Walking along the ridge

A preying mantis on guide Hari's shoulder

27th October

Went for a walk along the ridge this morning but even that has lots of gradient.   Saw large kestrels and buzzards and enormous beautiful butterflies, but only managed to get a picture of a rather boringly coloured one.   The more colourful variety didn’t want to pose.   Dry leaves keep dropping from the trees and make me jump as I think it is some sort of wild life – perhaps it is – disguised as a dried leaf!

A very large Nepali house

Some of my pupils, brothers, playing hide and seek on the roof of their house on their day off

This village community is very spread out and some of the children have to walk about 5 miles to school each day.  I saw one of my pupils playing hide and seek with his brother on the roof of his house.   Millet, maize and rice are the main crops, with lentils and some green vegetables and these provide the basic diet.  There is a barter system between the locals with any surplus. Millet is used to make dhido- I have been told it is like Japanese Sake, but not much alcohol is drunk, as strictly speaking it is not allowed by the local Brahmins.