Hi folks ! 

We've just came back from a weekend trip to Royal Chitwan National Park. It was a great adventure! In the morning we took a guided walk in search of animals, where we walked thru grasslands and forests. Got close-up to rhinos, crocodiles and peacocks. In the afternoon, I went for a jeep safari which took 5 hours. There were 10 people on the jeep (mainly gwailos) plus a driver and two guides to look out for games. We travelled thru jungle trails, and came across groups of rhinos, deers, birds, and even a sloth bear (luckily no tigers interested in having us for lunch). The gwailos were comparing notes on selling all their properties and emptying their savings to come for a round-the-world trip.

In the night, we went to watch a Tharu cultural show. Was good but a bit too short: only half an hour. Anyway, at the end they invited the guests to join the dancers on stage ... how could I miss that ! Had a great disco time up there. 

On the next morning, we hired a bicycle to go around the little Tharu agricultural village nearby. The vast corn fields were really beautiful ! Houses were very different too, where the walls were made of mud and cowshit, and the roof made of straw. 

Am into our last week with Patan Hospital now. Will be doing some planning before we go off for Annapurna Mountains trekking at the end of this week. The entire trek will take about ten days, after which we'll rest for a few days in the lakeside resort Pokhara. Then I'll be visiting some peripheral missionary hospitals in the outskirt mountains. 

That's all for the updates. Take care ! 

Cheers, 

Michael 
Count your blessings !