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Day 1
in
Nepal
|
Aug 17
|
Wednesday
Connecting flight
in New Delhi, India
(coming from
Singapore) to
KATMANDU
KATMANDU:
Staying in
THAMEL
|
- On our connecting flight from New Delhi to Nepal, Steve
visits with a Nepali Masters in Business grad (just
graduated and returning home) from a university in London,
England, who is sitting next to Steve. Steve shows him the
Other Sheep web pages of Nepal 2009 from his computer;
he gives us his name and mobile number if we need help
while in Nepal
- Arrive at the Nepal airport around 8:15AM
- Obtain sim card in airport
- Obtain hotel information in airport
- Arrange for possible pick-up at Gokarna Forest
Resort for trip to Kathmandu (with Hotel Encounter)
- By taxi Steve and Jose go directly to Gokarna Forest Resort
(close to airport, vs. going later from Kathmandu) to
address in person, with the manager, a $944.79 (USD) mis-
charge to our credit card one year after our 2009 vacation
time there; a dispute that our credit card has attempted to
resolve since April 2011 without any response from the
resort or the resort's bank .
- Lunch at Gokarna Forest Resort
- By taxi (covered for by Hotel Encounter Nepal) to Hotel
Encounter Nepal in Thamel, Kathmandu; get a room for one
night
- Spend afternoon and evening, on foot, checking out hotels
in the area (we look at about ten different hotels in Thamel,
a popular area of Kathmandu for both tourists and Nepalis)
along the road Thamel Marg from Galkopakha to a bit south
of Narshing Chowk (intersection)
- Jose slept some late afternoon while Steve got on the
Internet in their Hotel Encounter Nepal room
- Late night dinner at the restaurant at Hotel Encounter;
manager of hotel engages us in a conversation around
American politics; we retire to bed around 10:00PM,
exhausted from our all night flight from Singapore and
working all day
|
Day 2
in
Nepal.
|
Aug 18
|
Thursday
KATHMANDU:
Staying in
THAMEL
|
- Steve gets up around 6:00AM (but looking at Singapore
time, he thought it was around 8:00AM; he wakes Jose
saying it is late, around 8:30AM (Singapore time) and
insists they get started -- poor Jose who is not a morning
person, but "seeing" it was already "8:30" (Singapore time,
not Nepal time) gets up without a fuss; albeit it was around
6:30!!)
- Without coffee or breakfast, on foot, we return to
Kathmandu HI Thamel Hostel (which we saw last night) to
see the room again (but still not satisfied with bathroom)
and ask the hotel to hold it; look at some other hotels (one
by rickshaw); return to Hotel Encounter Nepal; order
breakfast; phone Kathmandu HI Thamel Hostel and ask
about other rooms there - they are able to give us a front
room with a bathroom matching our specifications - (we are
sooo happy!); have breakfast; Steve packs; Jose takes
care of hotel bill at Hotel Encounter Nepal; all public
transportation including taxis is on strike today; Hotel
Encounter Nepal finds a car and driver for us
- At Kathmandu HI Thamel Hostel (situated in a clean,
attractive court area with two other attractive, clean hotels;
three restaurants are in the court area; the setting is
flawless; the room is only $12 USD per night; they clean the
room to our specifications and provide an extra desk for
Jose - a perfect set-up for our two weeks in Nepal; our
searching is well rewarded)
- Spend the day setting up, getting situated, follow-up with
Gokarna Forest Resort almost $1000 USA dispute, meeting
with Blue Diamond Society member; contact Translators
and Indira Ghale
- Steve writes a letter that summarizes the
unsatisfactory outcome of our meeting with the
manager of Gokarna Forest Resort; shops for
envelops; purchases maps; HI Hostel front desk
person agrees to deliver letter to Gokarna Forest
Resort manager (dispute over almost $1,000 USD
incorrect charge to our credit card
- Steve goes to shops and purchases maps and three
envelopes (asks about finding a post office);
arranges delivery of letter to Gokarna Forest Resort
- Jose contacts Nepal Translators by email, and Indira
Ghale, and Umesh P by phone
- At 6:30PM we meet with Umesh P of Blue
Diamond Society and discuss, over diner, sites we
can deliver our Nepali translation of "our" story - the
"ex-gay" paper
- After dark, Umesh P takes us, on foot, to Dhaktapur
Dubar Square (World Heritage Site)
- On return walk to hotel (streets very dark from lack of
electricity, and very deserted), at our hotel area we visit an
establishment where girls are available (dance on stage,
others come and sit with you)
|
Day 3
in
Nepal
|
Aug 19
|
Friday
KATHMANDU:
Staying THAMEL
|
- Breakfast with Indira Ghale, Other Sheep
Coordinator, here at our HI Hostel, court area restaurant;
discuss and make plans to reach gay Christian contacts
who are already in contact with Indira, to meet with LGBT
leaders who might support the idea of a gay Christian
fellowship, to work towards forming a gay Christian
fellowship that is in Kathmandu and in a second (unnamed)
area of Nepal, this is what our two weeks in Nepal
- Work in room; Steve phones manager at Gokarna Forest
Resort twice after emailing copy of hard letter; Jose checks
credit card site and finds the amount in dispute has been
charged to our credit card
- Steve contacts translators; translation work to be done by
today
- Steve and Jose lunch at "only revolving restaurant" in Nepal
at end of New Road street; text a few 2009 area pastors
- Steve and Jose at New Road shopping area, shop for and
purchase mobile-camera for Jose (to replace the one lost in
Goa, India)
- Steve and Jose, for a second time, tour World Heritage Site
(while still light out), adjacent to shopping area, called
Dhaktapur Dubar Square; meet and speak with several
people (general public) as we tour, introducing ourselves as
"husband and husband" and getting different initial
responses
- By chance, returning to hotel, meet a gay-friendly
individual (a young Hindu man, college educated, working
a professional career) whom Jose met the night before; he
invites us to his "flat" and we go: meet his roommate,
have tea, view their photo albums, - a cultural experience
- Return to our hotel; Jose gets sim card for phone in Internet
shop in our court area
- Translation work (of "ex-gay" paper) is sent around midnight
|
Day 4
in
Nepal
|
Aug 20
|
Saturday
KATHMANDU:
Staying in
THAMEL
|
- Steve up at 5:45 and Jose up at 7:50
- Steve on computer doing logs; getting letter to Gokarna
Forest Resort to delivery person; Steve creates release
form for video recording individuals; Jose makes copies of
the form
- Breakfast at Peace Garden (in our hotel court area); Steve
video records first interview with a Nepali young man
on his response to "husband and husband"
- Steve records second video interview, a young
woman; Jose goes to get passport photo of himself to finish
mobile phone registration;
- Some Other Sheep work on laptops in our hotel room
- To Roof Top Restaurant in the Bhaktapur Durbar Square
(taking parallel streets; different sites); contact translator
and Indira by text; return to hotel to open,download and
print translation work for Indira
- On return walk to hotel, video record third individual on
"husband and husband" response while two other friends
look on
- At Internet shop in our hotel court area, Steve and Jose
attempt, and fail, to print a hard copy of translation work;
manager (and owner), who was atypically close by, helped
us; he downloaded a new program from the Internet to his
computer; opened and printed document
- We text Indira and translators that we now have our first
hard copy of the "ex-gay" paper; Steve takes his lab top to
Internet manager (and owner) and asks him to download
same program to his laptop which he does
- At around 5:30 or 6:00 PM, meet with Indira briefly at
our hotel to give her a copy of the translation work;
she informs us that plans have been made to travel to
contacts outside of Kathmandu (name of town withheld) will
happen on Thursday
- Steve and Jose order coffee from Peace Garden
Restaurant (in our court area), delivered to our room; Jose
downloads his pictures from his camera and is totally
disappointed;
- Steve and Jose spend the remainder of the evening out
- Go to map store where Steve purchased maps and
envelopes to speak with attendent/overseer who was
very helpful earlier and he recommends copier shop
and where to rent a scooter
- Go to copier who says return after 9:00PM when
electricity outage will be over
- Find rent-a-bike shop close by; closed but next door
merchant helps us with contact info (on sign) and
hours of operation
- This street is "posh" compared to our street; visit
restaurants (very classy); by chance, meet Nebash
who helped us in 2009 by getting us around in
Kathmandu, at an oven baked pizza restaurant; we
have pizza at this "posh" pizza restaurant
- Before,or just after, placing our order, Jose contacts
by phone a key contact (that Indira gave us) and
arranges to meet on Monday or Tuesday with contact
and Indira
- After ordering our pizza, Jose speaks with a couple
waiters about us being "husband and husband" while
another waiter takes Steve to a near-by shop to
purchase pens (by the time Steve returns, the
restaurant is a-buzz with the "husband and husband"
story and Jose is still interacting with waiters at the
coffee counter)
- Steve video records two waiters on their
"husband and husband" response at restaurant
- Steve and Jose make seven copies of the "ex-gay"
paper in Nepali at the copy place they visited earlier
- Steve and Jose visit a second girl-bar briefly
- Return to hotel room after 10:00PM (when the gate is
locked)
- At hotel room before retiring
- Jose contacts his family by Skype
- Steve sleeps a couple hours (Jose had napped
earlier in the day)
- From mid-night to 2/3:00AM in the morning, Steve
and Jose on the Internet (in their room) making a
contact list of Christian pastors from 2009 lists; and
search Internet for related information (our trip on
Thursday, connecting towns)
- Jose retires at 2:00AM and sleeps; Steve creates an
eNews that he sends to over 100 Nepali contacts
(previous contacts listed with his Constant Contact
server); eNews invites Christians to receive a copy of
the Nepali translation on "ex-gay;" gives contact info
of Indira, Jose and Steve
- Steve retires at 3:00AM after sending out eNews to
Nepali contacts
|
Day 5
in
Nepal
|
Aug 21
|
Sunday
KATHMANDU:
Staying in
THAMEL
|
- Steve is up at 7:00AM; Jose is up at 9:00AM; Steve enters
log items
- Breakfast at restaurant in court area; Indira texts while at
breakfast that the translation is "excellent;" Steve and Jose
print out contact sheets with pastors info - word documents
Jose made from the Internet; Steve assembles last nights
"ex-gay" paper (only seven copies); text and email
translators to add page numbering and title of paper at
bottom of each page;
- Go to "mall" area in Thamel - Kaldi Café and The Factory
area; lunch; text Indira about meeting hall
- Return to room at 2:00PM; final "ex-gay" document with
numbering, etc., arrives by email;
- Steve creates and publishes two web pages; naps for 30
minutes in between; Jose works on organizing contact info
- The gay-friendly Hindu of Friday night visits at our
hotel; we share a meal with him and visit
- Umesh P takes us to a birthday party held in a Nepali
home of a famous performer (Hindu) here in Nepal; Umesh
P. has been a friend of the family for some time; Umesh P.
performs in drag before all the guests
- Steve and Jose, who have introduced themselves as
"husband and husband" autograph three copies of
Steve's paper on "ex-gay" and give a copy to the
birthday person, and two famous Nepali performers
- A Christian young man in his twenties at the
party shows considerable interest as a Christian who
is questioning "this issue" in Steve and Jose and
Steve gives him a copy of the "ex-gay" paper in Nepali
- Umesh P. walks Steve and Jose home (last part by car with
a friend Umesh P. meets; walking at night around 11:30PM:
- Umesh P. meets two women sex workers walking and
Steve and Jose give them each a little money for food
- Umesh P. meets introduces us to a group of about 10
cross-dressers and/or transgender sex workers all in
a group on a major street corner; police appear and
the sex workers immediately run
- Umesh P. sees a friend with a car who drives the
remainder short distance to our hotel
- Steve and Jose retire just after mid-night
|
Day 6
in
Nepal
|
Aug 22
|
Monday
KATHMANDU:
Staying in
THAMEL
|
- Steve is up at 6:00AM; completes yesterday's log entry
downloads pictures, etc; Jose up around 8:00AM. To
breakfast; Jose makes appointment with BDS for Tuesday;
Indira sends names of possible meeting places for next
week's public meeting with Christians
- Steve answers email; replies directly to Gokarna Forest
Resort's unsatisfactory, side-stepping email letter in which
the manager fails to show any apology or responsibility for
the almost $1000.00 his bank failed to credit our account
until we insisted with our personal visit to his resort
- Steve and Jose go to camera shop (on the way to meet
Umesh P.) and request an exchange of camera; exchange
is granted (Jose is extremely happy; we note the stark
difference between the local camera shop and the five star
resort of Gokarna Forest Resort)
- Steve and Jose meet up with Umesh P.; together to lunch
and then (after Steve naps for 10 minutes in chair in
restaurant) look at two places for next week's public
meeting; decide on second place - select date and time, a
la cart lunch
- Umesh returns to Steve and Jose's hotel room (by taxi) to
download Steve's pictures onto his flash drive
- Umesh and Jose return to camera shop where Jose
exchanges his purchase of a camera (for a camera he
knows and loves - his old make and model exactly)
- Meanwhile, Steve creates eNews to Nepali Christians with
info on next week's public meeting; Steve creates flier on
meeting
- Steve and Jose have diner out at "posh" area
- Return to hotel and retire around 10:00PM
|
Day 7
in
Nepal
|
Aug 23
|
Tuesday
KATHMANDU:
Staying in
THAMEL
|
- Steve is up around 7:00AM and Jose around 7:20AM
- Steve makes a print-out of "ex-gay" paper at Internet shop
while Jose orders breakfast
- Steve and Jose to Blue Diamond Society offices where
they meet with Indira and BDS officers and discuss public
meeting; news paper article; "ex-gay" paper in Nepali
- Steve and Jose and Indira at BDS offices make plans for
trip out of Kathmandu
- Steve and Jose to hotel; to Roadhouse restaurant for pizza;
text pastors about meeting
- Steve and Jose to ATM, store, and rent-a-bike for
information; to hotel - arrive around 2:45PM - continue work
on contacting pastors and churches
- Steve spends evening contacting area pastors and
churches by email
- Steve sends out flier announcing next week's open
meeting to pastors and area churches
- (Area pastor phones Steve and asks who is the
Nepali contact person; pastor phones Nepali contact
person and threatens to call contact person's pastor
to start church discipline - expulsion from church;
Steve phones area pastor and talks with him about
his phone call to contact person)
- Steve sends out, in Nepali, excerpt on "ex-gay" paper
with link to full paper to area pastors and churches
- Steve writes blog on "Ostracism in Nepal" and sends
out blog to area churches and pastors
- Steve retires to bed around 3:00AM
|
Day 8
in
Nepal
|
Aug 24
|
Wednesday
KATHMANDU:
Staying in
THAMEL
|
- Individual whom Jose contacted from Couch Surfer calls
and asks to meet at 10:00 AM; Steve and Jose agree; same
person calls and asks to meet at 11:00 AM - running late;
Steve and Jose go to breakfast and meet individual: he
has an orphanage and is looking for funding; travel agent is
next door to where we meet and is introduced as friend and
Christian who helps with orphanage;
- Travel agent/Christian tells us that New Life Church has
married same-sex couples, one man and man in 2009;
phones pastor and offers to take us there; pastor free at 1:
30; meanwhile, we make purchases for tickets for travel
outside of Kathmandu for ourselves and for Nepali Other
Sheep Coordinator[ at New Life Church with travel agent
and Couch Surfer in meeting with the pastor, the pastor
tells that New Life Church has never married a same-sex
couple, that New Life Church is Assembly of God and
against same-sex marriage;
- Steve and Jose set out to return to Thamel on foot and
immediately meet Umesh P. of Blue Diamond Society
who goes with us to a very late lunch;
- Steve and Jose go to travel agent around 5:00 PM to get
tickets which were purchased earlier in the day
- In the evening at the hotel, a pastor whom Steve met on
Facebook following the 2009 trip to Nepal, meet with
Steve and Jose at the restaurant at hotel; Steve had
sent him a flier and phoned him day or two before - was
very interested and very affirming and welcoming of LGBT
people
- At the hotel, Steve meets with Nepal Translation
Services and pays in cash the balance due for having
translated the "ex-gay" paper into Nepali
- Steve naps some in the evening, then around mid-night
Steve writes article for report associated with Blue Diamond
Society; Steve emails article to reporter, then retires
|
Day 9
in
Nepal
|
Aug 25
|
Thursday
From
KATHMANDU
to
SAURAHA,
CHITWAN
|
- Steve and Jose up around 15 min. to six; hurry and pack all
belongings to leave with hotel in storage; to travel agent; to
bus stand; get 6:30 am bus to Sauraha, Chitwan; over
mountains, and more mountains and more mountains;
along river; finally a plain
- French speaking Nepali transports us from bus stand to
Chitwan Riverside Resort Hotel, Sauraha, where we room
- Spent rest of day on hotel compound; Jose realizes it is our
3rd wedding anniversary; celebrate on balcony at room with
candlelight and beer and fries
|
Day
10
in
Nepal
|
Aug 26
|
Friday
From
SAURAHA
to
NARAYANGHAT
to
SAURAHA
|
- Steve up early and goes on walk along the riverside;
- Steve and Jose go on morning canoe trip down river with
guide and a couple (straight) from the Netherlands; walk
back through "jungle" with guide and Dutch couple; sight
some birds and deer, one crocodile (guide only saw it), see
Annapurna mountain range from canoe
- Afternoon, to go to Narayanghat; Steve attempts riding a
motorcycle; finally rent a car and driver from French
speaking Nepali (kept his number) - round trip to
Narayanghat to be with Indira and activists
- Meet with Indira and activists on street corner where
a human rights celebration is taking place; Steve and Jose
are given seats of honor; activist director - our key contact
person here - is glad to see us;
- Go to activist office, with activists, where we receive a
special welcome and gifts; Steve introduces the "ex-gay"
paper in Nepali as a tool for reaching the Christian
community; seven gay Christians identify themselves within
a group of about 15 or more;
- Steve and Jose return to Sauraha, Chitwan, hotel from
Narayanghat (by driver and car); first to ATM machines in
Narayanghat; Steve and Jose eat at Toro Toro Restaurant
("husband and husband" conversation)
- Return to hotel; late, but hair saloon is open, introduce
ourselves ("husband and husband"); local boys nearby visit
with us some (at our resort) ("husband and husband")
|
Day
11
in
Nepal
|
Aug 27
|
Saturday
From
SAURAHA
to
NARAYANGHAT
to
SAURAHA
|
- Steve and Jose go to Narayanghat; arrive in Narayanghat
around 7:30; ride back of motorcycle to bus stand for
Narayanghat and take local bus to Narayanghat; Steve to
speak in local church (decides to speak of his brother as
gay - not Steve and Jose as gay)
- Steve and Jose breakfast with Indira and local
activist and discuss Thursday's meeting in Kathmandu and
what to speak in church
- Steve speaks in church in parable form - tells that his
brother is gay; translator from; translator from organization
associated with BDS; local activist and Steve and Jose
meet with pastor and his wife afterwards to follow-up
- Pastor told congregation following Steve's message that
gays must change
- To local activist's home for lunch; to translator's office
and organization; discuss together church service,
pastor's response; download and print ex-gay paper
- To local activist's office for celebration with LGBT
people - holiday of wives remembering their husbands
- Steve and Jose to Narayanghat center for bus to Sauraha,
Chitwan; shooting in town, police, traffic stopped; walk to
edge of town for bus to Sauraha, Chitwan; ride on top of
bus, French speaking Nepali picks us up on motorcycle
- To sunset view spot - people - Canadians, Spaniards; view
sunset;
- To diner at K.C. restaurant; return to hotel room
|
Day
12
in
Nepal
|
Aug 28
|
Sunday
SAURAHA,
CHITWAN
|
- Steve and Jose spend the day at Sauraha, Chitwan
- Steve up at 5:30 and goes for long walk
- Jose up around 7:30
- Steve and Jose figure out expenses and cash on hand
(ATMs not working in Sauraha)
- Breakfast at Hermitage; speak with locals; "husband and
husband"
- Steve and Jose walked to where elephants bath; tell locals
about being "husband and husband" - at Tifan House
Restaurant
- Phone Raju and speak with him
- Steve and Jose rent bikes and go for drinks at Sapan
Resort (where Steve had walked to earlier - nice view of
mountains)
- Steve and Jose bike to end of road - river, water buffalo;
Jose falls off bike; later, chain comes off of bike;
- Steve and Jose bike to area restaurant/hotel for lunch; talk
with four guys there about "husband and husband" -
one of which said it was good we were open, people are
afraid to be open in Nepal, glad that we are free to be open;
first time to see it, but knows from the news
- Heavy rain; lets up; to hotel; more rain; Steve napes, Jose
hands at room;
- Steve and Jose bike to sunset point (cloudy); bike to K.C.
Restaurant for dinner; to Internet - but can't photo copy due
to power outage (scheduled)
- Back at hotel, Steve sleeps, Jose parties, owner of hotel
gets Steve from his room; all party, dance with tourists
from China; up until 2:00AM ("husband and husband")
Young Nepali tour guide: "it makes me happy that you
are frank, that you tell us at the begining that you are
husband and husband, I like your openness"
|
Day
13
in
Nepal
|
Aug 29
|
Monday
From
SAURAHA
to
POKHARA
|
- Steve and Jose up at 6:30; Steve downloads pictures; Jose
packs; Steve writes in log; Jose and Steve go over costs
and cash on hand; Jose checks out; breakfast at hotel
- Hotel staff member requests LGBT information and
gives email address
- Just after 9:00 taxi to Sauraha bus stand, board "tour" bus
(bus that takes "only" tourists -- and some locals within
short distances) to Pokhara
- Jose visits with four Spaniards and a Nepali during trip;
at lunch stop Steve and Jose visit with a young couple
from England who just complete two years working HIV-
AIDS in Vietnam
- Arrive in Pokhara around 3:00PM and immediately go to
Hotel Grand Holiday (as recommended by our French-
speaking Nepali contact in Sauraha; hotel taxi waiting for us)
- Check into room facing lake side; went walking and ate
pizza (with cocktails) at restaurant just past soccer field; (we
note how exceptionally clean the streets are here unlike
Kathmandu where dirt is everywhere in the air, but just this
section of Pokhara for tourists called Lakeside); return to
hotel; swim in pool at Temple Tree hotel next door - small
but resort like - from 7:15-8:00PM; return to hotel; Steve on
Internet in room; some email; checked out news on Internet
on hurricane Irene in New York City; retire to bed
|
Day
14
in
Nepal
|
Aug 30
|
Tuesday
POKHARA
|
- Breakfast at hotel (included), early; while at breakfast meet
a small group of people from Malaysia; talk at length
about gay-related questions, they've read about OYoung;
tell them about "gay church," etc.;
- Move our room from lade side of hotel to peak side - to a
corner room with windows on both outside walls, and a
balcony; peaks are visible only during early morning hours;
- Jose contacts Raju Thakali Fupu of Naulo Bihani (New
Morning) - the contact person Indira gave us
- Raju comes to our hotel room (on his scooter)
around 10:30AM
- Steve and Jose tell Raju that they want to meet
pastors and Christian leaders and give them a copy
of the "ex-gay" paper in Nepali (which paper they
show Raju a copy)
- Raju is able to spend the day with us taking us around
- Jose and Raju do a Google search of churches in the
Pokhara area while Steve goes and photo copies the
"ex-gay" paper (in Nepali) and rents a scooter
- Jose rides on the back of Raju's scooter, Steve
follows
- To photo copy to pick up copies (introduce
"husband and husband")
- To the director and staff worker of a major
Christian organization - meet at length, give
paper, generally sympathetic (first time to meet
a gay Christian)
- To the director of a second major Christian
organization (as well as leader within his
church - a major church); listens to story with
an open attitude, receives paper, (first time to
meet a gay Christian)
- To lunch - phone a pastor who is too busy to
meet but agrees to receive the paper via
email and gives us email address
- To the Catholic church and speak with the
Father who receives the paper (and asks if
there is a copy in English)
- Phone another pastor who agrees to meet
Steve and Jose later at their hotel
- To the offices of Raju - tour facilities and meet
about four staff people
- Steve and Jose return on scooter to their hotel at
Lake Side and meet the pastor who agreed to meet
there
- Steve and Jose take the pastor to Temple Tree Hotel;
order soft drinks and talk; pastor says he had a
professor in seminary who taught that LGBT people
should be accepted as they are; was interested in
our mission
- Steve and Jose end the day on the scooter going to
the far end of Lake Side; enjoy the view along the
lake; meet three Muslim young men from Bangladesh
("husband and husband") and take pictures together
- Return scooter by 7:00PM; go to a Chinese
restaurant for dinner; retire early; very tired
|
15
|
Aug 31
|
Wednesday
POKHARA
|
- Steve and Jose take the full day OFF (and only about three
times mention to anyone that they are "husband and
husband") - A FANTASTIC DAY: Getting a boat (skipping
breakfast at the hotel and Jose getting a coffee on the way)
at 7:00AM (canoe with a flat bottom); we spend the whole
day on the lake and return at 6:00PM
- Early part of day - take pictures of the Himalayans;
hike to an overview (mountains become overcast late
morning); canoe to a waterfall - hike to it and refresh
ourselves (nude) under the falls; to end of lake -
cross over to north side of lake (which gets all the
sun constantly), arrive at Sams Restaurant just
before noon; eat and rest until just after 3:00PM;
return to south side of lake and swim; return boat
rental via the temple site island (where we docked
and viewed a bit)
- Returning from boat rental, Steve and Jose have dinner at
Lake View Resort with live traditional Nepali music and
dress; spend the evening relaxing; return to hotel and retire
by 11:00PM
|
Day
16
in
Nepal
|
Sept 1
|
Thursday
From
POKHARA
to
KATHMANDU
to
International
Airport and
departure to USA
via
DOHA, QATAR
|
- Steve up at 5:00AM and Jose up at 5:30AM; Steve
downloads two days of pictures and writes in log for
Monday; Steve and Jose enjoy morning view of Annapurna
and Fishtail from room (while Steve logs) and sunrise from
rooftop
- Jose introduces Other Sheep to two male tourists from
Manila who are staying in the room across the hall
- Steve and Jose have breakfast in their room (and take in
the view as the peaks are becoming more and more visible
- Taxi to airport around 8:30AM; board plane for Kathmandu
around 10:00AM (about a 30 mins late departure); arrive in
Kathmandu around 10:30AM and taxi to restaurant in Tuku
for 11:30AM meeting with pastors
- 11:30 luncheon with Kathmandu area pastors and lay
leaders
- Four pastors attend, all from different churches
- One lay leader attends with one of the pastors
- Three gay Christians are present (two from
Kathmandu, one from another major town who bused
in the day before); all three tell their story to the
pastors
- Other attendees: Umesh P. of Blue Diamond (a
Buddhist) and a sympathetic news reporter
- Pastors ask questions; one pastor introduces the
ides of a future full-day workshop
- Indira not able to attend - in a Pokhara hospital being
treated for a viral infection (she texts Jose early in the
day; Jose and her text at end of day for updates on
meeting and her medical progress)
- Jose goes to ATM for cash while Steve waits at restaurant
- Steve and Jose and Umesh P. go to International Hostel in
Thamel where luggage is in storage
- Steve repacks all the suitcases while Umesh watches
and rests; Jose takes care of final payments; goes to
Internet and does search on lodging, lounge at Doha
airport
- About 5:30PM Steve and Jose go to Kathmandu
International airport; eat at Thai restaurant there; flight
takes off ahead of schedule - plane pulls away from
boarding area shortly after 8:00PM
- Arrive in Doha four and 1/2 hours later - still Sept. 1 (Doha
time; but just after midnight for Nepali time)
- Through security; check out lounge in airport; Steve leaves
attaché at security area; returns and finds it
- Around midnight, Jose and Steve pay to enter lounge area
where they stay until 6:00AM
|
Day 1
in
NYC
|
Sept 2
|
Friday
From
DOHA, QATAR
to
NEW YORK CITY
|
- Steve and Jose snack in lounge; Steve starts on log but
falls a sleep; Steve wakes around 3:00AM, does Thursday
log and Tuesday log (using notes from report sent Indira on
Tuesday's meetings with pastors and leaders)
- Jose sleeps as well and then writes in the journal his
impressions of their time in Nepal
- Steve and Jose board plane to USA around 7:30; plane's
departure is delayed for one hour; Steve and Jose arrive in
NYC at 4:00PM and arrive in their home, by taxi, between 5:
30 and 6:00PM
|
|
