On Route

The night before we left for trekking, I took on Thamel, Katmandu by myself. After wandering into an internet cafe and outfitter's shop, I couldn't find a cab back to the hotel. The streets filled with crowds of people and some roads had been blocked off. I figured that if I walked in the same direction, I would eventually find a major street with an empty cab. No such luck. I followed crowds through small winding streets; poor elderly woman sat on the stoop outside their one room homes, holding babies in their laps. Women were shouting from above and chickens clucked in their noisy cages. Finally, I wound up in a smaller square with a big stupa, similar to that of Bodnath (white domed, a gold crown, and blue painted eyes). Finally, I hailed a rickshaw and bumped along the cobblestoned road all the way home.

We left Katmandu for Lukla at 5 in the morning on a 16 person plane. Albert (the Georgian guide), Albert (DC lawyer client), David Mink (our family friend), Dad, and I braced ourselves for the landing, onto a 400 foot square landing strip. At the end of the runway, there was a deathly cliff and 700 foot-drop valley. No wonder is considered the second most dangerous airport in the world,; the first, I don't know. We started trekking... through smaller Sherpa villages of Pakding, Monju, and Jorsale. Along the way, we pass herds of tso (mix of cow and yak). Sherpas hurry past us with 100 pound packs of rice and lentils for their families, as well as beer, bottled water, and camping equipment for buying tourists. The people are all so friendly; they smile as they pass us with a "namaste!" Right now, we are in Namche Bazar at 11350 feet, where we will be staying to acclimitize. Everyone is dong well: Dad is moving along the trail without any problems, and the altitude has not posed a problem for anyone in our group. Tomorrow, we will continue up towards Periche.

Katmandu

I don't know what I expected to see in Katmandu; I was pretty ignorant of the cultures and art. As soon as we left the airport, one could see all of the Indian, Chinese, and Tibetan influences. As intermediary country between India and China, many people found Nepal to be a safe haven and stayed. So, there isn't a distinct culture; but instead, there are peaceful collections of Buddhists, Hindus, and Sikkhs, and faces that resemble those of the Middle
East, India, and Mongolia. Even the dress: some are fully westernized, and others are in saris, traditional dress. Vendors mostly cater to visiting climbers and tourists: knock-off North Face, Tibetan carpets, jewelry made of silver or precious gems, prayer flags, incense, and spices. Native music from mini guitars sounds the streets and the smell of incense fills the air.

Today, we went to Bhaktapur, a crematoria area. A few hours after one is dead, Buddhists and Hindus alike are taken to this riverside city and burned on a pile of dry wood. Heated to 700 degrees, the body is turned into ash in a matter of hours, and dumped in the running river. Everyone prays that the soul achieves nirvana in their own way. Family members gather and dump marigolds into the river, widows head into a year of morning in the adjacent temple, and priests rub the ashes all over their skin.

Next, we ventured to the holiest temple inNepal, Bodnath. A white stuck dome is the foundation of the golden stupa, painted with blue eyes and decorated with thousands of prayer flags. Priests light candles and burn incense. Young men where repainting the stupa with gold paint, so that the dome would resemble a lotus flower. We ate lunch at a rooftop restaurant, overlooking the temple, priests, and local merchants. What a view!

Finally, we stopped by a carpet factory. It was fascinating to see the creation of these silk and wool tapestries. I bought some Tibetan lamb's wool to take home. So now, we are all resting up before dinner, when we meet our official trekking guide, Albert. We fly to Lukla tomorrow, and begin the hike to Basecamp. Here we go....