On the Way to Kathmandu

Hi!

Hope all reading this are having a lovely day!

We're fine and just working as usual! Ramon's hours are very long, and so we head out
to Kathmandu on our day off.

Many times we have to leave late, or come back early, because of Ramon's schedule, 

and sometimes we can't even go, but we always enjoy getting away if only for a short time! 😍

Today, I'll show you what we've been seeing lately as we drive the 17 miles, which can 

take anywhere from one and a half - two hours!

Now and then we see remnants of an accident. This was very recently.

There was so much traffic that I couldn't get a good picture, but if you can tell,
the bus is being held up by a tree!!! Yes, that one lone tree saved the lives of all the people who were on that bus! Even as the people were climbing out, the tree held and all the people got out safely!
MAN! Someone's angel was working!

This area of the "highway" is on the edge of a steep cliff. In this picture of the truck stop near the place of the accident you can see it's perched right on the edge.

Now one interesting thing about this truck stop is that usually I don't see people going in and out of the restroom.

However, I always see men standing beside it and going over the edge of the mountain!
Either the restroom is a little smelly and they won't go inside,
or it's just too much fun to go over the edge!  😌

Now here is a common sight all over Nepal and we see it every day.

It never ceases to amaze me. This is one reason there is a high incidence of uterine prolapse here.
Once I saw one of these baskets filled with grass like this sitting unattended by the school.
No one was around, so I thought I'd see how heavy it was. Not only could I not pick it up,
it was so heavy that I couldn't even push it!

 Very rarely do you see men carrying heavy loads, although once in awhile you do.
Yes, this is at the truck stop.

Now, as we travel down the mountain, we pass by this little store, which as you can see,
does a brisk business. There's not much of a parking lot, but they make it work!
 Sorry it's a little blurry, but, well, I was in a car on a bumpy road!

Continuing on, we pass this store with a roof, supplemented by an umbrella! Hey, whatever works!

Yes, we often see families who are still living in a temporary shelter, and some are able to watch TV.
Do you see the satellite dish?

Yes, even before the earthquake, we saw folks at the outdoor community water spigots.
If you look closely, you can see the darling toddler this mother is washing!

Right near there is the fire station!

Now there's a lot of rebuilding going on, so you always see scenes like this,

...and this:

The brick companies are doing really well and are very busy.

These areas are like little villages. It's hard to get a picture of the action because of the trees.
I've heard that it's going to take at least four more years to make enough bricks to
rebuild the houses that were destroyed or damaged during the earthquake.

This week as we got closer to Kathmandu, we saw a bus whose driver must
have dated a Drama Queen!

OK, that's enough for now. Have a lovely day and enjoy the views out your windows
wherever you are!  😊
Take care and God bless!

When We're Out & About--Part 1

Some of you have wondered what we see when we're out and about, so that's what this post is going to show you.  On Wednesdays, we have "Town Day," which is when we go shopping in Kathmandu and today you get to go along for the ride!  (Of course, sometimes Ramon doesn't get to go because he's too busy, but sometimes he can--yeah!)

We ride in the hospital's van with a driver,

who I'm very thankful for, as nothing could persuade me to drive here!
Of course, now that I've been here for 3 1/2 years, it doesn't seem so hectic to me anymore!
(When I first went to Paraguay, I was afraid of the traffic.
Now when I'm there, it seems very mild to me!)

This is a two-way street!

...and so is this.

Here we have four rows of vehicles in two lanes--plus motorcycles here and there...


...and everywhere!

Recently as we left the hospital, we passed this young lady eating her breakfast right outside the gate.  (Our apartment is right behind the big round tree.)

We pass through Banepa, which is sometimes crowded,

and sometimes not so crowded.

One can enjoy the colorful shops along the way,

and then we head west to Kathmandu.  It's a pretty ride, filled with these scenes.

Here is a terraced hill we pass as it looks on a cloudy day.

On a sunny day, (this is the same place as above)
you can get a nice peek at the mighty and beautiful Himalayas!

Let's have a closer look!

I have to tell you that we never get tired of seeing this!

If you lived here, you'd have this view every sunny day!

 
Often we see people working outside in the warm sunshine and good sunlight...

...and if it's a holiday, as it was on this day, the children will be happily playing.

However, some "folks" just like to sit around and enjoy the views

while watching others work!

Notice this fellow has bare legs and flip flops (no socks) in our cold winter air.

This gentleman with another heavy load has trousers on, but again, no socks.

We always see people washing up outside at springs or wells,

(Sorry this one is blurry.)

and people worshiping, which you can see that this lady is about to do.

At almost any place on any road, you can see people tending their shops.

Everywhere you go you see people walking!  

Here are some adorable school children.  Yes, they have learned nicely how to walk on a highway!

This lady was walking so fast (no socks either) up hill no less, that she is blurred!

These ladies are going home with their firewood.

Eventually, 17 miles and about an hour later, we roll into Kathmandu.

Stay tuned for Part 2, which will show you what we see and do in Kathmandu!
Take care and God bless!

Accidents

Yesterday evening a very bad bus accident occurred nearby.  Unfortunately this is not as uncommon here as it may be in other countries.  Besides numerous pedestrians,

animals,

tight squeezes,

difficult roads,

and a LOT of motorcycles on the roads,

there are the twists and turns of the Himalayas--

which can cause drivers to take chances when passing.  Overcrowded and overloaded buses are also the norm,

which can topple over, or fall into a ditch,

 when the circumstances are "right." 

Yesterday a bus was going up a steep road when three motorcycles got in the way.  While trying to avoid them, the bus toppled over and rolled over four times down into a ravine and landed 100 meters down.  Apparently the people struggled up to the road where passing buses picked them up and brought them to our hospital and to the hospital in the neighboring city.  We received 55 patients at once!  Everyone jumped into action and even those not on call came immediately.  Ramon and his team had just finished an emergency surgery so they were already on hand.  He had to go with an ambulance to take a patient to Kathmandu.  There he found a neurosurgeon who also wasn't on call, but had come in anyway in case he was needed when he heard about the accident on the news.  Unfortunately five people died.  What a tragedy.  Situations like these cause devastating hardships here in a land where there's no insurance and many people live from day to day.  Besides the usual difficulties of losing a loved one, the economic impact could be a financial crisis for the family.  At that point the best way we can help is by supporting ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency) and praying.     

Thank you to those of you praying for us and for the work of the hospital and for the lovely people of Nepal!  Have a nice day (and be careful on the road)!