I arrived in Kathmandu on March 8th, in good company with Austen, Shaun & Richard, also crew members on other boats from Indian Ocean passage. As I stepped off the plane onto Nepali tarmac I was immediately overcome with a sense of gratitude and reassurance-- this is exactly where I should be and I think this is my most favorite place in the world so far! Mega mountains, Hindus, Buddhists, textiles, saris, sacred cows, garbage everywhere on the streets, human defecation on the sidewalk, hippies, cheap outdoor gear, sadhus.... Kathmandu is a chaotic mix of the nasties of a developing country, yet all things meditative, geographically-magnificent, enlightening, and mind-expanding. Hindu and Buddhist shrines around every corner, well attended with floral and rice offerings and fresh powdered paint dabbed on the 3rd eye center of deity statues. Dirty hungry dogs and chickens and cows laying in piles of garbage next to said shrines. Chai tea stands and fried something-or-others for your snacky fancy! There are no traffic lights and there is a steady flow of horns to match. A German I met on the trail describes the honking as "a form of violence". It is really overwhelming sometimes. One day while crossing a bridge over a garbage filled river, there bellow the metal grates of my feet lay a rotting buffalo corpse! The stench was overwhelming. Eyes forward... walk on. Indeed, this city is not for the easily flustered or those quick to gag on putrid smell.
Austen, Shaun and Richard are really good company. All hansom and hilarious! Austen, 22, from Bainbridge Island WA, has an awkward, in your face, sense of humor on par with mine and grew up talking about his feelings amongst hippy family members and summer camps. Richard, also 22, from the UK has a stunning burley man beard... the first in his early beard career and is very proud of it! He's tall and lanky and is modest with his intelligence, a quality I find really endearing. Shaun, 30, from Austen Texas is nicknamed 'Ol Boy Boots by Austen and me and has been traveling for I think 3 years. He's quick to make friends on the trail with his charm and heady accounts of adventure and outdoorsmanship.
After a couple of nights in the city, we left for a trek in the Langtang National Forrest. The bus ride to Syabrubesi, where the trail begins is an experience that will stand out for the rest of my life! A small unpaved, winding road full of pot holes and winds around steep cliff sides. It took almost 10 hours to travel just over 74 miles. Me and my boys rode in the back. I was thankful to be cramped shoulder to shoulder as it wedged you in place so you at least didn't fly out of your seat with every bounce of the bus (every other minute!) About half way through the ride we decided to join the locals on top of the bus. "At least if the bus falls of the cliff you can jump off and might survive!" Someone said up top. Although a bit horrifying as you stare down at the tires, on edge of plummeting cliff sides, the views were spectacular and the dusty "fresh" air is a welcome exchange for the puke wafting around inside the bus below! Terraced farms textured the mountain sides and each new turn revealed views of the Langtang region ahead, covered in snow. Every now and then you might get a branch or wire in the face. Every now and then exchanging awkward looks with a Nepali up top. They sort of look at you like "you're not supposed to be up here...."
I was little worried about keeping up with these boys and their man-thighs during the hike. I came down with food poisoning after our first night on the trail. Austin was ill too and we walked together for a bit, stopping to puke in unison-- a heartfelt moment. Hiking up steep trails while you're nauseous is not my cup of tea! I decided to stop for the day after about a 3 walk and Austin continued on to meet the others. I assured him he didn't need to feel bad about leaving me (as it turned out the others gave him a hard time though!). The tea house we had reached at that point was so peaceful with a fresh glacier stream bubbling through the center and I knew the Nepali mama there would nurse me back to health. The trails in Langtang are well traversed with other hikers and locals carrying up goods to tea houses (guest houses), so for the most part, its safe to tread alone. After about 12 hours sleep, with a short soup intermission, I felt fit the next day to hike on. Two nice Belgians accompanied me at first- Peter (Son) and Benny (Father).
Over the course of the next couple of days I stayed at the same tea houses as Peter and Benny, enjoying their company at night and then hiking alone through part of the day. It was actually really enjoyable hiking alone. Rhododendrons were on the verge of bloom and fresh lilac perfumed the air. The trail follows a river, littered with massive, silken boulders. Crystal blue glacier water pounds its way around the boulders and makes for a nice soundtrack. Knitting during my breaks attracted the attention of the local women the whole way up and then they'd notice my rats nest of a hairdoo and help me comb my hair. Really sweet.
Back In Kathmandu, I decide to stay at a yoga ashram, Ananda, and the boys move on to Pokhara. The schedule at Ananda is as follows:
- 6:00 morning walk through local village or mantra chanting
- 7:00 Shatkarma (yogic cleansing)
- 7:30 asanas (yogic postures)
- 8:30 breakfast
- 11:30 Pranayama, meditation and yogic discussion
- 1:00pm. lunch
- 2:00 personal time (stroll, study, bath)
- 3:00 yoga nidra (psychic sleep)
- 4:30 asanas (yogic postures)
- 6:00 dinner
- 7:00 kirtan/bhajan (chanting with music)
- 8:00 retiring (quite time)
Shatkarma (yogic cleansing) involves pouring warm salt water through one nostril, out the other followed by blowing the snot and water out of your nose in unison with others. This might be one of my favorite parts of the day :) Yoga Nidra is also lovely-- a guided mediation while you lay in savasana, full of imagery and imagination. "Your standing by a river....." -- that sort of thing! The main leader at Ananda is Shivgiri and to be honest, he kind of gets on my nerves! He's perpetually smiling and throws his head back in laughter at the slightest sound of his own humor. During one of the "meditation and yogic discussions" he mentions that he's always happy. "Do you ever force your happiness or smiles?" I ask? No, he says and I don't believe him and am further annoyed. I decide the best way to settle any annoyance I have with him (which by the way, as NOTHING to do with him and EVERYTHING to do with me!) is via a game of Chess. He beats me and then there's a softer spot in my heart for him. His daughter, Ganga, teaches the yoga classes and is beautiful and strong and dedicated. The yoga classes lack a little bit of detail in instruction but I realize, at home, I'm used to having the instruction handed to me on a silver platter. Westerners demand more "hand holding" I think, otherwise a yoga studio would go out of business. Rightfully so, because you can really hurt yourself if you just blindly jump into positions. Ganga helps me achieve some balancing poses I never mastered at home and a headstand and in the end I leave with a sore back. I love the kirtan/bhajan (chanting with music) in the morning and night. Kids and men from the village join and sing and play the drums and the men have velvety voices that make me melt against the backdrop of the harmonium. One boy in particular, maybe 8 or 9, flings out drum beats from his tiny hands that DJ Shadow would kill to sample. I wished I would have sampled them!
Back in Kathmandu now, killing time until Jon arrives on the 16th. Really excited as we haven't seen each other since November! Thank god for skype! This weekend I'll go to Baktipur with a new friend, Raju. Apparently you can see Everest in the distance from there! I'll return early next week to work with a local silversmith for 5 days. Over and Out.
Austen, Shaun and Richard are really good company. All hansom and hilarious! Austen, 22, from Bainbridge Island WA, has an awkward, in your face, sense of humor on par with mine and grew up talking about his feelings amongst hippy family members and summer camps. Richard, also 22, from the UK has a stunning burley man beard... the first in his early beard career and is very proud of it! He's tall and lanky and is modest with his intelligence, a quality I find really endearing. Shaun, 30, from Austen Texas is nicknamed 'Ol Boy Boots by Austen and me and has been traveling for I think 3 years. He's quick to make friends on the trail with his charm and heady accounts of adventure and outdoorsmanship.
After a couple of nights in the city, we left for a trek in the Langtang National Forrest. The bus ride to Syabrubesi, where the trail begins is an experience that will stand out for the rest of my life! A small unpaved, winding road full of pot holes and winds around steep cliff sides. It took almost 10 hours to travel just over 74 miles. Me and my boys rode in the back. I was thankful to be cramped shoulder to shoulder as it wedged you in place so you at least didn't fly out of your seat with every bounce of the bus (every other minute!) About half way through the ride we decided to join the locals on top of the bus. "At least if the bus falls of the cliff you can jump off and might survive!" Someone said up top. Although a bit horrifying as you stare down at the tires, on edge of plummeting cliff sides, the views were spectacular and the dusty "fresh" air is a welcome exchange for the puke wafting around inside the bus below! Terraced farms textured the mountain sides and each new turn revealed views of the Langtang region ahead, covered in snow. Every now and then you might get a branch or wire in the face. Every now and then exchanging awkward looks with a Nepali up top. They sort of look at you like "you're not supposed to be up here...."
I was little worried about keeping up with these boys and their man-thighs during the hike. I came down with food poisoning after our first night on the trail. Austin was ill too and we walked together for a bit, stopping to puke in unison-- a heartfelt moment. Hiking up steep trails while you're nauseous is not my cup of tea! I decided to stop for the day after about a 3 walk and Austin continued on to meet the others. I assured him he didn't need to feel bad about leaving me (as it turned out the others gave him a hard time though!). The tea house we had reached at that point was so peaceful with a fresh glacier stream bubbling through the center and I knew the Nepali mama there would nurse me back to health. The trails in Langtang are well traversed with other hikers and locals carrying up goods to tea houses (guest houses), so for the most part, its safe to tread alone. After about 12 hours sleep, with a short soup intermission, I felt fit the next day to hike on. Two nice Belgians accompanied me at first- Peter (Son) and Benny (Father).
Over the course of the next couple of days I stayed at the same tea houses as Peter and Benny, enjoying their company at night and then hiking alone through part of the day. It was actually really enjoyable hiking alone. Rhododendrons were on the verge of bloom and fresh lilac perfumed the air. The trail follows a river, littered with massive, silken boulders. Crystal blue glacier water pounds its way around the boulders and makes for a nice soundtrack. Knitting during my breaks attracted the attention of the local women the whole way up and then they'd notice my rats nest of a hairdoo and help me comb my hair. Really sweet.
Back In Kathmandu, I decide to stay at a yoga ashram, Ananda, and the boys move on to Pokhara. The schedule at Ananda is as follows:
- 6:00 morning walk through local village or mantra chanting
- 7:00 Shatkarma (yogic cleansing)
- 7:30 asanas (yogic postures)
- 8:30 breakfast
- 11:30 Pranayama, meditation and yogic discussion
- 1:00pm. lunch
- 2:00 personal time (stroll, study, bath)
- 3:00 yoga nidra (psychic sleep)
- 4:30 asanas (yogic postures)
- 6:00 dinner
- 7:00 kirtan/bhajan (chanting with music)
- 8:00 retiring (quite time)
Shatkarma (yogic cleansing) involves pouring warm salt water through one nostril, out the other followed by blowing the snot and water out of your nose in unison with others. This might be one of my favorite parts of the day :) Yoga Nidra is also lovely-- a guided mediation while you lay in savasana, full of imagery and imagination. "Your standing by a river....." -- that sort of thing! The main leader at Ananda is Shivgiri and to be honest, he kind of gets on my nerves! He's perpetually smiling and throws his head back in laughter at the slightest sound of his own humor. During one of the "meditation and yogic discussions" he mentions that he's always happy. "Do you ever force your happiness or smiles?" I ask? No, he says and I don't believe him and am further annoyed. I decide the best way to settle any annoyance I have with him (which by the way, as NOTHING to do with him and EVERYTHING to do with me!) is via a game of Chess. He beats me and then there's a softer spot in my heart for him. His daughter, Ganga, teaches the yoga classes and is beautiful and strong and dedicated. The yoga classes lack a little bit of detail in instruction but I realize, at home, I'm used to having the instruction handed to me on a silver platter. Westerners demand more "hand holding" I think, otherwise a yoga studio would go out of business. Rightfully so, because you can really hurt yourself if you just blindly jump into positions. Ganga helps me achieve some balancing poses I never mastered at home and a headstand and in the end I leave with a sore back. I love the kirtan/bhajan (chanting with music) in the morning and night. Kids and men from the village join and sing and play the drums and the men have velvety voices that make me melt against the backdrop of the harmonium. One boy in particular, maybe 8 or 9, flings out drum beats from his tiny hands that DJ Shadow would kill to sample. I wished I would have sampled them!
Back in Kathmandu now, killing time until Jon arrives on the 16th. Really excited as we haven't seen each other since November! Thank god for skype! This weekend I'll go to Baktipur with a new friend, Raju. Apparently you can see Everest in the distance from there! I'll return early next week to work with a local silversmith for 5 days. Over and Out.
