Everest was incredible.
Immense thank yous to my friend Surya Shrestha and Babu Gurung of Asian Journeys (www.nepalmountaintrek.com) for letting me join their Everest trek with one and a half day's notice, and leading an amazing trip.
And a huge thank you to Jwalant Gurung of Grand Asian Journeys (grandasianjourneys.com) for lending me the equipment necessary to make my way through the foothills of the Himalayas.
And, lastly, to my lovely travel companions from Norway.
HIGHLIGHTS
VIEWS
The views were incredible. We didn't actually go all the way to Base Camp, or even Kala Pattar (known for its 360 degree view of the mountains), but the views from Dingboche were astounding. Pictures to follow :)
GENERAL TREKKING CONDITIONS
The trekking was good - perfect weather, the end of the season meant that the amount of trekkers was tapering, so we got most of the lodges and trails to ourselves.
DANCE OFF
In Tengboche, a Pakistani trekker that my group met challenged me to a bhangra dance off. It was followed by a cultural show by all the visitors at the lodge and included a Norwegian ballad, traditional Norwegian, Nepali, and Masai dancing, and a touch of Rapper's Delight.
APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF AMERICA BASHING
I've found during my international travels of the past decade that it is not generally prudent to advertise being from America. I just never really understood the need to deck out in American flag headbands and sew red, white, and blue flag patches on my trekking gear. However, with the election of Obama, and my recent travels to various countries in Africa, I have become, dare I say, proud to be an American...however, I was still subject to an appropriate amount of American bashing from afar in the dining halls of my lodge in Namche Bazaar, which I chose to ignore as I opted for Thich Nhat Hahn's The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching instead. It was an odd juxtaposition for sure.
RECONNECTING
16 years ago, my stepdad and mom got married in the monastery in Tengboche in the Everest Region. I was eight years old at the time - my second trip to Nepal, and the first night we stayed in what was then a small village called Phakding. I started playing with the daughter of the lodge owner, and after an hour or so, we disappeared into the night to deliver milk, drink tea, and sit by the fires of neighbors in the town. Last year, my mom and I visited Phakding again and managed to find the same lodge, even though it had been 15 years, and the area had become quite developed and, thus, unrecognizable. We found the lodge owner, who remembered us :), but her daughter was studying in Kathmandu. I decided to try again this year. I found the lodge and my old friend, Chirring, was playing with her one year old daughter in the middle of the dining room. We had tea, talked, and listened to a mix of Kanye and traditional Nepali songs. I have to admit I didn't even really remember what she had looked like, but as we sat together, her personality began to show itself and I remembered...she had been a few months older, and appropriately bossy for the age gap. She was knowledgable and sure of herself, but also hospitable and welcoming in a matter of fact way.
BAR NIGHT IN NAMCHE
Turns out the oldest bar in Namche Bazaar, at 3440 meters, is called Cafe Danphe's and is run by a Sherpa and Nepali/Tibetan couple. The wife used to live in Woodside, Queens, home to Adhikaar - one my favorite NGOs that works with Nepalis. I used to work for them too co-facitiliating a youth performance arts program. (They are also having their annual fundraiser tomorrow - so check it if you can - www.adhikaar.org.) Cafe Danphe's had some great khukuri rum, a wonderful atmosphere, and delicious and copious amounts of popcorn - definite trail recommendation.
PO-MO ROCK DANCING
I had a free day in Namche, and decided to spend it using up the last of my camera battery filming vignettes of dances on the rocks in the hillside above Namche. A family who thought I was emotionally disturbed invited me to Khumjung to see the festival with them, but after some uncomfortable touching by the (seemingly drunk) uncle of the family opted to continue my crazy-lady dancing. Videos will be posted shortly on a joint blog with a friend studying dance theater in London.
EVEREST MARATHON
I decided to stay for the Everest Marathon to see the winners cross the finish line. I have had some weird obsession with the marathon since hearing about it a year and a half ago. I ended up staying in Namche until about 11 am to see the first three people cross the finish line (all Nepalis), the first female cross the finish line (the fourth person, and apparently an internationally known runner because she was clearly NOT Nepali), and the winner of the half marathon. If I ever get crazy motivated, I'm putting the Everest half marathon on my bucket list.
TREKKING BY MYSELF
My trekking group had gone ahead so that I could stay in Namche to visit with other friends who were trekking the same route and to see the Everest marathon, so the final day I trekked Namche to Lukla (17 km, the guides said, or 5 hours Nepali time and 7 hours foreigner time) in 5 hours. It was incredible. I literally ran down the first 30 mins to the river, and then sang every Broadway song I ever learned as I booked it to Lukla, clocking in at 5 hours with a 20 minute tea break in Phakding.
Immense thank yous to my friend Surya Shrestha and Babu Gurung of Asian Journeys (www.nepalmountaintrek.com) for letting me join their Everest trek with one and a half day's notice, and leading an amazing trip.
And a huge thank you to Jwalant Gurung of Grand Asian Journeys (grandasianjourneys.com) for lending me the equipment necessary to make my way through the foothills of the Himalayas.
And, lastly, to my lovely travel companions from Norway.
HIGHLIGHTS
VIEWS
The views were incredible. We didn't actually go all the way to Base Camp, or even Kala Pattar (known for its 360 degree view of the mountains), but the views from Dingboche were astounding. Pictures to follow :)
GENERAL TREKKING CONDITIONS
The trekking was good - perfect weather, the end of the season meant that the amount of trekkers was tapering, so we got most of the lodges and trails to ourselves.
DANCE OFF
In Tengboche, a Pakistani trekker that my group met challenged me to a bhangra dance off. It was followed by a cultural show by all the visitors at the lodge and included a Norwegian ballad, traditional Norwegian, Nepali, and Masai dancing, and a touch of Rapper's Delight.
APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF AMERICA BASHING
I've found during my international travels of the past decade that it is not generally prudent to advertise being from America. I just never really understood the need to deck out in American flag headbands and sew red, white, and blue flag patches on my trekking gear. However, with the election of Obama, and my recent travels to various countries in Africa, I have become, dare I say, proud to be an American...however, I was still subject to an appropriate amount of American bashing from afar in the dining halls of my lodge in Namche Bazaar, which I chose to ignore as I opted for Thich Nhat Hahn's The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching instead. It was an odd juxtaposition for sure.
RECONNECTING
16 years ago, my stepdad and mom got married in the monastery in Tengboche in the Everest Region. I was eight years old at the time - my second trip to Nepal, and the first night we stayed in what was then a small village called Phakding. I started playing with the daughter of the lodge owner, and after an hour or so, we disappeared into the night to deliver milk, drink tea, and sit by the fires of neighbors in the town. Last year, my mom and I visited Phakding again and managed to find the same lodge, even though it had been 15 years, and the area had become quite developed and, thus, unrecognizable. We found the lodge owner, who remembered us :), but her daughter was studying in Kathmandu. I decided to try again this year. I found the lodge and my old friend, Chirring, was playing with her one year old daughter in the middle of the dining room. We had tea, talked, and listened to a mix of Kanye and traditional Nepali songs. I have to admit I didn't even really remember what she had looked like, but as we sat together, her personality began to show itself and I remembered...she had been a few months older, and appropriately bossy for the age gap. She was knowledgable and sure of herself, but also hospitable and welcoming in a matter of fact way.
BAR NIGHT IN NAMCHE
Turns out the oldest bar in Namche Bazaar, at 3440 meters, is called Cafe Danphe's and is run by a Sherpa and Nepali/Tibetan couple. The wife used to live in Woodside, Queens, home to Adhikaar - one my favorite NGOs that works with Nepalis. I used to work for them too co-facitiliating a youth performance arts program. (They are also having their annual fundraiser tomorrow - so check it if you can - www.adhikaar.org.) Cafe Danphe's had some great khukuri rum, a wonderful atmosphere, and delicious and copious amounts of popcorn - definite trail recommendation.
PO-MO ROCK DANCING
I had a free day in Namche, and decided to spend it using up the last of my camera battery filming vignettes of dances on the rocks in the hillside above Namche. A family who thought I was emotionally disturbed invited me to Khumjung to see the festival with them, but after some uncomfortable touching by the (seemingly drunk) uncle of the family opted to continue my crazy-lady dancing. Videos will be posted shortly on a joint blog with a friend studying dance theater in London.
EVEREST MARATHON
I decided to stay for the Everest Marathon to see the winners cross the finish line. I have had some weird obsession with the marathon since hearing about it a year and a half ago. I ended up staying in Namche until about 11 am to see the first three people cross the finish line (all Nepalis), the first female cross the finish line (the fourth person, and apparently an internationally known runner because she was clearly NOT Nepali), and the winner of the half marathon. If I ever get crazy motivated, I'm putting the Everest half marathon on my bucket list.
TREKKING BY MYSELF
My trekking group had gone ahead so that I could stay in Namche to visit with other friends who were trekking the same route and to see the Everest marathon, so the final day I trekked Namche to Lukla (17 km, the guides said, or 5 hours Nepali time and 7 hours foreigner time) in 5 hours. It was incredible. I literally ran down the first 30 mins to the river, and then sang every Broadway song I ever learned as I booked it to Lukla, clocking in at 5 hours with a 20 minute tea break in Phakding.
