Kathmandu

After the initial shock of how built up everywhere is and how busy the traffic is we began to enjoy it. After breakfast we went with Bal Krishna's wife, he had been a bachelor when we left, on the bus to go down to the centre. We then ended up getting her office bus [works for the Govt] and then being dropped on the ring road to get a taxi to my old school. Now when I drove to Lincoln School it took me 15 minutes from home and I was the only car on the ring road. It took us nearly 2 hours to do the same journey!!

We arrived at Lincoln School and got the first shock. Two storey newish modern buildings, nothing like what I was expecting. So we asked to speak to Kathy, an ex colleague who I knew was still there [she married a national]. As we walked into her classroom I heard this shrill NY whistle!! That was Kathy!! Her face was a picture.

As her class was finishing she took us to meet two colleagues who were still working there, one an American the other a Nepali man, he was so thrilled to see me [I seem to remember that when he worked with me he drove me crazy and I think I gave him a hard time as my assistant until I asked for another. Kathy then called the last remaining bus driver from my time and that was when I got really emotional.

So having discovered that our ex gardener worked for Kathy a couple of hours a week AND that my tailor was going to be at her home the next day we arranged to go to her house.

Our second day was even more emotional as we went to visit Ken's old school where he was Head. As we walked up his comments were things like, "that wall is going to be a problem very soon if nothings done!" The school itself looks very similar except that all the trees we had planted are now mature. We ended up in the Principal's [note the name change] house which had been ours. Now I wasn't being critical as they were pleased to meet us but the garden was a bit overgrown! The Tibetan carpet that I had designed and had made was still looking good and one of our paper, round lampshades was still there! The Principal was really pleased to meet Ken and reminded him that Ken had interviewed him!! It would appear that when the school celebrated their 25th anniversary that they had tried to find us. Shame as it would have been lovely and in the right year to have been able to come back for it.

On our way home we met two ex students, a driver and a kitchen worker who were so thrilled to meet Ken again. I must say that I'm finding this "hero worship" a bit much but he deserves it.

So an emotional time here so far!