Winter coat

The day before Marianne left she had a super down coat custom made.
Super nice and one of a kind!

Marianne is back!

Our friend Marianne has returned back to us for her last days in Nepal this year.
She is absolutely crazy inspiring for everyone who is the tiniest bit adventurous.
Paragliding in Pokhara. I know my mom would love to do that.

Annapurna base camp. I know our friend Christer is planning this trek for next year.

I'm happy doing short city trekkings. On the gound!

Thunder

This summer has started with heavy rain, storm, thunder and lightning.
Since I love rain, when I can stay indoors, I don't mind.

Dinner at Prem's house

Prem is our dear friend. He has his own taxi and is an excellent trekking guide and the other day we were invited to his home for dinner.

We had a great time. Laughing and eating good typical Nepalese food.

Prem's mom is 95 and happy sitting in her armchair. She is so cute with a "fish" hanging from her nose.

Prem's wife is so sweet! I just had to hug her.

The kids played different chants and had a great time.
What Western kids would accept no computers or TV for a couple of hours, entertaining themselves?
No power has it's advantages sometimes.

Crisis

Something is happening here in Nepal.
The last few weeks we have noticed a dramatic change. It's like the whole society has given up.
We rarely have no power and the telecom system is just working from time to time, which is very frustrating when you are depending on internet to work.
We've also realised that it's the workers market here in Nepal.
The workers have suddenly started to decide whether or not they want to work.
When it's wedding season, like it has been for the last two months, we know it can be difficult to have things made in the factories, but now the workers also seem to decide what they want to do and not do.
We have a customer from Russia who has been waiting for a jacket for almost two months now and another in US has waited pretty much the same time for some knitted wool socks.
The owners are just as frustrated as we are. A strange situation I must say.
We are actually a bit worried.
Let's see if the life spirits return with the summer that will arrive on Sunday with the Holi festival of colors.

Busy, busy

The last two weeks we have been so busy that I feel my strenght has left me behind.
We are so happy for all the work coming our way and the sweet, sweet customers coming to Nepal, but with my weak health I'm grateful we got two days at home.
Naho left for Thailand today and Susanne and Kjell-Rune are up in the mountains in Nagarkot for a few days.

Susanne and Kjell-Rune

Our Swedish customers Susanne and Kjell-Rune booked a last minute trip and came to Kathmandu yesterday.
They arrived after travelling for 28 hours, the last flight was delayed 2,5 hours so they arrived in the middle of the night. Poor guys!
But that didn't stop them.
They went, all by them self by foot, to the Buddhist temple Swayambhunath, also called the Monkey temple, and Kjell-Rune got hit by a stone in the head thrown by an angry monkey.
That's the reason we haven't been there yet. Monekys are not our favorite animals.
We ate a fab dinner and talked and talked. It's amazing to meet all these great people!
Tomorrow the shopping begins. Susanne has a meditation studio and is going to open a shop, located in Båstad, in the south of Sweden, in April.

Leya and Alina

Leya has gone to her big sister Alina's home for a couple of days.
I think we all need that break from each other and Leya is so happy to be pampered with make up, fancy clothes and hairstyles.
Things I'm not particulary interested in.

Tibetan New Year

Now we are in the middle of a 15 days Tibetan Lhosar, new year, celebrations.
We haven't been to Boudhanath since it started, but we'll go there one day and see the festivities.
Last year, during this festival, a young Tibetan monk set him self on fire.
I think the guards will be prepared with fire extinguishers this year.

Naho at Boudhanath

Yesterday we brought Naho to Boudhanath.
Nepal is not just about work. We have a lot of culture to offer too. She liked it a lot.

We passed those women who were painting thangka.
Read more about thangkas here.
Wow! They are so skilled.

When we had dinner the restaurant was invaded by Chinese people and their huge cameras.
We had to move to another table.