Microscopes in Nepal

Back in mid-2009 I was asked by my Regional Director if I knew where a microscope could be got to replace the worn-out one at a school in Nepal. This coincided with the end of a course where microscopes were supplied to students and its replacement by one that used an amazing, online 'virtual microscope' so, and I was able to get hold of not one but two - a 'normal' microscope and a petrological microscope.
As the Okhle area doesn't have much in the way of electricity, Glynda, my contact at Walton Hall, organised the warehouse into removing the electric light sources below the staging and replacing them with mirrors that could use natural light.
As it seemed that the science teacher in Okhle was familiar with using a microscope for biology that was fine, but I felt that a petrological one might well be new to him so I included a set of the geology course materials, as well as full instructions.
Eileen, my RD's contact, (who had got involved with this on a trek to Nepal) came up to Bristol and we handed the microscopes etc over to her to pass onto Richard Backwell, the leading light in all this! She added a lot of useful biology material as well and they were finally taken out on a trek just before Christmas 2009.
I was thrilled recently to get a couple of photos of them being handed over:

At Saraswati secondary school Sean, an A level student who went on the trek, is showing the science teacher the microscope and Bimal Gurung (the guide, and instigator of all the work that has gone on in the villages) is the round faced person,  without a hat, to Sean's left. This school has never had a microscope before (although the science teacher used one at university).

At Bayapani secondary school Sean is seen again, with the English teacher and some of the pupils.
The schools have around 300 pupils each and are about half to 3/4 of an hour's walk from Okhle itself.
There is more about Ohkle, which lies in the Himalayan foothills south of Mt Everest, and the work that is being done there on the village trust's website  www.ohkle.org.uk and about Bimal's trekking company at www.adventureguidenepal.com

My new tutor group

Very excited today as I got the details of my students for the new OU geology course which starts at the end of the month! Several of them have been in touch already too!
On Saturday we have the briefing meeting for the tutors at Walton Hall - I'm really looking forward to meeting up with them - some I know and some I've not met before, and getting to know the material for the course.

Great excitement ... I was in the Bristol office today and my course materials had arrived so I've been spending the evening having a good read ready for Saturday

Wales in the Cretaceous

Went to a good OUGS meeting in Cardiff on 17th. Elizbeth McIntryre brought along a 3D geology map she has made of the Cross Fell area - the latest of many such splendid creations!

Although it was the AGM meeting and we had to get that out of the way first, after lunch we were treated to a fascinating talk by Professor John Cope on 'The new Cretaceous palaeogeography with some interesting ideas about how a radial drainage pattern centred on the Irish Sea was Cretaceous in origin and resulted from doming in that area linked to N Atlantic opening...

Had a look at the 'Diversity' display in Cardiff museum where I was impressed by the mineral display  and had a good lunch at the Wig & Pen as well!

Prepping for Almeria 2010

A bonus of all the wet weather in Spain was that I had time to roost indoors and make a start on my field notes for the OUGS Almeria trip in April. 
Jan and I recce'd some new locations when we were there on 'holiday' last June, including a supoer exposure right at the bottom of the campsite at Las Negras: rocas rosas y violas which have been hydrothermally and meteorically weathered to produce some amazing and very photogenic exposures. Sadly I didn't realise that I'd got my camera set to low resolution :-(
We also managed to find a couple of new graded tracks (with concomitant exposures) to satisfy Jan's desire for off-roading in a camper van.

Floods in Huetor Tajar

We had some really wet weather on our recent trip to La Paz, coincided with the snow in the UK which closed Bristol Airport so that our flight back was cancelled!

We'd been watching the water roaring down the culvert at the back of the house on the day we were supposed to leave. Fortunately the winter storms have now deepened this enough for the water not to flood over on our side but it was fascinating watching as cubic metres of soil and stones collapsed on the far side. 

On Thursday morning we tried to drive down to Huetor to go to the supermarket as we'd run down supplies before returning to the UK but the road was flooded (as friend Mick's blog http://www.lojawildlife.com/2010/01/realenga-de-agicampe-granada-province.html shows!) and we had to wait until later. Even then the redonda (ring road) was flooded - though passable. 

However the bridge which links the town to Venta Nueva and the A92 Autovia was shut - water right up to the bridge - but more hazardously, flowing across the road on the far side. A flood had taken down the railings either side of the road previously and with the fast current could have been quite dangerous for anyone trying to drive through!

Devon in the snow

Flying over snow-covered Devon yesterday afternoon on the way back to Bristol was an amazing sight - easy to spot Dartmoor by the lack of woods and hedgerows - gave a really good idea of the shape and size of it.
Could see all the way down to the Lizard - rather like the big painting of Cornwall from the air in Truro cathedral.
In contrast, Bristol airport was cloudy, cold and snow-covered, and the car needed rocking and pushing before we could shift it!

Tres Reyes in Loja 2010

A really wet week, but Caspar Melchior and Balthasar must have thought we (or they!) needed a break as it was a dry evening on the 5th for the cavalcade. Some nifty parking 'off-route' by Mick ensured that we wouldn't get blocked in by the procession if we wanted to make a quick getaway. Then a walk down the main street to get to a good position near the start.

Plenty of good loud pasodoble type music, and quite a few Disney characters marching along which the really small kids loved. Then the 'floats' with more dressed up characters including the 3 Kings (non-Disney versions!) all hurling sweets - and a few other gifts like mobile phones! - into the crowd. Loads of kids scrabbling around feet to get as many sweets as possible - and quite a few grown ups joining in as well. The best prepared had capacious, sturdy bags, and even upturned brollies to do a bit of catching. Others just stuffed their pockets.

Then we followed the cavalcade back down the street for a much needed copa de vino - the bar was packed but even so we still got free tapas - great place Granada province.