1300m up, from Hille to Ghorepani

Day 5 - Hille-Ulleri-Nagethani-Ghorepani

8:00 Hille (1470m)
10:45 Ulleri (2140m) for tea
13:25 Nangethani (2459m) for lunch
16:50 Ghorepani (2785m) destination

Properly tough. 1300m vertical climb over six hours.

The Monday with no Mike

Hi,

Toby and I had a good Monday.  Toby caught the 23 bus all by himself from outside our house at 8.15 to the Wellington Zoo.  He is booked into the holiday programme there for most of these two weeks.  Apparently he spent a lot of time in the Australian section of the zoo and collected kangaroo poo which he later fed to the Kunekune pigs.  Recycling at its best!  He also caught the bus home at the end of the day successfully and turned up at our place at 1730.

I cooked him some tea and then we went swimming at Karori Pool.  Turns out I am hopeless at swimming now and Toby is my coach.  He actually gave me some good advice - all those lessons have paid off and he can swim really well.

A photo of my foot while practising with my new phone

Toby taking another selfie without my knowledge!

We ducked into the supermarket to pick up some food and I chose Karori so no one would recognise me.  But I had to nip into town to fill up Toby's Snapper card and bumped into a work colleague.  When I got home I looked at myself in the mirror and I was really rather messy looking after the swim.  Hahahah.

Right.  It is a stunning day here.  Mike is trekking and I haven't had any updates from him.

Have a great day,

Love,
Angela

Trekking begins

Day 4 - Pokhara-Nayapul (900m)-Hille (1470m)

Up early again for early start. Packed and ready 0620 for breakfast at Paradise again. Clearing weather - first sight of snow capped peaks.

Last coffee for 10 days?

Phewa Lake, Pokhara

The weekend with an unexpected flight to Dunedin

Hi,

Well, Toby and I were just getting used to life without Mike.  Friday night we had takeaways with the Lewis clan and met wee Winter for the first time.  Ramble puts up with an awful lot from her.  We giggled as we watched her sit on his face, nip at his tail, nip at his ears and generally never leave him alone.  I think they both love it!

Toby and I woke up nice and late on Saturday morning with our plan of attack for the weekend in hand.  But a call from Sally put paid to that idea.  Mike's Dad had worsened, so Toby and I arranged flights down and flew down at lunchtime.

Dunedin favourite - cheese rolls at the supermarket!

We stayed at the Tourist Court Cottages - no cottages at all.  But very nice spacious units.  Bit rundown but clean and comfortable.  We checked in and then bought a few things before visiting Ron in the hospital.

Our room at the Tourist Court Cottages.  We loved it!

We also teed up Mike to chat to his Dad the next morning (well, it turned out to be 1pm) on Facetime using Toby's iPad and my phone as a hotspot.

A really good iced coffee at Sugar Cafe, lower Stuart St

Toby and I had a great sleep and wished it wasn't the start of daylight savings as we got an hour less sleep.  But we both slept like logs.  Such a nice sleep.

We went out to get some breakfast.  We tried the Sugar cafe in lower Stuart St and we took a photo below to see if it was the same location as Eclipse, where Mike used to work.  We asked the waitress but she must have only been about 19 years old.  She had no idea what it used to be.

Toby tucks into his breakfast

The cafe - we think Mike used to work in there when it was Eclipse

Toby at Sugar Cafe

Mike and his Dad got to talk to each other via the wonder of technology.  We set Toby's iPad up on Ron's chest (Toby held it in place with Nana aiming it at Ron's face whenever Toby strayed) and Mike and his parents chatted for a bit.  Lovely.

By then it was time for me and Toby to head to the airport.

Toby took a selfie that I didn't know about

We flew out at 6pm on a direct flight and landed happily and grabbed the car and went home.  I managed to get some ironing done.

This morning Toby is off to the zoo for his holiday programme.  He left home by himself and locked up (I hope) and caught the 23 bus.  He should be halfway there now.  I hope he enjoys it.

Sally is off to Dunedin today and Vivienne tomorrow.  Mike is starting his trek today.  I hope he has a wonderful time there.

Have a great week.

Love,
Angela

Driving to Pokhara

Day 3 - Kathmandu-Pokhara

Driving day! It took us from 8:30am to 4:00pm to make the 200km journey from Kathmandu to Pokhara.

Up early for sunrise photos. Overcast thought. Talked to Dad on skype and gave him a video tour of the hotel. 

Breakfast of omelette and toast with jam and odd butter.

Into the bus.  Sitting up front, on the engine cover, a foot away from the windscreen.

Seems safe enough

Kathmandu tour and shopping

Day 2 - Kathmandu

Another amazing day! Feels like I've been here for months now.

Up at 5:15am for dawn wander for chai. Only a handful of us. Was wonderful seeing Kathmandu without heat and crowds.

Chai was great, heard marching drummers, Buddhist singers, saw people starting their day, fruit sellers setting up. And a feral cow wandering placidly through the streets fitting in with the hubbub. Was very tame and asked me to feed her when I paid attention to her. Saw someone touch her then touch his forehead in blessing so she must be worshiped.

Kathmandu - first impressions

Day 0-1 Wellington-Kathmandu

After a Macs Brewery meal we milled around in Wellington airport, and then milled around some more in Auckland airport. In hindsight, I have shopped at Auckland duty free because the range was better and cheaper than KL.

Flight was nice and easy. To KL was on the oldest most clapped out 777 ever, complete with seat back screen from the 90's. My arm rest was held together with duct tape and the decoy seat recliner didn't do any reclining. But good leg room so I slept well.

The Thursday with the last day with Mike

Hi,

Toby got off the bus in town and we all went over to Te Papa and got into the new T-Rex exhibition for free as Friends of Te Papa.  It was a sneak preview before the exhibit opens to the public on the weekend.  We all declared it an awesome exhibition.

 From there we went to Macs Brewery for dinner and had some lovely food.  Toby got fish n chips, Mike got the thick ribbon carbonara pasta and I got seafood chowder.  All tasted great!

Mike at Macs

Don't take my photo!

Oh, okay then.  Here's my best pose!

Hahahah - you still can't see me

We headed to the airport after that and just dropped Mike off at the terminal.  We didn't go in with him.  Toby and I would have been too sad for that.

Mike was awfully excited - he will have such a wonderful time.  Keep an eye on Facebook.  That is how he'll keep in touch.

Routine changed this morning.  Toby is up early and ready.  I rode in after dropping him at the bus stop.  Lovely morning!  More of this please.

This weekend we have loads on.  The new underpass has an open day on Saturday so we want to walk through that.  Then if Sunday is nice up at Ruapehu, Toby and I will go skiing.  Probably the last one of the season.  I want to take the bus to the zoo so Toby knows how to do it next week (he is on a holiday programme there for two weeks),

Have a fantastic weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with nothing for me

Hi,

Another lovely day in Wellington this morning (Thurs).  And it's the last day with Mike for a while.  He leaves tonight for Auckland and then onto KL and then Kathmandu.  The next bed he sleeps in will be in Kathmandu.  How cool is that?

Yesterday I rode home and made dinner for Toby.  He ate chicken schnitzels and then declared that I really can cook and that's why he loves me so much.  Hmmmmm.

Mike went to tramping club and got home really late.  I was already asleep, although I may have tried to communicate with him.  I think.

This morning's ride in was fabulous.  Loved it!  Dry roads - super fast.

This afternoon we're off to see the T-Rex exhibit at Te Papa (through Friends of Te Papa, we get in early before it opens to the public).  Then we'll have tea at Joe's Garage and drop Mike at the airport for his flight.  He leaves at 8pm for Auckland and then a midnight flight to KL and Kathmandu.

Have a lovely Thursday everyone.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with nothing

Hi,

I managed to catch up with Aidan for lunch - we ate outside in the Parliament grounds.  As I walked there with my bread roll, I was absolutely freezing and admired Aidan's aspirational lunch goal.  I guess it has been Spring for a while now, so she had every right to assume a bit of sunshine meant we should eat outside.  The admiration grew once I zipped up my jacket and hunkered down in the watery sunshine and stopped shivering.  It wasn't so bad after all.  Although Aidan declared the concrete fence we sat on wet and jumped up and continued lunch standing next to me so she wouldn't get a wet bottom.  This felt rather awkward, as the concrete wasn't wet, merely cold - pretty much air temperature really - so I continued to sit and finish my lunch.  I failed to see how this could continue with pleasant conversation (it was more of an interrogation stance) so I suggested a walk.  Aidan suggested chocolate.  The compromise was a walk to a place that sold chocolate.  Not a bad compromise, eh?

My ride home was good fun - Toby had walked home so I rode all the way home and started cooking dinner for him.  He got stuck into his maths homework and I think we have got that all sorted.  Woot!

Mike and I had a bath (maybe the last one together for ages) and I collapsed into bed in a heap and was in the land of nod within minutes of closing my eyes.  Possibly even seconds.

This morning's run was also rather nice.  Dry roads and not a lot of wind meant it was far nicer than Monday morning.  Back home to shower and make lunch and have breakfast.  The boys seemed to be in a good mood when I left.  At least they were up.  I hope they make the school bus this morning - unlike yesterday morning.  Yep - a drive down the hill failed to catch the bus.  Toby had to catch the Scots bus from the railway station.  Heheheh.

Have a lovely day.  I need a tea.  Desperately.

Love,
Angela

The Monday with Mike busy at work

Hi,

Toby caught a taxi from school to our work at 2.30pm and was at our work by 3pm easily.  A great plan.  My plans were changed last minute by the client so I was unexpectedly free to take Toby to his appointment instead of Mike.  Mike has a mountain of work to get through by Thursday anyway.  So it probably worked out for the best.

Toby waiting for his appointment and playing with the phone!

Toby and I drove through lashing hailstorms to his appointment and then home for me to cook tea (he loved the satay kebabs!).  Then I convinced Mike I should come and get him around 8pm.  It was such a freezing night.

But this morning has dawned absolutely gorgeous.  My bike ride in was lovely - if a bit freezing! My hands are tingling now after warming up nicely.

Have a wonderful day!

Love,
Angela

The weekend with lots of little things on

Hi,

Well, what a start to the weekend.  I went to a Russian party with workmates and had such a great time.  I shared shots of tomato juice with them while they had shots of vodka.  There were sausage rolls and gherkins, weird dance moves, and odd games that might have seemed even funnier to the people drinking the vodka.  Serge showed off his juggling skills, even juggling with a sharp knife at one point.  Then we all piled out of his flat and went to a karaoke place.  Had our own wee both which promptly got covered in shot glasses and bottles of Korean plum wine.  Someone declared it the worst stuff they had ever consumed.

Dodgy dance moves at the party

I got home at 2am!  2am!  I paid for it the next day though.  Woke at 6am and had a headache all day.  Dehydrated.  But I walked around to vote.  And watched Mike pretending to pack for Nepal.  Then I went grocery shopping and I got dinner ready for our election-watching night.  We watched a dreadful movie first - Top Secret.  Thankfully it has taken me from 1984 to now to see it.  That track record might mean I never get to see it again.

Sunday morning we got up and headed out to Joe's Garage for brunch.

Selfie at Joe's Garage

Iced coffee heaven

The boys waiting for their brunch

It was as good as ever.  Then we wandered around the supermarket before heading home.  I made lasagne for dinner and then headed to Ange's place to watch Pitch Perfect.  Great movie.  I even got cake!  Yum!  Then home for dinner with Kara and Sharron.

Finally got Toby to bed and slept myself.  What a busy weekend.  Nothing major on, but lots of little things.  New Zealand has no change of government.  Business as usual.

Have a wonderful week.  Mike is leaving for Nepal on Thursday night.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with Toby sick

Hi,

Well, it's an entire week off school for Toby.  Yesterday Duncan was sick too and came around so his parents could go to work.  Mike came into town for his meetings in the afternoon and I drove home to look after the boys (well, work from home and shout out to them every now and then).  And Toby is off from school again today.  He is okay - but he is coughing a lot still.  And I have cancelled his birthday party plans for tonight (he had an awesome sleepover party for Jackson lined up).

Mike is likely to drop Toby off with Aidan because Duncan is still sick.  And we both have meetings at 11am this morning that would be hard to move.  I have a work party after work to attend.  I'll be out on the town without Mike.  Don't think that will go on for very long.  Home for a movie with the boys I reckon.

Right.  A leisurely weekend ahead.  The last one with Mike for a while.  He's off on Thursday for three weeks in Nepal.  Lucky thing.

Have a fantastic weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with Toby sick and Mike at tramping club

Hi,

The switch went quite smoothly - Mike drove in at 1pm and I drove home to get to my 1.30pm (online) meeting in time.  Mike stayed late at work and then headed to tramping club for a cool presentation on alpine weather conditions.  Meanwhile Toby and I had a relaxing evening and I was certainly well and truly asleep by the time Mike knocked on the door.  Poor Mike - I didn't wake up much either.

Still - I had a good sleep.  So, I can't complain.  Rode in this morning and the roads are so dry.  Love these dry mornings.  But Toby is still sick and Mike is at home looking after him for the morning.  I have releases this morning plug a client meeting at 1pm.  So I'll swap with Mike at 1.30pm.

Duncan is also sick today and will spend the day moping with Toby at our place.  Hope they don't enjoy that moping too much.

Have a lovely day.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with Toby sick

Hi,

It was the last day at work for my colleague, Brent.  So we went out for fish n chips lunch.  Here we all are, about to tuck in.

Mmmmmm.  Fish n chips!

Busy, busy day at work.  Releases.  New people.  People leaving.  And Mike had to work at home with Toby.  Toby is still sick.  He's ok - it's just a cough and runny nose.  Nothing else wrong.  he's eating fine.

Mike picked me up after work and took me home.  He had to nip in to drop off Sally's laptop to her.  So I got a lift home.  Then we cooked tea and relaxed for the evening.  We watched an Alice Roberts webisode documentary series on dinosaurs and I fell into a coma.  Not even Alice Roberts could keep me awake.  Now, if she'd been talking on human evolution, perhaps that would have worked.  Mike also was tired and turned out the light early.

My ride in this morning was stunning.  Blue sky.  Dry roads.  Bit windy.  Lovely furious fast ride down the hill.  But Mike is working from home this morning and switching with me at 1pm.

Have a wonderful day.
Love,
Angela

The morning back at work

Hi,

Quick update for you.  I'm back at work today but Mike is home with Toby.  Toby has a bad cold, with cough and wheeze and runny nose.

We flew down to Dunedin on Saturday morning after a call from Vivienne saying that Ron was quite sick.  Toby stayed with Josh and Aidan.  Fortunately Ron responded well to antibiotics and perked up by Sunday when I saw him.  I came home early Monday to look after Toby as Toby had got quite sick with a cold himself on Saturday night and school wasn't an option.

My first bike ride in for a while - lovely, if windy.

I'll update you more when I get time about last week.

Toby in his new Gilbert branded Otago University rugby jersey

Mike and me at Esplanade (St Clair - very nice restaurant)

Checking out St Clair beach

Blossoms are out in Dunedin.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with amazing skiing

Hi,

We drove up on Friday night in the WTMC van with a whole bunch of people, including work people and Meetup people.  The music on offer was pretty dire - and got worse after I bought possibly the worst easy listening double CD that has ever been printed.  But we got up to Ruapehu in good time, chatting away to Amy and Celia (in-between raucous laughter and dodgy singing on my part).

Fell into bed and slept well enough but when it was time to get up, I couldn't.  My eyes were so sleepy.  Maybe this is how Mike feels every morning?  Hahahah.  Toby and I slept in (well, I ended up reading) and eventually we got up and went for a walk and some sledding.

Toby playing in the snow

Sledding - without the sled

Time to go back

We got back and chilled out before dinner.  Mike got back late from collecting some of the party from Turoa.

Action shot of Toby in our room

Next morning was brilliant and I left early after chores to head up the hill with Celia.  We caught up after one wee run with Amy and Martin and had a ball skiing the far west with them.

Celia's ready for anything!

Martin and I - with Ngauruhoe shrouded in cloud for about the only time all day

There's Ngauruhoe peeking out behind me

I skied in a t-shirt!

 It was so warm that I took my jacket off and tied it around my waist and skied like that for the rest of the day.  I was having such a great time.

The best day skiing - ever!

Eventually we got back to the van and Mike collected all the other people and we headed off.  Got back to Wellington around 10pm and headed home.  Funnily enough, the rental car park at the ferry terminal was shut so our car remained there and we drove the van home.

Didn't even unpack.  Just crawled into bed and was asleep in seconds.  This morning is glorious.  My ride in was such fun because the roads were dry!

Have the best week!  I am off to Auckland tomorrow, so you won't hear from me until next week now.  I am back late Friday.  Look after Mike and Toby if you're around Wellington!

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with a half day

Hi,

Busy day yesterday - got the car at midday and went to Scots to collect Toby.  He was ready for me.  Yay for Toby!  We went to McDonalds and enjoyed some lunch.  I keep forgetting they have Georgie Pie pies now to make me happy.  Yum.

Off to the appointment and it went well.  Then back home for homework and cooking tea.  Then I packed for the weekend.  We're off skiing this weekend.  Saturday looks a bit pants, but Sunday looks rather nice.  They are getting a fresh wee skiff of snow too.  I rather fancy a lesson.  Haven't had one in years.

Time for a tea at work.  The day is a bit overcast but there is no wind to speak of.  I'm looking forward to skiing all weekend though.  Bring it on!

Have a great weekend.

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday that felt like Monday

Hi,

What a beautiful day it was yesterday.  T-shirt summer weather.  Really.  I caught up with Aidan for lunch with her friend Shannon and we ate in the baking sunshine outside the Vic law building.

I rode to the library and collected Toby and headed home for dinner and homework duties.  Mike had tramping club duties so we never saw him.  Well, Toby did.  I can't claim I did because I was asleep when Mike got home.  I woke up briefly.  But it wasn't really what I would call awake.

I caught the bus in this morning because I am collecting Toby at lunchtime from school for an appointment.  The bus was super fast.  I don't like it when I have a good bus ride in.  Biking is better.  The roads were dry this morning, but it is supposed to rain later.

Toby sleeping this morning just as he did when he was a baby

Time to have a tea and start the day.

Have a wonderful day.
Love,
Angela

The weekend with four days for me and Toby

Hi,

I can hardly recall the four days, to be honest.  Mike got a migraine at work and slept in the car in the car park on Clifton Terrace.  Poor guy.  Mike was away tramping to Sunrise Hut in the Ruahines. so he had to drive to the Ruahines too. I went out with the work social club on Friday night and Benjamin looked after Toby.  That was nice - I finally got to a Wellington on a Plate meal!  It was a good burger at Fork and Brewer on Bond St.  Caught the bus home and drove Benjamin home.

Next morning Toby and I wandered over to see Sophie and wee Paxton.  He is such a cutie.

Toby thinks Pax is pretty cool.

Toby and I relaxed for the rest of the day.  Sunday we got up to do some messages.  When we got back, Toby said he could hear a rat by the front door.  I couldn't.  But when Mike got back from his tramp and I took off to see Aidan and Christine, Mike and Toby heard it again.  Turns out there was a blackbird trapped int he wall space of the laundry.  So Mike used his ice axe to chop holes in the gib.  He got the wrong stud first time.  But they freed the bird.  And now our laundry is even worse than before - who knew that was possible?

Mike is proud of the holes he chopped with his ice axe

 Toby and I had Monday and Tuesday off (his school's mid term break) so we went out and about.  I took Toby to Maranui cafe for brunch.  He loved it.  Said they know how to cook there.  He found a crazy machine that gave the user electric shocks for 5 cents.  Hahahah.

For health and fun

 Went out to the Green Man pub for the quiz in the evening but we failed miserably to win anything.  We must have had an off night.  But it was good fun!

Tuesday I went to get Emerson and Duncan and took them to H2OXtreme.  The water slides weren't running so they played around in the water with the old people and the babies (now I know who uses the pool when we're not there!).  Came back to town and had lunch at Zealandia.  Yum!  The boys played at the park by our house for a while before I dropped them home.

Iced coffee at Zealandia

Mike didn't get home from work until midnight last night.  Oh no!  And I am back at work and so busy!  Aaarrghhh.

Best get stuck in.

Have a lovely week.

Love,
Angela