Happy New Year

Of course this only applies to those of you in countries using the Gregorian calender. Over here, it is the year 2066 (using the Bikram Sambat calender) and the New Year will not arrive for another couple of months.


I opted to celebrate my traditional New Year none the less and ended up going back to Pokhara with D, a friend of hers over on holiday, G, and a couple of volunteers from another project, M and K. I really love Pokhara and had a great time again. I only arrived on the 31st after a horrific bus journey. It was a 6am departure again but I was pleasantly surprised to be offered the ticket at 50 rupees less than I expected. I was directed to ‘my seat’ at the back of the bus. I should have realised that it would have to be cheap for a reason. It felt as if the bus had no shock absorption or suspension and I spent the whole journey bouncing around 2 feet in the air. And clearly the backseat is the worst place to be. Half way through the journey a large bolt fell from the roof into the middle of the aisle.


Anyway New Years Eve was spent partly at the party of a friend of a friend in a remote café/bar. Sometime after midnight we were wandering back to the hotel and stumbled across another party in a restaurant on the banks of the lake. This was, I believe, my first trance party and I was suitably intoxicated to enjoy it. Though I was also conscious of the fact that it should also probably be my last.


The 1st was pretty much a write off but D and I wandered up into the foothills to a lovely guesthouse and café for a late lunch. On the way back down (to head into town for more food) we hit upon an idea which may be the making of us (or breaking). We are now planning a little venture for the coming year. I won’t write about it here since there is a good chance that it won’t come off – I just wanted to record the date of the inspiration which I take to be somewhat auspicious. We’ll see…


The following day we crossed the river to climb up to the Peace Pagoda. It was a glorious day with stunning views of the mountains. The Peace Pagoda is beautiful – painted white and gold and striking to see both up close and from a distance. On the descent (having spotted Himalayan Griffins soaring around us – some birdwatchers told us the name which I love because it sounds quite mythical) we stumbled across a fortune teller in a tiny hut with a sign outside reading “palm readings”. We were unable to resist (well, I probably could have resisted when he told me the price and refused to negotiate but I was swayed by peer pressure). D and I both sat down on little mats outside the hut (I’ll put the photo’s up soon) with a wizened old man between us. His teeth had been ground down almost to the gums and he was chewing on red seeds which turned his saliva scarlet. Every now and then beads of red spittle would spray out of his mouth and land around him. It was a little off-putting. However after asking our first names, and ages, he took my hand (albeit briefly) and proceeded to tell me (in very poor English) how my life was mapped out. Interestingly, despite a current ambivalence towards marriage, I will be married twice. It is a little disappointing to think that despite waiting until 33 (for this is the age I will marry. For the first time.) I will still get it wrong. I will also go on to have two girls and a boy. Work will be good apparently and I will earn lots of money surprisingly (which could bode well for my new plans, and I will clearly need to pay for the divorce). So, watch this space…and start saving for my two hen weekends, weddings and wedding gifts.