Out of Gas

While these days often end in exhaustion with the increasing difficulty of accomplishing even the simplest of tasks, I am not talking about my own “gas” or energy. Instead, all of us in Nepal are experiencing the hardship of no petrol or cooking gas. Since the promulgation of the constitution on September 20^th, political unrest and shut down of the border with India has prevented these needed supplies and other goods from getting to this landlocked country. And currently, there is no end in sight.

Lines of vehicles for the last bit of fuel

As a result, the roads are virtually empty and lines of vehicles are seen waiting for petrol that likely will not come. Restaurants and many businesses are closed due to lack of cooking gas and difficulty for employees trying to travel to work. Hospitals are struggling with the same issues as well with the addition of difficulty getting medicines. In a country that has electricity only a portion of the day, many places then depend on fuel-run generators - uh oh! It’s amazing how much we can take these things for granted. 

For us, we are also nearly out of gas. We no longer have gas for our shower/water heater and are left with only a small amount for cooking. No worries, it makes for some fun as we begin exploring other options, including our camping stove. Cooking outside is a nice change of scenery, especially when the Himalayan Mountains are in view.