I’m sitting at the Kathmandu domestic airport, waiting for the plane to start boarding. It’s Friday the 13th and I’m feeling apprehensive about our flight. If this blog is posted, you’ll know I’m still alive.
^^That was a joke. Kind of.
Omg, LOL. Some Indian people just came to talk to me. It was funny, but I’ve gotten used to speaking simple English so that people can understand me. I’ve even bought a ‘Himalayan Travellers Phrase book’ to assist communication.
* * * * * * * * * *
Well I survived the plane ride today, Black Friday. And now we’re in Phaplu, despite a delay due to fog. This part of Nepal is kind of like New Zealand; there are open fields which are fun to explore (especially for six year old boys), lots of trees, clean fresh air, and green mountains all around, not to mention unpredictable weather!
The hotel/lodge is really nice. At least, much nicer than I expected: it has a flush toilet and shower. You don’t see that much here.
As I write, Tama and the boys are outside making stairwells up a steep bank. If the weather doesn’t pack in soon, I might go help them.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Well we’re nearing the end of our first night trekking, or at least in the mountains. I’m seriously tired and it’s only 8 o’clock. Well better finish up, Tama’s almost in bed. Tomorrow we’re going to a bazaar.
* * * * * * * *
Well yesterday was our first proper day trekking, and tomorrow is our second. Today was a rest day in Junbesi. At nine o’clock, we set out for a really old Gompa, which is kind of like a Buddhist church, but smaller. It was really old: about 350 years !
After that we went to Prok which is newer, and on top of a cliff. You have to walk up some ridiculously steep stairs to get to it. It was quite cool, because when we got there, a very nice monk climbed up the wall to let us in from the courtyard.
Then we came back to the lodge for a lunch of chips, beans, and soggy sandwiches (which I didn’t eat). Then we played board games etc. to keep us occupied. Gotta run; I have small boys to terrorize. =]
* * * * * * * * * *
Today was our second proper day trekking; we were about nine hours on the road. Despite this, I can only remember the last hour or so of it.
That last hour or so was very…eventful.
So just before we got to the pass where we drop over to Taksindu where we’re staying, it started raining. Guthrie was with me, because he was carrying my pack, and generally being my slave. His pole had broken, so we’d stopped while Poppa fixed it.
Then there was a flash of red tinted lightning, which Guthrie thought was a camera flash. Suddenly there was an immensely loud thunder clap, at which point Guthrie burst into hysterics.
It took him about 30 minutes to calm down enough to make the short trip to Taksindu, and even then, he was so paranoid, he practically ran down the hill to escape the ‘danger’.
* * * * * * * * * *
Well, Guthrie is still worried about lightning, and almost cried at lunchtime because of it.
In more interesting news… I had my blood sucked by a leech!! Luckily Mingma (one of the sherpas) flicked it of before it could inject anti-coagulant into me. Keir, Bede and Guthrie’s mum Caitlin wasn’t quite as lucky; she got sucked twice, and both bled profusely.
Apart from that, today was uneventful ;)
* * * * * * * * * *
Two days since I’ve written, and both treks I’ve been first to the lodge! The loge yesterday was really nice, and even had a warm shower which was really nice. I had trouble waking up this morning I was so tired.
I thought I was lost today, because it was getting towards lunchtime and I hadn’t seen where we were eating yet, and I hadn’t seen anyone on the trail for a while either behind or in front of me.
Turns out, Caitlin and the boys were just far ahead of me, and the others had stopped for soup about an hour behind me.
Now I’m saving this onto my USB stick so I can take it up to Lukla to post it.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Um, yeah. I couldn’t really be bothered taking the USB stick up to Lukla, but now I’m in Namche, and there’s internet here. It’s my grandma’s birthday tomorrow, and I still haven’t got her a present! I need to do some shopping…
^^That was a joke. Kind of.
Omg, LOL. Some Indian people just came to talk to me. It was funny, but I’ve gotten used to speaking simple English so that people can understand me. I’ve even bought a ‘Himalayan Travellers Phrase book’ to assist communication.
* * * * * * * * * *
Well I survived the plane ride today, Black Friday. And now we’re in Phaplu, despite a delay due to fog. This part of Nepal is kind of like New Zealand; there are open fields which are fun to explore (especially for six year old boys), lots of trees, clean fresh air, and green mountains all around, not to mention unpredictable weather!
The hotel/lodge is really nice. At least, much nicer than I expected: it has a flush toilet and shower. You don’t see that much here.
As I write, Tama and the boys are outside making stairwells up a steep bank. If the weather doesn’t pack in soon, I might go help them.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Well we’re nearing the end of our first night trekking, or at least in the mountains. I’m seriously tired and it’s only 8 o’clock. Well better finish up, Tama’s almost in bed. Tomorrow we’re going to a bazaar.
* * * * * * * *
Well yesterday was our first proper day trekking, and tomorrow is our second. Today was a rest day in Junbesi. At nine o’clock, we set out for a really old Gompa, which is kind of like a Buddhist church, but smaller. It was really old: about 350 years !
After that we went to Prok which is newer, and on top of a cliff. You have to walk up some ridiculously steep stairs to get to it. It was quite cool, because when we got there, a very nice monk climbed up the wall to let us in from the courtyard.
Then we came back to the lodge for a lunch of chips, beans, and soggy sandwiches (which I didn’t eat). Then we played board games etc. to keep us occupied. Gotta run; I have small boys to terrorize. =]
* * * * * * * * * *
Today was our second proper day trekking; we were about nine hours on the road. Despite this, I can only remember the last hour or so of it.
That last hour or so was very…eventful.
So just before we got to the pass where we drop over to Taksindu where we’re staying, it started raining. Guthrie was with me, because he was carrying my pack, and generally being my slave. His pole had broken, so we’d stopped while Poppa fixed it.
Then there was a flash of red tinted lightning, which Guthrie thought was a camera flash. Suddenly there was an immensely loud thunder clap, at which point Guthrie burst into hysterics.
It took him about 30 minutes to calm down enough to make the short trip to Taksindu, and even then, he was so paranoid, he practically ran down the hill to escape the ‘danger’.
* * * * * * * * * *
Well, Guthrie is still worried about lightning, and almost cried at lunchtime because of it.
In more interesting news… I had my blood sucked by a leech!! Luckily Mingma (one of the sherpas) flicked it of before it could inject anti-coagulant into me. Keir, Bede and Guthrie’s mum Caitlin wasn’t quite as lucky; she got sucked twice, and both bled profusely.
Apart from that, today was uneventful ;)
* * * * * * * * * *
Two days since I’ve written, and both treks I’ve been first to the lodge! The loge yesterday was really nice, and even had a warm shower which was really nice. I had trouble waking up this morning I was so tired.
I thought I was lost today, because it was getting towards lunchtime and I hadn’t seen where we were eating yet, and I hadn’t seen anyone on the trail for a while either behind or in front of me.
Turns out, Caitlin and the boys were just far ahead of me, and the others had stopped for soup about an hour behind me.
Now I’m saving this onto my USB stick so I can take it up to Lukla to post it.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Um, yeah. I couldn’t really be bothered taking the USB stick up to Lukla, but now I’m in Namche, and there’s internet here. It’s my grandma’s birthday tomorrow, and I still haven’t got her a present! I need to do some shopping…
Hey Hine,
ReplyDeleteGlad the leeches didn't get you. Sorry to hear Guthrie was so freaked by the lightening, I LOVE it my most fun thing and we only had a little bit this summer.
Missed all the leeches on our holiday too, so keen to hear about it when you get back.
DM