Day 180 Met a lovely Israeli family whose achievements made us feel totally rubbish. A couple with three children, aged 5, 8 and 10 - who have trekked to base camp Everest and Annapurna. They had walked each route for 30 full days, sleeping in tea houses and going without a shower. Apparently the children loved it, even the 5 year old. They are trying to find ways to live 'off the land' so they never have to return home. They are educating their children on ...

Day 175 Very excited to be going to a Hindu wedding. My friend Zena lent me some beautiful traditional clothes - the girls and Rufus went scruffy as usual. I burst the zip the minute I put it on - Fern suggested maybe I was bigger than Zena but I think it was faulty, shoddy, cheap workmanship. Got the zip fixed in a local tailor for 10p - and we set off at the ridiculous time of 8am to go to 'Auntie's house' for the first of the day's many dal bhats. Have I ...

Day 171 Things are a little better. My bank refunded the ATM error. My tenants are still paying. Rufus has recovered from his electric shock and the hoover is fixed. Fern's boil is healing (we've affectionately named it Susan, geddit?). But poor Leslie is still dead. We discovered the local climbing centre as part of my 'physical education programme' and Fern has taken to it like an inappropriately-dressed fish to water. She rocked up in pink knee length fri...

Day 160 - 170 Auntie Paula and I went to Dhulikel, in the mountains for 2 days. Beautiful views, breakfast on the terrace, early nights. She made me do another giant hike. I complained. And then she left and life resumed as normal. Due to difficulties at the girls' school, they are now home-schooled by me. Which means I can't get out to do any voluntary work and tempers are all a bit frayed. I give them 4 hours of schoolwork each a day - science, Maths, read...

Day 146 - 150 Another school holiday - Muslim Christmas. They're just making it up now. Fabulous packages arrived again from the UK - lovely Christmassy stuff from little Hana Murray including advent calendars - you're so thoughtful! Fabby stuff from my friend Adu - lovely books for me, Fern and Rufus, a DS game for Clover (she ran around screaming with joy). Another amazing parcel from my in-laws, again full of thoughtful presents. What lovely people I hav...