Clinic Nepal Benefit Parties

Saturday September 9,2006 8pm-10pm Push Push Theater Decatur, Georgia
Tuesday September 12, 2006 6:30pm-8:30pm All Saints Cinema, Tallahassee, Florida

Both events are free to the public, please spread the word! Films, slideshow and special guest Hari Bhandary.

Dates for the Clinic Nepal fundraisers will be pushed to after Labor day.

Work has been off the hook. Ready for it to all settle down a bit. Work on the film is getting done at a snails pace. Gearing up for Clinic Nepal and Hari Bhandary's return to America. Looks like he will be here at the end of August for a few weeks. I am trying to organize some fundraisers in Atlanta,Ga. Tallahassee,Fla. Charleston, Sc. and Bryson City, NC.

The Stones

Great films that throw a little Stones in.
1. Rushmore directed by Wes Anderson - "I am waiting" (from Aftermath 1966)*not actually on the Rushmore Soundtrack.
2. Beautiful Girls directed by the late Ted Demme - "Fool to Cry" (from Black and Blue)* missing from the Beautiful Girl's Soundtrack as well.
3. Full Metal Jacket directed by Stanley Kubrick - "Paint it Black" (from Aftermath 1966)
4. Blow directed by Ted Demme - "Can you hear me knocking" (from Sticky Fingers)
5. The Big Lebowski directed by the Coen Brothers - "Dead Flowers" (from Sticky Fingers)
6. Goodfellas by Martin Scorsece - "Monkey Man" (from Let it bleed)
7. One plus One directed by Jean-Luc Godard - Sympathy for the Devil (from Beggar's Banquet)
and of course...
8. Apocalypse Now directed by F.F. Coppola - "(I can't get no)Satisfaction" (from Out of Our Heads)

-there are many more...

Madrid, Spain

Absolutely amazing, so much Art and culture. Brent and Teresas wedding was tops. A week of good times, tapas, and no sleep. Photos are now posted.

Bound for Spain for my rendevous with Penelope Cruz and a wedding. A brief stop in London for a few Pints. The Kid's gettin hitched!

Sometimes when its hectic and crazy, I sometimes sit and stare blankly at the vapors of it all. I have been experimenting with my $15 plastic holga camera over the past two years. Photo of the Week. Krabi- Thailand wish I was there.

you`re picking up a pen, imagining a sword
If you think I`d never flown to the heights at which you soared
Picking up a pen, its like picking up a spade
To plant or sow a seed, or digging your own grave
I`m made from stardust
Like a planetary sun
Same DNA as stardust
Like an elephants stone
Is a snorkel full of water
Picking up a pen, imagining a sword
If you think I`d never flown to the heights to which you soared
Picking up a pen, its like picking up a spade
It`s a planet so it seems, or digging your own grave
I`m made from stardust
Like a planetary sun
Same DNA as stardust
Like an elephants stone
Is a snorkel full of water
Is a snorkel full of water
Who`ll feed the young `cause they`re starving
In this beautiful world that you marvel in
Who`d feed the young `cause they`re hungry
In this beautiful world in that you live in for free
Same DNA as stardust, carbonated to less
Same DNA as stardust, from a time that has passed
I`m made from stardust
Same DNA as stardust
-I.B.

In the Shit, 1000 yard stare. - Holi

Kathmandu, Nepal

Its Bhanda season here in Lovely Nepal, what that means is that The Maoist close all the roads and make it impossible for any commerce or travel to happen. My exit from Meghauli wasn't all that smooth. I had to ride a bicycle to the town of Narangot. A painful 28 km. ride carrying all my kit on the Lords bumpiest road. Celebrated St. Pattys in true form (censored) then off to big Kathmandu. its usually only a 4 hour drive from Narangot. On Sat. 6am I started out on a rickshaw. to the bus park. Hopped in van at 7am. 20 mins. later stopped at military checkpoint. waited til 2pm for a Military escort. What that means- everyone lays about, sleeping, eating then all of the sudden shouting, -Here it comes! engines rev. had to "dukes of hazard" into the window of the van to fit in. The Military Convoy careens around a corner and we all take off, everyone at once(all 150 vehicles)- complete mayhem. The Game is "follow the Armored car" at 50 MPH up the steep mountain roads, then slam on brakes, every one halts, then all over again, and again. occasionally waiting for the mine sweeper guy to check a bag on the side of road, then off again. On the rig, mere kids ride behind large banana belted guns. Not knowing where to look. The Nepalis make the best of the situation, laughing and carrying on. 150 vans, trucks, cars racing like no tomorrow, all vying for first place.Throw up everywhere.lots of nears misses, and hilarious situations.

I was in an over crowed van and my pictures do no justice. the ticket boys ride on top, egging the drivers on by beating on the roof- Go! Go! They throw bananas at each other- keeping the excitement going. at one point I looked over and saw a taxi passing us. 4 Nepalis crammed in the front seats, and in the back seat one goat standing up eating grass, oblivious to the absurdity of the situation. made it into Kathmandu at 8pm. I have a few more Grey hairs but loads of stories. My last weeks passed by fast. My Untouchables project was sidelined cause the political situation is deteriorating rapidly, and my friends simply said, not now. We have to keep a low profile- Something Big is about to happen. So I walk away with many great images, fond memories, and deeper understanding. Will be Stateside by end of week.

Kathmandu, Nepal

I was in town for an exhibition of all of the NGO's in Nepal. The Princess of Nepal said -Nameste to me and latter I was interviewed by National TV about the exhibition. What a day. Tomorrow I head back to the Clinic to shoot for two more weeks.

Meghauli, Chitwan-Nepal

After a week in Kathmandu we headed down to the Clinic. It was much faster this year cause the driver decided to rally race down the mountains into the Tarai. The driver expertly swerved a few head on's with the old lorries ambling up in the opposite direction. Although he loved to pass on blind curves, he was very skilled, and his van was his pride and joy. I wasn't worried, Ecuador still sits firmly on my list of shittiest places to put your life in the hands of crazed bus drivers. I found dusty ole Meghauli a lot better off than last years visit. A few changes have occurred. The government has fenced off the airport(the major playground for the town), making it really difficult to fly your kite and in the aim of progress, a building at Tealauli Chok was torn down, changing the whole look of the place. A few new things have taken place at the Clinic as well- there is now a TV/DVD player in the reception area (that means no-stop hindi programs), and Hari has started a few bee hives, which means fresh honey for our tea. Brian and Milla went right to sorting out volunteer English teaching positions at the local schools. Milla now works at the Public school. And Brian teaches at the Private English Boarding school a few km's down the road. He has to wear a tie, looking rather hilarious with his borrowed clothes and tennis shoes. They are both enjoying there immersion into school life. I deposited the big bag of Medical supplies, and everyone was very gracious of Sheila's gifts. Many were sad she did not come with me. I ran into all my old bike riding buddies, and games of "throwing the rubber band" with all of my 8 year old friends began my second evening. I usually don't hang with too many 8 years olds normally, but this crew of young'uns have accepted me as a part of there group. I am honored, they even let me win sometimes.

One of my projects for the clinic is to train my friend (and Hari's nephew) Suman Paudel as a photographer. He has picked it up very fast, truly a natural. Hari and I sat up late at night trying to sort out solutions to some of his Major projects and how I can be of assistance. An idea that he has had for awhile was to help to poor around the clinic. You see the clinic is situated on County land. Along with the Clinic is a mixed array of slums, shanties built by refugees and the untouchables, a sort of land less people. He has thought long and hard about there situation, and he would like to make life a little easier for them somehow. Nepal has a caste system similar to India, and according to custom, these folks have zero opportunities. Most of the kids are sent out to beg, hardly any go to school. His first action was to build them a few latrines and a water hand pump, to improve health conditions. The families work the fields for other people, while some just forage in the surrounding woods for firewood or glean the fields for left over scrapes. Over the past year the Army has made it almost impossible for them to fish in the big river right next to them. Sadly two months ago one man was shot and killed by the Army to set an example for the rest of them not to go into the woods and to not cross the river(a major army post and national park). The man was the father of one of Hari's sponsored students. So the idea is to somehow give the families food in return for letting Hari send "all" of the children to the Private English Boarding school. A sort of "food for education" plan. This will not be a popular idea among the community, but Hari's reaction was, "well, we will start with 5 at first, and if we have to we keep at it, soon all will be helped" I asked how much this would cost. He laughed and then said to me "Pat I want you to take there pictures, and we can show the people all over and raise the money for them to go to school". Well there it was, I had my assignment. So Suman acting as my translator, and I have embarked on The Untouchables Photo book project (which will be printed here in Nepal, and sold world wide I hope)- meeting all of the families and documenting there daily life, while telling a little about how they came to be here. I only have two weeks to shoot this, and already this is one of the hardest shooting situations I have ever been in. The first two evenings I could not sleep thinking about the people I met. How best not to make just pretty pictures, but to show the way things really are. The stench, the flies, dirt in its purest form. Yesterday I made my walk through the Avenue as I call it, taking pictures here and there, letting the kids become bored with me so at some point they let up and start acting natural. I walked up to a boy I call Spanky. His Mom had committed suicide last year, and his father is gone. He now in the loose care of his often drunk and mentally challenged grandfather. He was waving a rag over his foot. Flies swarmed everywhere. Suman, said whoa "he is bleeding" I looked down and noticed he had a festering wound on his heel covered in flies. I took a few snaps, and slowly started to access the situation. Suman found a girl that said that Spanky went to the clinic a month before but now they have no money- the usual excuse. They all know the clinic is free for them, they are just too lazy to take him. We carried him back to the clinic. He was in need of serious wound cleaning, it was really a sight. Chumaya the nurse was all too familiar with this little guy, he walked right into the examine room like he owned the place and sat in the little chair, he has been there over the years for various burns and injuries. Supposedly he comes in beaten every once in awhile. That was only Day two of the project. And this is what the Clinic deals with on a daily basis.

My time in Nepal now is truly becoming a more cerebral experience. I find myself balancing the fine line between being a paparazzi of disparity and a teacher of how to steal glimpse's of peoples lives. The hardest part is making myself believe in it all. Its a callous act to stalk the poor. I understand the bigger picture, but that doesn't make it any easier. I am fortunate to be here at this point in my life. I am proud I am working with Hari, a true Saint. and his dedicated staff. There is a network of truly wonderful people working with the Clinic Nepal.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Life returns to normal a day after the elections. Crowded streets, beggars, taxis whirl about, all back to work. Hari makes it in from Germany. We have about a week here til we head south to the clinic.

Thamel- Kathmandu, Nepal

Drifting high above this dirty ole town, not a single car is moving down the road. Floating down everyones afoot. National elections are today and the Maoist have instilled a Banda, a strike, or more rightly a lock down of commerce. Scared young lads, in ill fitting helmets and old carbines scan the alleys for anything out of the ordinary. We roll in to Thamel. After an hour, walking about, taking it all in, a quiet calm sets in. I really missed this place.

Bangkok, Thailand

Back in Bangkok, on the mad search for cheap airfare to Nepal. Its kind of wierd, I have to sort out and plan the rest of my trip. Any changing now cost real money. The entire trip has been nice so far. I just got back some film shot with the ole panoramic and Holga- things look great. I am about to hook back up with the Big Bag of medical supplies I ditched in Bangkok with my friend Moncheri. Its massive, an Army Duffle bag full of medical kit, school supplies, etc -all donated by Shelia P. and her friends at the ER in Charleston, SC to be given to the Clinic Nepal. Looks like Brian and Milla are going with me to Nepal, ditching Thailand to teach English in Nepal at Hari's school. They will have fun. Nepal's elections are tomorrow, I am curious of the outcome. Hopefully peace will be eventually be restored. I guess I'll see soon enough.

Krabi, Thailand

After a ferry ride, and a 4 hour crammed bus in which I shared a seat with a kid and a chicken, we make it into Krabi-Town. The last 8 kms, we decided to walk just to spite the taxi hawkers. Ha. I am carrying way too much stuff- will at some point ditch all computer gear. The next day we rented a new set of Hogs and blew up the coast. This pace is pretty amazing, not much on the beach front, but the seascape is surrounded by these massive rock monolifts. A few wrongs turns, here and there, we covered about 35 kms. For James Bond fans, this is the locale of "The Man with the Golden Gun". There is a constant haze, which makes shooting somewhat difficult. After a few days checking out the different beaches, I get a little restless. We hopped on the same shitty bus North to Bangkok. Same-Same is the way around here, doesn't matter if you pay top price, or dirt cheap for a third class ticket- that Ole VIP Bus and cheap bus is always one in the same - Same Same.

So here I am, there's three of us, crammed into two seats. This dude leans over- "Never get off the Bus man, Never get off the bus". Ha- Never get off the bus- that's for god damn right. Unless you're willing to go all the way. Kurtz got off the bus, and he split with the whole god damn program. And here I am.....There's a sort of trance state you put yourself in when your ride sucks. Music helps, if its too loud, ear plugs are the answer. Have water, keep your kit close, it'll walk. You let nothing affect you, never look where you are going,I follow the power lines, if there are any. You speak and understand no language, mental clicks of the shutter. Try not to numb your senses cause when you're jolted back to earth, you will most likely need them. Just be.

Arrived in Bangkok at 5 am.

After a week of Koh Phang nan lovin- Bailey leaves- his trip is over. Over the past week we blazed a few trails on the bikes, some epic hikes, and especially nice some epic beach sessions. A black moon party came and went. Ole Bailey looked like Georgie Jung from the movie "Blow" - tan, aviators, and an unbuttoned shirt- "One for the Road man!" ha ha, he left in a back of a pick up, in a cloud of dirty hippies, and stoned Euros- the vacation was good for the ole boy.

Milla, Brian, and I tire of the scene at the "Sun View" bungalows, sad folks who have seen "The Beach" one too many times. I don't think some of these cats ever left the common area- too hip, tied to the loaded friesbee and the handrolls. We hop on the Hogs and tear into Thong Sala (Dodge City) to buy a one way south to Krabi. News from Nepal gets worse by the day. Riots in Kathmandu. The West calls the King a bully, I can't wait to get the real story. I'll be there in a week or two.

Ko Phang nan, Thailand

The trip to Ko Phang nan involves a crazy night bus south, then a 4 hour boat over. About a 17 hour trip total, at the end of which you are needing nothing but nice banana shake, and a cool place under a Palm tree. Situated in the Gulf of Thailand, this bustling little tourist island drums up visions of tropical paradise- blue/green waters, drooping palm trees, and old thai folks lay about. If you want to party, its only a 45 min. sketchy taxi ride to the far side of the island- home of the full moon parties, Haad Ren. Our location is a chill ideal. Over the past few days we bound across the island on our Hogs. These little red mopeds, like a geriatric version Easy Rider.

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok, sideswipped by the heat and no rooms to rent at 2 am. we rough it in the bar district Ko Shan Road with the lovely Moncheri in tow. Fast forward 10 hours later- noon, 3 to the wind, we run into Brian O'Donnell and his girl friend Milla.

A few days were spent acclimizing and sorting out plans. Rabid tut-tut drivers controlled the day, but Mr. Chang ruled the night. The airwaves held hostage by loud Thai pop, the Guns and Roses of yesterday, and Sir Ian Brown bob in and out of little stalls and the smells of chilies, sewer, diesel, and a touch of lemon grass bring you to the point a little shy of sensory overload.

I traveled over with Chris Bailey- Mr. Baileyson to the ladies. This is his first time out and he's stoked to be away from the 9 to 5. I've known him since we were 13-BoyScouts, Troop 100. His trip was Japan- everything else is icing. 2 weeks of sun and fun and then back to the grind.

We ran into Brian O'Donnell and Mila at the hotel the first day. I had heard Brian was coming but never figured we would find each other the first hours in country. A few years back Brian hiked the A.T., and at the end he just kept going, hitching all the way to California, then hopping a train back to Boston. He met Milla, a Russian exchange student while both were serving time at the NOC photos dept. Milla speaks 5 languages- Russian, Tartar, Turkish, English, and Arabic. They are in Thailand to pick up jobs teaching English for a few months before heading up to Russia, overland.

Japan

In a last minute decison Chris Bailey talked me into an extended lay over in Tokyo for 2 days. Visions of Lost in Translation- the land of clean lines and power pop -we did a whirlwind tour, accompanied by the lovely Sugio, Cheers. I am with Bailey-son. We blew through 2 days/ 2 bills. All I have is images. It was too fast to hold a hard memory. Bundled in two coats- plume wine induced ramblings, the Shinjuku soul stealers we are.