Kathmandu - another day

Every day in Kathmandu is certainly a day to remember.  Today certainly is high up on the list for two reasons.  First - at 10:30 AM this morning, I said goodbye to Rebecca as she hopped in the van with the director, cinematographer, art director, several production crew and the main actors as they headed off to Chitwan National Park for 1 day of prep and 3 days of filming "Beast".  We hung out in the lobby for an hour and I had the pleasure of getting to know the cinematographer and lead actor, Barry Sloane (look him up) - very cool people.  Rebecca will be working directly with the cinematographer and he was very keen to bring her under his wing - he is from South Africa, plays squash (he brought his racquet!) and we hit it off immediately with him.  She is definitely in good hands and is giddy with excitement.  Yesterday afternoon, she spent time with two of the younger actors and the director rehearsing their lines.  She even made some suggestions that the director may use!!  She seems to be taking the bull by the horns and getting as much as she can out of the experience and also bonding very well with everyone - I am mighty impressed by her confidence and maturity - everyone thinks she is much older.  She did text me a while ago to let me know they arrived safely, so all is well.

Second - I was picked up this afternoon by Amar Simha, President of the Nepal Squash Association.  He had a driver, so we hopped in the car and drove 1/2 hour to the Nepal National Sports Complex where there are 4 squash courts - I got to hit with the #1 player/coach there - a gentleman about my age who also coaches about 30 kids after school.  It was about 85 degrees on court - no A/C or lights (the electricity in the city is dependent on hydroelectric and we are at the end of the dry season, so the power cycles on and off throughout the city).  Also, we are at 4,500 feet, so the ball was flying around the court at 200 MPH.  It was a different game than what I was used to for sure, but I got a good workout and had some fun with the kids as well.  Amar is very well connected in the city and is arranging a tour for me with some friends in the travel business - all gratis.  He has a squash playing son who is presently at a boarding school in England on a squash scholarship and wants to get into the Ivy's and play on a team. so I am going to help Amar connect with some of the coaches.  Amar is a very warm and interesting man who is also in the film business!

In between dropping Bex off and squash, I went to the Garden of Dreams, which was only a 5 minute walk from the Hotel - an oasis of gorgeous gardens with a nice cafe where I had lunch

more to come!!  Gotta meet a friend of my cousin for dinner!