More Life in Kathmandu Nepal

Just wanted to post some pictures of things we see frequently that you definitely would not see in the U.S.

carrying his mattress home

open meat market. I don't buy my meat here.

Sweet girl, named Kalpana, who we buy fruit from.

carrying a load.

carrying a heavier load.

Hindu, small temple, place to worship

carrying vegetables

fastest mode of transportation, motorcycles,bicycles, and scooters

Tihar

October is the month for many Hindu holidays. Tihar is one of them. During the week of Tihar they have a day of the crow, day of the dog, day of the cow and the last day they celebrate the Goddess of Wealth, Laxmi. She is invited by decorations, with candles and food.  Business and homes are hoping that Laxmi will pay them a visit and leave her wealth with them. The businesses put up lights almost like at our Christmas time.

dancing girls at authentic Nepalese dinner show

Nepalese dinner plate
rice, chicken, potatoes,pickles, naan, vegetables

the candles light the way to the business. Sometimes food was
left by the door for Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth

Tihar decoration in front of our apartment building

BiTika
Sisters honor their brothers

Mike on Bitika Day
His hat is called a Topi

Pashpauti

Alters with fires

Pashpauti is a crematory for the Hindu in Nepal.  The body must be burned within 24 hours of death. There are certain rituals that are performed before the body is burned.  They had lots of alters where they build fires and then put the body on it. They put a stick in the person's mouth and then light it. There is a Holy River there and many come to it.  Also there are Holy men, who are painted up and look a little crazy who will give you a blessing and let you take their picture if you give them money. A very interesting place.

preparing alter fires

Mendenhall's relative with Holy Man

Sister Wasuita with Holy cows in Pashpauti

Holy River at Pashpauti

burning

Apartment Surroundings

The wires just caught our attention.  You can reach up and touch them much easier to repair that way.  These are the shops that we use for groceries sometimes.  They are close to our apt.  When we first saw them we thought no way.  It's not Smiths or Walmart but really?

power lines like this everywhere

Where we live . Prestige Apts.

Security guards at our apt. bldg.

Dogs! Sleep all day.  Bark all night!

Our local pharmacy. Would probably only buy cough drops here.

our local produce shop

corner grocery where we sometimes buy eggs

First Days in Nepal

First few days were pretty overwhelming. The Rempps tried to take us to meet lots of people we will deal with and places we needed to go like the grocery store(Baht Batini's) and the Bank. Seemed like we were on the go 24/7 and our bodies were still trying to figure out what time it was and why we were not sleeping. Some days I couldn't hold my eyes open.

Raj and Nirmya,Rempps, Wasuitas at Leprosy Clinic

selling their fruits and vegetables and wares along the streets

Narrow streets

street in tourist section Thamel

selling baskets and brooms on a bicycle

Breakfast at Mike's. It was pretty good too!

Drug Bus for the poor

One eyed tractor.trailer behind to pull heavy load

Family water tank and filter

House across the road from where we live

Hong Kong

Downtown Hong Kong from the 46th floor of a plaza building

Drum competition in mall plaza. Very entertaining

Cute kids!

tourist boat in harbor

Hong Kong is a big city with wall to wall big buildings and busy streets and lots of people.

LDS Church Asia Area Offices and chapels.

We have Arrived!

Ater a 14 /12 hour plane ride from Los Angeles to Hong Kong, 2 nights in Hong Kong and another 6 hour flight to Kathmandu, we arrived at 10:30 p.m. on October 21, 2013.  Elder and Sister Rempp and Elder and Sister Mendenhall were at the airport to meet us with hugs and scarves. We were exhausted but excited to finally be here. Now the real adventure begins.

Nepal

Can't leave the MTC without having your picture taken with the world map. We are excited to get to Nepal and serve the people there. We leave on Friday morning at 3:30 a.m. So much for sleep. We'll get some sooner or later.

MTC Oct.7,2013

Well the adventure has begun. This is outside the MTC in Provo. It was a long day of orientation but lots of nice people and lots of senior missionaries. Lots of new friends. It will be good.

Anxious

Anxious to be gone. Only 4 weeks left. Still lots to get done but the time will  go by fast. Nepal here we come.

We are going on a mission

Got our mission call.  Going to the India, New Delhi Mission. We will be serving in Nepal for 18 months. We enter the MTC in Provo on October 7, 2013.  Should be an exciting adventure.