felt really ill. The loss of the presence of Taj, as my lover and my friend, devastated me. I could not envisage a life without him. I want to go back to Pokhara because my times with Taj have mostly been there. I want to feel his presence around me; I want to be in my little cottage where some of his things have been left; a shaver, a comb and his boots for walking. I need to be alone for a bit but I know if I go there I shall have to start my job again because there is not room for my replacement teacher and myself.
It is Mark’s time to return home. Keith and Jack have arrived back from their trek and I see them off at the airport at Kathmandu.
Mark is still caring for me and I know that I will miss him very much, but his University year starts soon and he has to be home for that.
“Take care, Sarah”. He smiles as he holds me close and I reply, “I will and you all have a safe journey home.”
“I will soon be back in England,” I call as they leave me outside of the Airport Departures
When I arrive back at Julian and Sue’s I ask Julian if he can arrange for me to take up my post again in Pokhara. He agrees and contacts Joe to take me. I am glad to go back and Sahida meets me as Joe delivers me just after the end of the school day. Jill, my replacement, has her things packed and Joe takes her back to Kathmandu. Jill is a competent driver and promises to take the first leg of the trip so that Joe can have a rest before he takes up the wheel again.
Sahida follows me into the cottage and gives me a sisterly hug. I am so pleased to see her we have always been good friends. She has not censored me for the love I had for her brother and I am happy that she is here to greet me home.
She has to go down the mountain home and I am left alone. I wander around the small space looking for signs of Taj. I see his boots by the door to the terrace and I take them out there with me, as I remember the lovely walks we had together on our mountain. I find his comb and hug it to my heart. The floodgates of tears start then and I cry and rock myself until the exhaustion gives way to a troubled sleep.
The morning is bright and I know that I have to meet the day as best I can. I have to start school and my neighbour’s boy is waiting outside my door.
He takes my hand and says in his broken English “How are you feeling Miss?
I smile wanly and say. “I’m fine”. We meander up the mountain to the school where he leaves me to join his friends
The day seems long but I find that the children are especially good for me as if they know of my sadness.
Chapter 11
Unknown to me, my parents have received a telephone call from Mark, before he left Kathmandu . He feels that his Aunt Sarah is not fit to be left alone and that she needs his grandparents.
He knows that I am unwell and suspects that I may be fretting my life away.
They receive the call at 2.00am and are frantic at the news. Their thoughts were in chaos as Joe, my father made Mary, my mother, calm down. He put the kettle on for a cup of tea, as she wailed, “What can we do?” “Sarah, is at the other end of the world, where she has lost the man she loves, in an air crash”
Joe arranged things as quickly as possible. He phoned the airport and was given details of how they could reach their destination. It was to be an arduous journey. The shuttle to Heathrow, then a flight to Delhi with an onwards flight to Kathmandu. After that they would have to take the small plane to Pokhara or arrange a lift by road. The village would have to be reached by a four- wheel drive vehicle
Mark had asked Julian to arrange to meet Sarah’s parents to give them some respite before their tackling the journey to Pokhara. The little airport had been closed because of the crash and the alternative method
It is Mark’s time to return home. Keith and Jack have arrived back from their trek and I see them off at the airport at Kathmandu.
Mark is still caring for me and I know that I will miss him very much, but his University year starts soon and he has to be home for that.
“Take care, Sarah”. He smiles as he holds me close and I reply, “I will and you all have a safe journey home.”
“I will soon be back in England,” I call as they leave me outside of the Airport Departures
When I arrive back at Julian and Sue’s I ask Julian if he can arrange for me to take up my post again in Pokhara. He agrees and contacts Joe to take me. I am glad to go back and Sahida meets me as Joe delivers me just after the end of the school day. Jill, my replacement, has her things packed and Joe takes her back to Kathmandu. Jill is a competent driver and promises to take the first leg of the trip so that Joe can have a rest before he takes up the wheel again.
Sahida follows me into the cottage and gives me a sisterly hug. I am so pleased to see her we have always been good friends. She has not censored me for the love I had for her brother and I am happy that she is here to greet me home.
She has to go down the mountain home and I am left alone. I wander around the small space looking for signs of Taj. I see his boots by the door to the terrace and I take them out there with me, as I remember the lovely walks we had together on our mountain. I find his comb and hug it to my heart. The floodgates of tears start then and I cry and rock myself until the exhaustion gives way to a troubled sleep.
The morning is bright and I know that I have to meet the day as best I can. I have to start school and my neighbour’s boy is waiting outside my door.
He takes my hand and says in his broken English “How are you feeling Miss?
I smile wanly and say. “I’m fine”. We meander up the mountain to the school where he leaves me to join his friends
The day seems long but I find that the children are especially good for me as if they know of my sadness.
Chapter 11
Unknown to me, my parents have received a telephone call from Mark, before he left Kathmandu . He feels that his Aunt Sarah is not fit to be left alone and that she needs his grandparents.
He knows that I am unwell and suspects that I may be fretting my life away.
They receive the call at 2.00am and are frantic at the news. Their thoughts were in chaos as Joe, my father made Mary, my mother, calm down. He put the kettle on for a cup of tea, as she wailed, “What can we do?” “Sarah, is at the other end of the world, where she has lost the man she loves, in an air crash”
Joe arranged things as quickly as possible. He phoned the airport and was given details of how they could reach their destination. It was to be an arduous journey. The shuttle to Heathrow, then a flight to Delhi with an onwards flight to Kathmandu. After that they would have to take the small plane to Pokhara or arrange a lift by road. The village would have to be reached by a four- wheel drive vehicle
Mark had asked Julian to arrange to meet Sarah’s parents to give them some respite before their tackling the journey to Pokhara. The little airport had been closed because of the crash and the alternative method
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