Friday 29 April 2016

The kindness of others

Wednesday night I forgot to take the altitude medication (Diamox) and Thursday was rough as guts. I did work out one of the side effects of the Diamox, though. I have had mad pins and needles the whole time I've been here. Yesterday they stopped. Today they are back. It's fine, though, I'd much rather pins and needles than all the stuff the Diamox is keeping at bay.

Last night Dema and Tashi invited us over for 'a simple Bhutanese dinner'. Simple, my butt. There were dishes and dishes of food and appetisers and afters and drinks. I wished there were three of me with my regular low-altitude-appetite so that I could keep eating. There was a beef and chilis dish, palak paneer, egg and cheese (so delicious, I'm still thinking about it), dal, a dried fish dish and the most delightful local rice. Dema's mum did most of the cooking and she was worried we didn't like it because we didn't eat enough. I tried to tell her namay samay zhimbay(sp?) it was delicious beyond earth and heaven, but I don't know if she believed me. I wished my friend Bev was there, she would have been able to eat enough to convince her.

My nose keeps running. Partly because of the cold, partly because chilis, partly because I keep thinking about leaving all the people here and little tears sneak up behind my eyes.

My heart is so full of love, words keep bubbling out as poetry (all hidden in a never-to-see-the-internet notebook - it's like high school all over again in there).

2 comments:

Birgit said...

Interesting that your body hasn't yet adjusted to the altitude and that you still require the altitude tablets. I wonder how long it takes for a body to adjust? - Not suggesting for a moment that you stay there longer to find out!
Pins and needles are not pleasant either! Oh what you need to endure to have such an experience as teaching in Bhutan!

Ceels said...

There was a doctor who came through who said it can take 2-4 weeks. We were there for 22 days (is that all? I feel like there was a year worth of living).

I can't believe how hard/good it was.