I've been in Pokhara for a week now and feel ready to move on - suitably relaxed and feeling better in the healthier air. It is hot here though and my only disappointment has been the absence of mountain views - continually obscured in heat haze and cloud. We have had some rain in the late afternoons these last couple of days, but unfortunately not enough to clear the atmosphere much. I walked up to the Stupa on the other side of the (Fewa) lake yesterday - a good excursion but my photo shows just heat haze and cloud where the Annapurna range should be! I suppose that the best time for views will be around October, after the monsoon, but I can't wait that long.
This evening I managed a reunion with Tika-Ram (ABC guide last year), just back from an Annapurna Circuit trek which was cut short when one of his clients had to be helicoptered off from Thorung Pedi because of altitude sickness. Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for Sauraha, on the edge of the Chitwan national wildlife park, and will stay a couple of days before heading back to Kathmandu. Chuda tells me that his brother Ishwori has established a very basic school for women there and I'm keen to have a look at this.
A very special thank you to all who have donated to the cause. I am acknowledging these with personal notes rather than here. I'll tell you about how we are doing another time, but there is always room for more!
Finally, I had a call from Dharma, now well on the way with the cricketers along the Everest trail after the whole group were initially refused entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park for two days. They have spent a day teaching cricket at Khumjung school (an excellent way to acclimatise I think) and are now around Tengboche. Apparently they intend to donate all their equipment to the school on the way down. Good stuff!
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