Saturday 20 September 2014

Letter from an 11 year old Nepali girl, Pokhara, Nepal, June 2014

As a white tourist in Nepal there is always a constant pressure to part with cash. Of course its a shame that in a developing country a big swathe of its population are impoverished but giving away money to every stranger with cupped hands would soon leave my bank account depleted. not that I'm adverse to giving away money but there has to be a better and more useful way of giving up my hard earned cash - and this is what I came up with!

A writing contest  for 10/11 year olds from a local school in Pokhara, in English with letters aimed at similar aged kids in England. A few things to keep in mind when reading the letter below. Play stations, laptops and tablets are few and far between around here. Access to technology, including the internet is difficult at best for most of these kids. They have few possessions but a big appetite for education and are fluent in English and Hindi languages. So for a few lucky winners, they had to earn their money!

I promised all the winners that their letters will be published on the Internet in England and here is one such entry retyped word for word with original grammar placements - infact its the winning entry for which Smriti received a 1000 NRP prize.

18th June 2014, Rambazar, Pokhara-10

Name: Smiriti Pun         Class: 5        Roll number: 4

Dear Friend,
                   How are you? I am all good with my health and hope so you are. I am writing this to tell you about my daily routine and activities along with my hobbies and aims. Hope you will enjoy reading about my daily activities hobbies and aim.
                   Everyday in the morning I wake up at six. Then I go to bathroom, brush my teeth, wash my face and finish all my morning rituals. Then I take my breakfast at 6.30. After my breakfast I revise all the things taught in my school. Then I iron my school uniform and clean my school shoes. I take my morning meal at 8.30 and get ready for my school. I wait for my school bus. the school bus arrives at 9.15. I reach my school at 9. 45. The morning assembly starts at 10 and my classes starts at 10:5. I study till 4 at my school. After then I return my home. I usually get back to my home at 4:30 then I change my uniform and take some food. I do my homework from 5-6 and study for about an hour. Then I take rest for a while. At 7 I take my dinner and watch television for sometime and at 9, I go to my bed. This is all about my daily activities and routine. Now, I would like to tell you about my hobbies and aim. My hobbies are reading storybooks, writing story, jokes and poems, dancing, singing, playing with my friends, collecting beautiful flowers, playing guitar, eating chocolate and watching Tom and Jerry cartoons. When I grow up My aim is to be a doctor. To be a doctor it requires a lot of hard work and I have to study good. so, I am working hard to achieve success and reach my aim.
                   That's pretty much all about my daily routins, hobbies and aims. I hope you loved and enjoyed reading my letter with best compliments to all your family members. I would like to stop here.

                                                                                                                         Your loving friend
                                                                                                                          Smriti Pun

Please do feel free to leave a comment for Smriti and encourage her to work hard to achieve her aim to become a doctor. I shall print these and deliver on my next visit to Pokhara in 2015.
      

Monday 25 August 2014

The 29th East Coast Truckers Charity Convoy, Norwich, Norfolk, England, August 2014


Its the East Coast Truckers 29th 'Charity Convoy' for kids who need a day out - what ever the reason. They get a free ride to the fun fair and back. Here you can see them returning at around 7pm Sunday - tired but happy!

Thank you East Coast Truckers............August 2014

Click here for the 2 minute video clip http://youtu.be/R8bwzKAlkBQ

 

Sunday 24 August 2014

Flying Kathmandu to England, July 2014

England is where home is....

Returning home from Kathmandu with Jet airways - first on a Boeing 737 to Delhi then on a Boeing 777 long range airliner. 59K, that's my seat number on the 777. A window seat on the right, carefully selected because its the best way to get an areal view of London's famous landmarks that you wouldn't see sitting on the left!

so here are the views from seat 59K leaving Delhi and routing over Pakistan, Afghanistan and towards the Caspian Sea and Eastern Ukraine. After that its through Central Europe - Poland, Berlin and Amsterdam before arriving over the UK, round about the Clacton area at 18,000 feet. Descending further towards the Essex village of Stapleford Abbots where the aircraft will either stack or begin it's approach sequence into London Heathrow Airport.

The plane will initially fly west from Stapleford for around 10 minutes before turning back on a South Easterly track towards the 02 Stadium and from here on in its a view to behold as London and its landmarks pass slowly by. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the photos.

Finals for Delhi

Delhi

Leaving Delhi

Storm Brewing

Tasty snack and Juice - booze is available!

Over Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan


Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan

A hazy view of Kiev airport



Berlin Tempelhof Airport


Amsterdam Schipol Airport


Clacton, England

Then solid clouds over England

River Thames, London

London

London

London

London

Turning over the 02 Stadium

London

London

London

London and the giant ferris wheel

Murky Thames

London

Welcome to England 

 

Sunday 17 August 2014

Beside the Seaside, Lowestoft and Pakefield, England, August 2014

One Niece, A Nephew and a dog all having fun beside the seaside. The murky waters of the North Sea are not particularly inviting but that didn't seem to bother Kelly, Ryan and the dog.