First full day in Kathmandu

Filming more of the city

Gopal’s flight does not take off until noon so he travels with me this morning to collect more footage of the city. We pass by the enormous palace that used to be home to the royal family of Nepal. About 10 years ago, a deadly insurrection occurred to overthrow the monarchy. More than 15,000 people are known to have died during this civil war. This war affected more than just the people of Nepal but also the wildlife. Much of the endangered species of Nepal (e.g., elephants, tigers, rhinos) were left unprotected and were heavily poached.

Royal Palace in Kathmandu, Nepal (Photo: JLewis, TDRF)

Interviews with Shambu

Shambu meets me at my hotel in the afternoon where I get to start interviewing him. Today we focus on his background, and family life. To add to this, he has invited me to have dinner at his home this evening with his wife Meena. Both Shambu and Meena are highly educated, each has a Master’s degree in science. They have decided that they will also now both take turns and each go on to pursue doctorates. They are both driven and determined to push forward in this way.
 

Shambu and his wife Meena laugh about when they met (Photo: JLewis, TDRF)

I may have mentioned before the fact that people in Asia have to deal with sometimes daily blackouts. I am warned by Shambu and Meena that if I want footage that requires light I must finish interviewing them by 6:00pm. Shambu explains to me that many times, when you need to work on your computer, you must simply wait and get up at 3am to get the next power access. Another reminder of the daily struggles that these young scientists must deal with just to get their basic work done.