Matrix Reloaded

So I've made it to Pokhara on a warm bus with a load of exuberant Israelis, off to do some white water rafting. I had no idea adventure sports were such big business here. I'd like to say I have also thrown myself onto a white knuckle adventure ride in a violently bucking river raft. Instead I have thrown myself wildly again at the nearest bathroom and offered my prayers to the porcelain god. At least this time the bathroom is my own and due to a different sort of electricity load shedding I can generally take a shower without a candle and the water is mainly hot. I washed behind my ears the other day and clearly cold water is not sufficient to cope with the rigours of Kathmandu smog. And so my hope to arrive at a new guest house without discussing my pathetic health was shattered when yesterday I was escorted to the divine "Celestial Health Clinic" where Dr Gupta helpfully listened and informed me I have giardia and the previous course of medicine was as ineffectual as a chocolate fire guard. So I now take the orange pill (Neo) and the green pill (Neo) as well as the probiotic help-me-im-struggling-here-said-my-stomach white pill. Whilst leaning over a dish of rice in desperation last night I got chatting to a friendly chap from England who lives in a van and loves to work the festival circuit. A bit of reminiscing about the Lizard 1999 Eclipse festival and how much we want to see some Sottish or Welsh mountains (with the Himalayas sat right behind us) and I felt strong enough to bosh another tablet. "Giardia?!!" trilled a girl at the next table, like she'd won the bingo, "I had that!" and she kindly skipped off to get homeopathic pills to ease the stomach. I have accepted anonymous herbal tablets from 3 separate travellers so far but all have helped. There is no sense of stranger danger here. Any help is appreciated. It seems you haven't been to Asia if you haven't picked up a nasty. Only 12 % of people get giardia here so I should count myself as a chosen one. No bog standard diarrhoea for me. No sireee Bob; I want the one that often comes from animals shitting near water.......Its particularly nice when the lovely Nepali guys at my hostel ask how I am. "Even in the night madam, any problem please tell us!" They have really been concerned. It certainly removes inhibitions; "How many times toilet today madam?"........."aaaahh good...."
Pokhara is situated on a lake and is much more tranquil than the rigours of Kathmandu. It is quite bohemian, with lots of little shops and cafes and of course is a base for everyone to get up into them there hills. I'm looking forward to hiring a bike so I can pedal around a bit of the scenery as I haven't ridden one in weeks. There are also a couple of hotels where you can use their pool for a dip, so maybe tomorrow, if my stomach ceases to make loud proclamations of its predicament at random times I can go splashing around. The lake is unfortunately not clean enough to jump in. After the sitting and reading extended soujourn I could do about 70 lengths. Pokhara is a sociable joint which is just what I need and I've met two great south African girls, now somewhere high in the hills (I nearly joined them, lucky I didn't, Dr Gupta would not have approved) and a nice Aussie couple. All four encouraged me to white water raft so I'm going to do that when I get strong again. My guest house is super friendly and the Nepali guys all have a soft spot for the cat, one is teaching it to do tricks. So I'm going "up town" now to the north side of the lake to see waht goes on with my trusty umbrella. Its warm and sunny with crazy rain showers. Yesterday hailstones pelted down the size of Minstrels. Here's to plenty of white rice and apples. I know how to live like a king.......