Excerpts of Notes Home from Sophie

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During our shooting time in Urthu-Chautara, even though we didn't have access to email, Sophie would write notes home while downloading footage, to be sent when we  returned to Jumla Bazaar. 

Here are some extracts:

 

27 February 2013

We finally landed in Jumla last Thursday after our plane to Jumla Bazaar was delayed.  After landing in Pokhara to refuel, (and steal a couple of shots) we took off from Pokhara airport, flew over the lake with the beautiful hill top temple and along the Himalaya.  The mountains were wearing deep capes of snow, which almost seemed close enough to touch and were shrouded in monumental sledges of thunderous cloud.  Our pilots discussed a particularly ominous bank that we were approaching and made the decision to return to Pokhara.  It was a quick decision and we were soon back at the airport to stay the night until the weather cleared.  Our extra afternoon in Pokhara meant some unplanned filming, which was useful, and an additional "last" dinner of meat!

We noticed when disembarking that there was an extra passenger - a woman who had been initially refused a seat because someone had made a mistake and oversold the flight in Kathmandu. The weeping and wailing had delayed the flight by an hour but we had assumed she had been turned away.  Since we were also massively over our excess baggage limit  - to the point where we were almost refused - we knew they had been very carefully weighing every passenger’s luggage to see if the plane could manage with the extra (large) foreigners and their extra large camera bags.    When we saw that she had been squeezed into the back of the plane we wondered how they had managed all of our stuff AND an extra person.  The answer was that they had decided to fly on less than a full tank of fuel.  My first thought was how marvelous that we had all got to fly, even with all our stuff and extra people.  The second was, hmmm… that doesn't leave much room for mistakes!  It certainly makes for a very different kind of journey than the 747 - but it is easily the most incredible flight I have ever taken.  When we finally took off the next morning the sky was cloudless, and we were treated to the most spectacular views along the Himalaya that I've ever seen. 

Arriving in Jumla Bazaar felt much less strange this time around - friendly faces were there to greet us and we soon packed a jeep and headed up the mountain pass to Urthu-Chautara, where we quickly moved into our old familiar rooms.  This year they had added a few more hooks in the wall (small things become suddenly important), correctly wired the light and added a nice mat to each bed, as well as laying some "carpet" which keeps the dust down a bit.  We can actually stand up in this house, which means both Miranda and I have a lot less head bruises than the first time around.  

The weather has been cold, but generally bright during the day. We're bundled up - it hasn't been bitter during the day time yet, at least.  We had one rainfall during the night, and though the hillsides are still coated in snow, we've not had any snowfall.  Generally, trudging up and down the hillsides with gear keeps one pretty toasty during the day.  I finally had a hot bucket wash last night, which was well needed, and we came armed with hot water bottles, which certainly makes bed time quite snug.  Soraj came down with flu a few days in, and has now mildly twisted his ankle, so our shooting days have been adjusted accordingly.  I've been a bit under the weather too, but am pounding the vit C and trying not to think about hot baths and lemon toddies.  There's plenty of hot spicy soup around though, so I've been drinking hot ginger water and feeling determined it won't turn into anything.  Thankfully the fried rakshi (local alcohol) is quite "medicinal" as it's got garlic and other unknowns and definitely helps sleep.  

Our original plan to travel back down to Jumla Bazaar in the middle of the shoot was hampered by our schedule and the logistics of the Jeep availability.  Apparently some road had become inaccessible and a few jeeps were stuck in another region.  Petrol was also scarce.  At the moment we've had no power for 24 hours, so batteries are low and we've been conserving our shooting, though I'm using the last of my computer battery to download the footage we shot this morning, so I'm taking advantage of that to sit and write for a minute or two.  It's starting to get dark, and it's really cold, but the hardy children are outside my window using their engineering skills to make a see-saw out of several large pipes that are intended for a local hydro power project.  Laughing little filthy urchins left to their own devices!

3 March 2013

Miranda and I tried pounding corn the other day - which was interesting to the whole village apparently, and we caused quite a scene.  They found our incompetence very entertaining.   It was a beautiful afternoon on a rooftop overlooking the whole valley - and the rhythm of watching other women do this task in pairs is very mesmerizing.  Our attempt was more like a comedy routine - and we only felt we had worked of a fraction of the rice that we've been gorging ourselves on the last couple of weeks.  Our hopes to become slightly high altitude slim have been dashed by the good cooking in this household, and the local potatoes, which are served deliciously for breakfast, elevenses, lunch, tea and dinner.  

Anyway - we've now got only one more day of shooting - and we've a got a few key interviews to cram in, so it shall be a busy day. This evening we showed some footage to Nisha's mum - who is really sad that we are leaving. I think our entertaining bideshi (foreigner) ways have brought a different kind of stimulation to the household.  They have been so welcoming and open. Meantime - we are also REALLY looking forward to a hot shower in Jumla Bazaar - which is probably where this email is coming from though it means the end of the shoot - and that's always sad.

5 March 2013

Tearful goodbyes today as I left Urthu.  Beautiful necklaces of Rhododendrum leaves, red tikkas and me sad to leave my lovely Jumla home.    Now we are back in the "big city" of Jumla Bazaar and have procured some whiskey and are slightly dazed by our room with sheets and pillows and carpet and doors tall enough to walk through without cracking our skulls. And Norbu, the proprietor of our hotel/building site is making apple pie for dinner.  And supposedly, roast chicken… Let's see how that turns out!!

Fingers crossed our flights are on time - the weather has been quite clear and bright the last few days but tonight some ominous clouds drew in.  (nice time-lapse though!)

xxx Love you all, talk to you soon.

Soph