Day 84-88 Still not feeling well. Clover is not great either, suffering from a persistent bad cough and had to miss a day of school. Back to the clinic for the second time in two weeks and into the safe hands of expat Scottish doctor, Robin, the nicest and least smug man in Kathmandu. Finally somebody I can explain my complicated medical history to without resorting to elaborate mime. He is here with his wife to do goodwill humanitarian work for the people o...

Day 82 I have enjoyed a two day complete detox and relaxation treat at the Park Village Resort which was truly superb. Will bring all my visitors here in future! Set in a wildlife park with fresh air and lovely plants, flowers and scents, thousands of little butterflies everywhere. The highlight on the first day was arriving at the pool where four shaven-headed well built men sat around drinking (we assumed alcohol), playing cards, eating chips, ogling bikini...

Day 80 Life is hard here. I don't want to complain - ideally never again, never about anything - but it is hard. We have to do an hour of handwashing every night, shower the filthy children before the power cuts begin, manage dinner, make boiled water bottles for the next day - and in the morning make a big breakfast before dividing hair into bunches and pigtails, tied in immaculate ribbons (and that is just Rufus), check teeth and nails and school bags that r...

Day 78 I am trying to pluck up the courage to join the yoga class at the British Embassy. It's not really me, but it is the only way to get invited to their weekly barbecues and I really want to meet some people, even British ones. I have befriended an American man and his Norwegian wife and am hoping to do some babysitting for their three boys - paid! Which will help our budget considerably. They like to take long weekends away, just the two of them, and I ...

Day 75 Kathmandu has not been kind to Lungy and on my first real day at work I end up having to call in sick. How embarrassing. I was supposed to be delivering a teacher training workshop on children's needs (basically to ask the teachers to stop hitting the kids, calling them stupid and pulling their ears). I was going to introduce the Dunce's cap as a better form of humiliation, since we all appear to be living and working in 1954. Fortunately Rufus had co...