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again enjoy the carnival spirit of the evening.   Taj drives me home in his four-wheel drive car to my mountain cottage.   We smile sweetly at our neighbours who are just about to go to their beds after the excitement of the day.   We go out to the terrace at the back of the cottage where we can see the lights of Pokhara.   We sit there and drink a coffee I have made for us.   Even though it is dark there is a moon over the mountains and the night is magical with the perfumes of the wild flowers and herbs I have planted to enhance my cooking.   He moves towards me and we fall into each other’s arms.   The intimacy of our minds as well as our bodies carries us to a heaven neither of us had experienced before.
     
    The morning is misty with the aftermath of the village bonfire where food had been cooked the night before.    I awake in the arms of Taj and reflect quietly on the beauty of his face. His long eyelashes curl on his cheek and there is a dark shadow on his chin. The bristles are soft and silky as I place a kiss on his sensual mouth.   He opens his eyes and I see the love he has for me shining there.
     
    “Good Morning darling,” he says, “How are you feeling?”
     
    “Wonderful” I reply.
     
    We snuggle down together in my little narrow bed and the whole world seems to hold its breath.
     
    We are shaken out of our reverie when we see the time. Taj has a six-hour drive to get back to Kathmandu where he is on duty at six o’clock.   He has to go and I decide to go with him.   The school is closed for five days for the festival and I shall only be kicking my heels around the village.   We have a hurried breakfast of eggs and I pack a few things into my haversack.   Julian had invited me to stay at the hostel there if I ever wanted a change so I thought that was where I would stay but Taj would not hear of that and said I shall stay with him in his small apartment near to the hospital.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 4
     
     
     
    I am excited at the prospect of being with Taj for a few days and as we drive along by the fast flowing river I tell him about my nephew, Mark, coming to see me.
     
    He is pleased for me to have one of my sister’s children visiting me and he is looking forward to meeting Mark.   Our few days pass too quickly and although Taj is on call all the time we do find a little time to be together.   Whilst Taj is working I visit Julian at the headquarters of V.S.O. The building houses his living quarters where his wife and young son live so I get to see his family again.   I met them when I first arrived and Sue, his wife, had been positively welcoming because she was so pleased to have an another woman from the same country as herself.   She loves the life with Julian in Kathmandu but she sometimes longs for a friendly chat with someone from her home country.   It was nice for me to have someone to whom I could confide so I told her of my involvement with this wonderful man.
     
    “Come again soon. “Sue shouts as she waves me off from her doorstep.   “And bring Taj next time.”
     
    “I will.” I reply, waving back as I pass through the gate.
     
    I get back to the apartment after visiting a small supermarket that Sue has told me about.   The shop is very small after our own supermarkets, nothing like Sainsbury’s, and very limited in its goods but I manage to stock up a little in household goods like soap and other necessities.   I also buy fresh vegetables and a small chicken so that I can make Taj a farewell dinner.   I have booked a flight back to Pokhara for the following day and this will be our last night together for quite some time.  
     
    He manages to get home in time for a meal with me but then he has to go back as there has been a road accident in the centre of Kathmandu and all hands has to be on deck.   We cling together as he leaves and I know that I will not see him before I have to fly back to Pokhara.  
     
    I arrive at the