So into our last 3 months in Nepal and I didn't think we'd have much going on. True enough at work - quiet at my office and G has given up completely at the Ministry now, spending cushy days at VSO instead! But looking back at my list we've done a fair amount of social stuff.

Early in November our tour agent here took us out for dinner to one of these cultural evening places in a lovely old converted priests house. We thought it was just going to be us but ended up in a party with two Nepalis a German and 13 Ukrainians. Bishnu was a great host ordering up large quantities of whisky, Vodka and beer for his guests and a good time was had by all. We even got to hear some traditional Ukrainian songs drowning out the Nepali cultural show so we can be thankful for small mercies!

A week later and we were out again, this time to visit our Guide, Ram's, house for dinner. He wanted to invite us to meet his wife who has never met any foreigners who can speak Nepali before. Lots of food, more whisky and photographs with every other visitor to the neighbourhood but all very nice. I will be relieved when we get home and become insignificant again though. G earned his dinner helping Ram's son with his funding proposal for their NGO - everyone who's anyone in Nepal has their own NGO!

Bit of an unwanted adventure for G when he managed to get bitten by Anthony - the landlady's lap dog! Hes a little white fluffy thing and I didn't think he'd have had it in him, but Anthony had got into a fight with the other dog in the compound, Browser, and I made the mistake of trying to separate them. In the ensuing melee Anthony managed to sink his teeth into G's leg! We were sure he wouldn't have rabies but you can't take any chances so off G had to go to get his jabs the next day. At least it's just in the arm now and as Anthony's still alive we assume all's well that end's well.

Rowena is making her own adventure at the moment, dragging Sean with her halfway up Everest so she can run back down with 99 other lunatics! Wouldn't be me obviously!

Volunteer numbers are dwindling and we've had a few leaving do's this month, Bex first, then Julie and Anil and saying goodbye to Pam. By Christmas there'll hardly be anyone left. And as it's getting really cold now it was probably good planning on their part. We've got the electric blanket and our thermals out and I'm even reduced to going for a run some mornings so I can face having a shower in our cold bathroom! But at least we have a bathroom: last Saturday I was walking through one of the villages and realized that where in the west we always used to wash our cars on a Saturday here they wash themselves, and of course they have to do it outside at the public taps. I suppose you don't see it in the summer as they'd do it early in the morning but now they are trying for the heat of the daytime - but it's still freezing! Life is hard here!

And now we can't just sit around a swimming pool of a Sunday we're scratching for other things to do so had a return trip to the zoo and the botanics - pretty nice for round here but we're looking forward to the Singapore versions on our trip through Thailand and Malaysia on our way home!