Human Planet - rivers and school

[Butkin]

Did anybody watch the Human Planet episode about rivers last night?

We watched in fascination when the rural Tibetan man led his two children on a hike across frozen rivers, gorges etc for 6 days to take them to school.

They risked their lives scambling across ice which looked as if it may break at any minute. They said that if they went in the water they would be dead in 8 minutes.

All this was interesting enough but then I was blown away when they got to the big town and he took them to the school.

I was expecting something really primitive but both children were wearing smart purple blazers, shirts and ties. They looked like children from an English public school.

Hats off to them not only for the effort made to get there but for the fact the school obviously kept high standards in a remote situation. Made you humble when you think how many English kids miss school for the simplest of reasons.

We watched it and were in amazement too. The way those kids just got on with it and then when they got to school they just ran up like they had just got out of the car!

Fascinating programme, wish there was more stuff like this on TV.

I don't think they mentioned it (I was only half watching) but I take it that it was a boarding school?

My 11yr old asked me why the dad was wearing the uniform too. Was he?

I commented to my DH that I hoped it was a boarding school otherwise that's one hell of a commute each day! I loved the fact that they made such an effort to get an education and placed so much importance on it. We have a lot to learn.

Not sure about the uniform though?