First impressions

Flying from Delhi over the grey brown expanse of the north Indian plains. Slowly the landscape changes to small terraced fields and vibrant green rice paddies. The horizon to the north is what appears to be huge banks of cumulus cloud, but as we get closer the jagged snowy shapes of mountain tops start to appear, and we fly parallel to the magnificent mountain range before descending through the foothills into what seems to be the centre of Kathmandu. We are greeted by VSO staff, festooned with marigold and cornflowers garlands, and bussed through narrow streets lined with stalls selling everything from toothpaste to TVs, avoiding cows, stray dogs and children (we learn later that this was the ring road). We arrive at the Pacific (as in peaceful, not ocean) Guest House, run by a helpful Buddhist family, which is to be our home for the next few weeks. We have a big room, with screened windows on two sides, frayed carpet and curtains, a few pieces of rickety wooden furniture, and a narrow bathroom, where the drain for the shower is downhill (an unusual advantage) and there is hot water from the solar panels on the roof amongst the Buddhist prayer flags. Its tempting to spend the afternoon observing from the balcony, as we overlook what appears to be a rubbish dump, but closer inspection reveals rag pickers, a cricket game, children flying kites, a small 'farmyard' with 2 cows, 3 goats and sheep, with a dung patties covered wall behind. There is a steady procession of people – women in brightly coloured saris, old men with bow legs and embroidered caps, school boys in smart striped shirts, small children leading brown sheep on lengths of string. Poles are festooned with electric wires, conveniently looped at head height for easy maintenance. In the distance we can see foothills of the mountains.

Our group is a mixture of different nationalities and ages – we are probably oldest - from England, Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, the Philippines, India and Uganda. Most of the Eurpeans arrived with us. We have our usual orientation evening wandering the local streets, going into shops, talking to people. Already it begins to feel like home (and we are excited by the potential furnishings for the house!) A gentle couple of days before we start at the language school on Sunday – a six day week here, with only Saturdays free.

We have explored the tourist area of Thamel, lined with shops selling trekking equipment, souvenirs, textiles, clothes and jewellery, visited the magnificent Kathmandu Durbar Square, and have lost ourselves in the back streets around our hotel. We are just outside the tourist area, so it seems relatively peaceful. However, after dark the dogs that sleep in the sun all day start an amazing symphonic performance that continues on and off til dawn. The music at the Hindu temple starts at 5am, and by 6 the builders are delivering materials opposite.

Sunday. We started Language School today - a 15 minute walk through the back lanes, threading our way between cows, motorcycles, bikes, rickshaws, dogs and children, through a temple complex and a left turn by an ice cream shop leads us to the apartment block where the school issituated. Will we find it again tomorrow? We sit cross legged on cushions on the floor (until the knee joints can't take it any longer. Showing the soles of one's feet is taboo in Nepali culture, so we have to be very caredful!) The first day was for us a revision of vocabulary we already knew, but it has been very helpful to speak with native Nepali speakers to try and get the sounds right. Perhaps the stall holders will not look at us with total incomprehension tomorrow! Pradeep and Silke speak Hindi so are well ahead. We have 5 teachers for 16 of us, so will get lots of help and the opportunity to work at our own pace. I love being back in a classroom!