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airport in Kathmandu where I have to pass the passport control and the clerk has an officious streak and has a lot of questions as to my credentials.
     
    I patiently answer, trying not to lose my temper and I am then reluctantly allowed to pass through.   I take up my seat on the plane and as we fly above the Himalayas I am amazed at the beauty of the mountains and I feel emotional, my spirits rising as I see the magnificence of it all.   I remember the time Taj and I have had together and feel the wonderful love we have to share.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 5
     
     
     
    Life at the school is now back to normal and I receive letters from Taj brought by Sahida who will pick up any letters from the Post Office in Pokhara and bring them with her when she comes to school on her scooter.   I have also heard from Mark to say he will be coming to see me at the end of June when he will have finished his “A” levels.   Time has passed for me and I have less than a year before my time in Pokhara is ended and I shall have to decide what I want to do next.   I know I don’t want to leave Taj but I feel awkwardness when I see his parents as I feel that they do not approve of our relationship.   When I mention this to Sahida she says that her parents are very liberal in all their views and that she loves me very much.  
     
    My life is wonderful.   I enjoy my teaching and my friendships with the village people who include me in their many activities.   My nearest neighbours are a lovely family and I have their son, Raj, in my class.   He is always hanging around me and his mother is forever scolding him but I love his company and I am learning a lot about their culture and language from him.   I see Taj as often as I can. He comes to me whenever he has a spare bit of time from his busy schedule.   Our closeness is wonderful and I feel his nearness whenever I think of him.
     
    Mark is arriving shortly and I am feeling very excited at the prospect of having him staying in the bunkhouse in the village.   He is intending to stay a week before he sets out on his trek.   Like all boys, he has many friends and two of them are coming with him.   I have arranged their accommodation and I am planning a welcome party for the three of them.   I am hoping that Taj will be able to attend and Sahida has promised to help me prepare a party that will include the village people. There is not that many of them and with the apples from my tree and the herbs and vegetables from my fertile garden I should be able to attempt to make a lovely feast.   One of my neighbours has chickens and he has promised to sell me three.   I have had an oven now for three weeks as the electricity supply has been extended to all the village houses.    Our water supply is now in place brought at the expense of our American benefactor, as well as, the hard work of all the villagers who live on our mountain.  
     
    Today I have received a letter from Taj to say that he will be able to come to the party and that he will stay for the weekend. I am so happy that my nephew will meet Taj so that when he goes home he will be able to confirm the wonderful description I have given them of my lovely man.   I write regularly to my mother and my sister so they know how I feel about Taj.   They are very open-minded and they are happy for me.  
     
    The day has arrived and Mark and his friends are here in Pokhara.   They are all three very tired as they thumbed a lift on an old truck from Kathmandu.   They had to load and unload it for the ride and it wasn’t the smoothest of rides.   The rest of the way they had trekked.   After giving them some soup and a hot drink, I took them straight to the bunkhouse, as they were dead on their feet.   Introductions will wait until tomorrow.
     
    I awoke to a beautiful morning. I have a great lot to do today. The chickens were already cooked, that’s how I made the soup I gave to the boys last night. SahiIda