Back in Kathmandu & Rafting Plans

The day after our return we took our friend Bijay for pizza at the Roadhouse which we had been salivating over mid trek with a girl from Boston (who lives here). Mozzarella, pesto and black olive sounds dreamy after 10 meals of daalbhaat I can tell you.

Parina is back from the International Harm Reduction Conference in Bangkok and had a great time with our mutual friend Gill. Last night, Bijay and Parina came over for dinner and I made paneer tikka, channa masala, tarka daal, rice and salad, with a special serving of mashed potato for Bijay who thinks it's great. He thinks I should open a restaurant as my food is better than what they serve.

Sadly, Dristi Nepal, the women's drug treatment centre that she runs is under huge financial pressure. UNODC funded network Recovering Nepal has failed to provide promised funding and the landlord is going to sue them for unpaid rent. Parina is trying to keep a service afloat amidst the worst corruption and faces eternal frustration which is taking it's toll on her.

To this end, we are going to Pokhara on a holiday together, around 12th May. Everyone is very excited! Prior to this, we're off on a 2 day rafting trip to the Bhote Koshi river, near the Tibetan border, east of Kathmandu. We have the met the friendly and well spoken Biraj, an old friend of Carlos' (who is now in Barcelona). He works with a good rafting company called Adventure Aves, who are organising our trip. If we like it, we may well go on another trip down the Kali Gandaki near Pokhara.