Much has happened since Kathmandu. Finished a13 day trek between Tressilu and Gorkha. Averaged 18 kilometres a day walking with my guide, Deepak, and a young porter, Ram. We walked up and down the undeveloped rural area of the Himalayan foothills, staying in cafes in villages or in farmhouses or barns. The conditions were quite primitive in some cases and most houses did not have running water (water from village tap) and the electricity supply was unreliable at best or non-existent. Most people had seen very few tourists, so the children were often quite excited by a pale skinned Brit with short hair, most people were welcoming. Washing was infrequent and basic as most people, men and women would wash themselves and their clothes at the village water tap, and there is quite a taboo about covering oneself so it was difficult, and at times frustrating, particularly after a long arduous trek in temperatures reaching 39c by mid afternoon.
The hillside farms are not mechanised as the steep inclines were terraced and many hillsides were forested with pine, banyan, banaanas and mandarin orange and papaya trees. Sadly my favourite fruit, mango, was out of season! Farm animals are plentiful, most farmers will own goats, now is currently the time of year for breeding and saw many 1 -2 day old kids. The main method of ploughing is using buffalo and they also provide milk, in rural areas diary cows are not seen. Have grown to like buffalo milk, fresh from the beast but boiled.Most people in Nepal own some land, even if urban dwellers, they will arrange for other family members to farm the land.
Took many photo's at this time though still no success with uploading photo's, internet cafe's here cannot cope.
Pokhara was reached on 15th November by bus from Gorkha which took 3 and a half hours, on a local bus - not the most comfortable but a real eye opener as to how most rural dwellers travel. The bus was always full of not only people but sacks of rice ('tis being harvested at the moment), various goods and chattels that the UK buses would not take!
Pokhara is a lovely town and the hotel is on the Lakeside area with a stunning view of Everest and Annapurna from my bedroom balcony. It's a much more cosmopolitan place tha Kathmandu as it the launch point for trekking to th above. Even had a pizza with Deepak before I changed guides and he went back to Kathmandu. I can't begin to describe how good it was after a diet of Nepali food with copious quantities of plain boiled rice and lentils. Am making the most of Pokhora before trekking to Annapurna base camp starting tomorrow and have purchased the obligatory down jacket as it is pretty cold up there , and managed to negiotiate a good price. Will be back in Pokhara on 2nd December, and then Kathmandu - so no further blogs until 2nd.
Photo 1ATATA bus: note the truck chassie, well suited to the poor roads
Photo 2 View of hydroelectric damn (built by the Indian Govt) and the countryside around Tressuli, W aNepal.
Photo 3 TATA Bus - where much of the Scunthorpe steel goes!
Photo 4 A typical haystack complete with a backview of Deepak, my guide.
Photo 5 An elderly Nepali couple, who gave up their beds for the night for us. No electricity or toilets or running water in the home (only at the village tap and communal loo).
Photo 6 A herd of buffalo wandering down the road. The only milk available in this area is fresh from the buffalo.
Photo7 A typical bridge crossing, this one was in better repair than many.
Photo 8 and 9 Staying in Deepaks village, Achone, with his brother and wife. The photo's are of aunts, cousins, 2nd cousins and family friend's, all of whom made me very welcome, even to the extend of lending me a sari, NB they are worn wrapped around the waist, unlike other areas where part of the fabric is worn over the shoulder,very comfortable in the heat.
Photo 10 nDeepak 'holding up' a maize stack, avoiding wandering goats and buffalo eating the winter supplies.

Arrived on 29th October following an overlong journey from Rome, however at Delhi airport met a delightful Nepalese couple who have since then shared their Tihar "brothers' festival with me. The whole family have made me feel very welcome and with their business connections have facilitated, in a matter of days, a 32 day trek to Annapurna base camp at a reasonable price. Remal's family are attending the Hindu Temple today and have invited me, and tonight they are giving a dinner for me and others in their family who helped arrange the trek, to send us on our way on Monday (3rd).
The first full day in Kathmandu was spent on the back of a motorbike seeing the layout of this surprisingly large city. My guide took me to the 'Monkey Temple' a Buddhist temple on a hill overlooking the city which gives the appearance of being overun with red faced monkies. When approached they are not friendly, though they seem to live in relative harmony with the monks and the many dogs living at this enormous temple (one walled side is approximately 3/4 mile long).
Kathmandu is a surprising city in which to spend time, a mixture of third world facilities and environment and 21st century living. There is a great sense of activity in the narrow streets and the noise from car amd bike horns is incessant and loud. The motor bike dominates the mainly single lane roads which are largely dirt tracks or unrepaired metalled roads with enormous pot holes,that is, once you move off the main roads. Narrow roads with 3-4 storey buildings are crammed with vendors selling from small stalls or shops. There are many shops selling beautifully embroidered and colourful fabrics, and for trekkers, shops selling cheap kit - I purchased two walking poles for 1100 Nepal rupees (ten pounds ), but will not need a down jacket until Pokhara, for the higher altitudes. Other than these 2 items have managed to bring the right kit!
Walking back to the Kathmandu Peace Guest House in the early evenings has proved challenging as the electricity is cut in areas of the city, apparently on a rotational basis, and the experience is fairly hazardous due to motorbikes and cars and the lack of pavements.
Sadly the uploading of photo's is still proving difficult and annoyingly will need to wait for another time, in the meantime am tempted to place all photo's on a disc.
Given that the trek will mean the internet is inaccessible for much if not all of the time , it may be December before this is updated.
Photo 1&2 The Brothers and Sisters Festival at Ram Rimal's home.

This 40-ish hour journey to Kathmandu consigns Rome to my memory file. A great experience despite the need for prophylaxis for strep meningitis when my room mate had a nasty episode. Fortunately 2 of us managed to persuade the ambulance crew that A was in need of treatment and was suffering more than 'flu symptoms!
The penultimate day in Rome was not finding the route to the Appian way but by default touring the Roman cathedral of San Giovanni. The cathedral's bronze doors were another example of the re-cycling of ancient Rome's artifacts.
My third attempt was successful in walking part of the Appian Way, the bonus was visiting the St Cecelia Catacombs. This experience finished the Rome visit on a high note.
Photo 1 The main Square in Kathmandu

5 days in this city are fast disappearing.
The accommodation, whilst basic enables me to meet many young and older people (mainly young) also travelling . The dorm I'm sharing at the moment is a reflection of the Commonwealth, an Aussie, Kiwi, and Canadian, all are in the middle of their travels.
It reminds me of being in a YHA hostel with the added luxury of an en suite! So far have taken the tourist route of visiting the Colosseum, Forum and Trevi fountain in one day and the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Pietra Basillica on the second day. Day 1 was spectacular and the Forum worth a second visit. The Vatican was breathtaking and took some time to absorb the truly amazing artwork.
Tomorrow will be a chance to visit the Appian Way and a catacombs if all goes well.
Achieved both and despit difficulty in locating catacombs did finally go down to level 2 of St Catherines catacombs after walking about 2 miles down the Appian Way from Circus Maximo.
Photo 6 The Trevi fountain
Photo 5 The palatine Hill with its jumble of palaces built one on top of another.
Photo 4 The Colosseum
Photo 3 The Roman Forum
Photo 2 The Appian Way
Photo 1 Leaving Rome for Nepal, Termini Stazioni.

An interesting day spent bellringing and attending the St Mary's church service, my last in the country for some time. Following an hours walk along the River Thames, seeing herons, swans and cormorants, I reflected on some of the good memories of my grandchildren, Josh and Chloe, and my daughter, Kate, given that all is not well between us . Helped Josephine and others count monies for the Macmillan charity collection .
Josephine(sister-in-law) and Desmond have made me feel very welcome in their home for an unexpectedly long stay, given the delay in leaving on my travels. I am very grateful for their unstinting hospitality.
Have now booked 2 tours in Rome, for the Colosseum and the Vatican, and am relishing the thought of spending 5 days in Rome.

London pre-travel

6 days in London staying with Josephine and Desmond in Barnes whilst waiting for the passport and visa. Spending time in Barnes is very much a reminder of the 11 years I have spent here whilst working in South London. Being here without working has a different feel to it and is infinitely more relaxing.
The two achievements today were booking the flight from Auckland NZ to Lima, Peru, am now booked for 2/3rds around the world, and the passport has now reached Grimsby and is on it's way to London. I can't begin to describe the relief after the trials and tribulations of the past 16 days, it has taken exactly one month to process!!
So now the fun can begin.... am flying to Rome on 22nd and then to Kathmandu on 29th October, all being well, that is.
Will be able to attend an ex-colleagues leaving party tomorrow and hope to ring the bells at Barnes church on Sunday, and in the meantime take advantage of the river walks along the Thames between now and Tuesday..

Dorset

The coastal path and Durdle Dore