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FARAWAY FRIENDS 33
could keep this a secret. We’ve been planning Brit- tany’s trip for weeks. But it’s going to be a short vis- it, I’m afraid. Tomorrow’s set aside for Brittany to catch her breath and begin to deal with jet lag. The next day is our excursion up the mountain. Then comes Sunday, which we hope will be spent with Daya. And then, I’m sorry to say, it’s the flight back to Denver.”
“Persuading Mom to come, too, was all that re- mained to make the plan perfect,” Brittany said.
“Too bad,” Dad agreed, “but your mom is not a fan of flying, even with a first-class reservation.”
As planned, Brittany spent the next day napping off and on, giving MaryCatherine time to catch up on homework assignments. Dad treated them to Nepali delicacies at their favorite restaurant near the hotel. Kashmiri naan, fresh out of the tandoori oven with dried fruit mixed in, was today’s delicacy. Bedtime came early, anticipating a very early start for the second day’s agenda. After piling into Dad’s jeep before dawn the next morning, a short drive through the city brought them to the rendezvous point with the others involved in the journey, the final destination a small mountain community that had been hard hit by the recent earthquake.
Men were already piling boxes and bundles in and on the top of a white van borrowed from the Min- istry of Agriculture. Smaller items found their way





























































































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