July 27, 2009
Water.
Holy Water. Not the kind at church. Today it poured. POURED. Today at Karuna Ghar (girls home) Rekha told me they were just about out of water. It hadn’t rained enough this monsoon so they were going to have to purchase 7,000 liters from a big truck (which is a common way they get water).
A common problem in Kathmandu is water, I’ve seen people scramble and push each other around just to get some…So today was prayers answered.
Karuna Ghar like other homes in the city has a roof that slants to catch water. That water runs down a tube and into a bucket. That bucket was overflowing(!) and Gautam worked all morning to get that water into their wells below and tanks on the roof.
19,000 liters later. Which is over 5,000 gallons of water later they are topped off!
A nearby peoples bridge had disappeared as the river had come up so high. That river flows dirty with the trash and toilet waste, for the first time in awhile the smell of that river has gone!
Water.
“I’m rich with water!”
-Rekha
July 26, 2009
Bike time.
I took off for the mountains yesterday from my room. This is what happened.
- Neighbor Kids on the back until they realized I was going to the Mountains.
- Mob of ANGRY protesters.
- Policeman tried to bribe me for my water bottle.
- Met a random guy that has no home but his bike. (bike guide for the world.).
- A mile later met a teacher from CA with the guy above.
- 4 ears of corn (20 rs.).
- 1 huge radish (free).
- Leech on the leg.
- Watership Down.
- 40km later
- and some of the most amazing views and scenery.
- asleep at 630pm.
July 23, 2009
Escalator.
Liz always asks me “What did you see that was beautiful?” I love that question.
Yesterday I was at the Nepali Bazaar and they have escalators there! Escalators are a funny thing here, Andrew and I talked about it the other day and talked about how fun it is to watch little kids and even adults get on them for the first time in Nepal. Sometimes there is fear, panic, sometimes there is screaming, kicking and other times tears.
This time I saw two young girls enjoying themselves so much like it was an amusement park ride. They were both holding hands and giggling and watching their feet as it went down.
What was really beautiful was the young girl with her father behind her. She was very calm holding on with both of her hands and just smiling as if she was taking it in. Taking it all in, as if she was soaking it up so she could remember it later, the experience of the escalator.
It was beautiful.
July 22, 2009
a year ago with Jess!
Jesse, Liz and I hopped in a SMALL van to get from the border of India/Nepal to get back home to Kathmandu. We enjoyed ourselves, as our SMALL van was slowly breaking down, down, down.
