Marla's story, by Marla

In the autumn of 1989 I was traveling back to Canada from a year in Australia when I realized I was in need of some soul searching. A friend told me about Nepal and I booked a flight from Bangkok to Kathmandu on Bangladesh Airlines (via an overnight stay in Daka). Once on the flight it appeared that there was only one other Caucasian on the flight named Peter, a retired school principle from Australia. Peter knew a great deal about Nepal and all I knew was that it was similar to India and home to Mount Everest. Peter talked continuously and passionately about the little village he visits during his 5 month stay each year in Nepal. I was immediately enthralled and I must admit a tad nervous about going to a country I really didn't know anything about, so I put my trust in Peter and he "took me under his wing." Once we landed in Kathmandu we hopped on a Nepali night bus to the village of Naudanda. We arrived at 3 in the morning to a dark village without any lights and only a trail through the town to the guest house. Dogs barking, chicken clucking underfoot, and a light drizzle falling.