Life in Dhangadi

It's our day off here in Dhangadi but we are in the office catching up with emails, skyping (wonderful) and filing reports.  You can see pictures of the hospital, clinic and places we have visited here.  After a day of work yesterday we had an afternoon touring some of the voluntary agencies working in HIV here in the Far West of Nepal, including the Nava Kiran Plus care home, the Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nepal and the orphanage, full of children who are HIV infected and have been rejected by their villages and schools.  We were treated like royalty, although felt a little guilty at being such a distraction and, to be honest, prefer getting busy in the clinics to receiving the VIP treatment.  Nonetheless it is giving us a clearer picture of who people are and what they do as there are many agencies involved in delivering HIV services.


I was reminded of one of the true delights of being in Asia and had a very professional shave in cut-throat styli (safety razor, of course) at a barbers here for RS30 (about 27p).  20 minutes, multiple creams and some rather 70's aftershave later Helen will vouch for the fact I didn't stop raving about it for about an hour.  Only had my chin "done" though.... haven't yet let them near my head (well, it was getting dark...).  If only such things were readily available at home (a bit like foot massages in Hong Kong).


Police and riot shields were out in force and the Maoists had been planning a general strike, but fortunately this risk seems to have receded for the time being.


Nepal seems to want to become a gay tourist destination although I am not sure Dhangadi will be on the map!  Sunil Pant previously worked for FHI but is now the only openly gay member of the parliament here and is supporting this cause.  From Facebook, if I have the right Sunil Pant, it looks as though we have a friend in common who is a Vauxhall Taverner!  How the world gets ever smaller.....


We have also met a lovely man, Dila, here doing voluntary work from Uganda, and two teachers who are working with VSO, and who are looked after by someone managed by a friend of mine.  Even here the connections are quite mind blowing.


Finally, a tune for you, courtesy of J&S - many thanks.


Have a wonderful weekend and remember - Sunday here is a work day! xx