Saying that I work with charitable projects in Nepal doesn’t fully convey either the work or the reward. Yesterday’s field trip reveals more about why it’s worth it…
Heading out into the terraced fields of rural Nepal...
4:00am Wake up and meditate. Only Day 2 in Nepal, so jet lag is working in my favor. I’m awake.
4:30am Get ready–but there’s no power and no hot water.
5:00am Motorcycle ride with Neel.
Motorcycle Ride in Nepal
Clothing: Slip-on flats, capri pants, thin blouse, light softshell windbreaker, dust mask and sunglasses so that my entire face is covered, no helmet (there’s never a passenger helmet here), backpack with 9 pounds of fruit for the kids.
Soundtrack: Ipod. Indie rock, breaks/dance, chopin, downbeat, a little hip-hop.
Bike: Honda 100cc, averaging 30mph on the 50-60min of paved road and 20mph for the remaining 2 hrs offroad.
Road: Jarring. Generally under construction and ranging from rock-strewn to muddy to rutted and potholed. Always dusty, by which I mean a thick layer of powdery dirt comparable to a desert dust storm when a truck or bus comes along and kicks it up en masse. Curvy. Great views.
Extra complexity: No holding on to the driver. (Wrapping your arms around a male friend would be totally inappropriate.) Grab the small bar behind you on the seat. With both hands.
6:00am Tea break as the sun rises.
To be continued…