I’m racing to keep this going. Once again, I’m falling behind. I’m loving every moment of our journey. Every day, another high point.
Day 13 – Homestay, Safari, and Walkabout…
Yesterday morning we went on a safari in Chitwan National Park. Sadly, there was not much to see in the way of animals. But that’s okay. It was still a lot of fun driving around in the topless safari vehicle, bumpy though it might have been.
We saw two rhino, but they were so far away I only took pictures with my Canon zoom lens. No pics of them to upload from my phone, which is what I’m writing all these posts on. How about tiger footprints? (-:
The real treat yesterday was the walkabout in the Tharu community. It was lovely to see all the colourful houses and the animals and people. It’s so beautiful there. The local guide (Tek) showed us everything there was to see. He even taught us about the bubble plant. He plucked a leaf, broke it in half and rubbed the two ends together. Then he blew on it and a little string of bubbles came out.
It was just nice walking in the beautiful Nepalese countryside. It was a full day spent within the community in which we were staying.
Day 14 – Tharu Goodbye, Suspension Bridge, Sasane Sisterhood of Survivors, and Lively Pokhara
Today was a special day. I was really looking forward to this. The Sasane visit! We started with a delicious breakfast at the homestay and then we said our goodbyes to the lovely Tharu community and to Baratpur.
After a couple hours in the bus, we stopped for a bio break. But Ranny knew exactly what he was doing. The restroom was nestled between mountains right beside a picturesque river which happened to have a suspension bridge crossing the divide. The bridge was right beside where the bus stopped. Needless to say, we soon made our way down to it and walked out over the water.
Next stop, lunch… and a momo cooking class! Our stop was at the Sasane Sisterhood of Survivors. It’s an organization formed to help rescue girls and women from sex trafficking and exploitation. Not only do they help them get out, but they also train them as paralegals so that they can help others get out. It’s set up as a self-sustainable resource for future rescues from survivors who have gone through the process themselves.
For those who have not had formal education, Sasane also has a program set up to train the women in fields other than paralegal… such as the hospitality industry. One of the programs is the momo cooking class we attended today. It’s run by survivors. These women were once victims. This program brings them from victim to survivor to thriver, which was evident in abundance.
As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse myself, I love to support any organization like this. Survivors need to be heard and healed. Sesane is doing critical work to save women from horrendous situations. Please visit their site and consider making a donation to the cause. SASANE
Today was filled with the most glorious scenery. And once we arrived at our hotel, we went out for a short walk and found even more beautiful sights to behold. Pokhara has a lovely strip for shopping and right behind it, a lake surrounded by rolling hills and mountains. It’s breathtaking, just like the rest of this adventure.
After a yummy meal at local restaurant Dunga, and a spontaneous bit of foolishness with a balloon, this night is over. Goodnight from Pokhara…the heart of Nepal.
KEVIN CRAIG 