Sorry I've been out of touch for awhile. The phone lines here went down because of storms last week and weren't fixed for 5 days so no dial-up service. Then we were having issues with the electricity again so finally I am back on-line and hoping that the electricity holds up long enough for me to post this update.

Since the last post there have been quite a few adventures. Last Thursday a reporter from the Kathmandu Post, Nepal's largest newspaper, came by to do a story on Chonli, my 64 year old student, and her English teacher (guess who!!!). I think it was mostly about Chonli pursuing her education in her 60's but the photos were of the two of us together going through our ABC's :) Not sure if the story will ever run, particularly since there are bigger issues in the news these days (more on that later) but it was fun nonetheless.

This past weekend I went to a music festival at a place called The Last Resort. It is a resort (can't call it a hotel because lodgings are tents, but very nice large, comfy tents) very close to the Tibetan border (hence the name). So close, as a matter of fact, that when I turned on my cellphone I was welcomed to China's mobile service!!! To get to The Last Resort, I hopped on a local bus (always an adventure) and endured 3 1/2 hours of slow, tortuous driving and a Nepali woman's purse jabbing into my hip but at least I had a seat!!! Some of these folks stand literally for 6 hours on their way to Kathmandu! At the end of the 3 1/2 hour drive I met up with my trekking guide and his wife and we travelled the rest of the way by car. The festival itself was fun although I think I was about twice the age of 90% of the attendees. They had fusion bands and Nepali rock bands and an Indian pop singer. What I liked best, however, was drinking nice Australian chardonnay :) What a treat!

The Last Resort is also known for having the 3rd highest bungee platform in the world. It's where Cindy, Dave, Denise, Tim and I did something called the swing last year which is basically a feet first bungee. I awoke Sunday morning to screams because my tent was right by the viewing platform and about 20 crazy 20-something's were lined up to bungee in the pouring rain! At least they had the good sense to wait until the thunder passed since standing out on a metal bridge in a thunderstorm is not all that great an idea!

We left TLR at about 11a and made it back to the town where I was to catch my bus. We'd heard rumors of another road strike but some brilliant soul informed us that everything was fine. Well, when we got to town there were no buses to be seen. So, yes, there was yet another road strike. Mads negotiated with the owner of a car to get me back here, to Charikot. There was a banker in a suit who also needed to go (and about 15 others) so when I agreed to pay the bulk of what the driver was asking we were on our way. Unfortunately, we made it only half of the 54 km distance and were met by a road block. Usually they let tourists through but no such luck today. I managed to understand that this road block would be lifted at 5p (it's now 1:20p) but our driver just asked for his money and left. So even had I decided to sit in what can best be described as a 10 building village for 3 1/2 hours, I still didn't have a way back to Charikot. So the banker and I decide to walk. I don't want to go into excrutiating detail but I wasn't exactly wearing shoes designed for 10 mile walks on not-so-smooth roads and blisters started forming pretty early on. When I finally got back to the hotel (after 4 hours of walking and 9 km in the bed of a pickup truck) and removed my right shoe I definitely experienced a Curt Schilling moment. Blood all over! Had the pickup not come along when it did I honestly don't know that my feet would have held out. Still hobbling around because of blisters on the bottom of my left foot. It's not pretty!!! Also doing that kind of walk in the foothills of the Himalayas with very little water and no food wasn't fun either. But it's all part of the adventure of Nepal!!!

I know you've been seeing things in the news about the political situation here and I want to assure everyone that things are not as bad as they might appear on the news (I think they manage to find the one tire burning in all of Kathmandu and make it look like everyone is rioting in the streets). As a matter of fact, around 3pm yesterday I heard a loud commotion and we could see all these men running in the street (and a tire burning) even here in Charikot. But I went through the town square after school and this "crazy" rally consisted of men making speeches (apparently the Maoists who don't want their PM to resign), some minor cheering, but, for the most part, just a bunch of men standing around looking bored. And no one paid me the least bit of attention. Or no more than they usually do when they see a fair-skinned blonde among them. So it's fine for now. There is another guest here at the resort who works with the UN and she receives daily phone calls with updates. They are telling her just to lay low for now. I will continue to monitor and will come home early if I have to but would prefer to stick it out the full month with this school. The kids are used to me now and even the little ones wave hello and good-bye to me so would break my heart to leave them before I have to.

Hope all is well in the States. Sounds like swine flu is abating which is one less thing for this traveler to worry about!!!!