but wait there's more....

electricity that is! I have been driving myself nuts using it - don't ask me what the hell I have achieved though. I still haven't ironed anything!
Right, so Robin made it over the 2nd highest pass in Bhutan and is now somewhere called Narithang - it's amazing what a difference having a map can make. I got up at 3 this morning to get a forecast off the net for him, so am a bit dopey....Just because there is power doesn't mean the internet works.
Got my bangles for the wedding - all nice married ladies have armsful of bangles and I couldn't be left out! Not that anyone could mistake me for a nice married lady.
My Nepali friends and I have been busy solving all of Nepal's problems. We all seem to agree that it is the fault of the 601 parliamentarians - rabid dogs or crazy monkeys depending on who you talk to! I can't believe that every month for the last 2 years each of these useless bums collected Rs 1 lakh (100,000 rupees or about $AUD2k - a fair bit for this place) and they have managed, in general, to achieve precisely nothing to benefit the local people. It is bad enough when it happens in the west, where at least most people have a house, water, medical care. But here it just sucks. Many people are thinking it's time for a different sort of government. Like not a democracy - considering that the hapless fellow who is PM (MK Nepal) was rejected by all voters and yet still runs the country (if that is indeed what he is doing) I think anything would be better, and I'm not the only one. A friend of mine says that the only reason Nepal isn't a failed African state is that it isn't in Africa!

Today is Buddha Jayanti, so Happy Birthday to Lord Buddha.







Tomorrow is the last day for the parliament to get it's act together. Saturday is Republic Day - and also probably the day when people take to the streets egged on by the Maoists to protest about the useless government. And Sunday is Roast Lunch day at the Sterling Club - this month is roast chicken with peach pie and ice cream YUM. Taking my mate Sarah to that.
Went for a swim yesterday as the weather was pretty steamy - and what a lovely swim it was too!
And here's a quote I read in the paper yesterday about the missing doctor I have been telling you about : "The cops are not able to solve this complicated crime conundrum." FANTASTIC. In news about raids on 'massage parlours' in town : "The police caught them in the midst of their involvement in objectionable activities." Excellent work.
There is now another person signed up for the full Nepal traverse next year with World Expeditions. Please, if you are thinking of a trek check out the WE GHT trips - you will be part of something new and exciting, and you'll be helping Nepal as well as having a great holiday.

 

And here as promised is a photo of a large plate of that Bhutanese delicacy Emai Datsu or cheese curry. MMMMMMMM.

Thanks to my sister for keeping me informed on mum - expect an email after I digest the current news - which is only slightly more palatable than the cheese curry I think!
Well the rain has started again, and I just finished a splendid hot chocolate so I might wander home and grab a hot shower before the water goes cold on me!

Bhatti drives me batty

that's right the electricity situation here is driving me nuts. In theory we have 12 hrs every day of power cuts, all nicely arranged and duly notified, so that you can plan when to be home and when you can go out. The last few days we have had some huge storms that go for 10 hours or more, which increases the water level in the rivers, and the amount of hydro power.
So the powers that be very kindly just leave the switch on, so we all get more power. Problem is, you never know when they will turn it off. An hour ago I was stuck in netbanking, email and weather forecasting when it went off, so have now come out to a cafe to finish what I started. I am enjoying a rather good mango smoothie while I work so it could be worse.
I've not gone back to the pool because all the rain will have made the pool even colder than it was on Saturday. And I am such a wuss.
Had dinner and drinks last night with Billi and some friends of hers from her hometown Garmisch in Germany. we went to a Bhutanese restaurant for dinner - and boy am I taking my own food when I visit next month! More on that later. I tried to upload a photo of the cheese curry  but the website spat it out.
There has been a huge dump of snow at Everest Base Camp, and Makalu was apparently way too cold to summit.The rescues on Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu this season are quite the talk of the mountaineering community - a joint venture between Nepali Fishtail Air and Swiss Air Zermatt has proven that it is possible to rescue above 6000m. Read more about it here:http://www.billibierling.com/2010/05/24/engagement-parties-and-everest-summits/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilliBierling-
We now have the youngest climber: Jordan Romero aged 13. He has completed the Seven Summits - quite an achievement. And as for the nutty British chap who swam across the glacial lake under Mt Pumori - why?
And speaking of why, Robin has another big pass on Thursday, then they arrive in a place called Laya - if I had a decent map I could find it - and then it is 'all downhill' from there. They got soaked yesterday, just as I predicted, and were lucky enough to pal up with the forest officer who comes originally from Nepal, so he let them stay in his house and warm up by the pot belly stove. 
On yesterday's topic of the missing doctor, apparently an investigation has discovered that he is OK and will return home in a few days. What does that mean? Did he go to India to the Bata shoe shop? A quick trip to Lhasa? How vague and irritating.
Looks like none of my photos want to upload today so you will just have to go without.
Bye for now!

let's all go climb Everest

I feel so left out - everyone it seems is busy climbing and I am just lazing around. Well not really, I have been SO busy I can't begin to tell you.
I finally managed to join a swimming pool nearby. For the princely sum of Rs 3000 (less than 50 bucks AUD) I can wander up the back lane to the Malla Hotel pool anytime I like - even in a strike - and swim myself stupid - yes it may not take long!
Met up with an old friend for brekky yesterday, then a different one for lunch, and some more for drinkies and dinner last night.
Had 2 opportunities to lie in as Robin didn't ring me yesterday or today at stupid o'clock. He rang me this afternoon while I was having a wonderful massage to let me know he made it safely over the pass (sorry I can't tell you which one) and was worn out. He is now heading for a campsite near a village where he hopes to recharge his sat phone battery. Now that the south west monsoon has hit India, and the cyclone has hit the east coast, weather forecasting just got a whole lot trickier. I rely quite a bit on what the Everest and Kanch climbers are up to as that gives me an indication of what the jetstream is doing.
And my goodness what a lot of climbers there have been: the 13 year old who just became the youngest to get up the big E, Miss Oh from South Korea who recently became the first woman to climb all 14 8000m peaks, and Edurne Pasabane who became the second, and is disputing Miss Oh's claim that she climbed Kanchenjunga. There always seems to be some sort of scandalous palaver, and I guess this is the one for pre monsoon 2010. At least it makes a change from people arguing about who should have tried to save a dying climber instead of stepping over them on the way down. You can expect some more mountaineering news in the weeks to come. And perhaps I will also have news on a missing solo female trekker who disappeared a few weeks ago in the Helambu area north of Kathmandu - the area has had quite a few lone trekkers disappear never to be found. You should ALWAYS go trekking with another person you know and trust.
Meantime I have been enjoying some unexpected bhatti (electricity) - got to watch an Akshay Kumar flick the other day. He is too cute and frankly he can put his chappals under my charpoi any day!

I know what a hot dog feels like!

It's official - yesterday was the hottest day in Delhi since the Taj Mahal was built - well almost! And it just never seemed to cool down. As I mentioned, swimming was not really refreshing, just different. I felt like a poor old cocktail frankfurt. After the swim I got another dodgy cab, this time an old black and yellow Amby (Ambassador) the classic Indian car: bench seats, no air con and ALWAYS driven by immaculate old fellows in neatly pressed grey safari suits. I feel so sorry for these buggers that I just can't resist hailing them in this heat, then giving them an extra Re 10 at the end so they can buy an icecream. They seem pretty pleased - they have to turn up to work anyway and nobody wants to hire them, so they sit around in the heat all day and don't earn any money. That's me being charitable. And hell, it is SO hot it really doesn't matter.
Which leads me to dinner, wherein Louella (the resident teacher), Vinita (the maid/cook) and I walked for 15 minutes or so in the heat to a south Indian dosa joint for dinner. It wasn't really cooler, but at least the sun had set!
Complete this joke to win a prize: A Nepali, an Indian and an Aussie went to a dosa joint.....

Why do I always seem to have that shirt on????





Hey just caught the Super 14s and saw the Tahs beat the Hurricanes. YAY.
News from Bhutan: Robin was stuck in the infamous and well documented mud of Bhutan yesterday and today - blizzards, snow rain. Sounds just lovely. They are now somewhere called I think Tjule Tsho (lake) and going over the Gulay Na(??) some some hot a-springs. They are a little behind schedule as the mud really slowed them down, and Robin is feeling the altitude at a snip under 4500m. He's lucky he's not at Everest Base Camp otherwise he probably wouldn't have a tent as just about everything got blown away in big winds  there in the last few days. He is looking forward to a short day tomorrow followed by lounging in the hot springs - he should just come to Delhi where even a cold shower scalds you. And as for the rungs on the pool ladder...
I hit the mall again this arvo - bought a dress and some supplies - like beer, coke to go with rum, juice and cheese Shapes to go with the beer and the rum. Oh and some new swimming goggles since my others leak.
Another state hangman has offered to come out of retirement to hang the Mumbai terrorist Kasab. For the grand sum of Rs 200 I think.
this Sunday is the last auspicious day for weddings for some months, and there are forecast to be between 15 and 20 THOUSAND weddings set for Delhi on Sunday. Gawd help us. I think hanging out at Ice Lounge will be the best thing to do - and it is meant to be 46 on Sunday so going into minus 6 should really make me feel fabulous - or dead!
Staying in tonight to watch Australia and Pakistan in the T20 - just hope there isn't a powercut!
Namaste.

Daze of our lives!

Talk about weird. I've certainly had an odd week - and when I tell you what's been going on you'll understand why I've been out of touch.
So, last Thursday I went to Olive Restaurant, right? Then Friday I blogged all about it, and since then...
First of all the summer power cuts kicked in, with the house plunged into warm inky blackness on Friday afternoon. So no internet. Carmen arrived back from Goa on Friday night - nobody bothered to tell me she was coming - and promptly announced that she was flying to Spain on Sunday night. Family 'issues' I think you could call it. Saturday no internet - but that was kinda OK as I was busy at the pool. Then in the afternoon  Louella and I sat in Carmen's room eating samosas and drinking whisky or rum. Every 'proper' Indian bedroom also has a lounge etc in it so you can just sit in there and ignore the rest of the family - it's a very Indian thing!
That night I went to Bennigans in Greater Kailash with Manish. A totally different karaoke crowd - most people were damned good. The best thing was a foreign family were there with their 2 kids, eating dinner, when the karaoke started. The young boy was busting to sing, so got up and asked if he could sing 'Livin on a Prayer' by Bon Jovi. He did an admirable job, much to the delight of mum and dad, and everyone gave him a huge cheer. The equipment there kept petering out - the amp got too hot I think - and after 5 deaths the evening was declared 'over'. Just as well as it was about 1am.
Sunday - pool and no internet and a walk up to the local cafe. I was asking about the internet problem but just got stupid grins at home. Oh well. Carmen was busy getting all her last minute stuff done so no car for me.
Monday was VERY hot so after swimming and lunch, I went to the Post Office to mail something to Kolkata - the Post Office hasn't really changed in 20 years. The parcel sewing men are still outside, sewing and sealing, and the fruit juice man was doing a roaring trade with the foreigners busy mailing their rugs and clothes back home. And the staff still try to look like they are doing 10 things at once when in fact they are really just wasting time! But at least it's cheap. After that I headed to one of the big malls here in Saket - such wonderful material in the clothes but it beats me how anyone wears saris that have so many sequins on them - it must scratch every time you move. The icecream was pretty good though. Still no internet and I couldn't help but notice that there was an Airtel bill on the kitchen counter, with rupees piled on it. It was still there on Tuesday when the internet wasn't working, but finally disappeared at lunchtime. Chances of internet action up 50%. And finally this morning it works.
So today being Wednesday it's karaoke at Harry's again - last one for this trip anyway as I leave next Tuesday for Nepal. Where there are 12 hours of powercuts a day - fun.
Now let me think, what has Robin been doing? Oh yes that's right, trekking! They had a few 10 hour days where they got completely soaked, then one of the horsemen got crook and ended up in hospital, and they got a new set of horses. They had a 2400 metre climb (with accompanying descent) which was $#@*!! tough so I am told. On Monday they were in a place where the first Choegyal (King) of Bhutan came from and were staying with his relatives who could trace their family back I think it was 12 generations. So he got to stay in a room with a big pot bellied stove in it to dry out him and his stuff, and there were kittens prancing around. There always seem to be kittens jumping around. Yesterday when he called me after another epic he was wrapping himself around a bottle of 'HIT' beer from Sikkim. Sounds great doesn't it. He is now in Central Bhutan on the bit that is called the Snowman Trek - very tough week ahead but then it should be plain sailing (or trekking), which is why I can go back to Nepal and won't be required to mount any form of rescue from India apparently.
Robin has had 2 enquiries today about people wanting to walk the Nepal part of the GHT - one would like to do some on mountain bike. I always just say to these people that Robin is in the field and will get back to them in July. Some people seem to have unrealistic expectations - like that they can just put on a pack and wander off without a guide, and that there will always be some local who will put them up and feed them. That is so far from the reality of the situation, but many people seem to be very opposed to using any local staff - and the whole point of the GHT is that it isn't about YOU walking it, it is about THEM getting money and tourists. After all, it ain't the Everest Trek!
So, India has a new World Champ - Vishy Anand, Chess Grandmaster who defended his title overnight in Sofia. Well done him. Much better effort than the Indian T20 cricketers, who are now blaming the constant round of IPL parties for their poor show in the Caribbean.

And on Saturday, Delhi police got in a 'tizzy' when there was a hoax call made that the Chief minister of Delhi's life was in danger. Trying to picture tizzied police.....

Prayer flags at the  temple in Darjeeling

And from our roving sports reporter

At half time in the great soccer match (football to you non Aussies) at Lingshi sports stadium (or a field in the middle of nowhere) it's Dragons (red) 0 - Lions (gold) 0. The girls are playing in the next match I'm told.

I have now purchased a fab Samsung dual sim phone, which works a bit like an Indian call centre as I can be on one sim, say the Indian one, and Robin can ring on the Aussie roaming one and I can say stuff like 'hold the line please' , or as they lady at Spicejet said the other week "please be online" - I thought she meant I had to get my computer out!

This chap has nothing to do with anything in the blog, I just think he's really cool. Last year he got locked up for painting a statue of Prithvi Narayan Shah, the uniter of Nepal (we could do with him now) in puce pink and gold. I rather liked it.

power to the people

Well I don't have any at present, and my friends in Nepal have even less - but more on that later.
Robin is trying to dry out at a place called Lhuntsi near the border with China - they got soaked yesterday, and had thunderstorms all night, so stopped at about 11 this morning when they found a lovely dry grassy place by the monastery, and spread everything out to dry. Robin assures me that Pasang the cook is excellent, unlike the 2 horse boys who cannot tie a load to save themselves and have held them up rather badly. So it looks like some new horse boys will be recruited.
Unfortunately the sat phone is still a useless lump of plastic, and I am getting increasingly frustrated trying to explain to people in various countries what is and isn't happening as they keep asking me things like - does he know how to use it? If it doesn't work properly soon - and we are sure it is a problem their end not ours - it will be saved till the end of the trip and stuck where the sun don't shine!
Another quiet night in last night - especially as the cricket was rained out, then off to the pool this morning. Chatted with some friends in Nepal - I'm in no rush to go back there with all the Maoist protest hoo haa going on at the moment - why on earth would I go from Delhi, the shoppers paradise - to Kathmandu, shops open 2 hours a day and there probably isn't anything decent in there anyway. And there's not much electricity. Too boring. But the funniest thing about the Maoists luring people to Kathmandu to protest and gherao (blockade) the capital, is that many of them are getting the $hits from bad food and water - and frankly everyone is getting the $hits with them... karma.
This afternoon I whizzed off to Lajpath nagar in an attempt to locate a particular tablecloth I had my eye on, but when we arrived there were about 60 cops and a whole bunch of bomb squad around. I suggested to the driver that we should just 'go to home' and he, bless him, said 'but madam, SHOPPING!!'. I said it was OK, we would go 'today next' (tomorrow). He said that was a good idea as 'bomb make big problem for market. BOOM!'
Tonight I am going to paint the town beige (or puce) as I make a triumphant  return to possibly not sing at karaoke. Depends what sort of mood I'm in.
And more signings for the Great Himalaya Trail trip next year - Julie @ World Expeditions tells me that Carlos Buhler has confirmed he'll guide for the Tilman Pass section - so anyone looking for a wild and exciting trek with one of the great mountaineers of modern time would do well to consider it. 

to get you in the mood for trekking!

                                                 but some days it's all too much to bear!

Supertramp said it: It's raining again

Well it is in Bhutan anyway! Robin is very soggy and pleased to have a carpet and a kitchen tent. He would be even more pleased if he had a satellite phone that worked. But hey, that's for me to sort out. Currently 4 countries are involved in this tamasha - let's hope that's all it takes.
Got a call from Robin on the Dong La at about 4000m in mist, rain and hail. He had seen ugh yellow, red, pink and white rhododendrons, signs of deer and wild boar, and lots of birds. He sounded very happy and tired, and said his trusty guide Raj seems to be enjoying himself most of the time!
He rang me while I was at Sarojini Nagar  (especially noted by the embassies as a place to avoid because of possible terrorist attack). As you see, I made it out OK but there sure weren't any other foreigners there. Got a good deal on a bag from the 'hand luggage emporium' near the ice cream stand - the man assured me it was number one quality. I'm sure it is for $10 Aussie. But as long as it holds all the blasted books Robin bought and a few other heavy items I'll be happy.
Currently enjoying the Amazing Race Asia, where an American who is married to an Asian lady is being soundly berated for his driving in Korea - and boy does she have a screechy voice!
Swam half a km or so today - which kinda wears one out. 
The shouty news TV stations have been bombarding viewers all day with tasteless logos about the convicted Mumbai blast chappie Kasab/Qasab. There is overwhelming public support for a public hanging, and so the news channels now have borders around their KASAB MUST DIE flashy trashy headlines, of a swinging noose superimposed over his photo from the CCTV cameras at the Taj. In case you didn't guess, I find it all rather tacky. Not to mention wrong. That's not to say the bereaved families didn't suffer, but it won't solve the problem or bring the loved ones back.
And in travel news, there is a strong push to close many of the tiger parks to the public as there is a perception that tours is making the tigers too used to people, and therefore creating problems for villagers.  And if nobody ever goes there nobody will know what is happening to the animals...

A shoe shop at Sarojini Nagar Delhi

and then it got hotter

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside, it got hotter and the desert wind picked up and you got - hot and sticky and covered in fine sand! Lovely! Sitting in an alley way on a busted chair eating what was, undeniably, a very hot and spicy chicken tikka roll while melting in the 'breeze' was quite something, especially as I was losing the food fight with myself. 
There are some cars parked around here that got so covered in dust they look like they have been parked since the time of Akbar the Great.
In Guwahati, where I am flying tomorrow, they have a different problem. Since Monday they have had 80 cm, (that's right centimetres!!!!) of rain and the town is flooded. I do hope Jet Airways has invested in a couple of seaplanes and one is on the Assam route.... stay tuned.
Righto, Robin is in Bomdilla visiting the big Rimpoche today with some people from a UN (I think) programme - he is hoping to get a blessing for his Bhutan trip. He will then head off early tomorrow to drive down through Tezpur then change cars to meet me (assuming I make it) in Guwahati. I hope he is coming in a boat!
The first final of the IPL is on tonight between the Mumbai Indians (Sachin Tendulkar) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (Anil Kumble) - I can't decide which team to go for. I'll be watching it in Harry's karaoke palace tonight with Manish - I don't expect there will be too many people out and about this evening.
The IPL scandal is getting lots of coverage over here, naturally, and so now some politicians are suggesting that the government makes gambling legal in India. That would certainly solve some of the problems currently being faced.
If I make it to Assam tomorrow, I will be out of technology range for a few days, so you won't hear from me for a while. So, enjoy Anzac Day and be nice to a service person. It's thanks to them we have so many things we take for granted.
Remember the story we learnt at school about Simpson and his donkey carrying wounded soldiers in Gallipolli? Well I don't have a picture of that so here is the donkey rank in Jomsom, Nepal. Cheers!