flying high

So they told me not to eat before paragliding I probably should have listened.

Today was a beautiful day for flying, blue skies, bright sun and bits of white fluffy clouds here and there. I headed up Sarangkot hill on a jeep with the pilots for my tandem flight this morning at 9.30. Was supposed to go yesterday and came to Lakeside for a day off from the kids. But it was cloudy and I loafted by Phewa lake all afternoon waiting for the clouds to clear, and stayed the night in a guest house.

Paragliding is insane. I was brought up to a landing at the top of a hill, got strapped and harnessed to a pilot, and instructed to literally run off the side of the hill into the depths of the forests below. I was fearless in the jeep going up but when told to run off a cliff I definitely got a little queazy. Once we jumped off, we were immediately lifted up by strong winds into the sky and I was able to lift up my legs and sit on a nice little seat I was harnessed to. The vantage point was spectacular, there were eagles flying circles around us and I looked down on the lake and across to the Annapurna ranges just like one of them. It was freezing though, and a bit turbulent, with the pilot pulling unexpected turns and after about ten minutes I was definitely feeling my breakfast coming up lol. I toughed it out until almost the end, and then.. the poor villagers, I feel badly for them. They get a shower of people's meals three times a day. lol sorry if you're grossed out, it is what it is. hah an omlette to be exact.

Anyways, now that you're all hungry for more, lets talk about Christmas. The kids and I had a great time! The kids went to bed on Christmas eve, vowing to wake up at 1 am to catch Santa in the act. I cannot tell you how many times they asked me, "Didi, Santa will come yes?" and the older ones narrowing their eyes suspiciously at me "Didi, I think YOU are Santa, yes?" When they got up in the morning, dismayed that they did not wake up to see him, they rushed up to the roof and shouted with glee to discover packages with their names on them.

I fed them so much nutella, cookies, jelly beans, and chocolate they all felt sick after. Lol, excess or nothing right? Yup that's my motto. We opened presents, and read eachother's warm fuzzies. I got one with Sujeena, one of the older kids. "Jenny Didi, I like you because: 1. You are cute. Your hair is nice. 2. You are kind to everyone 3. You help others in need." It was touching. I've felt that this was one big family so far, at times questioning if the kids even realize their unique disposition in life, without the basic tenets of life that we all take for granted; the love of a mother and father. The note reminded me that they are quite aware. And just because they are seemingly oblivious in the simple joys they take in everyday life, does not mean they are blissfully ignorant. They are just that much more appreciative.

We were blessed with gorgeous weather on Christmas day and packed up a massive meal of pasta I cooked up for a picnic at Mahendrapul Cave nearby. It was my first experience cooking for an army. A small army of nine but oh can they ever eat. Its funny that when I was at home, I was all big on the lo-carb diet, defying my motherland in refusing rice at every meal. Here all I eat is rice and potatoes, three times a day, and yet I'm thinner than I ever was in Canada.

At night we watched Inside Man on the movie network until the power cut at around 9. Here in Nepal, the government rules that the power must be cut for a set amount of time every week, divided into four hour increments throughout the day, varying from region to region. What is ironic is that Nepal is the home to the world's second largest quantity of hydro electric resources, but simply has no infrastructure to collect it and transform it into actual power. The resulting power shortage coupled with political instability means that the citizens suffer. When I first arrived in Kathmandu, it was 8 hours a day of mandatory powercuts. By the second week, it was 10. Starting tomorrow it will be 12 hours. TWELVE HOURS! Oh and the government also likes to declare holidays on a whim, printing the date in the national newspaper, sometimes with just one week notice. Now that I wouldn't mind so much.

Here are some of the pictures from Christmas and my paragdliding adventure. Am trying to upload the video on youtube but its not working :(

Kalpana, 8, the tomboy of the bunch! love her.




Usha, 8, she's just a darling, the most affectionate one.


He really is like a monkey!


The rest of them are camera shy so I dont have too many of them. Here's a group shot




There was a batcave. Ohgod they looked like upside down rats with wings.






Phewa lake at sunset


In the air!


Birds eye view