Well, we've made it to Dingboche safely, and if all goes well should be summitting Island Peak in about 3 or 4 days. I'll write more later filling in what's happened since the last update, but internet here is almost $8 for a half hour so I'm making it quick.
We're safe and things are going great. Nepal, and especially the Himalayas are breathtaking!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Dive bombings, friskings, and yak!
Westermeyers made it safely in Tuesday night. Then we were up early to begin the trek! We got to the airport before 8am to catch our flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. First order of business at the airport was to go through security. Our bags went through an X-ray machine, and we walked through a metal detector archway (I'm not sure anyone was watching the x-ray) And no one empties their pockets so the detector goes off for everyone! Then the guard proceeds to frisk you... more or less. Really just pats your pockets, though when he finds something in them, he smiles and moves on to the next. I think the deal is that you should have things in your pockets, and if all pockets are found empty, they must feel very sorry for you and give you something with which to occupy your pockets. (that's my guess anyway) After we got our boarding passes... all info blank except destination: Lukla... no departure time, no flight number, no date, no passenger name, no nothing except Lukla. Then we proceeded to the "gate" another security check, much the same, again they checked to make sure our pockets were occupied and passed us through. We sat in the gate for a couple hours. The flights are often delayed... we just hoped we'd get out the same day. Last week we met a guy who was leading an Everest expedition and they had been waiting for four days to get to Lukla, the weather had been bad.
Once we finally boarded the plane around 10:30am, we then sat in the plane for a half hour or more before the engines were even started. Another 15 min and we were finally taxiing towards the runway. The flight was spectacular... seeing the Himalayas out the windows was entrancing. I rather expected Everest or Sagarmatha as it is called in Nepali, to be rather less impressive than it's made out to be, I mean there are plenty big peaks around it. But I must say it is very impressive and really stands out from the crowd! The Himalayas as a whole though, are absolutely breathtaking! Rather put the Oregon Cascades to shame! ;) Actually I think they rather put the Rockies to shame too! Well we flew through a mountain pass... cool to look out your window and see rock mountainsides directly on either side... then we were into the mountains... and the turbulents. Had some good turbulents and the plane bounded, dropped, swivelled and bucked along. Pretty good ride actually... reminded me of the aerobatic flight in New Zealand last year! Then there was a mountain face looming up ahead. I could look straight out the cockpit window and all I could see was a mountainside. And we seemed to be continuing in that general direction... Then we dove! I guess it makes sense, there really isn't a lot of distance within to loose elevation, but I have never dropped quite so fast in a passenger plane before. The airstrip in Lukla was a sight to behold (as we dove towards it). The strip runs from the edge of the cliff inwards and upwards straight into a rock cliff. We cut power (I say we, actually it was just the pilot) and dove towards this short length of pavement, pulling up just before impact and actually pulling off a rather smooth landing, then braking as quickly as possible as the cliff ahead leapt forward, turning just before the wall to turn towards the airport building. What a landing, the plane erupted into applause and there was a collective exhaling of held breaths. We made it!
Claimed our bags, ate a hearty breakfast (or lunch, depends who you ask) and started the trek. The path was much better than I had expected. It's a cobbled highway really. The views are stunning, and the loads carried by porters are more so. Four or five doors lashed together and carried with a strap across the forehead, steel pipes a foot in diameter and eight feet in length are carried down the trail. Also loads of two or three giant duffel bags are lashed together and carried up the trail for climbers and trekkers. Mule trains carry propane tanks up to upper villages, and trains of a cow/yak cross which I don't remember the name of. No yaks yet, they're further up in higher elevations.
It was a lovely hike up the gorge, huge mountains on either side and a beautiful alpine river flowing through the bottom. We stayed in Phakding. At supper time we were sitting outside enjoying our tea when it began to sprinkle. We all scurried inside... after several minutes Ann came into the dining room we were in laughing. She had been directed inside when it began to spit, but had gone into a different dining hall... there she was sitting all by herself with her cup of tea when one of our guides NP found her and directed her to where we were! lol
Our two guides are awesome. Chet is our head guide until we meet up with Jagat in a few days, and NP is the second guide. I spent Thursday trying to learn some Nepali... but mostly just entertaining (or maybe annoying, with my constant, repetitive questioning) our guides. I have learned a few phrases, good morning, good night, what's your name, where are you from, how are you, and maybe a couple more I can't remember. It was fun and a good hike. Had the best dal baht of the trip so far for lunch just before Namche. Dal Baht is the typical Nepali dish. It is dal - lentil soup and baht - rice. Dal baht is usually served with curried potatoes and sometimes fried veggies. Each place it is slightly different, but is an all you can eat meal, so for the hungry, it's the best option.
Namche Bazaar is a beautiful town. Situated on the side of the mountain it has an incredible view. We woke up to an inch of snow but the skies were clear Friday morning. It was spectacular. We hiked up the hill to watch the sun rise on the mountains. Saw Sagarmatha from the ground for the first time, impressive! But even more impressive and stunning was the view of Ama Dablam! That has got to be the most picturesque mountain I have seen. Incredible... we are now truly in the Himalayas! All around are huge, imposing mountains. We hiked up over 12,500 ft today... more than 200ft higher than Mt. Adams, and yet the mountains all around tower thousands of feet over us. It's amazing to be here and just to think of the scope of these mountains. Tomorrow we head on to Dole, then Machhermo and on to Gokyo where we'll climb Gokyo Ri and spend two nights in Gokyo before heading over Cho La pass. Not sure when I'll update again. Til then... Take care!
Once we finally boarded the plane around 10:30am, we then sat in the plane for a half hour or more before the engines were even started. Another 15 min and we were finally taxiing towards the runway. The flight was spectacular... seeing the Himalayas out the windows was entrancing. I rather expected Everest or Sagarmatha as it is called in Nepali, to be rather less impressive than it's made out to be, I mean there are plenty big peaks around it. But I must say it is very impressive and really stands out from the crowd! The Himalayas as a whole though, are absolutely breathtaking! Rather put the Oregon Cascades to shame! ;) Actually I think they rather put the Rockies to shame too! Well we flew through a mountain pass... cool to look out your window and see rock mountainsides directly on either side... then we were into the mountains... and the turbulents. Had some good turbulents and the plane bounded, dropped, swivelled and bucked along. Pretty good ride actually... reminded me of the aerobatic flight in New Zealand last year! Then there was a mountain face looming up ahead. I could look straight out the cockpit window and all I could see was a mountainside. And we seemed to be continuing in that general direction... Then we dove! I guess it makes sense, there really isn't a lot of distance within to loose elevation, but I have never dropped quite so fast in a passenger plane before. The airstrip in Lukla was a sight to behold (as we dove towards it). The strip runs from the edge of the cliff inwards and upwards straight into a rock cliff. We cut power (I say we, actually it was just the pilot) and dove towards this short length of pavement, pulling up just before impact and actually pulling off a rather smooth landing, then braking as quickly as possible as the cliff ahead leapt forward, turning just before the wall to turn towards the airport building. What a landing, the plane erupted into applause and there was a collective exhaling of held breaths. We made it!
Claimed our bags, ate a hearty breakfast (or lunch, depends who you ask) and started the trek. The path was much better than I had expected. It's a cobbled highway really. The views are stunning, and the loads carried by porters are more so. Four or five doors lashed together and carried with a strap across the forehead, steel pipes a foot in diameter and eight feet in length are carried down the trail. Also loads of two or three giant duffel bags are lashed together and carried up the trail for climbers and trekkers. Mule trains carry propane tanks up to upper villages, and trains of a cow/yak cross which I don't remember the name of. No yaks yet, they're further up in higher elevations.
It was a lovely hike up the gorge, huge mountains on either side and a beautiful alpine river flowing through the bottom. We stayed in Phakding. At supper time we were sitting outside enjoying our tea when it began to sprinkle. We all scurried inside... after several minutes Ann came into the dining room we were in laughing. She had been directed inside when it began to spit, but had gone into a different dining hall... there she was sitting all by herself with her cup of tea when one of our guides NP found her and directed her to where we were! lol
Our two guides are awesome. Chet is our head guide until we meet up with Jagat in a few days, and NP is the second guide. I spent Thursday trying to learn some Nepali... but mostly just entertaining (or maybe annoying, with my constant, repetitive questioning) our guides. I have learned a few phrases, good morning, good night, what's your name, where are you from, how are you, and maybe a couple more I can't remember. It was fun and a good hike. Had the best dal baht of the trip so far for lunch just before Namche. Dal Baht is the typical Nepali dish. It is dal - lentil soup and baht - rice. Dal baht is usually served with curried potatoes and sometimes fried veggies. Each place it is slightly different, but is an all you can eat meal, so for the hungry, it's the best option.
Namche Bazaar is a beautiful town. Situated on the side of the mountain it has an incredible view. We woke up to an inch of snow but the skies were clear Friday morning. It was spectacular. We hiked up the hill to watch the sun rise on the mountains. Saw Sagarmatha from the ground for the first time, impressive! But even more impressive and stunning was the view of Ama Dablam! That has got to be the most picturesque mountain I have seen. Incredible... we are now truly in the Himalayas! All around are huge, imposing mountains. We hiked up over 12,500 ft today... more than 200ft higher than Mt. Adams, and yet the mountains all around tower thousands of feet over us. It's amazing to be here and just to think of the scope of these mountains. Tomorrow we head on to Dole, then Machhermo and on to Gokyo where we'll climb Gokyo Ri and spend two nights in Gokyo before heading over Cho La pass. Not sure when I'll update again. Til then... Take care!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
stragglers arriving and heading to Everest (region)
Well Brian arrived today, and Rick and Ann will be here this evening. Then tomorrow morning we head off first thing to begin the trek to Island Peak! How exciting! Will let you know how things go as I'm able:D
You call that a ROAD? (and witch-doctors)
So, Saturday we headed out to Kumari in the Nuwakot district. This is where out head guide, Jagat Lama is from. The journey out there was an adventure in and of itself. We were met Saturday morning with our charriot, a Tata. This is a vehicle that looks somewhat like a cross between a Trooper and a Land Cruiser. As we were loading up, I was noticing that this truck didn't have the kind of tread that I had expected on a the truck that would be taking us out on very rough dirt track roads (in the Tata's defence there was a solid 1/8 inch of tread left on the well used street tires). Well, we loaded in... the driver, Jagat and his son Sachin in the front; Les, Jon, Rupert (more on him later) and myself in the middle seat; and Jagat's wife (who I can't remember her name), his daughter Diksyant, our cook Enje and Enje's wife and daughter all in the back on two bench seats facing each other. Our gear was strapped to the top.
We had to stop by the driver's house on the way out of town. There are huge fuel shortages across Nepal right now due to the main distribution company being on strike. So we picked up fuel from the driver's house which was carried out in watering pots. Two hours on the highway, up and over the pass out of Kathmandu, then a stop for lunch before continuing on. We left the highway and continued our journey on the dirt track that would take us to Kumari. A quarter mile off the highway and we forded our first of several rivers. Five minutes later we got stuck for the first time. Jon was stoked as it would be good footage and would show how rough the journey would be. We shouldn't have worried about footage! We piled out to push or fill in ruts a half dozen times on the way. One place took six or seven tries to get out of a little creek ravine. (Oh by the way, I forgot to mention that our Tata, while looking like an off-road vehicle, was in fact only two-wheel drive!) We did make it to the village, and it only took about four hours from the highway. I was and remain most impressed with our driver. I don't think I would have attempted that drive in a two wheel drive vehicle with nearly bald tires, but he did swimmingly! Fantastic chap!
We were welcomed into the village with a blessing from one of the matriarchs, who marked our foreheads with a red dot and were presented us each with flower necklaces. Got to meet Jagat's mother, who is 82yrs old! Amazing in a country where the average life expectancy is 59! Sunday morning Rupert (or Ru as he is also called) was very sick. Apparently he'd been terribly sick during the night and had to make several runs to the toilet (about 150 yards from where we were sleeping). We hooked Ru up with Pepto and Imodium and he improved greatly.
Oh yes, about Ru. Les and Marschelle met Ru on the Annapurna trek. He's an architect from the UK. They hit it off well, and Les talked to Ru about our trip and the film. Ru worked in Mexico several times with the Zapatistas, helping plan and implement a water system for a village and designing chimney's that the people could build for their homes, so he was interested in the project in Kumari. Les introduced Ru and Jagat and Ru was invited to join our adventure to Kumari.
The children of Kumari are beautiful kids! They were absolutely fascinated by us... and also incredibly shy. We got some lovely pictures of the children! Stunningly expressive eyes! We got to see Jagat's home, where he grew up and where his youngest brother now lives with his family and their mother. The homes are very small. Maybe 10 x 15 and two stories. The ceiling is about five and a half feet tall. The beams and the bottom of the floorboards above are coated with a thick layer of creosote due to the lack of chimney for the cooking fire. One of the homes had two brand new baby goats. We asked and they were born the previous afternoon! So cute!
Sunday afternoon we hiked up to see the water tanks which have just been put in. On the way up I finally made a breakthrough with the local children. I had taken a number of pictures of them and tried to talk with them with little success, the would always shy away. Finally I thought to show them the picture I had just taken! When they finally came over and had a look they were enthralled! I sat with and took pictures of and with the kids for a while. Showed one little guy how to use the camera and he was thrilled to take pictures. The little guy I later learned was named Kumar Thama, he was maybe 7 or so years old and was carrying around what I took to be his little brother... maybe 2! We hiked up the hill and the kids followed for a little ways then pulled back. After about 20 min at the top Kumar Thama showed up... he must have taken the little guy home and then followed up the hill. Kumar walked back down the hill with us. He held my hand much of the way and I let him carry the camera and take pictures with it.
When we got back down to the hospital area, Les and I played an exciting game of soccer with the kids. We didn't have a soccer ball though... or any ball for that matter, but the empty water bottle we used worked rather well actually! It ended up Les and I against all the little boys, at first we were playing into the wind and they were wearing us out. Then we traded sides and did quite well after that. What fun, though by the end Les and I were totally buggered, as well as sweaty and stinky!
After dinner Sunday people from the area began to arrive. Jagat had arranged for a sort of cultural experience for us and had planned for us to get to meet a local Shaman. It took a while for things to get started but ended up a pretty casual affair. We got to interview the Shaman a very interesting character who wore a fake beard for part of the interview... not sure if it was just for us, or if he always wears it when he's doing ceremonies. Then the dance started. Jagat said it was pretty traditional for parties or weddings and things. There was group of four or five guys who played a drum and sang verse after verse that they created of a song. As they would sing a circle cleared out in the middle of the crowd and one to three people would dance in the middle. It was fantastic! Really special to get to be a part of that! After the dance went on for quite some time, several more Shamen showed up and prepared to have a ceremony. In all there ended up being five or six of them. They performed a traditional ceremony for healing and blessing. They beat drums and sang, then they would get up and dance around in a circle while they continued to drum. The ceremony took place for over an hour. The kids around me began to fall asleep as it got late. The little guy who had crawled into my lap at the start was so tired that when the other kids woke him up several times, he was back asleep within moments! I was fortunate to have my buddies with me as they told me all about what was going on... but unfortunately I was unable to understand most all of what they were telling me... Oh well you win some you lose some. I did learn how to say moon and stars and light in Nepali:D
We didn't get to bed till after 1am that night. And I don't even know how late some of the people were up walking home. There was probably over 200 people from all over who had shown up for the festivities. Jagat said most of those people weren't specifically invited, but word spread and they came for the gathering... and to see the white guys who are making a film.
Monday we headed back. We stayed at the village for several hours longer than planned because of some striking in Kathmandu that had some main roads closed. Ru and I walked ahead of the group and they picked us up when they came along. We walked probably 4 miles down the road. It was beautiful! Though quite surprising for the locals to see two white guys wandering alone in the middle of nowhere out there! We got back into Kathmandu after dark. Driving here is exciting enough in the day, it's crazy at night!
We had to stop by the driver's house on the way out of town. There are huge fuel shortages across Nepal right now due to the main distribution company being on strike. So we picked up fuel from the driver's house which was carried out in watering pots. Two hours on the highway, up and over the pass out of Kathmandu, then a stop for lunch before continuing on. We left the highway and continued our journey on the dirt track that would take us to Kumari. A quarter mile off the highway and we forded our first of several rivers. Five minutes later we got stuck for the first time. Jon was stoked as it would be good footage and would show how rough the journey would be. We shouldn't have worried about footage! We piled out to push or fill in ruts a half dozen times on the way. One place took six or seven tries to get out of a little creek ravine. (Oh by the way, I forgot to mention that our Tata, while looking like an off-road vehicle, was in fact only two-wheel drive!) We did make it to the village, and it only took about four hours from the highway. I was and remain most impressed with our driver. I don't think I would have attempted that drive in a two wheel drive vehicle with nearly bald tires, but he did swimmingly! Fantastic chap!
We were welcomed into the village with a blessing from one of the matriarchs, who marked our foreheads with a red dot and were presented us each with flower necklaces. Got to meet Jagat's mother, who is 82yrs old! Amazing in a country where the average life expectancy is 59! Sunday morning Rupert (or Ru as he is also called) was very sick. Apparently he'd been terribly sick during the night and had to make several runs to the toilet (about 150 yards from where we were sleeping). We hooked Ru up with Pepto and Imodium and he improved greatly.
Oh yes, about Ru. Les and Marschelle met Ru on the Annapurna trek. He's an architect from the UK. They hit it off well, and Les talked to Ru about our trip and the film. Ru worked in Mexico several times with the Zapatistas, helping plan and implement a water system for a village and designing chimney's that the people could build for their homes, so he was interested in the project in Kumari. Les introduced Ru and Jagat and Ru was invited to join our adventure to Kumari.
The children of Kumari are beautiful kids! They were absolutely fascinated by us... and also incredibly shy. We got some lovely pictures of the children! Stunningly expressive eyes! We got to see Jagat's home, where he grew up and where his youngest brother now lives with his family and their mother. The homes are very small. Maybe 10 x 15 and two stories. The ceiling is about five and a half feet tall. The beams and the bottom of the floorboards above are coated with a thick layer of creosote due to the lack of chimney for the cooking fire. One of the homes had two brand new baby goats. We asked and they were born the previous afternoon! So cute!
Sunday afternoon we hiked up to see the water tanks which have just been put in. On the way up I finally made a breakthrough with the local children. I had taken a number of pictures of them and tried to talk with them with little success, the would always shy away. Finally I thought to show them the picture I had just taken! When they finally came over and had a look they were enthralled! I sat with and took pictures of and with the kids for a while. Showed one little guy how to use the camera and he was thrilled to take pictures. The little guy I later learned was named Kumar Thama, he was maybe 7 or so years old and was carrying around what I took to be his little brother... maybe 2! We hiked up the hill and the kids followed for a little ways then pulled back. After about 20 min at the top Kumar Thama showed up... he must have taken the little guy home and then followed up the hill. Kumar walked back down the hill with us. He held my hand much of the way and I let him carry the camera and take pictures with it.
When we got back down to the hospital area, Les and I played an exciting game of soccer with the kids. We didn't have a soccer ball though... or any ball for that matter, but the empty water bottle we used worked rather well actually! It ended up Les and I against all the little boys, at first we were playing into the wind and they were wearing us out. Then we traded sides and did quite well after that. What fun, though by the end Les and I were totally buggered, as well as sweaty and stinky!
After dinner Sunday people from the area began to arrive. Jagat had arranged for a sort of cultural experience for us and had planned for us to get to meet a local Shaman. It took a while for things to get started but ended up a pretty casual affair. We got to interview the Shaman a very interesting character who wore a fake beard for part of the interview... not sure if it was just for us, or if he always wears it when he's doing ceremonies. Then the dance started. Jagat said it was pretty traditional for parties or weddings and things. There was group of four or five guys who played a drum and sang verse after verse that they created of a song. As they would sing a circle cleared out in the middle of the crowd and one to three people would dance in the middle. It was fantastic! Really special to get to be a part of that! After the dance went on for quite some time, several more Shamen showed up and prepared to have a ceremony. In all there ended up being five or six of them. They performed a traditional ceremony for healing and blessing. They beat drums and sang, then they would get up and dance around in a circle while they continued to drum. The ceremony took place for over an hour. The kids around me began to fall asleep as it got late. The little guy who had crawled into my lap at the start was so tired that when the other kids woke him up several times, he was back asleep within moments! I was fortunate to have my buddies with me as they told me all about what was going on... but unfortunately I was unable to understand most all of what they were telling me... Oh well you win some you lose some. I did learn how to say moon and stars and light in Nepali:D
We didn't get to bed till after 1am that night. And I don't even know how late some of the people were up walking home. There was probably over 200 people from all over who had shown up for the festivities. Jagat said most of those people weren't specifically invited, but word spread and they came for the gathering... and to see the white guys who are making a film.
Monday we headed back. We stayed at the village for several hours longer than planned because of some striking in Kathmandu that had some main roads closed. Ru and I walked ahead of the group and they picked us up when they came along. We walked probably 4 miles down the road. It was beautiful! Though quite surprising for the locals to see two white guys wandering alone in the middle of nowhere out there! We got back into Kathmandu after dark. Driving here is exciting enough in the day, it's crazy at night!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Sheer Memorial and a giant Shiva
On Friday, Shannon took us out to Sheer Memorial Medical Center. We took the local bus, that was an adventure. I think tourists don't normally take those buses. It was fun to see the countryside on the drive out. There were lots of fields and rice paddies. Always terraced and very pretty. Part way out we drove by the hill where they are building on what is Nepal's largest statue of Shiva. It was far enough away I don't know exactly how tall. But to work on it there were 18 levels of scaffolding surrounding it! It was funny to see marijuana plants growing randomly along the road. It just grows wild here... there's not tons around, but here and there randomly.
Out at the hospital we met with the president of the hospital as well as a Nepali administrator and two western doctors. One from Minnesota and one from Puerto Rico. Jon got interviews with each to possibly use in the documentary. We ate lunch at the hospital and headed back.
Found a pair of down pants to purchase this afternoon, got a few other little things and then we all met up for dinner. We went to a really nice little Indian place. I spent a fortune on that meal! I think it was almost $12 us! Considering lunch was about $0.75! The food was great though, and lots. The average for a meal and drink here is about $3 or so.
Well tomorrow Marschelle heads home, and Jagat is taking Jon, Les and I out to his home village in the Kumari region, where the hospital is going to be built. I'm stoked to see the rural village, as that is the true Nepal. Jagat has also arranged for us to meet some of the Shaman and to see a ceremony by them. We'll get to meet Jagat's mother too. She's 82 yrs old! Pretty amazing when the country's life expectancy is 59! Anyway, it should be quite an experience, the trip out is about half a day in a four-wheel drive rig as they just put in a dust road... it used to be only on foot!
Later!
Out at the hospital we met with the president of the hospital as well as a Nepali administrator and two western doctors. One from Minnesota and one from Puerto Rico. Jon got interviews with each to possibly use in the documentary. We ate lunch at the hospital and headed back.
Found a pair of down pants to purchase this afternoon, got a few other little things and then we all met up for dinner. We went to a really nice little Indian place. I spent a fortune on that meal! I think it was almost $12 us! Considering lunch was about $0.75! The food was great though, and lots. The average for a meal and drink here is about $3 or so.
Well tomorrow Marschelle heads home, and Jagat is taking Jon, Les and I out to his home village in the Kumari region, where the hospital is going to be built. I'm stoked to see the rural village, as that is the true Nepal. Jagat has also arranged for us to meet some of the Shaman and to see a ceremony by them. We'll get to meet Jagat's mother too. She's 82 yrs old! Pretty amazing when the country's life expectancy is 59! Anyway, it should be quite an experience, the trip out is about half a day in a four-wheel drive rig as they just put in a dust road... it used to be only on foot!
Later!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Sights, travels and friends!
Well, it's been busy since I last wrote... My first full day here we met up with Jagat first thing and went to the Monkey Temple. It's a Buddhist temple, but here there is so much blend that there were Hindu elements an parts to the temple as well. The temple is up on the top of a hill. Very pretty, and there were lots of dogs and pigeons. Jagat gave us a great tour, told us all about things. Saw a poor little dog that looked like an elephant... at least his skin did. Only little hair, and that was bristle like, then his skin was dark grey and think and wrinkled. Poor little guy, it was sad to see. There were a few monkeys up on top, but I think there were too many people. On the way back down, we saw a bunch more. Some real cute little monkeys playing around and swinging on a strand of prayer flags along the stairs. On the way back to the hotel, our taxi driver pulled over and dropped off a big fruit of some sort with his wife. That was cute. Apparently it was something he'd picked up while we were exploring the temple and he was waiting for us.
When we got back we had some down time before we were to meet with our mountain guide to check gear. Jagat is our trekking guide and arranged the expedition, but his cousin-brother (that's the title he used) is going to guide the final couple days of the summit climb. I went wit Jon to go find a geocache he'd looked up that was here in Kathmandu, and only about a half mile from our hotel. The only problem was that he doesn't have the topos for Nepal, so we just had a dot on the screen of our goal, and a little arrow where we were at. So we spent a while trying to find streets that would go where we needed. We eventually found the place, but not without having to look up the info online. The geocache was with a trekking company and to get to their office, we had to go down a hallway off the street, then up the stairs, around the corner, etc. Not something we would have been able to just stumble upon. Well, we each grabbed a travel bug and headed off to find our way back... What an adventure. It was hilarious to see our route on his GPS when we got back. We DEFINITELY took the scenic route. It was pretty cool to get off the beaten tourist track, as we ended up walking through some residential areas where there were no other white people or tourists of any sort. We made a big circuit around where our hotel is located and had to backtrack a few times, as roads we hoped would connect through would end up dead ends.
The streets here are amazing... I've heard there are in fact a few road rules, but I don't think anyone knows them.. and if they do they certainly don't abide by them. Basically if you can fit through, it's a lane. There is a very intricate and incredibly successful dance between cars, motorcycles, bicycles, rickshaws and pedestrians (who might be carrying anything from lumber between two to huge loads on their back, or nothing at all). Somehow, everyone seems to weave in and out very smoothly. It's amazing! I have found that you have to just be confident and aware and go about your way. Everyone puts just a little effort into not hitting anyone else or being hit by anyone else, but for the most part it seems like most don't really care and are just going about their business. You don't really move out of people's way as that would throw you into someone else's. You move a little, and the other person moves a little and you both pass by, in and out of spaces that open and close around you. Somehow... don't ask exactly how, but it works!
After we met Lall (not sure on the spelling but that's how it sounds), our climbing guide, we headed out to get some gear we needed. After we split from Jagat and Lall to continue our search for a few key items, Les and Marschelle were going one way and Jon and I another when Les called from behind us. Shannon Gibb had just run into them! I had been in contact with Shannon on email to try to catch up, but she had checked by our hotel and not finding us there had headed out onto the streets! So that was fun to meet up. Shannon joined Jon and me on our search, and we all met up to go to Durbar Square in the evening. Durbar Square has a few temples and some neat buildings as well as being where a living goddess lives. She wasn't out when we were there so we didn't see her, only where she lives and visits the people each day. Les and Marschelle headed back to meet up with a guy they met on the Annapurna and introduce him to Jagat. The guy's name is Rupert and he's an architect from the UK who has been working with designing systems to help developing countries for water and other needs. Shannon, Jon and I hung out and grabbed supper together. Then Jon and I offered to walk Shannon to her hotel... but we didn't know how to get back to ours, so Shannon actually walked us home :S lol The streets here are actually very safe. Nepalese are very respectful and while you are sometimes pressured by street vendors, people don't try to steal from you and aren't too pushy. Much better than many places.
When we got back we had some down time before we were to meet with our mountain guide to check gear. Jagat is our trekking guide and arranged the expedition, but his cousin-brother (that's the title he used) is going to guide the final couple days of the summit climb. I went wit Jon to go find a geocache he'd looked up that was here in Kathmandu, and only about a half mile from our hotel. The only problem was that he doesn't have the topos for Nepal, so we just had a dot on the screen of our goal, and a little arrow where we were at. So we spent a while trying to find streets that would go where we needed. We eventually found the place, but not without having to look up the info online. The geocache was with a trekking company and to get to their office, we had to go down a hallway off the street, then up the stairs, around the corner, etc. Not something we would have been able to just stumble upon. Well, we each grabbed a travel bug and headed off to find our way back... What an adventure. It was hilarious to see our route on his GPS when we got back. We DEFINITELY took the scenic route. It was pretty cool to get off the beaten tourist track, as we ended up walking through some residential areas where there were no other white people or tourists of any sort. We made a big circuit around where our hotel is located and had to backtrack a few times, as roads we hoped would connect through would end up dead ends.
The streets here are amazing... I've heard there are in fact a few road rules, but I don't think anyone knows them.. and if they do they certainly don't abide by them. Basically if you can fit through, it's a lane. There is a very intricate and incredibly successful dance between cars, motorcycles, bicycles, rickshaws and pedestrians (who might be carrying anything from lumber between two to huge loads on their back, or nothing at all). Somehow, everyone seems to weave in and out very smoothly. It's amazing! I have found that you have to just be confident and aware and go about your way. Everyone puts just a little effort into not hitting anyone else or being hit by anyone else, but for the most part it seems like most don't really care and are just going about their business. You don't really move out of people's way as that would throw you into someone else's. You move a little, and the other person moves a little and you both pass by, in and out of spaces that open and close around you. Somehow... don't ask exactly how, but it works!
After we met Lall (not sure on the spelling but that's how it sounds), our climbing guide, we headed out to get some gear we needed. After we split from Jagat and Lall to continue our search for a few key items, Les and Marschelle were going one way and Jon and I another when Les called from behind us. Shannon Gibb had just run into them! I had been in contact with Shannon on email to try to catch up, but she had checked by our hotel and not finding us there had headed out onto the streets! So that was fun to meet up. Shannon joined Jon and me on our search, and we all met up to go to Durbar Square in the evening. Durbar Square has a few temples and some neat buildings as well as being where a living goddess lives. She wasn't out when we were there so we didn't see her, only where she lives and visits the people each day. Les and Marschelle headed back to meet up with a guy they met on the Annapurna and introduce him to Jagat. The guy's name is Rupert and he's an architect from the UK who has been working with designing systems to help developing countries for water and other needs. Shannon, Jon and I hung out and grabbed supper together. Then Jon and I offered to walk Shannon to her hotel... but we didn't know how to get back to ours, so Shannon actually walked us home :S lol The streets here are actually very safe. Nepalese are very respectful and while you are sometimes pressured by street vendors, people don't try to steal from you and aren't too pushy. Much better than many places.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Saw the Himalayas... and nearly swooned!
Lol, ok so maybe I didn't actually almost swoon, but they were amazing to see! Puts to shame all the mountains I have seen and climbed so far! The flight from Doha to Kathmandu was uneventful... until we were supposed to land that is. The fog was thick and visibility bad enough that we circled for a half hour hoping it would improve. It did not so we diverted to Dhaka, Bangladesh. That was an extra hour out of the way, then we landed and refueled before waiting another 45min for clearance to leave. Then just over an hour back, where we arrived about 4 hours late. Oh well, better a safe landing late than a crash landing on time:D
Jagat met me at the airport. What a wonderful man! Very kind and calm, and a great story teller. He will be a blast to be on the expedition with. Jon arrived shortly after I did and we met up with Les and Marschelle. Together we all wandered around town a bit, looked at gear and got food. But now I'm about to fall over, so tired I can hardly walk straight. So more later. I'm off to bed. G'nite.
Jagat met me at the airport. What a wonderful man! Very kind and calm, and a great story teller. He will be a blast to be on the expedition with. Jon arrived shortly after I did and we met up with Les and Marschelle. Together we all wandered around town a bit, looked at gear and got food. But now I'm about to fall over, so tired I can hardly walk straight. So more later. I'm off to bed. G'nite.
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