Trekking pt. 1

So, where to begin...

Once again, apologies for the long absence. There's not much in the way of internet up in the mountains. I am  now back in Kathmandu. My little trekking adventure was nothing if not eventful.

The first day, we flew out from Kathmandu to Lukla, a tiny little town at about 2800m. The airstrip there is literally at the edge of a cliff, and slopes down to the edge of the precipice. It is quite exciting. After landing and a cup of tea, we set off to Phadking, where we spent our first night. We visited a monastery on top of a nearby hill. Apparently the Buddhists are quite welcoming, and as long as you remove your shoes you can go in and look at their religious gear at will. One person, Lydia, in the group got sick after lunch, and unfortunately I had what she ate for my dinner.

The next day we set off on a long, long slog to Namche Bazaar. I think it was only about 800m of elevation gain, but it was hot and there was the first taste of thin oxygen. We arrived at Namche weary and beat. Scott, an Aussie policeman had a lot of trouble with the altitude and was immediately bedridden. I myself had a bad fever and was quite sick. I didn't eat for a day or two. The whole group was in rough shape. We spent an acclimatization day in Namche on which we climbed one of the many hills in the region and got our first view of Everest. Sick as a dog and not having eaten in a long while, I did my best to smile for a picture.

Next day, we were off to Khumjung, a short walk (uphill) away. The village lies in a picturesque valley and contains the Sir Edmund Hillary School and the Khunde Hospital, which is funded entirely by Canadian donations.

The following day, we were off on the long slog to Tengboche monastry. Along the way I thew up a couple of times but finally started to feel better. Tengboche was a really swell place. I even got up early to take picture of the sunrise in the mountains and to sit in with the early morning monks' prayers. We only spent a night there, but we all wish we had more time to sample the Dutch apple pie at the bakery.

After Tengboche, we were off to Dingboche, really in the mountains, but that will be part 2.

-B

Nepal

First off, apologies for the lack of map updates. I can't figure out how to get data to work on my blackberry in nepal. Anyhoo, I am in Namche Bazar. We climbed up here yesterday. I am sick from the food so I must go.

-Ben

Bangkok

Landed in Bangkok after 17hr trans-pacific flight. Grabbed a shower in the lounge. Using more free lounge interwebs. That is all.

 

-Ben

At the Airport

Not much to say really, except that I am at the airport waiting for my flight to LA where I will connect to Bangkok and thence to Kathmandu. Just thought I'd pop in to the Air Canada lounge and use their free internets.
I'm really excited and apprehensive at the same time. I hope I have packed everything. I have a 50L backpack and a 100L duffel stuffed, so it sure feels like I have enough.

Cheers for now, next post from somewhere else not within Canada.

-Ben

Welcome

As if I wasn't already nerdy enough, now this. It will hopefully serve both as a personal journal and as a way for my mother and that one other person who cares to keep track of me without having to bother emailing them. I'm taking my Blackberry along with me in order to author posts which will hopefully be an ideal way to fill up time on planes, trains, magic carpets etc. I hear data is cheap if you don't live in Canada...

For a brief overview of my trip: I am departing April 1st from YVR and returning August 17th. April will be spent in Nepal, thereafter a week or two in the Netherlands, and the bulk of May, June, and July will be spent in South America. I'll be in Toronto for a couple of weeks from August 4th-17th going to weddings and stuff.

I bought a round-the-world ticket using the Aeroplan points that I accumulated while traveling for Radient on business the last couple of years, so I guess all those lonely nights by the train tracks in Oshawa were worth it in the end.

So those are the broad brush strokes. Next update I hope to have arrived safely in Kathmandu after something like 3 days of flying past the IDL. It shouldn't be too bad however; I forgot to mention that I'm flying business class the whole way!


 -Ben