Adventure Number 2: At Home in Salyan

The family are so generous and I will always be indebted to them for their kindness and hospitality. When we have people ot stay we usually give them a room of their own, but I was given Sakuntala's house and bed: I was fed extremely well and extremely often and, despite the fact that we had very little common language, we got on easily and happily. Settling in was not hard because Bishnu was there for the first couple of days and Gabi stayed on longer which was lovely. However, even after they had returned to Kathmandu, I never once felt like an outsider (at one point i was playing a game with the children and was surprised to look down to see some very Caucasian toes amongst he others: they were mine of course but with no mirrors around it is easy to begin to think that you look like the people you are looking at!) and was very sad indeed when it came time to leave. But I am getting ahead of myself!

My house - the clutter is mostly mine I have to admit!

Let's just say that we do things differently so a bonfire was needed regularly to
burn our waste - disposable nappies are not easily disposed of!

The kids helped with the bonfire - by taking roofing from the neighbour's pig house!

Blue wall is my house the other properties belong to our next door /
upstairs neighbours - the terraces are that steep!

Everyone used the tap by Pipi's house.

But with the loan of a small gas stove and pans I had the luxury of
washing in private in warm water.

Doing the dishes

The family all help to make Momos which will be steamed over the open fire

After the neighbour's pig was slaughtered the meat was shared out.
This man is cutting large chunks into smaller pieces
using his Kurkuri knife which he braces between chest and floor

(Pipi grinds the flour for the day)

I introduced the children to a pack of cards and Snap was a firm favourite.
However when everything takes place on the floor they soon take on a Used
appearance.