Sunday, 14 October

Sunday, 14 October

We said our goodbyes to Hem last evening after dinner.  Now, all packed, we are waiting until it is time to leave for the airport.  It is a quiet morning and and we are enjoying the bird sounds and occasional sound of a boat being paddled across the lake.  Now just after 9:00 am, the children are crossing the lake to go to school.  They are dressed in uniforms of dark blue pants or skirts and lighter blue shirts.  Today we have seen them in tan pants and pale pink shirts.  Children attend school on Sundays here; they have a half day on Friday and then Saturday is a holiday from school.  The school day is about six hours, beginning at 10:00 am and ending at 4:00 pm.

Today we have parrot like birds high in one of the hotel's trees.  Unfortunately, too high and too back lit to identify.  Marty has finally gotten some shots of the beautiful kingfisher that resides in this area.  It has a brilliant turquoise back and reddish-brown belly.  It is a stunning bird and when it flies the flash of its turquoise wings makes you suck in your breath!  Yes, we are a little sad to be leaving the lakeside, but we shall return again some day.

After a forty-minute flight on Guna Air, we (David and Marty) were back in the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu.  As always, this transition is a bit hard to manage after being in the mountains for about ten days.  Marty and Harry came in from Chitwan shortly after noon, and were SO enthusiastic in describing their adventures in the jungle, including washing elephants and having multiple rhino encounters.  Now we are back in the hotel after an evening meeting the ANSWER staff for dinner