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March
22
Hi
Kids,
I jumped out of bed this morning and looked at my dirty
shorts and jumper lying on the back of the chair. I could
hardly wait to head into <
br>
the shops to pick up my new clothes
- a really nice Nepalese boy had taken me to the tailor
for measurements and I had picked out a bright yellow and
a bright red suit with matching hats. I went downstairs
for breakfast and Pat and Clare said they would take me
in to town.
We arrived at the tiny shop and went up a poky little stairs
with Arjun.
He proudly took my suit out of a little black
bag and helped me to put it on. I looked in the mirror
proudly and would hardly have recognised myself! He had
made a traditional Nepalese suit for me and now I looked
like a native! I strode ahead of the others as we returned
to the hotel and lots of people stared at me as I walked
by. I said "Namaste" to everyone I passed - this
is a Nepalese and Indian greeting. When you say it, you
should join the palms of both hands together over your
heart - this
shows that you are opening your heart
and willing to help and serve
the other person.
Freddy trying on his new Nepalese suit
In the afternoon we went out to the airport to meet the
trekkers. We had just arrived back at the hotel with
them when Mike came knocking at my door. "Guess what I
have, Freddy?" - I couldn't see what he had behind
his back. When he turned around, I gasped with delight,
there was my very own duffle bag that I had packed so
carefully at home in Ireland. I gave him a big hug and
sat on the
floor to carefully check everything was still there.
He explained that after we had left Cork airport, there
was
an announcement asking one of Pat Falvey's team to come
to the Aer Arann desk. As soon as Mike saw the bag, with
my carefully attached label, he guessed what had happened
and offered to bring the bag
to me! I'm lucky I have so
many friends.
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March
21 and 22
Hi Kids,
I woke up feeling hot and sticky, I'm still trying to get
used to waking
up to sunshine every morning. I looked around
my bare hotel room and wished once again that my gear bag
would turn up. It was only 8am, but outside my room, I
could hear the others chatting. I pulled on my clothes
and we went for breakfast together. We had to go and get
some electrical and camera equipment for the expedition.
It was fun walking around the busy streets of Kathmandu
- everything
is so different to back at home. Tiny cars,
autorickshaws, cycle rickshaws, motorbikes, bicycles, and
people fill the tiny streets.
Almost all the shops here
open onto the street and the owners sit at
the doors trying
to find customers! Whatever they sell is laid out on the
street at the front of the shop and also hangs along any
spare space of the wall. Most shops sell pretty much the
same thing. There are no
fixed prices - the shopkeepers
expect you to bargain with them and will sometimes swap
something rather than taking money! It's all very strange
to me, so I haven't even tried going shopping on my own
yet.
After lunch, Pat told us that a very important lady, called
Liz Hawley would be coming to the hotel. This lady is really
old now but has been meeting and keeping a count of all
the people climbing Mt Everest for about 50 years. We had
to fill out special forms with our names, addresses and
contact details; she kept everything in a big book.
She
reminded me of a teacher! When she had finished, her driver
took her off to meet the next team in a lovely old Volkswagen
car - almost
40 years old!
Freddy with Liz Hawley
We relaxed for the evening and the following morning and
then began
to look forward to the arrival of the trekkers;
it would be good to meet
up with some new people and I
secretly wondered whether they would bring any letters
for me from the kids??
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March
20th
Hi kids,
Guess what happened to me? While Pat checked in the team's
bags
at Cork Airport, I watched carefully. I asked him
if I could put my bag
on the conveyor belt too, because
I wanted to watch it be pulled along magically with the
team's duffle bags. Pat said "No, Freddy, your
bag is too small, it would get lost". I was disappointed
and didn't really believe him. I thought if I could
squeeze it tightly between two big bags, that it would
be safe. I reached out on the desk for a label and carefully
wrote "Frederick T. Bear", just like Ms Curtin
had taught me to do at school.
I stuck the tag on my bag
and waited until Pat and the air hostess weren't
looking, then reached forwards and snuggled my duffle
bag in place. I felt smug as I watched it trudge proudly
along
between all the
big adult bags. I thought "Pat will
be pleased when he sees I can look after myself this year"!
Freddy checking in at airport
Yesterday morning, at breakfast, I nearly choked when Pat
said we
must go to the airport to collect our shipped gear. "What
about our duffle bags?" I asked innocently. "Sure
we brought them back to the hotel with us last night, Freddy."
I felt myself go pale. I had been so tired, I had forgotten
about my bag. I found Clare and told her what had happened.
I felt silly and upset. She told me it was unlikely I would
get my gear back, that my bag was so small no one would
notice it. She also said that without a label from the
airline company, no one would know where my bag was supposed
to go. I could feel my eyes well up with tears as I thought
of all the things I had carefully packed; a brand new diary
to write my stories in, my own camera, my own climbing
gear, ice axe and crampons and a secret supply of jelly
snakes (in case we ran out food on Mt Everest)!
Freddy arriving in Nepal with Visa
Clare told me not to worry. She said she would take me
shopping while John and Pat went to collect all the barrels
of gear at the airport. I tried
to cheer up, but kept thinking
about my bag. I crossed my fingers, hoping it would turn
up by some miracle.
The Nepalese people in the shops were all really nice to
me when they heard my story and told me they would be able
to make plenty gear to
fit me. I hoped they were right,
but tried to think of ways to try and trace my bag. I was
glad I still had my rucksack; at least I could still start
the trek with the others.
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March 18th
Hi Kids!
What a week! After all our preparation, we finally left
Ireland on Saint Patrickís Day. I couldnít
believe it when I saw hundreds of people at Cork Airport
waiting
to see myself and the team off. I was thrilled when I saw
all the posters and banners the children had made for me
and stood in for as many photos as I could!
Classmates waving Freddy off
I checked in for the flight to Kathmandu with Pat, Clare,
John and Niall. You probably remember that Pat is the expedition
leader, Clare and
John are climbers and Niall is in charge
of communications on the mountain. This is the next big
step Iím taking to follow my dream and become the first
IRISH BEAR to climb to the summit of Mt Everest, the highest
mountain in the world! (Imagine ñ I might become
famous!!)
We hugged and kissed our families and friends and although
I tried to be brave, I cried a little. I felt lonely but
excited and a bit scared. What an adventure lay ahead. I
could hardly wait to jump on the plane, but I wished I could
bring all my friends with me!
We travelled for just over 24 hrs, flying from Cork to Dublin,
then to London, Abu Dhabi and on to Kathmandu. I felt like
I was coming home as I peered out the dirty taxi window,
looking at the familiar dusty,
smelly streets, the traffic
(blowing horns non stop), mopeds and bicycles, the sacred
cows, the smiling, friendly Nepalese faces and street after
street of tiny roadside shops. Nothing had changed in the
9 months since I had left.
<
br>
Arriving in Kathmandu Airport
I went for a bite to eat with the others; although I was
dying for some
ice cream, my tired eyes had closed and I
had slumped into a sleep at the table half way through the
main course. Pat brought me back to the hotel and put me
to bed - I don't even remember coming home!
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