Somewhere but Nowhere: Nepal Awaits...

NEPAL

August 1^st – 11^th

On the flight to Nepal my face was glued to the window once I got a glimpse of the Himalayas. Arriving at the airport and getting our visas was fairly painless by filling out personal information on a computer that also conveniently snaps a headshot of you. Then pay for the visa at the desk and you are good to go! Wham Bam Boom. Welcome to NEPAL!

We grabbed a taxi from the airport to the tourist district of Kathmandu, Thamel, and were warmly welcomed at Elbrus Home (our hostel and a very HIGH recommendation for anyone to stay there). Already I felt the people in Nepal were more friendly and welcoming. We spent two days weaving in and out of the many shops and restaurants that Thamel has to offer and visited the World Heritage site of Durbar Square in downtown Kathmandu. I found the city a bit overwhelming but the food and atmosphere in Thamel was great. Momo (dumplings) are a must when in Nepal. They come either steamed or fried but personally I enjoyed the steamed Momo more. Mmmmm… Momo….

Fried Momo

After two days in Kathmandu we took a morning bus to Pokhara and arrived in the afternoon. Food and bathroom break every two hours… no problem compared to Uganda! Pokhara was more my style with smaller shops, wider streets, less crowded (mind you this is the off season). Unfortunately we never had a clear view of the Annapurna mountain range but the mountains around the lake are still a site to see. On the second day I rented a scooter for 6 bucks and vroomed around the rice paddies in Happy Village to watch the paragliders land then cruised around Pokhara town until I found my way back to the hotel. While I was scooting around Kristina, Kendra, and Sarah took a boat ride across the lake and climbed a steep ridge to get a closer look at the Peace Temple.

The following morning we woke up early, met our guide and porter (shared by Sarah, Kristina, and Kendra because I wanted to carry my own pack), and got in our landrover to start our three day trek just inside the Annapurna Mountain range. We drove to the mountains and wasted no time climbing. The path we were on was relatively new and used by locals. Lunch was eaten at a local teahouse and we were served rice, dal (lentil soup), potato curry, greens, and papad ( a thin crispy bread). We continued on for about three more hours and ended the first day by walking through a cloud. I remember distinctly the slippery stone steps underneath my feet and slowly climbing uphill. Through the mist you could see the silhouette of mules and hear the bells around their necks slowly clanking. With every step I felt more peace. It was quiet and we were unsure of how close we were to our destination which was just around the corner. First Day: 15 miles down. We enjoyed milk tea and selected our meals from a basic menu filled with decently tasting food. At one point in the evening the clouds broke apart and I was able to glimpse the snowcapped Annapurnas for a brief moment before they were swallowed up again. The first night we slept like rocks at Australia Camp (6529 feet) where we shared two rooms and were spoiled with our own private hot showers and toilets.

Dal, Potato curry, greens, rice, papad

In the morning after a breakfast of Tibetan bread and oatmeal we headed on a steep path downhill towards a main road. At the road Kristina decided that hiking was not her thing so she took a vehicle back to town to get some R&R while Kendra, Sarah, and I continued with our guide and porter. I admire her for trying when she had doubts from the beginning but she gave it a try and kept up the whole time she was with us! I’m proud of her J Once Kristina left…we climbed. And we climbed. And we climbed some more. The path was an obstacle course set with slippery stone staircases. We passed through a few small villages tucked into the mountains. Every village seemed to be well equipped with running water, electricity, and beautifully maintained rice paddies. Around 3 in the afternoon we reached our home stay. For lunch we enjoyed the traditional meal of rice, dal, greens, and papad with a cup of the most deliciously spiced milk tea I have tasted thus far in my short lifetime. Proceeding lunch while Kendra and Sarah settled into our damp clay room I took a stroll downhill and found a nice nook in the wall to sit and enjoy where I was. Silence. I wanted peace and quiet and I found exactly what I was looking for. Take me back anytime.

Home stay night 2

Our home stay experience

Village in the Himalayas

Our final and last day was the most treacherous with a decent on slippery stone steps with slinking leaches spread throughout the path. Every step had to be thought out carefully and you had to make sure to go at your own pace. Step…. Step…… Step…. For four hours we climbed down one staircase, climbed up another, then back down, hopped on stones to get across a small river, back up another staircase, down a road full of rubble. Sarah hurt her knee after an hour and I was thankful I packed an ace wrap for the trip. The leaches were reaching out for our shoes and climbing to the inside of our shoes. I kept my pants tucked into my socks for the day but still managed to have a leach attach itself to me through my sock. Blood sucker got me on my ankle. I suppose it was bound to happen at least once. Needless to say when we reached the road at the bottom we were happy… even happier when we finished our flat 1 mile hike to the other side of the river where the bus to Pokhara was waiting. By the end of three days I was sore but I wish I could have spent more time in the mountains.

Next time I could go for a 10 – 14 day hike with more preparation. We had no idea what to expect for weather or what to bring and what not to bring but now I have a slight idea for next time J It was highly enjoyable and I cannot wait until I get back in the Himalayas!

We spent the next day in Pokhara relaxing then the following day Sarah, Kendra, and I signed up to go paragliding. Although it was the rainy season and the Annapurna Mountain range was still covered the view was beautiful! We drove up to the top of a hill overlooking Pokhara, met our paragliding pilots, and literally ran off the side of a hill. It was just like flying! You fly around until you find a pocket of warm air to lift you further into the sky. Very different from skydiving. Paragliding = free flying. Skydiving = free falling. I enjoyed the times I’ve been skydiving but there is something about paragliding that attracts me more… it’s relaxing and fascinating the way it all works. I am also HIGHLY recommending paragliding in Pokhara. The cost was $80 for a 30- 40 minute flight and longer options available for reasonable prices. If I make it back to Nepal and have time to spare I wouldn’t mind taking lessons.

Sarah in the air!

Kendra and I before take off!

After Pokhara we took a bus back to Kathmandu and spent our last day visiting the Monkey Temple! Nice view of Kathmandu and tons of monkeys to watch… who would have guessed?

How do I sum up Nepal? I wish I had more time to see Nepal and what it has to offer. The street dogs seemed healthy and well respected. The power was a bit more inconstant than Uganda (surprisingly). I could not even imagine how gorgeous the view is without all of the clouds. The people are extremely friendly and welcoming. I found pretzels in a supermarket! Food and accommodation is relatively inexpensive. There are hundreds of options for trekking (where, how long). Pokhara is one of the best places to paraglide.

Due to lack of time I had to sit on a computer while traveling I wrote this blog a week after leaving Nepal so some of the unimportant events in my head have gotten fuzzy… but I miss Nepal. The experiences that meant something to me are still extremely vivid and I will carry those with me until someone asks me to tell a story about my adventures in Nepal. I will go back. The Himalayas will be calling my name in the back of my mind until I am able to make it back again…