she never does the housework.
Robin is heading slowly towards Gangotri but there is some unpleasant looking weather headed their way.
I heard from Katje Staartjes and Henk today - they are doing Nepal from west to east. They tried last year but had some bad luck with an injury to Henk so we wish them best of luck for their second attempt. I will keep you posted as I hear from Katje. Today they made it over 3 high passes from Darchula (Nepali side) to Bhajang and plan to be in Yari on 23 May - Katje reports there is a lot of snow around and nobody in Simigaon yet.
Meanwhile on Everest northside Andrew Lock is waiting in basecamp for the right weather for a summit without oxygen. Hope it all goes well for him. He's already done all the 8000ers but this one he really wanted to do without oxygen.
Right well that's enough form me for now.
May peace prevail on earth. Om mani padme hum.

If that was a weekend I had it

2011-05-15T17:40:00.001+05:30

Barbecue, drinks and rugby at number 4 on Friday, shopping dinner drinks and rugby at number 4 on Saturday, ALL day clearing mum's place out today. Woo hoo. I really know how to live on the edge. Of reality...
Mum seems to be settling in well at the hostel, and is finally eating decent food - we struggled to get her to eat anything at home. However, she seems to be getting completely mystified by the simplest things - the phone for instance. Di got her one with BIG buttons and a spot to stick mugshots of pre programmed people in (if you get my drift). So we checked it was working this arvo and when Di rang it mum looked at it as though she had never seen a phone before, and for the life of her she couldn't work out how to answer it... And then she was asking me where keys for the balcony door were - Don't know mum I don't live here. Did they give you any keys when you moved in? No idea came the reply. Ok so I start looking for keys - hey mum what are those keys pinned to your trousers? Keys for the house. But mum you don't live there anymore. Oh, don't I? Oh dear.
We were all astounded at the amount of stuff mum had in her small place - so many towels (and beach towels - mum has never been tot the beach in her life!). I have a Landrover full of stuff to give to a refuge or something like that. We've got a washing machine, bed and a whole bunch of furniture to give away, and we all took something that we loved of mum and dad's that mum couldn't take with her. Some of the things we wanted were rather illogical, but there you go.

1st birthday what a cutie

She hasn't stopped on the phone since.

Probably most exciting of all was our baby photo albums - boy are they from a different age. Pink 'leather' cover with 'Our Baby' emblazoned on the front, with the obligatory stork - come on it was 1959! Inside is a page where the proud parents write the details of baby (size, weight, hair/eye colour etc) and then a squillion pages for pics - wonderful black and white (and some studio portraits) that had to go into photo corners. And each one has the date neatly written in white ink underneath (the pages are black as you old farts would know). I'll have you know that I still have the cabinet in the background of the telephone pic.
Robin is currently somewhere near Shivling - I've not had a phone call from him for a few days but thank goodness for SPOT (who I have nicknamed Roger) so I have a pretty good idea where they are and what's in store for them. Roger manages to send me a ping every day. Pretty useful item.
I am heartily sick of this cold weather - I gave in and got the blanket out to add to the doona and electric blanket so perhaps I won't freeze overnight.
I'm going to enjoy the rest of my very well earned Beer Lao and head to bed.

Saw a dreadful play last night!

2011-05-12T16:17:00.000+05:30

My dear neighbour Steve asked me out for a hot date last night - wine bar, dinner and an opening night play. Sounds like a proper date! But he said I didn't have to come across...
The little wine bar was delightful, Grasshopper, located in the rather inaptly named Temperance Lane. Then off to Sailors Thai in the old Sailors Rest Home at the Rocks - such wonderful curry puffs, warm duck salad and brilliant prawns.
Then it started to get silly. We had tickets for what turned out to be a modernised production of Brecht's Baal. I had no idea what it was about before I went, and frankly I still don't. The complimentary programme tells me that is it is about a drunken wastrel with an unending lust for sex with anybody - and he is a poet and musician. I can tell you that there were a lot of people running around in the nuddy, there was simulated sex (gay and straight), dreadful music, a rather impressive rain effect onstage towards the latter part of the evening, and unfortunately as Baal lay dying on a skanky mattress (which was supposedly a forest?!) I got a view straight up his whatsits. Yucko. Steve and I were both relieved to be able to head to the bar. What a stupid play.
You may have heard about the cold SNAP we are having at present in Sydney. I don't think I've ever been quite so cold in May before, and getting up is a real struggle every day.
Robin and Bob are now trekking again after enduring a string of skanky towns at pilgrim time. The other day they drove to Badrinath so that, as he put it, they could look at a rock with tinsel on it. Lucky for them the queue was over a kilometre long so the crew decided going back down for lunch was a better idea. When they were driving to Kedarnath they got stuck in huge queues on the road and some awful driving which of course didn't help anything. When I spoke to them last night there was rain about and they were in a tent.
Now, everyone except Jeanne must go to the next paragraph! Bob sends this message for you Jeanne: "you are warmer than the mountain sun and more beautiful than the mountain meadows".
Right you lot I'm back again. Black Friday tomorrow so watch out for vampires and werewolves. And of course tonight and early tomorrow we can gaze into the sky and see Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter all lined up. If we get out of bed at stupid o'clock. If we don't have crappy eyesight. And you'll need some very warm clothes to wear if you are in southern Australia right now.
I may just stay in bed!

It's a mystery

2011-05-10T16:42:00.000+05:30

I don't know who is doing what anymore!
Anyway, Robin and Bob drove to almost Kedarnath today and are in another pilgrim place - tomorrow they start walking and boy will they be glad to get out of pilgrim towns.
I have no idea how much of anything the boys in India are doing for them - since I've had to call him on global roaming I was trying to keep it short but he would insist on rabbiting on about possibilities a month down the track. Sorry dear, I'm trying to pay the bills so SHUTUP. Love you!!
Hope you got a chance to check out SPOT - there should be a few more blips from now if I'm any judge of satellites.
Mum moved into her new accommodation today and according to all reports it went mostly OK. Will have to spend this weekend clearing out the old place so we can stop paying for it. Such fun.
Here's a funky chocolate ball dessert thingy from Trader Vic's in the Bangkok Marriott. Seriously yum.

Indian Blowout

2011-05-08T17:01:00.000+05:30

Oh dear me....Robin was unable to secure the necessary paperwork - in fact the local magistrate wouldn't even see them unless they had a letter from the Home Ministry saying they were allowed to cross Kalindi Khal. Which they didn't have because I am not doing their logistics, and the person who is didn't get it and seemed not to place any importance on it. So this morning I was trying to see if I could find someone in India who could help but it is pretty difficult from Sydney. And I couldn't. Well I could, but that person was out of India and didn't have any contact details with them.
Robin has now had to sack the logistics people (since he and Bob were mostly working it out themselves anyway) and tomorrow they have to get a car to take them to Rishikesh in pilgrimage season so that hopefully they can start trekking. The GHT is meant to be a duplicable BY ANYBODY route, not something that you need more connections for than Paris Hilton on Facebook.
But some brighter news - the camera they bought him is very good - well it would want to be for that price - and the SPOT is working. I can even show you where he is when he checks in.
Wanna see it? So hopefully he will check in most days and we'll all be able to see where he is and follow his progress. Which will be fun. Do let me know what you think! Peter, I'm sure you'll love it. You can have fun swapping between the different map views - satellite, terrain and hybrid.
Well I had the last visit with mum at her place today - the room she has at the hostel has been newly painted and has a little balcony and lots of trees outside. It's quite nice. I really noticed today how bemused she seems by everything. And how cross she was that nobody wanted her enormous ancient washing machine, fridge or microwave.
Well I'm tired after all the aggravation of today - I took an hour to travel 22 kms today to see mum. What a pain in the butt.
Have a great week and stay tuned for more GHT palaver.

Saturday night fever

2011-05-07T19:31:00.002+05:30

Strewth I'm worn out. Spent 4 hours today in Trek & Travel with Rhonda getting her kitted out for Nepal later this year- we had to go today cos the sale was still on. So now I have a front room with 4 of her giant shopping bags FULL of trekking gear - boots, clothes, sleeping stuff, poles and god knows what else, plus my king bed doona, 4 towels, Robin's boots etc etc etc destined for Nepal. No room to move.
We had a great time shopping though and we were lucky that Robin called while I was there so he got to talk to his BFF Greg (who had the pleasure of devoting more than half his shift to us) and Rhonda which was very cheery for all concerned.
Just watching Touching the Void on telly - Joe Simpson's amazing story of survival after dropping into a crevasse in South America - one of the greatest back from the dead stories ever. Gripping book - read it before you see the movie.
So Robin is in Joshimath on the one weekend of the year when, apparently, the Hindu temples are opened so that everyone can see the gods and goddesses - so there was a choice of no room or a Rs 2000 room (about $41 Aussie - more than Robin and I ever paid in India - outrageous! Lucky I bought those on sale earrings yesterday to make up for his extravagance). He is SICK TO DEATH of trekking in the hot midhills and longs for the cool air of the mountains, but he and Bob seems destined to be deterred from attaining such joy. Tomorrow they will be seeing some local bigwig who may give them permission to go towards a 'dangerous' (not) pass. It sounds like the GHT in India is much more frustrating than Nepal.
Here at home the Tahs won tonight, we had a lovely barbecue even though our hostess went to hospital cos she took the top off her thumb slicing onions at the school fete - and then her hubby did the same at home. So then I turned up and took a slice off MY thumb opening the dip. What a bunch of crocks!! No wonder we have turned to alcohol.
Sunday is mothers day - be nice to your mum. If she is no longer around, think something nice about her, or make something she always made for you. I will be visiting Mum for the last time at her place, and my sister and I (with sis's kids) will be organising her stuff for the move on Tuesday. I expect to not be happy afterwards - but wait! Neal, Rhonda and I are off to Vic's for dinner (the Italian place of a few weeks ago) so it will all be good.
Time for bed - be nice to your mum - if it wasn't for her you wouldn't be here.

It's Wednesday!

2011-05-04T17:47:00.002+05:30

What's not to love about that.
I went to the Quarterly CEO awards tonight after being advised that 'someone from the department' should go. It was lovely to see that my mate Nicole got an award for being little miss helpful (we couldn't get by without her) and so did my accomplice in policy rewrites, Soula. It was good to be there. And I was a good girl and didn't have a drinkie.
Lots of big news. Mr bin Laden - GAWN. I gotta say I did not approve of the carryings-on by Joe in the street in the USA running down to the White House and celebrating - rather undignified and inciting hatred. Whatever else Mr bin Laden was, he was still a human being with a family. Sometimes this world makes me sad. And of course, now we know why certain people weren't at the big wedding last week, and also maybe why the newlyweds didn't go on their honeymoon.
The SPOT arrived in India and is still not functioning - but I have advised the people in Delhi just to give the blasted thing to Robin and maybe it will work better in the mountains. The problem with the camera has been sorted - it was a rubber ring on the lens so I am hoping that the boofheads can take the replacement Rs35,000 camera body back for a refund. We could do with the money.
Robin is now heading around the south side of the Nanda Devi reserve and has had some good weather last I heard a few days ago. Seems he's out of range again. He's been having a few problems with his orthotics which is a shame and I am busy trying to find a solution for him. Who says I'm not doing logistics?
And on the Mad Nanna front, a place has become available for mum in the hostel in her retirement village. She wasn't too keen on it but Diane bless her has managed to get her to say yes. So Mothers Day this Sunday will be spent ironing name labels on her clothes and sorting out what she needs to take and what we have to ditch. A time of conflicting emotions. Not sure how I will handle it on my own.
Finally got the ticket booked so I'm outta here just before my birthday. I'll be sorry to leave the workplace - I really enjoy working there and they have been such marvellous people to work with. I've really appreciated the challenge of being a manager after such a long time away from it - I feel I've done a pretty good job so far. And I still have a couple of months to get some things set up. Let's see. It's hard to imagine looking for another job when I get back. Who knows what the future holds. I kinda feel like this place is home. Haven't thought that about a workplace for 10 years.
Oh, and the Nepali niece and nephew don't have enough money to come to Australia and are on the hunt for funds - I couldn't help them out at all. Dear Yashu emailed me the other day to ask which pots and pans she should bring - I laughed at first and imagined the Clampetts (The Beverley Hillbillies) on an international flight with household goods dangling off wheelie-bags. Then I gave her some sound aunty advice.
Oh here comes Lakshmi squeaking at me again. Now that the weather has gotten cooler she insists on crawling into bed with me at night. Now she's trying to type so I'd better go.

PHEW! May already!

2011-05-01T14:45:00.000+05:30

Busy busy busy. Of course there was the Royal Wedding on Friday - yes I sat down and enjoyed it enormously, especially the ghastly get ups Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice turned up in. I love the way the 'hat' has a Facebook page now - ha ha ha. The bridal party looked lovely and the good old Queen was elegant as usual.
But while all that was on I was busy on the interweb emailing India backwards and forwards. You see, the SPOT that I posted actually arrived. Amazing. However, the person I sent it to believes I didn't set it up right as they keep pressing the send button and I don't get a message. I have explained about 4 times now that as it is a one way device, it will confirm that the message you sent got to the satellite, but what happens to it after that it cannot say. He keeps asking me for the logon details so he can 'check' that I did it correctly. Oh no my good man is the constant reply. And he reckons you can't get lithium batteries in Delhi. Rubbish I say. Plus I am still angry about the logistics bloke buying a new camera body for Rs35,000 that doesn't work. So I have told Maninder that whether he can get the SPOT to work or not he is to forward it to Robin soonest (an Indian saying). The SPOT site does indicate that it won't actually work in India, but as Robin is up in the mountains and at a completely different lat, long and altitude there is always the chance it will work as there are plenty more satellites available there. It's come this far it might just as well keep going! God give me strength.
It finally stopped raining in Sydney - everything feels so soggy and damp and it really makes my knees ache. Still, the zumba must go on.
On the GHT India front, Robin and Bob are now on their way to Joshimath via the southern fringes of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. When I spoke to him briefly on Friday they were faced with a day of 800m down, 600m up and 1300m down to get to wherever they were going - which may have been Namik - the connection wasn't 100% clear. Next time I hear from him I'll let you know.
I've been organising the books in the front room as sir has bought so many books we had nowhere to put them. Up and down the ladder I go carrying books, sneezing from the dust (must speak to the maid about that), and deciding which ones to keep and which to throw. Then comes organising them into my un-Dewey decimal system - I'm still working on that.
And our Nepali niece and her hubby (the wedding in Nepal last June that I wrote about) got their visas for Australia so no doubt they will be busy trying to get organised in time for that- they'll be studying at a Swiss Hotel school in Adelaide from July. Big step. I'm sure poor Puru (her dad) is very sad...
Here's a traffic jam (just a small one) in Kathmandu to cheer you up for another week of communting. And the umbrella is because I was crammed into a rickshaw that I was too tall for..
as usual.
I was very amused to see during the week that although all the political parties in Nepal promised they wouldn't have any strikes (bandhs) this year as it is Nepal Tourism Year and yet there was an all-in strike the other day and people had to walk 11 km from the airport with their wheely bags on the crappy pot-holed roads to get to where they were going. Great advertisement for the place.
And last but not least, I just checked my footy tipping for the weekend and saw to my total surprise that I scored a perfect round! I think that means I get a cash prize. Should get a bloody medal since I don't know a thing about it. Robin will get a laugh out of that. I do miss him a lot...

exciting wildlife sightings

2011-04-28T18:19:00.000+05:30

That's right there has been more than one. On a bridge the other day coming down to Munsiyari Robin saw 2 red pandas sitting around having a chirp at each other. Of course, you will recall his camera is non functional. Of course. Here's a link to a wonderful BBC site that has great little movies and info on all sorts of animals, but this is for the red panda pages. Here's my red panda picture - I think red pandas are fabulous!
The other thrilling piece of wildlife was ..... angora rabbits. Yesterday on their 2nd day off in marvellous Munsiyari Robin took Bob's camera and toddled off to a village which was supposedly about 50% authentic (and therefore 50% unauthentic Shakti concrete monstrosity). The big attraction there was the wild angora bunny farm where the local lasses weave the bunny fur (geez that has to be a painstaking profession!) into shawls and jumpers. Luckily he managed to escape unscathed. He also got the ladies at Bunny Game Park to dress in all their finery for a video (at least that camera works) and avoided buying me anything. Sod.
Robin explained that they are a very odd mix of Buddhist and Hindu - not that the population is half-half, but the people each hold a mix of Buddhist/Hindu beliefs and customs. But he was unable to establish how this came about. They call themselves SHOKA people from Darkot. No luck with googling that yet but will keep trying. He also visited a funny old local museum run by a school teacher.
So today they were heading off on the next leg to Joshimath - the camera that was bought for RS 35,000 and is not returnable and doesn't work with the same brand lenses (don't get me started) is headed back to Delhi for a slap. The SPOT hasn't arrived yet and Maninder managed to spoil that surprise by telling Robin about it (Indians! GRRR).
Meanwhile I am recovering after 2 long days at work (too much to do in the allotted hours this week!) and of course am almost wetting myself with excitement over the royal wedding tomorrow.

Here's some wedding jewellery I bet you won't see tomorrow at Westminster Abbey!

Update on the tired trekkers

2011-04-26T14:02:00.001+05:30

I finally got to have a long, sensible and not expensive chat to Robin today while he and Bob enjoy 2 days off in a hotel in Munsiyari. He isn't overly impressed with Munsiyari as it is at a low elevation and therefore has a lot of flies - and anyone who knows Robin would be aware that he he can't stand flies. He and Bob were both happy to get their boots off and air their blisters for a bit. So for now it's a chance to relax, ditch the climbing gear and plan the next stage. Much will depend on whether they can get permission for the Kalindi Khal or if they need to take a longer detour to reach Joshimath. So no doubt there will be some more sorting out of paperwork and running around. One problem they face is that all the local trek operators deal with vising Indians from the plains, who are notoriously unwilling to walk for more than a couple of hours - so all the trek timings they get are almost useless for them.
Bad news on the camera front - the body that was purchased for Robin doesn't work with the lens (although they are all Canon) so Robin STILL doesn't have a camera. It's extra annoying because he was toying with either getting a new one before he left, or borrowing mine. And of course he did neither. And he has a Rs35,000 camera body he still can't take pictures with. And there isn't a Canon dealer around....
It was lovely just to sit and chat about this and that for almost an hour today without worrying about the phone bill - thank you skype!
They were unable to cross the Ralam Pass as there was way too much snow - even then they ended up bush bashing to get to Munsiyari and the flies.
For the next 2 weeks they will be very close to Nanda Devi, but at relatively low altitudes so the weather reports won't be as critical, but of course I will still be doing them. It looks as thought the cloudy weather should clear by Thursday, which would suit their plans perfectly. So it probably won't happen.
You all know that my cat, Princess Lakshmi, is a very naughty girl. But I found out my sister's cat is more naughty - apparently Babooshka jumps into the cupboard where the papadams are stored in a ziplock bag, grips the bag firmly in her mouth and runs down the hall, then hides under a bed and chews through the plastic to eat the uncooked papads. Weird.
Time to cook dinner.
See you soon

News from India

2011-04-25T14:11:00.001+05:30

Happy Anzac Day. It's a shame we had some rain in Sydney for the Dawn Service and the march but it didn't seem to dampen the spirits of those marching, or the big crowds who turned out to watch. I remember how excited my Dad used to be when he polished his medals and headed into town for the march - and because Anzac Day was his birthday he got free drinks after the march - we never saw much of him on his birthday!
Anyway, on to India. On Friday I got a message from Maninder in New Delhi that Sumit (who is doing the logistics) had returned from starting the walk with Robin. He said that Robin had somehow managed to break his Canon camera and Sumit was getting him a new one. As if the phpne bills aren't enough now there is a new Canon DSLR to pay for!!!
Robin rang me briefly from a pass somewhere in India a few hours ago to say hello (I think) and told me they had good weather, they were heading for Munsiyari and he'd call later. He mentioned that Bob was NOT enjoying the trail! So I expect to hear more about the camera and who knows what else.
Meanwhile I got to watch the Tahs only just get done by the Reds on Saturday night, and yesterday I enjoyed Lebanese Easter Sunday lunch at my friend Rhonda's. And no, I didn't need dinner! Poor Rhonda had to go for a second round after I bailed out. Groan!
Visited the Batty One today - Di my sister was there too and it was of course another surreal experience. I'm not sure if mum even remembered it was dad's birthday - she doesn't go out to the cemetery anymore. She hardly even goes to the mailbox.
Well I'll let you know the news from our man in Munsiyari later.
I'm off to pour a drink and say cheers to the men and women of the armed forces.
Lest we forget.

Happy Easter and Anzac Day

2011-04-22T06:35:00.000+05:30

OK ok I know it's been a week since my last confession! I have been very busy thank you Peter, Steven and the rest of you...
Gosh I was babysitting the Foxtel across the road last weekend, it was pouring with rain and I had to have 3 attempts to get a parking spot at the local supermarket. And that was just Saturday! And I got ANOTHER huge phone bill - this time for Robin's global roaming for $638 for a month. So I've had $300 odd, $800 odd and $600 odd in just 2 months. I'll never save a cent at this rate!
In view of the problems with communicating with Brave Sir Robin and Bob (I've not heard a peep since last I blogged) I got Robin a SPOT GPS Messenger doover on Monday. He had asked Bob if he could find one to bring, but Bob was in Taiwan by that time and unable to get one. Anyway, it works by sending pre-programmed messages to pre-programmed people (if you get what I mean) when you press the button. It also has an SOS button if you are really up $hit creek.
So on Monday evening I jumped on the website to activate it and programme in the messages and recipients before sending it to Maninder in Delhi who will get it to BSR & Bob wherever they are. How hard can it be? I thought - just a few details, credit card number and Bob's your trekking partner....
Name & address of registered operator - easy
Select what services you want - easy
Now the hard part: If you are not the person who will be using SPOT tick here - ticked - fill in their name and contact details - done - OK now list your primary and secondary emergency contacts - OK me in Australia and Sumit in India- ENTER. Oh dear...' Primary and secondary contacts must be different'. But they are??? OK, hit ENTER, hit ENTER, hit ENTER, shout at computer, repeat. Put in someone else's name and phone number. No. Untick I'm not the person who will be using this. No luck. Go back to the start, try again. Same result. Google 'why can't I register my SPOT' and find forums with comments like ' this is the most stupid website ever' and 'took me 2 weeks to do it' with special note made of 'don't email their customer service cos they never get back to you'.
What's a girl to do? Well, I made dinner and poured a glass of wine. Later that night I got out the laptop (I had been trying before on the desktop) and got straight through. Go figure. Must have been the wine.
So then I wrapped SPOT and wrote a card and got it all ready for the Post Office to do their worst. Oh no, you can't mail anything with lithium batteries so had to unpack the blasted thing and email India to let them know that assuming it turns up they need to get lithium AAA batteries. At least it was only $19.50 to post. I'll be amazed if it actually arrives without having been pilfered. Watch this space. As far as I know the boys are somewhere near Nanda Devi in Garhwal but I can't be more specific than that right now.
So now I have 5 days away from the fabulous workplace thanks to Easter and ANZAC day. The sun is shining and the planes are thundering over, so it's a great day to do some laundry (of course) and maybe later on some more zumba. Hopefully I'll also get to tidy up my messy house - burglars would think they were too late (which may not be a bad thing).
Meanwhile things just get worse in Nepal. They have now run out of fuel and the NOC (Nepal Oil Corruption) can't pay their bill to Indian Oil. Their main problem is that they buy oil from India for say 50 rupees a litre, but sell it for 45. Which would probably be OK if they had a budget surplus, or sold anything to the rest of the world apart from manpower. But they don't. So then India says 'you can't have any more oil'. Or, the Nepal government increases the price of their petrol, diesel and kero but the students protest (what is has to do with them is anyone's guess) so the government, which is so spineless it's almost unbelieveable, just backs down and continues to 'subsidise' fuel. Which it cannot afford. If they were a proper business instead of government run they would have been closed years ago.
Here's a GREAT video of a plane landing at Talcha airfield in Nepal - if you want to see more just go to Nepali times on youtube for a scary take off, and the view of landing from inside. I love it!!!

Hooray!

2011-04-15T17:03:00.000+05:30

Just got a call from Brave Sir Robin - they've got the signed paperwork and are heading to the trailhead (wherever that may be) - I had better start consulting my fabulous Survey of India tourist maps, purchased in the marvellous headquarters in Dehra Dun a few years ago.
He may be out of phone range for up to a week, so I have a chance to get my stuff sorted out to start sending weather reports again.
A big thanks to Viv for the tip about Skype calling - what a boofhead that I never thought of it myself. It's a winner and very good call quality. I now have more options than a Bangalore Call Centre for keeping in touch with my number one!
It's really starting to get chilly here in Sydney and I'm not sure I like it. But I do get to share the bed (and my pillow) with puss every night.
Got a flu shot yesterday courtesy of my lovely employer - it didn't hurt but I got a headache and ended up sneezing for about 2 hours last night. What fun.

On your marks, get set....GO BACK!!!

2011-04-14T18:30:00.004+05:30

Why is this not a surprise? Off the boys zoomed this morning, only to be foiled by the ITBP (India Tibet Border Police) due to a lack of a piece of paper signed by the local magistrate, who you will remember is off on a holiday somewhere - probably watching IPL.

So they were turned back - good thing the Honeymoon Suite at the YMCA was still available. Hey, how come I never get to go the Honeymoon Suite with Robin? I see I must 'have words'.

Anyway, they are now attempting to get a bit of paper signed by someone else (the mail man? the vet?) and if they can't they will have to head off at 6am for Pithoragarh to see the magistrate there, who apparently is NOT having a holiday, and then drive back up the road again. Perhaps another night in the Honeymoon Suite? At this rate they'll get one night free!

Robin says it has now occurred to him, what with Indians doing all his logistics instead of moi, Logistiques Queen, how damned useful I am and just how much I do.

Not that I have exactly nothing to do now.

1. Wake up.

2. Feed pet

3. Have shower and put clothes on in correct order

4. Make breakfast and pack lunch for work

5. Feed pet across the road (just for a week)

6. Go to workplace for 8 hours plus travel time

7. Come home empty next door mailbox (just another couple of days)

8. Empty my mailbox feed pet

9. Empty mailbox across the road, feed pet

10. Xbox zumba for 20 mins

11. Cook dinner

12. Check Robin's email and Facebook and respond as required

13. Check my email and catch up with people who have a life

14. Send weather forecast for trekking area I can't see on a map to a person who may not receive it

15. Open a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc if I haven't already (this would usually be step11)

16. Go to bed if time permits

See isn't life FUN.

Nepali New Year a couple of years ago.

Cheers for 2068!

On your marks, get set....GO!

2011-04-13T17:18:00.000+05:30

After a day of fiddle-faddling in Darchula (the Indian one, not the one in Nepal), Brave Sir Robin and Mystic Bob will start the GHT India proper tomorrow. They are currently holed up in the honeymoon suite at the YMCA in Darchula - probably not as appealing as it sounds.
Last night Robin tried calling me with his Indian SIM but it didn't work, so whipped out the Nepal one and hey presto! I now have so many numbers programmed in for him that I feel like I should work in shifts! There are the regular numbers: Australia, India, Nepal, satellite, and then the ones where I use the cheapo phone card (save me dialling 34 numbers every time I want to call).
Robin was very excited to report that India being what it is, they had to report to the magistrate this morning to get permission to continue. However the magistrate was off on holidays - so as he doesn't know they are there, he can't forbid them to continue. Robin then had the 'thrill' of crossing the bridge border from India to Nepal and back again - without his documebts. Ooh err what a daredevil.
Oh, one of my favourite films just came on SBS: Himalaya. It's set in Dolpo and has the most beautiful scenery, and a story as old as time itself. The villagers take their yaks to trade salt as the harsh winter closes in. Is the old chief right, or do the young men of the village have the right idea? If you are at all interested in Nepal, Tibet or different cultures (and you probably are if you are reading this) then watch it sometime. It is about a world that is slowly disappearing forever.
And staying in Nepal, tonight is NYE. That's right folks, tomorrow it will be 2068 in the Nepali calendar. Which makes me way too old to be using this inter web hurdy gurdy.
I'm off to investigate what the cat is up to, and refill my glass with a dash of something wonderful for New Year.
Cheers everyone

GHT India is GO!!!!

2011-04-11T15:26:00.003+05:30

The boys headed off just after 6 this morning with 7 bags, one car, one driver and 2 'old farts' as Robin's SMS told me. When I called at lunchtime they were at a railway crossing waiting for the train to cross on their way to stay with some friend of Bob's at a place which may, or may not, have been called Jeolikot or somesuch. Anyhow, it's on the way to the border with western Nepal.
The weather in the mountains on the India / Nepal border is not too flash right now with quite a bit of snow falling. I'll be sending them weather reports every day from my fabulous array of websites. At present they are heading for an area around Kumaon and Garhwal, with the mountains Panchchuli and Nanda Devi. There that's given you all something to read....
Right now I can't give you a link to a map but I'll spend some time looking for one in the next few days.
Anyhow, time for this Zumba Zombie to turn the food in the oven.

Whizzing towards Easter

2011-04-09T10:11:00.000+05:30

And if I'm in one more shop where a poorly disciplined child chucks a big tanty because mummy won't buy it an easter egg at least as big as its empty head I don't think I can be held responsible for the outcome. There I think that is my whinge out of the way for today.
It's a beautiful sunny day and so I have been doing a spot of gardening - cutting back the cardamom on the advice Robin got from planters in Kanchenjunga. That way I should get some pods - apparently the price of pods has skyrocketed - I wonder if they are more expensive than diesel or a decent lettuce?
Robin has finally procured an Indian SIM card with national roaming and my goodness it has crap reception in Delhi. Apparently that is OK, because the company doesn't have many towers there but has the most extensive country wide coverage. We shall see. So I can now avoid another horrendous phone bill - last week I got one for $832 for the month - with my fabulous Mr Phones card - all I need to do is dial 34 numbers and I'm through for 5 cents a minute. Which is better than $6.60 for Robin on global roaming - Global Robbery more likely.
I believe I am still in the lead (jointly now) in the work footy tipping comp. Go figure.
Bob, Robin's trekking partner, arrives in Delhi today and they have to get everything organised for an early morning drive on Monday out to the eastern border to start walking. Better them than me! So the Indian section of the GHT finally gets underway soon. Stay tuned.
Currently on a mission to find a new GP for mum - the one she goes to now is indescribably rude, arrogant, unhelpful and uncaring. She was really rude to me last year when I took mum, but I thought maybe it was just me, or she was having a bad day. Seems like every day is a bad day for this ghastly woman. How someone hasn't smacked her in the face is a mystery to me. Wish me luck.
Right now I am recovering form my first 45 minute zumba class on the xbox. I had a bit of a skid in my merengue and my knees aren't feeling too flash! As you would expect. And as for my salsa, don't even ask.

Best news of all is that Vic and Franca are back in their wonderful Italian restaurant up the road - they left about 8 years ago and that's when we gave up eating out. Now they are back and the food is just as wonderful as ever.
Here I am with my neighbour Neal and the short but highly irrepressible Vic by the VERY hot pizza oven. It's great to see them back and I plan on going there at least once a fortnight. AND he is STILL playing Dean Martin on CD player.

Another wild Saturday night

2011-04-02T17:48:00.000+05:30

Woo hoo! Managed to find a video streaming download of the ICC World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka, which of course Robin is watching in Hauz Khas. So it's kinda like we are together, except I am also watching Pretty Woman - can't get enough of Richard Gere. YUM. And all that shopping!
Did I tell you that I finally got a copy of Robin's guide book and if you look closely on pages 50 and 92-93 you will find some of my contributions. Which of course are excellent. And fascinating.
Robin is busy finalising his route for the India GHT which will kick off in a week or so.
Somewhat astoundingly I am STILL number one in the work footy tipping. Obviously it pays to know absolutely nothing about rugby league. Give me Super 15 rugby any day, and well done to the Tahs and my Phil for last night's excellent effort.
Meanwhile, I have had a busy week of work and zumba. Must tell you... the other night I got home from work, fed the cat and readied the small loungeroom for zumba: chair goes in the hall and coffee table heads towards the fireplace. As I am whizzing (well sort of) left to right across the loungeroom, Lakshmi the Wonder Cat is charging up and down (ie directly across my path) from the back of the house to the front. Directly across my path. Makes for a very thrilling exercise effort. And dangerous.
Seems the weather in Sydney is slowly turning autumnal - not that any of the leaves are turning, just dropping to the ground. But the evenings are cool and dew is around in the mornings. Puss is getting fluffier too.
I have had to give Robin lessons via phone about life in Hauz Khas. I was chatting to him today when he mentioned that Hydra the cat had wandered into the kitchen and jumped onto the bench near the sink. So I told him that she wanted a drink (old readers will remember this from last year) that she likes to drink out of the tap, and he should just turn it on low and let her drink. He was laughing his head off (after he decided I wasn't taking the mickey) at her antics. I can't believe I have to tell him all this stuff! Hopefully he will get the video camera for tomorrow so we can all enjoy it!
Right then, I'm off to the front room office to check out the cricket score.

Stay beautiful - like this wonderful ornamental Gau from the Royal family of Lo Manthang. I love it!
India zindabar!

Sorry Peter heres a blog posting!

2011-03-28T14:14:00.000+05:30

I can't believe I got into trouble at work today for not updating my blog! Does this man not know how busy I am? Obviously not.
I had zumba 4 nights last week after work, 3 dinner outings and I had to do some work for my employer, my husband, my mum and the neighbour. It's a wonder I haven't disappeared up my own whatsit! Speaking of which Lakshmi the Wonder Cat just did a horrible fart - well it wasn't me so it must have been her.
So, Labor lost the state election - no surprise there. I had the local member on the blower last week asking me to vote for her, I ran into the Independent candidate at the station on the way to work, and took part in a bodgy phone survey about the Greens candidate. It's the first time so many people have been interested in what I think!
Robin is now getting ready for India tomorrow - he's headed to Hauz Khas (where I stayed last year) so you can soon hear all about naughty Hydra and the goings on with Captain Ashram and the lovely school teacher. I do hope nobody else in the house dies this trip.
I'm about to get another horror bill from Optus - why didn't I think of getting an overseas calling card thingy before. DINGBAT. I got one from MR CALLS - great name and it works so I'm happy. Feel free to insult me over this.
On Saturday I went to a wedding of 2 friends - both on their 2nd attempt. It was a hoot even though the weather wasn't too flash and I got lost 6 times on the way. No worse than a couple of taxi drivers who stuffed it up too. It was great to run into some old acquaintances. The minister was a funny old chook who had a bumbag full of 'useful' things for a marriage - rubber bands to remind you to be flexible, eraser to wipe out mistakes, Bandaids to patch up things etc. We were all crying with laughter as she was rooting though this overstuffed bumbag to pull things out, just like Mary Poppins bag.

And, on a very lighter note, I am leading the work footy tipping comp. I do not know how. Last week Malika, from India, was in front by using the zigzag selection theory. I'm not even that organised!
Here's a photo of a painting by our friend Manish Lal Shrestha. He does some wonderful contemporary work. Enjoy!!!

Rain rain go away

2011-03-20T13:12:00.001+05:30

Over 50mm rain in 24 hours = splish splash! Shame I forgot to shut the back door before I went to bed on Friday - by the time the cat alerted me half the kitchen floor was set. So was the fridge and the cupboards, and Lakshmi now had a swim-up food bowl. Not that she was very impressed by it.
Another busy week at work followed by Zumba on the Xbox every night except Friday. I'm just just as uncoordinated as ever. But having fun anyway.
Robin had to appear at the Indian Embassy during the week to prove he isn't a terrorist. When he left India to go to Bhutan last May, the immigration police chappie didn't have a rubber stamp so just scribbled whatever in his passport. So the embassy fellow in Nepal told him that he hadn't left India (clearly, since he was now in front of him in Nepal!) and needed to show up so that they could see he wasn't a terrorist. Not that they could say what terrorists look like. Ah, India!

Yesterday was the festival of Holi in Nepal and India. Celebrated on the full moon, it signals the start of spring. It's marked by the vigorous hurling of coloured powder and water bombs. In recent years it has become increasingly violent however, so the police in the 'du were ever vigilant to stop 'hooligans'. And quite right too. You can imagine how hard it is to get this stuff off your clothes and body. Not a day to be wearing chiffon. Robin very sensibly hid in the hotel till drinkies o'clock. I got to spend it shopping at the Target sale and watching the Tahs get done like a dinner. And a not very good dinner either!
But the BIG news this week is that Robin's guide book is OUT NOW! He got some sent to him in Nepal but I still haven't seen it - gotta wait for him to post me one.
Well it's time to watch The Amazing Race - I love how dumb some of the contestants are. Captivatingly awful TV.

Steamy in Sydney

2011-03-12T05:54:00.001+05:30

To say it's muggy would be an understatement - I hung out some laundry and it's wetter than when I got it out of the machine! I think autumn isn't quite here yet judging by the sweat running off me.
Well this week has certainly been a busy old week - I was lucky to get to bed before midnight most evenings.The usual fun and games at work which keeps me off the streets in the daytime.
I've been trying to find all the files that got mucked up or deleted when some mongrel hacked Robin's website again. Finally got them all sorted about 10.30 on Thursday night.
Robin has now left the World Ex group and is headed back to Kathmandu. Once there he will catch up on all his email, and start to organise the India part of his trip. First job, get an Indian visa at the infamous Indian Embassy Kathmandu. I don't know anybody who has been there and left with a positive impression, but they are definitely better than when I first went there in 1993. Back then you had to wait about 2 weeks after you applied for them to send a TELEX to your home country to make sure you were legit or whatever. Then you had to go back and check in some locked notice boards to find your telex and alert a member of staff who would then finish their cup of tea, comb their hair, pick their teeth and emerge from behind the counter with a key to unlock the glass door on the noticeboard. After they retrieved your telex they went back behind their desk while you waited for them to process your visa. If it happened to tick over to 12 o'clock the windows closed and you had to come back the next day. A singularly frustrating exercise and a grand introduction to Indian bureaucracy. I gather it is somewhat more streamlined now. I await updates.
I've just come back from the weekly shop and my god the prices have shot up since the floods in Queensland and the Libyan bother. $3.49 for a lettuce!!! And diesel has gone up 15 cents a litre in just 2 weeks. Good thing it's just me and the cat I'm feeding or I'd go broke. Consequently my trolley looks pretty odd cos when something I use is on special I stock up - today it was cat food, Shortbread Creams, tea and bread. Plus a few vegetable items. Eww it sounds like an old pensioner's shopping!
To add joy to the shopping experience we have the bonus of local members touting for our votes in the State election coming up in 2 weeks. No thank you sir or madam I do not want to know what you will do for me. They are all a bunch of self serving boofheads and not likely to get a tick in the box from yours truly. So there.
More problems with mother mean a meeting tomorrow wherein my sister and I will have to sit her down and set her straight on how things are going to be from now on - of course she isn't going to like it but we are left with little choice. When you can get help which you are unable to provide to allow someone to stay at home instead of going into care you can't afford to say no. Getting a place in care for the elderly is not an easy thing. So that will be tomorrow taken care of I suspect. I'll probably need a stiff drink after it's all over.
Of course the big news is the dreadful earthquake and tsunami in Japan.I'm sure it will be some time before the full details of all the death and destruction are known. It certainly made for compelling viewing on the big screen as the huge wall of black water mowed down cars and buildings. And now I see there is a nuclear alert there. This could get a whole lot worse before it gets better.
Have a great weekend, hope your team wins.

There goes another week

2011-03-06T11:51:00.001+05:30


Beautiful Olang

And Robin has almost finished his stint at leading stage 1 of the World Ex GHT Traverse. Today they are headed to the Nango La with Olangchungola in their sights. Olang is where my wonderful eye surgeon, Dr Sanduk Ruit, comes from. It's a small place which used to rely on trade with Tibet. Some of my boss Peter's in laws hail from there too. Must get Robin to say hi to them. It's the last biggish place the trekkers will see for a while. After Olang Robin heads off on his own for a bit, while Toni and Greg keep heading towards Makalu and a date with Stephen Venables who is leading the Makalu to Everest part, the most technical of the stages.

Here's a couple of locals from Ghunsa, where they spent 2 nights. Robin was terribly sad to leave Ghunsa yet again, as he found the people so delightful and welcoming there. Although it was Losar and supposed to be a celebration, there was not too much partying as there had been many deaths in the village the previous year. They had a goat for dinner as well as some rakshi - no party is complete without goat curry and rakshi. The school kids turned up to sing for them, and not just the usual songs. Apparently one little boy had made up a song about why you should be clean and wash your hands! How gorgeous. Some kids also came in fancy dress of wild animals - one little darling arrived dressed as a giraffe. Don't ask me how they managed to think that one up but I think we would all do well to beware the High Altitude Giraffes of Makalu!
On the home front it was a hectic week at work and then on Friday, just as I was looking forward to getting home and going across the road for Steve's birthday and the Super Rugby (the Tahs lost) I got stuck on Sydney's busted public transport system. It took me almost 3 times as long to get home on the stupid train. Got home, opened the mailbox and found a phone bill for $398 for the MONTH thanks to having to call Robin on the sat phone. Gawd! Thank heavens I don't have to do that for much longer.
I am pleased to report that I have had 100% accuracy with my weather forecasts for him, thanks in no small part to this wonderful website. Combined with my other sites of choice it seems almost foolproof. Let's see if it stays that way.
Mother has decided to be difficult now. We have a nurse come to her place morning and evening to make sure she has her tablets and something to eat, as well as a shower and any other things that need doing.Well, Edna May has decided she doesn't 'need' it, and so locks the place up and closes the blinds and hides so the nurse can't get in. And doesn't take her tablets or eat meals. She won't be long out of care if she keeps that caper up. But try telling her that.
Life goes on...

Fun and games in Kanch

2011-03-03T14:47:00.000+05:30

Greetings from the March Mayhem. I've been kept flat out this week with work, Robin and Perturbed Parent problems.
Mum is out of respite care (which started off disastrously but seemed to work out OK) and has really gone downhill - so much that we need to start looking for a permanent high care place for her. Meanwhile, we have nurses coming twice a day to make sure she takes her medication, eats, has a shower and whatever other things need doing. The whole thing is very stressful, especially for my sister who lives just a few minutes from mum.

I have been busily checking the weather forecasts several times a day - and lucky that I did. I was able to let Robin know that the weather was going to turn, so the happy trekkers had a dash for Kanch Base Camp on Monday and managed to get a view of the mountain - and that's not always possible. They also saw a snow leopard one day when they were stopped for lunch. Lucky! This is a view of the pass near Jannu from Robin's trip there a few years ago. On Sunday they head to altitude again for a pass so fingers crossed that the weather stays clear. One of the trekkers ,Toni, who is hoping to do the whole traverse, found the deep snow a problem on the dash to Base Camp - she's only 4 foot 11!
They are all back in the bustling metropolis of Ghunsa and are excited as tomorrow is Sherpa Losar (New Year) and so they are having a day off, a party and a GOAT! It will then be Tibetan/Buddhist year 2138. How to get easily confused. So, Happy Losar to everyone.
Right now I am enjoying a rerun of The Young Ones and I am pleased to report it is still as stupid as ever. I must be a bit juvenile as I still laugh at (P)Rick with a silent P. I can't decide if my favourite is Neil the lentil-loving peacenik, or Vyvyan the punk medical student.
Right, I'm going to enjoy the silliness on the box - I need it after the week I've had - and I still need to get through Friday!!!

How can Feb almost be finished?

2011-02-27T07:27:00.002+05:30

Strewth, didn't that go quickly!If I tried to tell you all this week's goings on it would take forever.
Robin has now left Ghunsa and is headed for Kanch Base Camp area. The weather is pretty damn cold but luckily they've not had any rain so far. There was snow on the ground but nothing falling on them as far as I know.
Everyone seems to be going along OK, but then again it has only been about 10 days and there's 147 to go for Toni and Greg who are going for the lot. Better them than me. Oh and they had Goat A La Mode the other night. My favourite, as you all know...NOT.
Meanwhile I have been toiling away at the office, trying to get our collection figures down even though it seems that nobody wants to pay anything. Some days all I seem to do is leave messages for people who never call me back. Perhaps they like getting increasingly stern voicemails - maybe they get off on that sort of thing. I mean, you never can tell these days!
I've been keeping myself entertained with, among other things, the XBox we got with our new telly. It came with some stupid car game thing, but also a thing called Kinect Adventures. It's like a video game I guess (stupid old fart doesn't know anything) except that your movements are on the screen - like a WiiFit so I am told. Anyway, I was playing a stupid stand up rafting game jumping around the loungeroom and treading on the cat, but at least I didn't break any priceless Ming vases - mostly because we don't own any!
So then I decided I would buy the Zumba disc - remember when I had a go at Zumba last year? Well I got it home and unpacked it, moved one of the chairs into the hall to give me room and off I went. Ha ha it was so hilarious - and after the first 'dance' or whatever I had sweat running off me. Puss came to investigate and promptly sneered at me and wandered back to her bowl. I did one more then had to rest. For several days. Such fun and much cheaper than a stupid gym membership. The bonus is that nobody else can see how ridiculous I look, or how I keep getting my feet mixed up. Hand eye co-ordination was never my strong suit.
Last night was my nephew's engagement party so off I went, crystal wine vessels in hand. Met some of my sister's friends I've not seen for decades, and all us old gits hung around the back moaning about how the music was 'ours' (Village People, Cindy Lauper, Tina Turner etc) and they should get their own. It was very Bankstown Sports Club 1979 except I wasn't tanked and I wasn't dancing. And my goodness the dresses - I've got larger handkerchiefs! Good luck to them if they can get away with it, but here's a tip girls - wear something short if you have the figure for it, but don't keep tugging at the hemline trying to get it longer...

Here's some soggy Blue Poppies in Bhutan for you. Have a good week and try to be nice to everyone - even the idiots at Town Hall station who barge past to get on the escalator or into the train. It's probably not their fault they're so ignorant.

Lovely day to walk to Chiruwa

2011-02-20T07:41:00.000+05:30

So Robin tells me anyway. They got to their destination yesterday in good time and were able to have a swim in the river (very briefly apparently!) before 10 hour sleep.
Today they are headed for Chiruwa, where they will be in a gorge and possibly out of phone range.
For anyone who doesn't know the area, here's a link to a map of Kanchenjunga. They started at Taplejung which is on the left hand side, inbetween grid G and H. Follow the dotted yellow line (the left hand side one) north and you will see where they are going. Sorry the map isn't very large but you should be able to make out enough detail to follow.
Welcome to my new follower Don - I hope you enjoy.
I think it is time for me to head to the swimming pool - it's way too steamy here now and I can't be bothered doing any more jobs. I've already had my bizarre visit with mum today and think I need to float for a bit to recover from it.

The GHT is underway at last

2011-02-19T08:56:00.001+05:30

I spoke to Robin a few hours ago and the happy trekkers were just emerging for breakfast in delightful Taplejung before loading up and heading off towards Kanchenjunga. The weather is OK and the views were, apparently, quite good. However the road from Bhadrapur was awful and so they had to travel very slowly. Well, they won't have to worry about that for a while now.
I am doing weather reports once again, and it looks as though although it will be very cold, there won't be any snow or rain at in the next 4-5 days. More than that I cannot say.
Here is an article from the Nepal media about the trip.
I still don't have the info about the BBC Radio interview with Jo Jolly - perhaps she's run out electricity! Everyone else there has by the sounds of it.
Those of you who haven't signed up for Robin's GHT newsletter won't know about the gofundraise site, where all donations for the GHT will be sent.
Also, World Expeditions will be doing a blog based on sat phone calls from the guides - first cab off the rank will be Brave Sir Robin. Click here to check it out (though they've not got anything at the time of this posting - but it should be there in the next day or so).
Meanwhile, the life of a city office worker continues for yours truly. Had to do the grocery shopping at the Village of the Damned this morning - always so enjoyable. Yesterday one of my mates at work got handed this menu for a local Indian restaurant and I couldn't resist this - though I may never actually order it.

Time for more hilarious house cleaning.

And they're OFF!

2011-02-17T16:08:00.001+05:30

Robin and his band of happy trekkers flew safely to Bhadrapur today and are currently on a very wiggly road for a 2 day drive to Taplejung. Better them than me.
Yesterday in Kathmandu was the official launch of the World Ex GHT trip, and here is a press item about it. Robin also did a radio interview and TV interview with Jo Jolly from the BBC - when I get details I will post them here.
If you sign up to his GHT website you can check out the newsletter and sign up for the next edition. But of course you will also get the news here.
Meanwhile puss is being just too naughty for words, and tomorrow the Super-whatever-number-it-is Rugby starts, with the Tahs up against the new Melbourne team whose name I cannot recall. But I shall be enjoying it across the road as per usual.
The funniest thing this week was on Valentines Day. My boss Jeff was going to buy his wife some flowers - we tried to talk him out of wasting money on flowers and going to Tiffany instead - he could always pinch some flowers out of a garden on the way home we reasoned. Contrary to our very sensible advice, he purchased a bunch of flowers, which he proudly told us was 'a bunch of gerbils'. Imagine.... ha ha ha.
Time for a refresher in this heat methinks.
Stay tuned

home alone 2

2011-02-12T10:55:00.000+05:30

I survived the first week of being 'IT' at work, relatively unscathed. And now I'm all alone except for Princess Lakshmi the Wonder Cat.
Robin narrowly avoided excess luggage charges on Thursday and had, so he says, a rather uneventful trip to Kathmandu. With a BIG sleep in Bangkok on the way. Last night he went to our local and I'm still waiting to hear who was there and what the gossip is. Though as it's only early Feb I doubt there's much going on as only crazy people are in Kathmandu this time of year.
The powercuts are 14 hours a day now in the 'du so Robin was scrambling to get some work done when I just rang him, as there was only 15 minutes of 'bhatti' left.
Mum got out of hospital today and seems rather cranky - about life in general I think. And she is being difficult to deal with and insists on putting everything down the bottom of cupboards, shelves etc - it's driving me nuts. So I told her if she falls over bending down to get things don't ring my phone asking for help. She doesn't even want to eat vanilla slices anymore, and Di told me mum only weighs 45 kilos. That's considerably less than either of us!
So tonight I have been invited across the road for dinner, only they forgot to buy chicken for me so I have to BYO! Better get going and make something.
Bye!

Finally cooling down....

2011-02-06T10:44:00.000+05:30

I give you Exhibit A - the fridge magnet yesterday afternoon at 4pm. PHEW! Then the hot wind got stronger. Luckily we were headed across the road to our charming neighbours who have air con. But best of all was the pool party. All 6 of us were sitting on plastic chairs, with our feet in the 3 inches of water in the kiddy pool, drinking champagne. So classy! And eating chips and dip. It was better than all of us trying to squeeze into the pool. The southerly buster never happened, and we suffered the warm nor'west winds all night. Of course, by the time we staggered home at 11.30pm the house was like an oven - even though we left the doors open (or perhaps because we did) and the ambient temp had dropped to a beautiful 30 degrees. So another night of sweating profusely and another morning of sheet washing.
This afternoon I whipped up a Jamaican Jerked Chicken marinade from this wonderful website. That is now festering in the fridge and I'll let you know after dinner tomorrow how it tastes.
I'm taking this opportunity to remember a friend of ours who succumbed to the heatwave last week. Glenn was a big guy and had some health problems in the last few years but we sure never expected this to happen. OM my friend. I do hope it isn't the start of another year of final goodbyes.
I'm off to enjoy a cup of tea without melting for a change. robin is off on Thursday so I'll keep you posted on all his adventures. I'm not doing his logistics now as visas are too much of a hassle - staying here to rebuild the bank account is a much more useful way to spend my time. So I won't be seeing him for maybe 5 or 6 months. Think of all the chocolate I can eat in bed!!!

Feelin' hot hot hot

2011-02-05T08:42:00.003+05:30

That's what it is in the kitchen right now @2pm. And the sun still hasn't hit the back of the house properly. There is a delightful hot wind that reminds me of Delhi last year, so the doors are shut which means no hot wind comes in. It also means no air comes in so I expect to suffocate very soon. Robin is busy working away on the website in the front room, and I have been trying to distract him to get the curtains down so I can wash them - no luck there I'm afraid.Will have to wait till after he leaves on Thursday next week.
Remember I mentioned last time that I was dyeing my hair? Well it has been SO hot all week as you may know (over 30 every day for 6 days and not much less at night). I was lying in bed trying to sleep, without much luck I might add, sweating all over the sheets (now I know how the Shroud of Turin was made!) when to my horror I saw that my lustrous Violet Vision has leaked all over the once white Egyptian cotton sheets. Oh dear...Don't they look delightful.
Brave Sir Robin has been busy accumulating gadgets and the like for his trip and just took delivery of a Kindle and a new iPod nano - it is SOOOOO tiny. The Kindle is a ripper and he has lots of books on it that he never had time to read - frankly if I had the time I wouldn't be reading most of what he put there but it isn't mine so it doesn't matter. It is seriously funky and I think he will enjoy not having to lug heavy books or read the same things 10 times over on a trek!
Meanwhile I have been enjoying the daily commute on unairconditioned trains with squillions of sweaty workers - it really puts me in a bad mood. And of course there are the lovely summer outfits. Saw one yesterday that was just awful - large round young lady about late 20's. Spartan sandals that wrapped right around her ankles, chopping her off. Knee length tights, chopping her off. Short dress with belt around the non existent waist, chopping her off. Poor girl looked like a string of sausages in a frock. And don't get me started on anybody who wears stupid cut-off denims that are so short the pockets (or something else - eeewwww!!!) hangs out the bottom. I can't imagine that they are cool or comfortable, and they aren't much chop of a look. Still, perhaps young males like the look....
And poor Princess Lakshmi the Wonder Cat just wonders when she won't be melting in her fur coat.
But at least we have avoided floods, fires and cyclones here in Sydney. And cold snaps, and earthquakes, and revolutions. So you so see, it really could be worse. Try telling that to Robin at 3am when it is 26 degrees C and we don't have air con in the house...
Stay comfortable and dry wherever you are on the planet.

There goes January!

2011-01-30T05:01:00.001+05:30

Whoosh! How can it be the 30th already? And I STILL haven't managed to get to the local pool. At least now I can blame being at work and having the weekends full of visits to the Old Confused One, and entertaining various persons for barbies before Brave Sir Robin nicks off again on the 10th of February. Gawd.
While I have been slaving over a hot debtors ledger and enjoying the moist delights of Town Hall station on a sultry and airless afternoon, Robin has been trying to: finish off a Nepal GHT film, write an article for Wanderlust magazine, un-hack the website, sort out everything for the World Expeditions trek, and organise some shelves in the bedroom for the old TV so I can sit in bed in winter and watch Richard Gere and Hugh Grant movies with the cat. I told him the cat prefers fish documentaries but he didn't seem to care. Not sure if I already told you this, but here is the link to the Bhutan movies that Robin made and stuck on YouTube. Hope you enjoy - there's 4 in the series.
We have been lucky enough in Sydney not to be flooded or set on fire, but it has been very hot. It is the sort of weather where you just want to sprawl about, legs akimbo. As you can see:

Don't you love the discarded shoes! At least they match the lino.

I was heartened to read online this morning about a very tacky Royal Wedding souvenir - condoms. Here's the link - do enjoy.
And it was nice to see Peter back in the workplace after his holiday in India - shame about the Kalimpong Koff and Bagdogra Belly - a dynamic combination and sure to baffle the doctors for sometime.
OK the buzzer has gone and it is time for me to rinse the lovely Violet Vision dye from my hair and prepare for the next round of barbecue frenzy.
Later...

Oh no the holiday is OVER!!!

2011-01-21T09:55:00.000+05:30

Yes unfortunately today is my last weekday of bumming around. Not that I have been sitting on the lounge eating cream buns all day anyway! There' s been the excitement of exterior house painting (which made me cross), doctors visits (which made me cross), dealing with a whole bunch of stuff about mum (which made me bemused), and cooking great new cakes (which made me fat). And of course lots of laundry.
The cakes I have been making have come from a great blog I discovered - The Caked Crusader. I can highly recommend everything I've made so far - check it out if you like cakes.
Here in Sydney we have escaped the rain and fires that seem to be everywhere else in Australia, but the weather has been oppressively hot and sticky. Not to mention mozzie city every evening. But at least we have a house to get bitten in!
I've been planting some lemongrass by the back door hoping that might have a positive effect - nothing to report yet but it's early days.
My sister Di and I are trying to sort out mum's finances as it looks like she will need to get into a hostel care type place. She is forgetting to eat and take her tablets, and she has this obsession with turning off and unplugging the TV and the electric chair (if only it was) and then wondering why nothing bloody works! All because some silly old goat told her it saves 'thousands' on an electricity bill. Yeah but what about when she falls over at the powerpoint and nobody discovers her for days? And although we got her a motorised (electric!!) chair with only 2 buttons she cannot work it out. It is truly painful to watch - but also funny in an odd way. I do feel bad, but as a friend said there's only say 47% of mum there anyway. And that's on a good day.
Only a few weeks now till Robin heads off to Nepal and the cat and I will have the house to ourselves. Who am I going to shout at then?
Today Robin got his orthotics from a wonderful place locally which also made my orthotics many years ago. They make them a completely different way to regular places and I've never had any trouble with them. I can recommend them if you are in the market for some extra foot support.
Got a few mates coming for a lunchtime barbecue tomorrow - always a good excuse for Robin to eat some steak that I won't let him cook in the house.

Thought you might like to see my wonderful frangipani tree with Lakshmi the Wonder Cat lazing about hoping for some lunch!

I didn't forget you

2011-01-12T12:12:00.000+05:30

but I have been rather busy!
NYEX (as they called it here) passed off uneventfully and with a substantial amount of alcohol and barbecued meat devoured. Very good.
The next day was extremely hot, especially for anyone who may have had a glass or 2 too many!
Watched the first day of the Sydney test match at home then I graced the workplace with my presence. It has been good to get back into the working thing again. I've got a few days off this week and next so I am trying to get all medical and legal appointments done - but of course it isn't quite working out that way.
We also wanted to paint the new bits of the back of the house that were rebuilt after our fire in June 2009 - the weather forecast has been for rain every day and you guessed it - the sun is out and blazing. So tomorrow we bite the bullet and head for Bunnings paint department...Fun.
Meanwhile, Queensland is sinking under the huge floods and parts of northern NSW are too. As far as we know Sydney won't be affected, but our neighbour was supposed to be going to Brisbane for her niece's wedding this weekend - I seriously doubt that will be happening.
Oh I MUST tell you! We were desperate to test the 3D-ness of our new tv, so hired the 3D Blu Ray version of PIRANHA. You really must see it if you get the chance - there is SO much tacky gratuitous nudity, gore and BAD music. A cult classic in the making. I haven't laughed so hard for ages.

And here is a pic from Kathmandu Durbar Square - a World heritage site that is well worth a visit. The woodcarving is superb. Bye for now

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T10:19:00.002+05:30

and good riddance to 2010 - way too many good friends and relatives left us this year.
Meanwhile, Xmas was a success - the turkeys were very delicious and everyone behaved nicely, except for after lunch when I missed out on a spot to sleep... oh well.
Australia did very poorly in the cricket, which was a shame as I was looking forward to blobbing out on the sofa and watching it all. Especially as we went to the Boxing day sales and bought an enormous LG HD, 3D internet etc everything TV and a Blu-ray PVR thing. I only wanted a new set top box! Now I have more gadgets than Joe The Gadget Man (I bet nobody remembers him), including a whizz bang remote control that can do everything except mow the lawn.
Good thing we don't live in Kathmandu with a TV like that as they now have 11 hours a day of power cut - what a total crock - and it is anticipated to climb to 20 hours a day in the next few months. Yuck.
I started back at work this week and we all survived OK. It will be good to get some $$$ rolling in again instead of it flooding out all the time.
Mum was moved to a rehab place this morning (without the hospital notifying us) so all the progress she made with her little brain has gone out the window as she is completely bamboozled about where she is and why she is there. The hospital were meant to call my sister so that one of us could go there with her. Consequently, my darling sister is at the hospital as I type, telling them exactly what she thinks of them. Happy New Year.
Sydney town is HOT and I am so glad I wasn't one of those poor silly sods heading to the waterfront with an esky of lukewarm Fanta at about 8 this morning, just to get a 'good spot' for the fireworks.
We are heading across the road for a barbie this evening and a few sparklers from the Indian party warehouse. Let's hope the sparklers are better than the Indian space rockets that keep blowing up.

And so without further ado, it's Happy New Year from us. Hope to see you in 2011 when there is much more excitement and logistic stuff happening. Have a great NYE and please stagger safely back home!

Pre Christmas mayhem

2010-12-23T05:17:00.000+05:30

And my 100th post! Time for a drink...
Well my goodness we have been flat out. After the PP got admitted to hospital last Friday we have been trying to sort out options for the future, meeting with her doctor and trying to deal with everything that has been thrown up in our faces. It's almost as though she has given up now and it is a very sad thing to watch. I hope it never happens to me. Or anyone else I know. Add to that her severe osteoporosis (which results in her fracturing bones with a sneezing fit - news to us as well) and you can see it may not be a fun-filled Christmas in the Boustead-Smythe residence this year. Oh well, we must try our best. And keep eating dairy. More cheese please. But I did manage, after going to about twenty shops, to find Christmas crackers (or bonbons if you are that way inclined) which almost sent me bloody crackers!
On a more jolly note, I visited the old workplace the other day and have been invited back for some time, starting next week! Excellent, and the bank manager WILL be pleased! It was great to catch up with everyone there too. And Peter, enjoy the trip to Bagdogra!
Today we're off for lunch with Geoff of the Jungle in town. Sydney is manic right now and I shall try to avoid the shops. Tomorrow I have to take PP to a plastic surgeon in Westfield Parramatta (ghastly thing to do on xmas eve) after which I will definitely require rum. In large quantities. Meanwhile Brave Sir Robin will be going to the butchers and the bakers to collect the last of the Christmas fare for me to cook.
Looking forward to the Boxing Day cricket from Melbourne, and of course the sales - time for new undies. Speaking of which, I took all the PP's dirty clothes out of the basket at her place yesterday and brought them home to wash. While I was out disposing of her old recliner at the Salvo's Robin kindly pegged out mum's clothes - 11 pairs of Cottontails (if you don't know what they are google it) and 5 bone coloured shirts. He has made me promise that if I ever consider underwear like that I must shoot myself, and if he isn't at home I can just leave a note saying "tempted by Cottontails. Time to end it." Not a problem. Oh no, my toothbrush just fell into the kitty litter which I had moved while I was mopping the floor. DISASTER!
So I leave you now to hang out laundry and get ready for lunch. And sterilise my toothbrush...
Here is a video of one of my favourite intersections in Kathmandu - Tri Devi Marg and Kantipath, right outside the former Royal Palace which you can see in the top right corner (now the infamous urine filled Ministry of Foreign Affairs). I do hope you enjoy it.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Home again, home again, jiggedy jig

2010-12-19T10:57:00.001+05:30

And what a FUN few days it has been - not. First of all the hoo-haa at the stupid airport in Katty where there were about 5 international flights leaving at the same time, so the teensy weensy departures 'cell' was crammed - it wasn't even standing room only. Total mayhem but we finally got onto the full flight with a large bunch of Buddhist pilgrims. The flight crew announced that because they had 131 special meals to serve, the meal service may take longer than usual. And it did.
We were late getting to Bangers but no problem as we had plenty of time to catch our midnight connection - which was also chockers. Thank goodness for sleeping tablets or we would have spent a miserable night sitting up. Shame Robin managed to leave his neck cushion on the previous flight.
We got home in pretty good time and after a quick shower and cuppa we were at Gus the butchers collecting some long awaited chicken bacon and shallot sausages and other meaty items. A few groceries, some wine and fruit and veg and we were set to go home and veg out on the lounge. And play with Lakshmi the wondercat who was exceptionally pleased to see us.
A quick phone call confirmed that the perturbed parent is still confused about many things. Poor darling. We visited her on Friday and ended up taking her into hospital for unexplained back pain which seems to have been the result of an old fracture that none of us knew about. But her mind is now doing some very odd things so we are just waiting to see where we go from here. She does have a very nice geriatrician, Dr Nagaratnam, who we had a chat with this morning.

Sterling Club Santa

Most people we know are in full swing for Xmas but we are still kinda making it up as we go along. The turkeys are ordered, my sister made the cake and I have a pudding and some mince pies to collect. So it's just a matter of veges, brandy butter and alcohol I guess.
Now that the cricket has finished I have no excuse for sitting in front of the TV, so I will just have to find other things to do. I'm off to the former workplace on Tuesday to seal the deal for more work next year, and I also have to take PP to a surgeon on Xmas Eve (wonderful) to get a skin cancer thing cut out. Ouch.
Enjoy the week before Xmas and don't drink and drive!

I just saw Santa!

2010-12-12T16:14:00.000+05:30

That's right - here in the Hindu land of Nepal we have Santa too. The Sterling Club at the British Embassy had their Xmas lunch buffet party today so off we went with our mixed bunch of friends for turkey buffet, strawberries, bread and butter pudding and mince pies. YUM. And here is Santa in his lovely tinsel bedecked rickshaw being driven by what I think is a gingerbread man - Robin reckons it's a reindeer but I can't see any antlers. Anyway, all us 'grownups' were chasing the rickshaw yelling out hi to Santa. Because we are all dags.

And here are a couple of kiddies in Santa's Grotto getting a present from the big fella. Boy it was crowded in there! I suppose you're wondering what else we are up to. Well, most of our friends have either left town or are on their way out in the next few days. The weather is getting much colder now and everyone can feel it's time to go. Unless of course you are going to Europe where it is a whole lot colder - but at least they have gas, electricity and hot water!
Flying back home on Tuesday so you may not hear from me till we make it back to Sydney - when I hope to be able to upload some video clips on a more reliable internet connection.
See ya later!