Welcome Home and keeping the dream alive!

Namaste! 

Everyone has landed safely at Heathrow and now on their way back home. 

We hope you have enjoyed reading our updates. Don't forget to share your daughter's photos, experiences, anecdotes, personal stories and experiences with us (via the blog, Facebook, with Fee, or directly into the Outposts' office).

Help us to keep the dream alive and share in the memories and unforgettable experiences of the expeditioners' special time in Nepal!  

Photo Competition: We run a competition each year for the best photos from our expeditions with a prize being awarded to the winners. Why not enter your best photos by sending them in to us? Winners will be chosen and announced in September.

Good luck everyone!  

The girls have shopped ... and are now ready to 'drop' ...

After a frenzied day of last-minute shopping in Kathmandu - Girls are all happy and enroute to airport ready for their flight home.

Girls have arrived in Kathmandu for cultural show and dinner

Fee Bellamy reports: 

All's well! The Girls have all arrived back in Kathmandu where they are preparing for their final evening in Nepal with a very special dinner at a traditional Nepali restaurant where there will be a cultural show.

Rhino spotted on elephant safari in Chitwan Jungle and Rapti River canoe ride

Fee Bellamy receives a brief update from expedition leader Mike:

Expeditioners transferred yesterday by road from Pokhara to the Royal Chitwan National Park where they were met with more rain!

Exciting times in the jungle however has left everyone very happy! 

Elephant rides and sighting of Spotted Deer, Boar and Rhino! Canoeing on the River Rapti today.
Early start tomorrow for the drive back to Kathmandu and their final night in Nepal.

From Himalayas to steamy Chitwan Jungle ... 

The Lonely Planet guide describes Nepal as ... 

"Wedged between the high wall of the Himalaya and the steamy jungles of the Indian plains, Nepal is a land of snow peaks and Sherpas, yaks and yetis, monasteries and mantras."

Here are some typical sights and views our 'adventurers' will have experienced yesterday on their bus ride from Pokhara to Chitwan ...

... and into the Jungle in search of Rhino and Bengal Tiger! 

Elephant safari - Chitwan Jungle

Rhino - Chitwan Jungle

Canoe ride on River Rapti bordering the Chitwan Jungle

Monsoon Rains. Girls now adapting well. Teaching and maintenance at Community Project going very well!

Fee Bellamy reports after making contact with expedition leader Mike:

Have just spoken to Mike and the monsoon rains in Pokhara are full on!

Last night the Girls were drenched going to their evening meal, they then sat with little streams running under their dining tables and walked home in ankle deep water!

Yesterday was a tough one at the school as the Girls got used to the environment and today it’s like they had always been there. Teaching is going really well and it would seem that they are on track to paint the entire school by all accounts … apparently very much needed. The roof has been dismantled on one room and they will put that together before the day is out tomorrow.

There has been no internet connection over the last 2 days and therefore no photos I’m afraid but here are some photos from previous expeditions of Nepali school children who were also being taught by our expeditioners.  

There have been some glimpses of several of the iconic Himalayan mountains - see below ... 

The mountains still prove elusive, but there have now been glimpses of the Fish Tail Mountain (Machhapuchhre), Annapurna 1 and Dhaulagiri. 

Annapurna 1 & Fish Tail viewed from Lake Phewa, Pokhara

Dhaulagiri (8,167m) - middle - viewed looking West from Poon Hill 

Next call to Mike is scheduled for Wednesday when they will arrive in Chitwan for the next exciting phase of their expedition.

Work on orphanages finishes ... teasing glimpses of peaks!

Fee Bellamy reports:

All very happy. Weather is dry at the moment! Teasing views of the mountain peaks from the hotel. Work at the orphanage sites finished today and lots of plans are being made for the future!

Tomorrow the Girls start at the school for 3 days before they head South to the Chitwan Jungle.

All in all - "Fantastic"! Retail therapy on Pokhara High Street then the hardwork began on Community Project

Fee Bellamy reports, following an update from Mike the expedition leader:

Yesterday: Mrs Mackintosh writes: “Great time … Girls enjoyed their day off  with retail therapy and a lie-in. Pokhara High Street was in its element!!"

Today: On meeting the Orphans this morning and introductions being made, the orphans burst into a rendition of “Happy Birthday” for Diana. I believe there was also much singing yesterday for Olivia! The SGS gang have been levelling out the grounds of the new site and built some slate steps. They have had a lot of interaction. It is now evening in Pokhara and they are preparing for the evening meal and “cake!”

Orphanage update: Tiny Hands has a acquired 2 acres of land ½ an hour outside Pokhara. The Holy Home and Paradise Home Orphanages are joining up re-locating to this site. They moved in last night! 

Holy Home House Parents and Children 

Paradise Home House Parents and Children

Beloved and Grace Homes will be joining them in due course. There is room for an additional 2 Orphanages to re-locate to this site and that is the “dream” that Tiny Hands is hoping to achieve over the next 2 years*.

Tomorrow: A bit more gardening and then constructing a Bamboo Fence. After this they will fit curtains throughout. The curtains have been part of the donation from the SGS girls. They will also install 2 x Water Filters. It is the intention for the group to cook a traditional Nepali meal with the Orphans during the day as well.

And then … there will be a further day at the actual Orphanages and then the SGS girls will spend 3 days in a local school. They will split into 4 groups and respectively teach and interact in the following subjects: Music, Games, English and Science. They will paint a couple of classrooms, rejuvenate the blackboards and fix a roof.

All in all – fantastic!

*Learn more about Tiny Hands here ...