Welcome back to the much-neglected blog.  I last left you in Agra a month ago.  From there it was a horrible train journey (seven hours waiting for the delayed train in Agra station....oh joy!)....to Jaipur - not a city designed for relaxing!  Luckily it was on to Udaipur where I spent a quiet morning learning the art of Indian miniature painting.  Results will be on display at May Road later in the summer.  The highlight of my time in India so far was exploring the ghats at Varanasi and taking sunrise and sunset boat trips on the Ganges.  The nightly candlelit prayers were amazing, although I'm not sure our boatman knew what he was letting himself in for when he agreed to let me and Kati, the German woman I was with, row the boat ourselves.....

More difficult than it looks!

Then it was on to Nepal, land of Daal Bhaat, which I have been embracing stoically, eating it on average once a day, and, in the last few days, twice.  I hope to be able to eat it for breakfast too very soon. 

Before heading up to the mountains there was time to 'celebrate' the festival of colours - Holi - in Pokhara, where I got completely covered in powder paint by the increasingly crazy children, and water bombed until I admitted defeat, went back indoors, and had to throw away my ruined clothes.

Gurung makeover - introducing some colour into the wardrobe with Asa from Three
Sisters and Sam, fellow trekker.

In Ghandruk, a traditional Gurung village.

I got back on Monday from a 12 day trek up to Machapuchare and Annapurna Base Camps, which were deep in snow.  We were lucky - dodging avalanches, giant icicles and surviving the 'ice rink' at base camp - otherwise known as the frozen squat toilet ;-)  If anyone is considering trekking there, I thoroughly recommend the fantastic Three Sisters company, who employ female guides and porters and do lots of amazing work to empower Nepali women and help rescue children from child labour.

Machapuchare and rhodedendrons.

Next stop Bhutan....where I'll be brushing up my archery and traditional dancing skills at one of the big festivals and doing....more trekking.  Whose idea was that???  I need a rest....time for some more daal bhaat.....