Maoists Are At It Again

The first ever constituent elections are scheduled for November and Nepal seems to be coming apart at the seams. I went to mail some postcards the other day, but discovered it was not possible. Why? The Maoists have shut down the post. Ahhhh, great, okay, so where’s the newspaper? The Maoists have shut down distribution of the Himalayan Times. Yes, of course.

It’s amazing these guys can continue negotiating for representation as they regularly beat people up (especially journalists) and generally wreak havoc on society. Now those crazy Maoists have announced plans to protest the election unless the monarch is replaced with a republic, just one of their 22-point demands. And many other factions are following suit, staging protests and presenting their demands. The turmoil is palpable.

But what I really want to talk about are my many creature companions. Lately my room is filled with snails, moths of all shapes and sizes, as well as plenty of mosquitoes, cockroaches, and the occasional praying mantis (preying?). The truth is I find most of my constant companions insufferable, but I have at least conditioned myself to avoid killing anyone. The only exception is when I accidentally step on a snail – often the size of a baseball – and immediately want to upchuck.

But there is one creature companion I am really appreciating…fireflies! The lakeside becomes a magical wonderland in the evening when they appear, their flashing green butts twinkling in the night…what a special little insect!

And did I mention the water buffalo? Many times while on the mountain I would spend a half hour, maybe more, staring intently at one, waiting to see who would look away first. I invariably lost. The buffalo are curious, sensitive, dignified creatures with a much more developed consciousness than their sweet but bumbling cow counterparts. I will really miss these remarkable creatures when I finally leave Nepal.

I now find myself basking in the glorious lake water several times a day. The weather is improving and tourists are beginning to arrive en masse. As a strictly “off-season girl,” this signals my impending departure. But, like everything else, I’ll take my time doing it…

This morning, employing a lazy breaststroke as I headed back to shore, I noticed we had a visitor. I was a few meters from shore, admiring her large-brimmed hat, when she suddenly crumpled to the ground and landed in the mud. I screamed for help as I kicked into a power crawl. She had only fainted, and she later recovered, but I realized how scared I was to actually see her fall…her body looked so fragile and lifeless. It was the first time I had witnessed someone faint!

So, my dear loved ones, I officially apologize for all the times I scared the crap out of you with my fainting antics. I assure you it will not happen again!


Big smooches,

LMA