Day 124

Katya has discovered endorphins! Since Rufus is teaching and there is very little voluntary work to do just now (none), I joined a gym. I spent a happy 30 minutes on the treadmill with some handweights, having the whole gym to myself, looking out at the bright blue sky and glorious sunshine and feeling quite good about myself. Caught up in all the serotonin flooding my brain, I start planning a 10k, and then maybe a marathon, maybe the Iron Man. Lungy holds up well and I guess I am actually fitter than I presumed. And then, out the corner of my eye, I spotted.... a power plate! Imagine my surprise that in a little backwater in one of the world's most diabolical cities is the most treasured and coveted pice of gym equipment EVER. It is absolutely incredible - easy to use (although a little embarrasing), very hard work on the tummy and thighs and when you get off, you fall about as if drunk. It works immediately as well, the minute I stopped I was in extreme physical agony and am sure I now have the body of a 36 year old. The landscape gardeners seemed to find it hysterical as I puffed, panted and jiggled about on the power plate, trying to avoid eye contact with them, and as a result, not much gardening got done. So my goal is to train for a 10k in under an hour. Better than 'must cut my weekly units down to 35'. Obviously I will go to the gym 5 times this week and then never return. Still, while it lasts, it is a complete luxury to devote some free time to keeping fit and after 10 years of working full time while raising two young kids, I think I deserve it.

We are looking forward to a good old healthy family walk on Saturday with the Himalayan Hash House Harriers - at least I am pretty sure they are a running/walking club and am not reading too much into the title. Apparently they are a legendary organisation with clubs all over the major Asian cities. It is also a good way to meet even more people and is apparently popular with families. Hope my jelly legs are up to it, currently am in agony and Rufus swears he can never face walking anywhere ever again. But Fern is really keen so we'll give it a go. She has been having some help with her Maths homework from our friend Shankar and this is making a big difference. It is clear that no child can be helped by their own parent and benefit much better from an external influence. And anyway, I don't know my 189 times table - in Nepal they learn their times tables up to 200! Why? Pointless.

Kathmandu's karma never ceases to amaze me - remember I mentioned the duff woman and her beautiful children? And how nobody would ever say that to me? Well the very next day, as we were having lunch, an American woman came over to our table to say... 'You have the most beautiful and well-behaved daughters, what lovely table manners and polite behaviour - they are a joy to watch'. I nearly fell off my chair. What goes around, comes around. Clover has lost both her front teeth now and has the sweetest lisp. Black Dog was thrilled at Rufus' return and vomited all over his shoes. He was rewarded with some cornflakes and a night in doors.