The last leg of the trip was to fly to Delhi and hire a driver to take us four-five hours to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. We were going to miss the celebrations in Kathmandu for Buddha's Birthday, but we had experienced that in Bangkok a few years back. By continuing on to Agra, we were to attend a full moon viewing of the Taj late that evening.
I randomly had chosen a travel company out of Delhi that had cars with drivers for hire. I got to pick the car, an Ambassador, that based on the internet photo, seemed much more regal than it actually was. Our driver met us at the airport ready to take us on yet another adventure simply called "driving the roads of India"! (We did not get in one accident in three days, which really says a lot.)
Oh, India. What can I say? Men peeing on the side of the road completely exposed. Children playing in heaps of garbage. Toxic rivers. Cattle roaming freely anywhere they please. Women in beautiful and colorful saris sharply contrasting the dusty streets. Cars and animals and people and cargo trucks and strange inventions of motorized vehicles in near collisions and constant horns blaring. Poverty. Pollution. Heat (112 degrees the highest when we were there). And then, an oasis.
We arrived at our hotel in Agra late in the afternoon, and after considerable security measures, were welcomed with refreshing watermelon juice and bindi (a red mark as a sign of luck and health) on our foreheads. We were then taken to our room and immediately our eyes were drawn to the balcony door, where beyond we could see the Taj Mahal! And floating in the hot air were dozens of kites flying and the sounds of the call to prayer.
Then, that evening, we saw the Taj by moonlight, with a handful of other tourists and uzi-toting soldiers. The next day, the temperature climbed to record levels in India, and our driver waited for us outside the Red Fort with the air conditioner on. Afterwards, we decided to go back to the hotel, hang out at the pool with some pina coladas and wait to see the Taj Mahal again for the sunset viewing. Which we thought would be at a cooler time in the evening. If you can call 102 degrees cooler.
The whole time we were in India, we thought of my grandparents, who had traveled there in 1972. We wondered about how different it was, if at all, and when photographing at the fort and Taj, we would suddenly think "hey, we've seen this before!" - through their eyes, of course.
Our last day, we requested a very late check-out so we could linger by the pool before our four-five drive back to Delhi and then fifteen hour plane ride.
It was time to go home.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
: moving parts :
Would we get out of Lukla? It was really foggy outside, and the runway is 1,729 feet long with a grade of 12%, and when taking off, planes literally fall off the side of the mountain. The week before we descended, it took trekkers four-five days to leave because of weather. As much as we had resigned to leave the mountains, we are firm believers of safety first.
Which makes you wonder, when it still looks crappy outside, who makes the decision that it's okay to fly the planes. The fog had lifted, but there were still substantial clouds hanging overhead with threatening overtones. One just has to have trust.
Finally, but with reserve, we took off. But what was worse than the weather in Lukla was the weather approaching Kathmandu. Just a word of advice. If you are a chicken shit like me, don't sit towards the front of the plane and try to guess why the pilot is looking worried about flying with no visibility.
But enough about that. We were so happy to arrive back at the Yak & Yeti with a toilet, a shower, food and soft bed. We didn't do much all day aside from indulging in these four things.
The next couple of days, we spent touring Kathmandu and it's surrounding sites. There are three famous public squares built by three prince brothers, all very similar with subtle differences in public purpose and aesthetic style in central Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan. We also saw:
Day One
-Swayambhanath, the monkey temple and the giant stupa of Boudhanath
Day Two
-the 4th century Changu Narayan Temple and the tallest temple in Kathmandu called Nyatapola
In addition, we walked through alleys and tons of neighborhoods taking in the city life of Kathmandu. Everyone and everything has a purpose, and each moving part is dependent on another. Of course, it is the same in our Western life, but here in Kathmandu, it seems more urgent. Or maybe because it is so different from life back home, it just seems that way.
We finished our evening with bacon and yak cheese pizza and Carlsberg beer at a place called Roadhouse in the Thamel district and with a full belly said our sad goodbyes to Nepal.
Which makes you wonder, when it still looks crappy outside, who makes the decision that it's okay to fly the planes. The fog had lifted, but there were still substantial clouds hanging overhead with threatening overtones. One just has to have trust.
Finally, but with reserve, we took off. But what was worse than the weather in Lukla was the weather approaching Kathmandu. Just a word of advice. If you are a chicken shit like me, don't sit towards the front of the plane and try to guess why the pilot is looking worried about flying with no visibility.
But enough about that. We were so happy to arrive back at the Yak & Yeti with a toilet, a shower, food and soft bed. We didn't do much all day aside from indulging in these four things.
The next couple of days, we spent touring Kathmandu and it's surrounding sites. There are three famous public squares built by three prince brothers, all very similar with subtle differences in public purpose and aesthetic style in central Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan. We also saw:
Day One
-Swayambhanath, the monkey temple and the giant stupa of Boudhanath
Day Two
-the 4th century Changu Narayan Temple and the tallest temple in Kathmandu called Nyatapola
In addition, we walked through alleys and tons of neighborhoods taking in the city life of Kathmandu. Everyone and everything has a purpose, and each moving part is dependent on another. Of course, it is the same in our Western life, but here in Kathmandu, it seems more urgent. Or maybe because it is so different from life back home, it just seems that way.
We finished our evening with bacon and yak cheese pizza and Carlsberg beer at a place called Roadhouse in the Thamel district and with a full belly said our sad goodbyes to Nepal.
Monday, May 24, 2010
: for your viewing pleasure :
Finally - photographs here! And more to come...above, Bette and Wally, Everest to the left, Ama Dablam to the right.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
: invitations :
It was just us and the monks at the teahouse for the night, and in the morning, they invited us to a private puja and allowed us to photograph the ceremony. We also got to drink some Tibetan tea, which is an interesting concoction of tea, milk, yak butter and SALT! It wasn’t exactly the boost one would want from a morning beverage, but we remained grateful and courteous and drank it down.
After we left, and as we walked our final day to Lukla, Mingma invited us over to his parent’s home, which was not too far off the beaten path we were on. It was a very touching thing, to be invited to his childhood home to meet his parents, and after making sure it wouldn’t be an imposition, we accepted, and made our way down into the valley.
Only his mother was home, and she went to the garden, picked fresh mint and made us mint tea. She didn’t speak a word of English, but her smile translated her genuine happiness in meeting us. We had a great visit!
Then we continued onward, to Lukla, where day two of a three day Spring festival was happening at the Monastery. After dropping our bags, we washed our faces and went to check it out – as did the whole town, it seemed. The monks played their big horns and drums and chanted over a loud speaker. Mingma's brother is one of the monks at this Monastery and we got to see him perform in costume, both frightening and exciting the children in the audience.
We then made our way back to our teahouse and ate pizza with yak cheese for dinner, played canasta and listened to Bollywood t.v. Once we returned to our room for the night, we could still hear the festival music into the late hours, despite the fact that the Monastery was pretty far away.
And it’s back to Kathmandu in the early morning.
After we left, and as we walked our final day to Lukla, Mingma invited us over to his parent’s home, which was not too far off the beaten path we were on. It was a very touching thing, to be invited to his childhood home to meet his parents, and after making sure it wouldn’t be an imposition, we accepted, and made our way down into the valley.
Only his mother was home, and she went to the garden, picked fresh mint and made us mint tea. She didn’t speak a word of English, but her smile translated her genuine happiness in meeting us. We had a great visit!
Then we continued onward, to Lukla, where day two of a three day Spring festival was happening at the Monastery. After dropping our bags, we washed our faces and went to check it out – as did the whole town, it seemed. The monks played their big horns and drums and chanted over a loud speaker. Mingma's brother is one of the monks at this Monastery and we got to see him perform in costume, both frightening and exciting the children in the audience.
We then made our way back to our teahouse and ate pizza with yak cheese for dinner, played canasta and listened to Bollywood t.v. Once we returned to our room for the night, we could still hear the festival music into the late hours, despite the fact that the Monastery was pretty far away.
And it’s back to Kathmandu in the early morning.
Friday, May 21, 2010
: aerial :
We were up early with excitement, had some milk coffee and then walked up to the heli-pad, past prayer wheels, and waited for our helicopter. Many were flying back and forth through the valley this morning. We waited for a while, and soon some women, who had somehow heard through the grapevine that there was a helicopter stopping in Namche that was going onto EBC, came by with about three dozen eggs and a case of San Miguel beer to be taken up. Then someone else showed up with a giant bag of potatoes. The staples of life, as Wally pointed out. Finally, the helicopter arrived, and the owner told us that we may not be able to land in Base Camp because of the wind, but he would try. The eggs and beer and potatoes did not board with us.
And of course, all I could think of was, what? You might not be able to land because it is too dangerous because of the wind? What have I gotten us into?
But we boarded and off we went on our first helicopter ride, with our trusty guide and pilot, flying through the Himalayas looking down upon all the villages we had trekked through. And there directly in front of us, Everest, growing bigger and closer. We snapped a ton of photos from the air of Cho Oyu, Gokyo, Ama Dablam, Kala Patthar, and Everest itself. We flew over Base Camp, so high that the campsites looked like dipping dots on ice cream. And the Khumba Icefall, whose scale could not be comprehended from the air, only that it is enormous.
It was too windy to land at Base Camp, but the pilot landed on top of Kala Patthar and opened our door to let us run out and snap some breathtaking photos quickly before we passed out from the lack of oxygen at 18,000 feet. After two minutes we dizzily ran back to the helicopter and took off to return to Namche.
This may have been one of the most awesome things we have ever done, ever!
We arrived back in Namche and started our very, very long five hour trek to Phakding. Whether it was the intoxicating events of the morning, the fact that we had just spent ten days going up and down trails, or the ample oxygen available as we descended, we practically ran up and down the trail to Phakding. We started the morning at 18,000 feet and ended at 9,000 feet. What a day!
We are staying the night in the same teahouse we stayed at our first night on the trail. The only difference this time is that there are a dozen or so Buddhist monks working on a new prayer book and staying at the teahouse as well. Wally says it’s just like the holidays, with the pack animals and their Santa Claus bells and the monks’ music that sounds strangely similar to a big band announcing “Happy New Year!”.
Tomorrow, Lukla.
Songs of the day:
First day of my life – Bright Eyes
Perfect Day – Lou Reed
And of course, all I could think of was, what? You might not be able to land because it is too dangerous because of the wind? What have I gotten us into?
But we boarded and off we went on our first helicopter ride, with our trusty guide and pilot, flying through the Himalayas looking down upon all the villages we had trekked through. And there directly in front of us, Everest, growing bigger and closer. We snapped a ton of photos from the air of Cho Oyu, Gokyo, Ama Dablam, Kala Patthar, and Everest itself. We flew over Base Camp, so high that the campsites looked like dipping dots on ice cream. And the Khumba Icefall, whose scale could not be comprehended from the air, only that it is enormous.
It was too windy to land at Base Camp, but the pilot landed on top of Kala Patthar and opened our door to let us run out and snap some breathtaking photos quickly before we passed out from the lack of oxygen at 18,000 feet. After two minutes we dizzily ran back to the helicopter and took off to return to Namche.
This may have been one of the most awesome things we have ever done, ever!
We arrived back in Namche and started our very, very long five hour trek to Phakding. Whether it was the intoxicating events of the morning, the fact that we had just spent ten days going up and down trails, or the ample oxygen available as we descended, we practically ran up and down the trail to Phakding. We started the morning at 18,000 feet and ended at 9,000 feet. What a day!
We are staying the night in the same teahouse we stayed at our first night on the trail. The only difference this time is that there are a dozen or so Buddhist monks working on a new prayer book and staying at the teahouse as well. Wally says it’s just like the holidays, with the pack animals and their Santa Claus bells and the monks’ music that sounds strangely similar to a big band announcing “Happy New Year!”.
Tomorrow, Lukla.
Songs of the day:
First day of my life – Bright Eyes
Perfect Day – Lou Reed
Thursday, May 20, 2010
: extreme measures :
It rained – no, thunderstormed really – most of the night, so we awoke expecting to don our gaiters for the trek to Namche. But, the ground soaked in the rain and the trail was pretty dry. And it looked to be a beautiful day ahead of us.
Mingma had taken us on an alternative route, another highly scenic route through the town of Khumjung (although, by now you may have realized that there is never a bad view in the Himalayas!). We picked up rocks along the way and stopped for lunch at a newer teahouse, where we met a little girl named Salina, who came from Switzerland with her family, and before heading to Africa, her father was on Everest attempting a summit. She was probably six or so, and was very concerned for her father’s well-being. She said he must be very cold there. We told her not to worry, that the time for climbing was almost finished and her father should be home soon.
We passed one of the highest airports at 12,700 feet, and then walked from above Namche through an area that looked like a golf course, but was just naturally manicured.
The disappointment of not making it to Everest Base Camp had been weighing on our minds for two days. It seemed unfair that we could not go back – Wally was feeling 100% again, but we just didn’t have the time to go back up again, especially with no guarantee that either one of us wouldn’t get sick once again.
We had done all the work to get there – over 15,000 feet up, and we were only 2,500 feet from Base Camp, two days and no more than four hours of trekking. What had laid before us were the easiest days of the trek, the only real difficulty being the altitude. So, I suggested to Wally, how about the helicopter? What if it could take us to Base Camp for a half hour or so, and back to Namche? (And yes, I actually suggested a helicopter – aren’t I the adventurous one?)
We presented this crazy idea to Mingma, who made some phone calls (on his cell, at 13,000 feet by the way) and we were able to procure a ride on a rescue helicopter that had someone to pick up at the high altitude hospital in Periche. It would fetch us first thing in the morning from Namche. Not without a price, mind you, but with some negotiations, we felt this would be worth it. We are hoping we can sleep tonight!
Oh, and as a side note, today Wally and I had a hot shower AND I finally washed my hair after nine days! Yikes! But really, we didn't smell all that bad. Seriously.
Mingma had taken us on an alternative route, another highly scenic route through the town of Khumjung (although, by now you may have realized that there is never a bad view in the Himalayas!). We picked up rocks along the way and stopped for lunch at a newer teahouse, where we met a little girl named Salina, who came from Switzerland with her family, and before heading to Africa, her father was on Everest attempting a summit. She was probably six or so, and was very concerned for her father’s well-being. She said he must be very cold there. We told her not to worry, that the time for climbing was almost finished and her father should be home soon.
We passed one of the highest airports at 12,700 feet, and then walked from above Namche through an area that looked like a golf course, but was just naturally manicured.
The disappointment of not making it to Everest Base Camp had been weighing on our minds for two days. It seemed unfair that we could not go back – Wally was feeling 100% again, but we just didn’t have the time to go back up again, especially with no guarantee that either one of us wouldn’t get sick once again.
We had done all the work to get there – over 15,000 feet up, and we were only 2,500 feet from Base Camp, two days and no more than four hours of trekking. What had laid before us were the easiest days of the trek, the only real difficulty being the altitude. So, I suggested to Wally, how about the helicopter? What if it could take us to Base Camp for a half hour or so, and back to Namche? (And yes, I actually suggested a helicopter – aren’t I the adventurous one?)
We presented this crazy idea to Mingma, who made some phone calls (on his cell, at 13,000 feet by the way) and we were able to procure a ride on a rescue helicopter that had someone to pick up at the high altitude hospital in Periche. It would fetch us first thing in the morning from Namche. Not without a price, mind you, but with some negotiations, we felt this would be worth it. We are hoping we can sleep tonight!
Oh, and as a side note, today Wally and I had a hot shower AND I finally washed my hair after nine days! Yikes! But really, we didn't smell all that bad. Seriously.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
: downward, except for our spirits :
At 2:30 am, the dreaded headache returned, but not as severe. While one might think that this is a good sign, it in fact is not. The goal is to have the adverse symptoms gone completely, and then, you can ascend again. So, we had to make the decision to keep going down.
Mingma took us on a different route, past a 600 year old monastery and up along an insanely narrow ridge. I never knew I had a propensity for vertigo until today! We saw lots of yak, mountain goats and golden eagles. Our final stop for the night was a little town called Psortse, at about 13,000 feet. It is a small village and we stayed at the Namaste Lodge, owned by Lhakpa Dorje Sherpa and his family. Lhakpa had attempted a summit of Everest in 1983, and made summit in 1985. It was exciting to meet an actual sherpa who had been to the top!
In addition to the notoriety of their owner, they have the best Sherpa Stew and Rara Noodles, as the vegetables are all fresh from their garden – potatoes, carrots, parsley, cilantro. And fried potatoes too. Oh my gosh, my mouth is watering again!
Funny thing the menus and what they offer. On a menu at a teahouse, there are several things listed. For instance, at the Namaste Lodge, a room will cost you 200 rupees, or $3.00. A bowl of hot water for washing – 150 rupees. A beer? That will set you back 250 rupees. Yep, a beer will cost you more than a bed.
For our after dinner entertainment and completely random,, a couple of guys from an organization called Extreme Ice Survey came by to show everyone the work they had been doing with time lapse photography of the recession of the Khumba and Gorak Shep glaciers. We all sat around the warm stove and watched a slide presentation on their laptop. Totally unplanned and enjoyable!
And, Wally is feeling much better – not 100%, but getting close.
Quote of the day:
Bette: There’s only so many times you can spray yourself down with Lysol.
Mingma took us on a different route, past a 600 year old monastery and up along an insanely narrow ridge. I never knew I had a propensity for vertigo until today! We saw lots of yak, mountain goats and golden eagles. Our final stop for the night was a little town called Psortse, at about 13,000 feet. It is a small village and we stayed at the Namaste Lodge, owned by Lhakpa Dorje Sherpa and his family. Lhakpa had attempted a summit of Everest in 1983, and made summit in 1985. It was exciting to meet an actual sherpa who had been to the top!
In addition to the notoriety of their owner, they have the best Sherpa Stew and Rara Noodles, as the vegetables are all fresh from their garden – potatoes, carrots, parsley, cilantro. And fried potatoes too. Oh my gosh, my mouth is watering again!
Funny thing the menus and what they offer. On a menu at a teahouse, there are several things listed. For instance, at the Namaste Lodge, a room will cost you 200 rupees, or $3.00. A bowl of hot water for washing – 150 rupees. A beer? That will set you back 250 rupees. Yep, a beer will cost you more than a bed.
For our after dinner entertainment and completely random,, a couple of guys from an organization called Extreme Ice Survey came by to show everyone the work they had been doing with time lapse photography of the recession of the Khumba and Gorak Shep glaciers. We all sat around the warm stove and watched a slide presentation on their laptop. Totally unplanned and enjoyable!
And, Wally is feeling much better – not 100%, but getting close.
Quote of the day:
Bette: There’s only so many times you can spray yourself down with Lysol.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
: 15,252 :
Yesterday was day six of our trek, and day two of an acclimatization day in Dingboche. We took a small hike up to 15,252 feet which provided up close and personal views of Ama Dablam.
The conditions in this village are harsh. Everyone we encountered seemed sick with some sort of cold, and the general vibe is somewhat discouraging. Some climber (?) came in with a guide or porter, sat down and ate an enormous meal with a huge scowl on his face. We could only imagine that he must have missed his Everest summit bid. It didn’t seem appropriate to ask.
In the evening hours, we sat in the dining room and the owners lit a fire in a stove with yak dung and kerosene and everyone sits around reading or playing cards, mostly just staying warm.
Then, we went to bed. And then, Wally awoke around midnight with an excruciating headache – like something he had never experienced before. This was the beginnings of HACE, or high altitude cerebral edema. We had no choice but to descend first thing in the morning.
(To put how long it can take to acclimatize into perspective, climbers of Everest spend two months acclimatizing to the altitude. A person may or may not be affected, and can have symptoms despite never having problems in the past. Even if you spend more time in altitude, this does not reduce your risk of AMS. It's really the luck of the draw.)
It took us 2 ½ hours to get to Pangboche (1600 feet lower), and we decided to spend the night and see if the symptoms subsided. At this point, and after a couple of hours, Wally was feeling much better and we spent the day sitting around, drinking milk coffee, eating Tibetan Bread and talking to Mingma and Cyala. Wally showed them his book, Dark Summit, which is about the 2006 climbing season on Everest, while I decided that this would be the day I showed them the baby yeti picture. They had a good laugh about it, but sadly, they thought it was a dog! What does a sherpa know about the yeti anyway?
Mingma told us that when he was little, his parents warned that if he came across a yeti, he was to immediately build a fire, and the yeti would go away. Otherwise, the yeti would carry him away to a yeti cave. While there is something mildly romantic about being captured by a yeti, I have made sure that Wally has a book of matches and can quickly build a fire.
Dinner was more lively than usual. Wally and I read while the room slowly filled with the sound of various dialects and foreign words. But looking around, that is the only thing that separates us, this language barrier. Aside from that, we are all sunburned and clad in dusty trekking clothes.
Tomorrow morning, we hope for the best.
Song of the day: Something is not right with me – Cold War Kids
The conditions in this village are harsh. Everyone we encountered seemed sick with some sort of cold, and the general vibe is somewhat discouraging. Some climber (?) came in with a guide or porter, sat down and ate an enormous meal with a huge scowl on his face. We could only imagine that he must have missed his Everest summit bid. It didn’t seem appropriate to ask.
In the evening hours, we sat in the dining room and the owners lit a fire in a stove with yak dung and kerosene and everyone sits around reading or playing cards, mostly just staying warm.
Then, we went to bed. And then, Wally awoke around midnight with an excruciating headache – like something he had never experienced before. This was the beginnings of HACE, or high altitude cerebral edema. We had no choice but to descend first thing in the morning.
(To put how long it can take to acclimatize into perspective, climbers of Everest spend two months acclimatizing to the altitude. A person may or may not be affected, and can have symptoms despite never having problems in the past. Even if you spend more time in altitude, this does not reduce your risk of AMS. It's really the luck of the draw.)
It took us 2 ½ hours to get to Pangboche (1600 feet lower), and we decided to spend the night and see if the symptoms subsided. At this point, and after a couple of hours, Wally was feeling much better and we spent the day sitting around, drinking milk coffee, eating Tibetan Bread and talking to Mingma and Cyala. Wally showed them his book, Dark Summit, which is about the 2006 climbing season on Everest, while I decided that this would be the day I showed them the baby yeti picture. They had a good laugh about it, but sadly, they thought it was a dog! What does a sherpa know about the yeti anyway?
Mingma told us that when he was little, his parents warned that if he came across a yeti, he was to immediately build a fire, and the yeti would go away. Otherwise, the yeti would carry him away to a yeti cave. While there is something mildly romantic about being captured by a yeti, I have made sure that Wally has a book of matches and can quickly build a fire.
Dinner was more lively than usual. Wally and I read while the room slowly filled with the sound of various dialects and foreign words. But looking around, that is the only thing that separates us, this language barrier. Aside from that, we are all sunburned and clad in dusty trekking clothes.
Tomorrow morning, we hope for the best.
Song of the day: Something is not right with me – Cold War Kids
Sunday, May 16, 2010
: it’s getting colder :
Today was a day of extremes – we went from waking up to a beautiful rodendren garden to walking through a freezing cold wind above the tree line. We had a clear view of Everest and Ama Dablam the whole time, and saw yaks carrying supplies to Ama Dablam’s base camp.
A crazy little dog followed us for about an hour all the way to our final stop of the day, Dingboche. We were like, when is this little dog going to go home? But he just kept going and took us right to our teahouse. I wanted to let him stay with us but Wally wasn’t too keen on that, being that the little dog might have lice and all.
Dingboche is at 14,553 feet. Here we will spend tonight and tomorrow night as well. Wally is going to attempt to trade electrical tape for a battery recharge for our cameras and computer. Really, he could just use rupees, but how fun is that?
Quote of the day:
Wally: What more do you need than a room made of plywood?
Song of the day:
Everyone gets a star - Albert Hammond, Jr.
: say “yak cheese!” :
A long time ago, someone gave me a great camping tip. They said to keep your heated water bottle and clothing for the next day in your sleeping bag so that when you go to sleep, you are warm from the bottle, and when you wake up in the morning, your clothes for the day are warm as well.
This works fine, unless you have been eating lentil soup for four days straight. Then your clothes are odorous as well.
We left Namche Bazaar as incense burned outside the homes and the sound of chanting and music from the monastery could be heard throughout the valley.
Who said the hard stuff was behind us? Today we descended 1000 feet and then back up 2400 feet, our final destination being the Tengboche Monastery. On the way, we saw a stupa (a monument) for Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, who was the first sherpa to climb Everest and did so with Hillary.
This day was the first day we saw Everest! Seeing Everest for the first time was like seeing the Pyramids in Giza, or Machu Picchu. It is always humbling in a way to witness something greater than yourself.
We reached the Tengboche Monastery right before 3pm, so we had some peppermint tea, walked over to the monastery, removed our boots and took our place against the wall sitting Indian-style to witness a puja ceremony. The ceremony is done in the morning and late afternoon, and consists of monks chanting, monks drinking tea, and monks drumming. It is very long, and you cannot photograph the ceremony without special permission.
After this, we turned in at our teahouse – a really nice one considering everywhere else we have been so far – called Amadablam Lodge. Amadablam means mother (ama) and daughter (dablam) and is the name of a very popular mountain to climb and whose shadow the lodge is beneath.
When you go on these treks, you pretty much are at the mercy of whatever food sanitation exists. In most cases, it is pretty non-existent, and you just have to hope that your camp cook has at least washed his hands in the last four days.
So when we found out that we would be eating at our teahouse every night, we were like, awesome! Good, clean and sanitary kitchens!
Well, not so much. At dinner tonight, a girl walked into the room, proceeded to dig into her nose with her finger, fetch a sugar bowl and some spoons in a glass cup out of a cupboard, clean out the glass cup with her fingers, and offer it to Wally. As Wally reached for it, I was like, “Dude, you don’t want to do that”, and I quickly explained why since his back was to the whole thing.
I prayed that she wouldn’t bring out our dinner.
Quotes of the day:
Bette: At least you know you’re eating organic out here.
Wally: That stick on the ground is more sanitary than that spoon!
This works fine, unless you have been eating lentil soup for four days straight. Then your clothes are odorous as well.
We left Namche Bazaar as incense burned outside the homes and the sound of chanting and music from the monastery could be heard throughout the valley.
Who said the hard stuff was behind us? Today we descended 1000 feet and then back up 2400 feet, our final destination being the Tengboche Monastery. On the way, we saw a stupa (a monument) for Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, who was the first sherpa to climb Everest and did so with Hillary.
This day was the first day we saw Everest! Seeing Everest for the first time was like seeing the Pyramids in Giza, or Machu Picchu. It is always humbling in a way to witness something greater than yourself.
We reached the Tengboche Monastery right before 3pm, so we had some peppermint tea, walked over to the monastery, removed our boots and took our place against the wall sitting Indian-style to witness a puja ceremony. The ceremony is done in the morning and late afternoon, and consists of monks chanting, monks drinking tea, and monks drumming. It is very long, and you cannot photograph the ceremony without special permission.
After this, we turned in at our teahouse – a really nice one considering everywhere else we have been so far – called Amadablam Lodge. Amadablam means mother (ama) and daughter (dablam) and is the name of a very popular mountain to climb and whose shadow the lodge is beneath.
When you go on these treks, you pretty much are at the mercy of whatever food sanitation exists. In most cases, it is pretty non-existent, and you just have to hope that your camp cook has at least washed his hands in the last four days.
So when we found out that we would be eating at our teahouse every night, we were like, awesome! Good, clean and sanitary kitchens!
Well, not so much. At dinner tonight, a girl walked into the room, proceeded to dig into her nose with her finger, fetch a sugar bowl and some spoons in a glass cup out of a cupboard, clean out the glass cup with her fingers, and offer it to Wally. As Wally reached for it, I was like, “Dude, you don’t want to do that”, and I quickly explained why since his back was to the whole thing.
I prayed that she wouldn’t bring out our dinner.
Quotes of the day:
Bette: At least you know you’re eating organic out here.
Wally: That stick on the ground is more sanitary than that spoon!
: cold shower not available :
That is what the sign in the dining room of our teahouse states. I for one am very disappointed because that is exactly what I want. I guess I will just have to settle for a warm shower.
Today is a rest day, which is good, because we are somewhat wiped out from yesterday. We will only make a short hike to see a museum about the park.
Later…
So, the shower has turned out to be quite an adventure. Yes, the water was warm, but it was located in a dungeon. I may or may not be kidding. It was pretty scary, but we are clean. Good thing, because this will be the last shower we have for the next ten days. Thank goodness for baby wipes.
The sign has come down in the restaurant regarding the showers. I had taken a couple of pictures of it, and thought, well, maybe I offended them in some way by photographing their sign.
Wally thinks that they asked someone how to write “hot shower not available” and some smartass gave them the wrong information.
Today is a rest day, which is good, because we are somewhat wiped out from yesterday. We will only make a short hike to see a museum about the park.
Later…
So, the shower has turned out to be quite an adventure. Yes, the water was warm, but it was located in a dungeon. I may or may not be kidding. It was pretty scary, but we are clean. Good thing, because this will be the last shower we have for the next ten days. Thank goodness for baby wipes.
The sign has come down in the restaurant regarding the showers. I had taken a couple of pictures of it, and thought, well, maybe I offended them in some way by photographing their sign.
Wally thinks that they asked someone how to write “hot shower not available” and some smartass gave them the wrong information.
Friday, May 14, 2010
: bistari bistari (slowly slowly) :
Today was our hard slog from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (elevation 11,300 feet), gaining 2,400 feet in altitude. After lunch I decided to don my iPod (best song of the day – How to Disappear Completely – Radiohead) and pretend I was on a stairclimber – only to equate this to working out at home, I would have to put 15 pounds on my back and a plastic bag over my head. Wally on the other hand, was trekking along at a respectable pace ahead of me, but was feeling the affects of the altitude as well.
Hmmm, what happened today? Well, I almost got clunked in the head from an impromptu rockslide. Then Wally and I discussed aggressively about how to react if another one occurred. Then we saw a girl hiking in a push-up bra and a neon yellow dress. Then we saw some hippie hikers hiking in hemp shoes.
Then we followed behind about twelve or so donkeys carrying two-three propane tanks on their backs, uphill on a very unstable rocky pathway. While this provided us frequent rest stops, all we could imagine is one of those tanks falling off and exploding on us. Another aspect of following donkeys is that their waste is quite, um, liquid and plentiful, so you really need to watch every step you make.
It was a very dangerous day.
But very memorable as well. There is a peaceful happiness hearing the chiming bells of the pack animals and seeing prayer flags blowing softly in the wind.
We arrived in Namche after hiking for 5 ½ hours. This is a town that has its own helicopter pad for airlifting trekkers who have developed severe AMS (acute mountain sickness). Since we have arrived, there have been five helicopters. It is a town amenity that we would surely not want to utilize.
In the Himalayas, when you trek from town to town, you can stay very comfortably at a tea house. The accommodations are very rudimentary, but protected from the wind. There is a bed with a mattress and usually they will give you a blanket for extra warmth. You bring a sleeping bag. Then there are the squat toilets, sometimes en suite, but more likely shared and outdoors. Becoming reacquainted with squat toilets has been loads of fun, but I am thankful that I did loads of squats when training for this trek.
The views from our tea house accommodations are spectacular! A view like this in say, Colorado, would cost $500 a night, but here it’s more like 300 rupees, or $2. So maybe the squat toilets are worth it.
After we settled in, we went to the dining area and met a guy from North Carolina named Ari, who was on sabbatical from work and halfway through a grand tour that had started in January of this year, visiting China, Australia and New Zealand, and after Nepal, heading off to Egypt and Greece. After our travel talk, Wally and I ate dinner and watched wrestling on satellite TV with Ari, his guide, and Mingma. All I could think was, damn, back home Judge Judy would be on right now.
Tonight we will go to bed early and try to sleep late. Tomorrow is a rest day in Namche.
Quotes of the day:
Wally: Smells like donkey spirit.
Bette: Think I’ll treat myself to some new underwear today.
However for the record, neither of these statements were made in any relation to one another.
Hmmm, what happened today? Well, I almost got clunked in the head from an impromptu rockslide. Then Wally and I discussed aggressively about how to react if another one occurred. Then we saw a girl hiking in a push-up bra and a neon yellow dress. Then we saw some hippie hikers hiking in hemp shoes.
Then we followed behind about twelve or so donkeys carrying two-three propane tanks on their backs, uphill on a very unstable rocky pathway. While this provided us frequent rest stops, all we could imagine is one of those tanks falling off and exploding on us. Another aspect of following donkeys is that their waste is quite, um, liquid and plentiful, so you really need to watch every step you make.
It was a very dangerous day.
But very memorable as well. There is a peaceful happiness hearing the chiming bells of the pack animals and seeing prayer flags blowing softly in the wind.
We arrived in Namche after hiking for 5 ½ hours. This is a town that has its own helicopter pad for airlifting trekkers who have developed severe AMS (acute mountain sickness). Since we have arrived, there have been five helicopters. It is a town amenity that we would surely not want to utilize.
In the Himalayas, when you trek from town to town, you can stay very comfortably at a tea house. The accommodations are very rudimentary, but protected from the wind. There is a bed with a mattress and usually they will give you a blanket for extra warmth. You bring a sleeping bag. Then there are the squat toilets, sometimes en suite, but more likely shared and outdoors. Becoming reacquainted with squat toilets has been loads of fun, but I am thankful that I did loads of squats when training for this trek.
The views from our tea house accommodations are spectacular! A view like this in say, Colorado, would cost $500 a night, but here it’s more like 300 rupees, or $2. So maybe the squat toilets are worth it.
After we settled in, we went to the dining area and met a guy from North Carolina named Ari, who was on sabbatical from work and halfway through a grand tour that had started in January of this year, visiting China, Australia and New Zealand, and after Nepal, heading off to Egypt and Greece. After our travel talk, Wally and I ate dinner and watched wrestling on satellite TV with Ari, his guide, and Mingma. All I could think was, damn, back home Judge Judy would be on right now.
Tonight we will go to bed early and try to sleep late. Tomorrow is a rest day in Namche.
Quotes of the day:
Wally: Smells like donkey spirit.
Bette: Think I’ll treat myself to some new underwear today.
However for the record, neither of these statements were made in any relation to one another.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
: namaste! :
As I write this, the delirium that is jet-lag is causing surreal hallucinations. Or maybe it is that combined with the altitude.
We finally arrived in Kathmandu via Delhi yesterday and then flew into the mountain village of Lukla this morning. The days leading up to this have been unapologetically chaotic. The ash cloud affecting our flight from Chicago to Delhi. The news that our flight from Delhi to Kathmandu could not be honored since we were late (even though we were told by two different people that it could), and having to purchase a one-way ticket on a different airline. The insanity that is the Delhi airport. Considering ourselves seasoned travelers, we were totally at wits end with it all. I think we are ready for the Amazing Race. Seriously.
Last night we stayed at the Yak & Yeti Hotel, which is famous for something or other. It is old, musty and charming. The grounds are beautifully manicured and have amenities like clay tennis courts. Sadly, tennis rackets were not on our pack list. You have to love a place that has a happy hour pianist that plays Hotel California over and over again.
This morning we met our guide, Mingma Nuru Sherpa in the lobby and off we drove to the airport once again. I can say that I remained strangely calm, and somewhat excited, about the flight to Lukla. There are fourteen seats on the plane, and while I usually am balling my eyes out, this time I was not nervous at all. I just videotaped some of the flight, took pictures and kept reciting The Lord is my Shepard Prayer. It was awesome, and when we touched down, the plane lurched to a stop before it hit a stone wall at the end of the 165 foot runway. I was grinning ear to ear.
We had an easy hike today to the town of Phakding (about 8700 feet). Along the way, we saw hints of beautiful things to come. Occasionally a snow-cap mountain peaks out between the lower mountains. We drank about twenty cups of mint tea and had our first meal of Dal Baht, which is a lentil soup over rice, and vegetables. It is a great meal to have when you need energy. We need a lot of energy right now.
Will try to post up some photos soon - the internet is really slow and our rupees only go so far... xoxo
We finally arrived in Kathmandu via Delhi yesterday and then flew into the mountain village of Lukla this morning. The days leading up to this have been unapologetically chaotic. The ash cloud affecting our flight from Chicago to Delhi. The news that our flight from Delhi to Kathmandu could not be honored since we were late (even though we were told by two different people that it could), and having to purchase a one-way ticket on a different airline. The insanity that is the Delhi airport. Considering ourselves seasoned travelers, we were totally at wits end with it all. I think we are ready for the Amazing Race. Seriously.
Last night we stayed at the Yak & Yeti Hotel, which is famous for something or other. It is old, musty and charming. The grounds are beautifully manicured and have amenities like clay tennis courts. Sadly, tennis rackets were not on our pack list. You have to love a place that has a happy hour pianist that plays Hotel California over and over again.
This morning we met our guide, Mingma Nuru Sherpa in the lobby and off we drove to the airport once again. I can say that I remained strangely calm, and somewhat excited, about the flight to Lukla. There are fourteen seats on the plane, and while I usually am balling my eyes out, this time I was not nervous at all. I just videotaped some of the flight, took pictures and kept reciting The Lord is my Shepard Prayer. It was awesome, and when we touched down, the plane lurched to a stop before it hit a stone wall at the end of the 165 foot runway. I was grinning ear to ear.
We had an easy hike today to the town of Phakding (about 8700 feet). Along the way, we saw hints of beautiful things to come. Occasionally a snow-cap mountain peaks out between the lower mountains. We drank about twenty cups of mint tea and had our first meal of Dal Baht, which is a lentil soup over rice, and vegetables. It is a great meal to have when you need energy. We need a lot of energy right now.
Will try to post up some photos soon - the internet is really slow and our rupees only go so far... xoxo
Thursday, May 6, 2010
: green :
Believe it or not, we are pretty much packed! It seems fairly easy this time, considering we have so much of the gear already - we keep thinking we are missing something, but, nope, we've got everything we need!
One thing that has accompanied me to many places is my lucky green Patagonia underwear. They have been to Peru's Machu Picchu in 2003, the Kili summit in 2006, as well as various other mountain treks and adventures over the years. Yes, I have had them since 2003, but they have held up amazingly well. I almost took them back to Patagonia for recycling last year, but I ... just ... can't muster up the courage to do so!
I know, thanks for sharing, right?
One thing that has accompanied me to many places is my lucky green Patagonia underwear. They have been to Peru's Machu Picchu in 2003, the Kili summit in 2006, as well as various other mountain treks and adventures over the years. Yes, I have had them since 2003, but they have held up amazingly well. I almost took them back to Patagonia for recycling last year, but I ... just ... can't muster up the courage to do so!
I know, thanks for sharing, right?
I also have packed my matching green Patagonia hat, and my altimeter (which I lost one time on a trail in California, but then was recovered by some really nice tourists), and Skittles (I don't know why, but I crave them only while I am in the mountains). These are just a few things that are suspiciously superstitiously routine.
Some new items that will travel with us:
Some new items that will travel with us:
- strawberry-applesauce in a pouch (and peanut butter pouches, but we've brought those before)
- a SteriPEN
- an old photograph I found from 1933 that has a picture of a baby yeti - at least that's what I believe. I will have to enlist the help of expert Sherpas to confirm identification...
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