I can't believe the date of 5 february myself!!!

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

At the moment Sunday, 22 February, I am in Kathmandu, where I stayed with Rita for 3 days. About an hour ago I dropped her off at the airport, she is on her way home.

Tomorrow morning 6.30 I will be on my way back to Pokhara with the tourist bus, on my way to my children.

Yesterday we had another fantastic, successful shopping day in Thamel for materials for the C.W.A. children from your funds. But, you will have to read about that later.

I now first want to continue with where I left you: concerning sponsoring will be written in Bold, touristic info in Italic). Please also scroll down to older news, because I managed to download some pictures!)

Friday, 6Th of February, Kathmandu
Up at 08.30, we don't want to sleep our time away.
Checking what to pay, so we can sort out our financial 'plan'.

Paid our room at Kathmandu Guesthouse. Although we had the same room as last February (Garden view), we were now in a room of 40 US!!
Ouch, oops, that was not planned. Better check first next time.

Anyway, payed the bill and arranged our wake-up call tomorrow morning 6;00!

Himalayan Encounters: we paid and received our bus ticket Kathmandu-Chitwan. A 6-hour drive with the tourist bus. Rs 600 p.p. Our voucher for 3 nights- 4 days a room in The Royal Park Hotel and the program:
(Rs 12.500 p.p.): birdwatching (not for us) - a village tour with an ox-cart, Elephant Jungle Tour. They told us that most probably we will NOT be bathing the elephant: the water is too cold................for the elephant!!!

The car bringing us from Chitwan to Lumbini to Pokhara is RS 9000, to be paid to the driver.

The room in Lumbini is 32 US (B&B), to be paid in Lumbini.
Arriving Wednesday 11-02-2009 in Pokhara, we will go on a budget! No more excursions needed anyway.

Time four a mission: to the bookshop:
We found wonderful wall-charts for the school of Suk's village. By the time we finished making two series (1 for Chitwan, 1 for the Shining Star Boarding School in Pokhara) the shop was upside down and out of stock for many items.

Our purchases:
- 19 wall charts for Chitwan
- 7 wall charts for Pokhara (because I know they already have some).
- 2 Ekta School Atlas for Chitwan
- How to draw Alphabet - Animals - Birds - Flowers - Fruits - Numbers - Parts of the Body - Shapes and Vegetables.
1 set for Chitwan
1 set for Shining Star
1 set for the C.W.A. Children
- Math games level 1-2-3
- Word Games level 1-2-3
- Reading Games level 1-2-3
for Chitwan
- Bluebirds First Fun Dictionary
for Chitwan.
(picture bookshop)
I'd like to explain something here:
My priority in sponsoring in the beginning (2005) was focused on the children of C.W.A. in Pokhara. The Children Welfare Association where I worked as a volunteer in 2005 and the focus point where I lost my heart. In 2005 the home was poorly sponsored/supported and in need of many things.
With my visit last February (2008) I learned that in the meantime a Swish and a German family took on the C.W.A. as their sponsor project.
They both set up bank accounts and several ways of fundraising.
You might remember from my report of 2008 (see http://sanghita.travellerspoint.com) that I noticed they had made a lot of progress in those 3 years. The Swiss family raised the money to buy a plot of land (just outside Lake-side, the less expensive area). The German family raised a big part of the money needed for the architect and the actual building.
Also I noticed that the children were okay considering their clothing, especially since Voula (the American lady) send them 3 boxes with clothes.
From YOUR money I bought study books, bedside storybooks and we sponsored some of the older children with computer/ painting/ and singing lessons.
Because MY children are still the main reason to go back to Nepal, I used your money to buy cupboards and books for THEIR school, with the knowledge of supporting this way also the other children attending this school (the Shining Star Boarding School).
Again Voula send boxes with science materials to the same school on my recommendation.
Owing to the above observations, this years fundraising will be used for a large part for Chitwan, especially after our visit there. (see Monday 09-02-2009).

At 16;00 we went to the Real Beauty Parlor where we treated ourselves on an aryuvedic full body massage. Just what the doctor ordered after travelling!
I would not mind to take my masseuse back to Elounda, she did an excellent job.
I've been a modell with the training of the therapists in Porto Mare and I can say my masseuse here was practising the same methods and movements with for me the perfect pressure, only this massage cost me only Rs 12000 (12 euro!) for a full hour.
After our diner Rita was not feeling too well, she has a cold coming up.
I left her in our room for a good night sleep, while I went out to Rum-Doddle to catch up with Gele (the guide of 2005).
Live music - Santana, Deep Purple and after one drink Gele took Steve and Andrew, two of his clients with a taxi to a local bar. Dill (the reservations manager of H.E.) and I followed on his motorbike.
It was less loud but surely local music and we all ended up on the dance floor (dragged by Gele) hopping, jumping and 'dancing' away.
At 23:00 it was time to go, an early morning ahead and I did not want Rita to wake up in the middle of the night, not finding me there and make her worry.

Needless to say I was asleep almost before my head reached the pillow.
Suba Rathri (sweet dreams).