#run 10k

I’ve been living in Pepsicola, in Kathmandu, for three weeks now and wow I’ve settled in easily! 

Before coming here, as I’ve said before, I had few plans and little idea of what life in Kathmandu would be like. I knew I’d be wanting to take advantage of all of the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the area, but I was happy to let things happen and play with whatever karma threw at me once I arrived. 

I’ve been busy, but overall life in Kathmandu has been pretty easy on me so far. 

Week one was all about getting into a new routine ... 

Most mornings start late here, with family breakfast in the kitchen at around 9:30 before we wander lazily upstairs to our office on the roof. We work, chat, drink tea, and often pop out for work-related errands before coming back and working some more until it gets dark. Dinner is again a nice family affair with our Nepali hosts chatting away and telling us stories about growing up in a village, getting a first cellphone in Nepal, experiences with work and study, and the dire state of Nepali politics! 

Food at home is simple: our daily meals are almost always dal bhat, the Nepali national dish of lentil soup, vegetable curry, and rice. It’s basic, but so good. I’m finding already that when I’m away for a day or two I look forward to coming home to Sanu’s warm, comforting dal bhat for dinner. 

As part of my work for Volunteer Society Nepal, I’ve been working with another expat to organise regular gatherings for the volunteers we have here in Pepsicola. This has got to be one of the perks of the job - coordinating bar hangouts, momo making parties, gallery visits, and sports events! 

Week two was all about training and fundraising ... 

Last weekend I totally surprised myself by doing something I’ve never done before - I ran a 10K race! I found out about it only a week before the event, said an optimistic “I think I can do that” (despite having never even run 5K) and started running around the Pepsicola football field in the evenings to train. 

I only started running semi-regularly a couple of years ago when I was in Lhasa, and have never been a competitive runner, but I was so proud of myself for completing the Kathmandu Pinkathon 10K run in only 60 minutes :-) Plus - bonus points - I raised money for the local Women’s Centre here in Pepsicola while I was doing it! (P.S. Our campaign is still ongoing if you missed it and would like to add a donation!). 

Miraculously, I didn’t wreck myself on the run and actually felt pretty good and strong after it. Strong enough to head off to Pashupatinath Temple that afternoon for its biggest festival of the year - Shivaratri. 

Week three was all about festivals and culture ... 

Shivaratri is the day to celebrate Shiva’s birth, and apparently also the day to get totally baked. I was told that apparently it’s the only day of the year when it’s legal to buy/sell/smoke weed in Nepal, because Shiva did it so why can’t we? 

Pashupatinath was packed with thousands of men and a handful of women, pushing and pulling each other like a tide through the crumbling stone structures of the temple. Sadhus stood above the crowd in all their long-dreadlocked, brightly-painted glory, calling out praise to Shiva above and banter with the people below. 

By the time we reached Pashupatinath in the late afternoon many of the Sadhus were already passed out in the sunshine, while others kept the crowd entertained by taking their clothes off and launching themselves naked onto people. Brave young men taunted the naked Sadhus, daring each other to be the ones standing at the front when the crazy holy man chose his next victim. 

The next day I headed off to Boudha before dawn to spend the next three days at a VERY different type of festival - the Tibetan end of year and new year celebrations! 

Losar is one of my favourite times of year - the food, the clothing, the ceremonies - it’s an awesome cultural experience to be immersed in. 

In the early morning and late evening, the pilgrim circuit around the Boudhanath Stupa was packed with Tibetans mumbling their mantras and counting their prayer beads. I felt exactly like I was back in Lhasa again, back in the Barkhor in the heart of Tibet. The energy and atmosphere were exactly the same, and more than once I had to remind myself where I really was (but it was nice to daydream anyway). 

I felt at home again, at peace in that environment. For three days I walked the kora, did prostrations, visited monasteries, made offerings, received blessings from Rinpoches, and practiced meditations. I welcomed in the Tibetan New Year of the Fire Bird with peace and happiness, plus a little longing for Lhasa. 

On Wednesday again I returned to Boudha for a special performance of the Tibetan Opera “Prince Norsang”, which I’d seen for the first time a couple of years ago in Lhasa’s Norbulinka during Shoton Festival. The show was great, and once again transported me back to Tibet. 

Week four begins now, and what will I be doing? 

Who knows yet! Rolling from day to day without many plans, just living in the present has been working out well for me so far. 

I know one thing for sure - I’ve got hundreds of photos that I need to start sharing on here from all these festivals! I’ll be making that a priority this week, so get ready for some awesome shots of Kathmandu, Shivaratri, Losar, and Boudha in the coming days :-) 

Happy Tibetan New Year! Losar Tashi Delek! 

Namaste from Nepal! In two days I’ll be running my first 10K race ... It’ll take me through the dusty, uneven streets of Kathmandu from the city centre to the airport and back, and will most likely thoroughly exhaust me! 

Why am I doing this? To support an education programme at the Women’s Centre in the small suburb of Pepsicola in Kathmandu. 

If we raise enough money, the centre can re-start a year-long tailor training programme including purchasing sewing machines for the centre’s women to use, buying necessary materials, and paying a teacher for twelve months. 

With this training, added to the literacy and mathematics education that is already being provided and utilised, these women will be in a better position to gain financial independence and take control of their own destinies. 

After a year, they will have the skills and experience to continue using the machines without the instructor, to produce their own pieces, and to earn an income that will support the community and the Women’s Centre into future generations. 

Please donate to this cause, share this link, and encourage your friends and family to give what they can. 

I might have done a silly thing ... I've signed up for a 10k run!! 

No, it's not silly actually, it's awesome. I'll be running in the Kathmandu Pinkathon to raise money for a new women's centre in the suburb of Pepsicola in Kathmandu. 

Height: 5'7' Starting Weight: 128.4 Fat: 25.4% Muscle: 42.8%

I'm currently on Week 3, Day 3 of a 10k plan. My aim is to complete 10k before moving on to fell running/off-road, which is something I'm pretty excited to start. At the moment I'm road-running, specifically canal and riverside.

Hence the herons.

Prior to this I was a gym-goer, where I did all my cardio through rowing machines, coupled with a lot of weight training. Then I hit a post-Christmas slump, and lost so much progress that I don't even want to think about it.

Prior to being a gym rat I was a fencer and horse rider, but being a student I currently lack the time and the money to continue with riding these days.

Anyway, I wasn't completely convinced that running was going to be all that great. I was concerned it was going to be a bit of a chore, and tedium isn't really something which motivates me.

But, it turns out that it's not so bad after all! I just have to avoid slipping on all the waterfowl poo.