Nepal

Nepal is a country of just under 30 million people in South Asia. It is landlocked, situated mostly in the Himalayas and borders China in the north and India in the south, east and west. Nepal has a diverse geography including fertile plains, subalpine forested hills and eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Kathmandu is the capital and largest city. Nepal is a multi ethnic country with Nepali as the official language.81% of the population is Hindu, 9% Buddhist, 4% Islam, and 1.5% Christian.”

Close-up roof of Temple in Bhaktapur

EARTH SHAKE

Today I have been frightened, scared, shocked, terrified even. I have experienced a very strong earth tremor that shook the foundations of our rented house like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I woke up feeling sleepy after a disturbed night of thunder, lightning, heavy rain, and high winds. …. Read More

AFTERMATH

My heart bleeds for the country and people of Nepal, my adopted country. As if we weren’t poor enough, as if we weren’t facing difficulties enough, as if the road ahead wasn’t going to belong and tough enough as it was. As if we don’t already have only 10 hours of power in 24, as if we don’t alr…. Read More

Patan ancient capital of Nepal

WOODSMOKE

Observations, Nepal

WOODSMOKE

How do you describe a smell in words? You can’t. You can only assume that the reader already knows the smell of the items that the writer is comparing the smell with, but this should not be an automatic assumption. I love the smell of wood smokeAromatic, pungent, earthy,Redolent of the deep forests from which …

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Vikram Baba Festival

Observations, Nepal

Vikram Baba Festival

My wife Kali Chaudhary has made arrangements for us to attend the festival of Vikram Baba, which earnest Hindus believe is the best time to ask the Hindu gods for a baby. We are up at 4.00am (although I am awake at 3.00am). We wait in the cold and dark for the tuk-tuk driver which …

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TODAY I SAW A BIRD FLYING

Observations, Nepal

TODAY I SAW A BIRD FLYING

Today I saw a bird flying. It was a little Sand Martin. I was lying on my back by the peaceful river. There was no sound except the birds’ tweeting-singing and the occasional plop from a fish in the river. The sun was in the west, hazy, the sky was a lovely pale blue, a …

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THE VIEW FROM OUR FLAT IN SAURAHA, CHITWAN, NEPAL

Observations, Nepal

THE VIEW FROM OUR FLAT IN SAURAHA, CHITWAN, NEPAL

We live on the second floor of a tall building in the middle of the village of Bacchauli. We are five minutes walk from Hotel Parkside, which is the centre of operations for The Green Society Nepal. We have the most wonderful views across the village and the terai, the flat, fertile floodplain which is …

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THE INTELLIGENT CROW

Observations, Nepal

THE INTELLIGENT CROW

Today I had an early breakfast on the pleasant rooftop garden of my hotel. It is called Samaya, which means “Time” or “Serenity”. It has a wonderful view over the city of Kathmandu, reaching to the very edges of the bowl-like valley that defines the metropolis. The sun was shining, and the edges of the …

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SURFACE TENSION

Observations, Nepal

SURFACE TENSION

The small pond is “as flat as a mill-pond”. Its surface is flattened by the cohesive tension of water molecules at the boundary of air and water, together with the force of gravity pulling its surface down. The surface layer forms a sufficiently strong “skin” that tiny creatures cannot penetrate, so they skate or float …

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STANDOFF

Observations, Nepal

STANDOFF

A few days ago I was watching the River Rapti at Ghatgain from River View Lodge, high on the bank-side. It was early afternoon. Suddenly a movement caught my eye. A large male Sambar Deer which had been quietly grazing on our side of the river, was bounding towards the river in a hurry. A …

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THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF NEPAL’S CREDIT

The credit system in Nepal contributes to poverty and poor performing economy. Almost everyone uses credit. Apart from food, when items are purchased, no-one can pay in full, they put down a deposit, usually a fraction of the price. The retailer accepts this but has to pay his suppliers also on a credit basis. If …

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River Karnali White Water Rafting Trip

Observations, Nepal

River Karnali White Water Rafting Trip

SUMMARY This trip came about due to my enquiry about fishing in Nepal. In Kathmandu in July 2018 I was talking to my friend, Ganesh, a Nepali guide from Gorkha, and I asked him where was a good place to fish for mahseer, the famous sporting fish of the Himalayas. He said he had not …

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EARTH SHAKE

Observations, Nepal

EARTH SHAKE

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DAWN

Observations, Nepal

DAWN

The light is a pale, faint, pearlescent gleam. All is quiet and peaceful. The cock crows first. A single crow at first followed by others, closer together, and, it seems, louder each time. The birds start to sing. A few dogs bark. The monastery and nearby temple bells sound out reassuringly on the hour. A …

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AFTERMATH

Observations, Nepal

AFTERMATH

My heart bleeds for the country and people of Nepal, my adopted country. As if we weren’t poor enough, as if we weren’t facing difficulties enough, as if the road ahead wasn’t going to be long and tough enough as it was. As if we don’t already have only 10 hours of power in 24, …

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A CHICKEN IN ASIA

Observations, Nepal

A CHICKEN IN ASIA

(This can be read as a metaphor for poor people in Asia also) It’s not much fun being a chicken in Asia –you’re born into a short and competitive life;as a little chick you’re lucky if you survive the first few daysand this largely depends on how intelligent your mother isand how strong was the …

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Nepal

EARTH SHAKE

AFTERMATH

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