Here is a picture of one of our best friends here:
We are blessed to live on the campus of the hospital where we have this "friend" working for us to "kick in" when the electricity "kicks off!" Most people here in Nepal are not so lucky.
Electricity is something we used to take for granted. We could count on it just as surely as we could count on the sun coming up every day. We didn't even think about it--until we moved to Nepal.
Here in Nepal, load shedding is a normal way of life (for those who have power that is). The power is on only about half of the time. I hear various amounts of time, as it changes, but it seems to average about half the day. So that means the power is off about half the day! Imagine having power only about half of your day---every.single.day.
The only good news is that you know ahead of time when the power will be on and off. Here is what a schedule looks like:
Luckily we don't have to read this (!) since we have our good friend pictured above! :)
Since Nepal has huge hydro-power potential (on paper anyway--with about 220,000,000,000 cubic meters of water running through it), I'm hoping that one day this electricity crisis can be combated and the people can have power 24/7.
Some people work outside when there's no power
and some people use the lights that they charged when there was electricity.
Of course, when the sun is shining the back up lights are not needed.
The wires always look a little confusing to me.
But the boys who work for the power company seem to know what they are doing--and have no fear (and no protection)!
He was (apparently) fixing this fallen wire which everyone was just ignoring.
Here's "someone" else who had no protection and no fear of the wires!
Sometimes you see other things on the wires too,
Sometimes you see a beautiful view behind them--like this:
I'm so happy to see the wires on mountain roads:
...because it means these people will have electricity (when the schedule says they can):
Just remember, however, that in the remote villages of the Himalayas, the people have to rely either on firewood or kerosene for light, cooking, and heating. On the other hand, some villages can't even get kerosene easily because of their remoteness--for example, villages that are over a two week walk from the nearest bus stop! In such cases, they use resin coated pine sticks. Different organizations are currently working on different systems to get the villages "lit up" (with, for example, LED lighting) and this is exciting news indeed. Solar power systems are starting to gain momentum, when and where possible, and that is also is good news. Don't you just love this picture taken somewhere in the Himalayas?
Villagers can even surf the net with solar power! "HELLO!" to anyone from a remote village who may happen to stumble across this! More power to you!
And now, we'll say, "Goodbye!" and show you the beautiful wires that bring electricity to our apartment building:
Have a nice day and enjoy your power!
Yes, it's a generator!
Isn't it beautiful?!?!
We are blessed to live on the campus of the hospital where we have this "friend" working for us to "kick in" when the electricity "kicks off!" Most people here in Nepal are not so lucky.
Electricity is something we used to take for granted. We could count on it just as surely as we could count on the sun coming up every day. We didn't even think about it--until we moved to Nepal.
Here in Nepal, load shedding is a normal way of life (for those who have power that is). The power is on only about half of the time. I hear various amounts of time, as it changes, but it seems to average about half the day. So that means the power is off about half the day! Imagine having power only about half of your day---every.single.day.
The only good news is that you know ahead of time when the power will be on and off. Here is what a schedule looks like:
Luckily we don't have to read this (!) since we have our good friend pictured above! :)
Since Nepal has huge hydro-power potential (on paper anyway--with about 220,000,000,000 cubic meters of water running through it), I'm hoping that one day this electricity crisis can be combated and the people can have power 24/7.
Some people work outside when there's no power
and some people use the lights that they charged when there was electricity.
Of course, when the sun is shining the back up lights are not needed.
The wires always look a little confusing to me.
But the boys who work for the power company seem to know what they are doing--and have no fear (and no protection)!
He was (apparently) fixing this fallen wire which everyone was just ignoring.
Here's "someone" else who had no protection and no fear of the wires!
Sometimes you see other things on the wires too,
or behind them!
Sometimes you see a beautiful view behind them--like this:
or this:
I'm so happy to see the wires on mountain roads:
...because it means these people will have electricity (when the schedule says they can):
Just remember, however, that in the remote villages of the Himalayas, the people have to rely either on firewood or kerosene for light, cooking, and heating. On the other hand, some villages can't even get kerosene easily because of their remoteness--for example, villages that are over a two week walk from the nearest bus stop! In such cases, they use resin coated pine sticks. Different organizations are currently working on different systems to get the villages "lit up" (with, for example, LED lighting) and this is exciting news indeed. Solar power systems are starting to gain momentum, when and where possible, and that is also is good news. Don't you just love this picture taken somewhere in the Himalayas?
Villagers can even surf the net with solar power! "HELLO!" to anyone from a remote village who may happen to stumble across this! More power to you!
And now, we'll say, "Goodbye!" and show you the beautiful wires that bring electricity to our apartment building:
Have a nice day and enjoy your power!
You have a very beautiful view from your apartment. Glad you have the generator. I think we are very blessed to have such a good energy source here too.
ReplyDeleteOh, Kathy, now when we talk on Skype we may not get cut off! I am happy for you both. Enjoy your new friend the generator! Take care and lots of love from your Mom!
ReplyDelete