**Two weeks ago we traveled to Nepal.  The posts that you will see over the next few days are excerpts from my travel journal recounting our trip.**

We decided it was high time we actually get out and see more of Kathmandu and the surrounding area. So after a leisurely breakfast on our hotel’s terrace, overlooking the sleepy city, we embarked on a journey for about 45 minutes by car, to the small cultural town of Bhaktapur.

It’s an historical city filled with ancient temples, shops, etc. We paid the entrance fee, and casually wandered through what is a still-used historical town. It’s kind of like a living history. The narrow alleys weave in and out around multiple town squares, which were covered in red bricks, usually with a temple or shrine (or two or three…), and various shops to purchase souvenirs of pottery, scarves, or tiny Buddha ash trays.

It was interesting to see both Hindu and Buddhist temples together in such close proximity with one another.

After our time in Bhaktapur we drove back to Kathmandu along the same dusty roads we’d traveled out on. There is a lot of construction happening and so the dust swirls around and around, getting in your eyes and mouth from the open car windows.

Our driver’s little car chugged up the steep hills to the Monkey Temple, where there was a festival in full swing. We climbed many stairs, past families leaving offerings at statues, and dozens of monkeys.

We even saw one that was only a couple of days old, still being nursed by its mother, eyes not opened yet.

There were so many places to light candles, burn incense, leave flower or food offerings.

The noise was a steady din and it all overwhelmed my senses.

We were pushed in at every angle by people young and old.

It was quite the cultural and religious experience, but I was glad when we descended again, leaving the thick crowds behind.

We called it quits and headed back to our little area of Thamel, which we’d become quite comfortable with. We ate a delicious lunch in a “trendy” cafe, and then did some souvenir shopping, both for ourselves and our loved ones.

After our ritual of an afternoon siesta, we had our final dinner in Kathmandu on a patio at a restaurant where we’d eaten earlier in the week. It was a magical finale to our week in Nepal.

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Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 2

Nepal: Day 3

Nepal: Day 4

Nepal: Days 5-7

**A week ago we traveled to Nepal.  The posts that you will see over the next few days are excerpts from my travel journal recounting our trip.**

Morning in Lukla is a frigid and completely uninviting affair. At this point we were freezing and chilled to the bone, hadn’t showered in 5 days, and the sound that first harkened dawn was a man horking outside my window. We hauled ourselves to breakfast, barely being able to walk. I can’t imagine what we looked like as we slowly descended the stairs. Every muscle in our bodies was crying out in extreme pain from overuse.

Around 7:30 a.m. we walked to the airport (a 3 min. walk) and realized that checking in and getting a flight out to Kathmandu was going to both test our patience and cause us to spend hours in prayer. There was no clear system to the naked eye. I mean, it’s entirely possible that the “airport staff” (and I say that loosely) felt they had a streamlined system… but it seemed quite chaotic to us outsiders.

There were cranky and cold trekkers all around us, some of whom had been trekking for a month or more. So I felt it was necessary to stay positive, having strenuously hiked for 3 days…

The “check in” line up moved from desk to desk, and the ever-growing crowd flowed back and forth dragging giant back packs across the floor. There was no real line as people pushed and shoved to get the attention of the clerk. And as they say, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!” So we did. We shoved our way in, trying to get on as early of a flight as possible.

You see, flights in and out of Lukla are dependant on weather. If the clouds roll in too much then the flights are cancelled. And everyday we had experienced rain and clouds around 11:00 a.m. and onwards… and our flight was “booked” (again, a loose term in Lukla) for 11:30.

As it turns out, our hotel owner has some sway and we were given boarding passes 2 hours after arriving. We were ushered through “security,” which consisted of a guy asking me if I had anything dangerous (“no”), and we found ourselves in a waiting room.

Everyone was given a pass with a number from 1-4 on it, which told us which flight we’d be on. They come when they come, so as time ticked on and clouds got lower, we continued to pray that #4 would depart soon.

Sure enough, our time came and despite the inefficiency inside the airport, unloading and loading the plane was very fast. Before we knew it, we were soaring above the Himalayas, leaving the relative chaos behind.

After a quick 35 minutes or so, we landed in sunny, warm Kathmandu. You know that perfect temperature where you’re completely comfortable in a t-shirt, there’s no real wind, and it’s just…well…perfect? Yah, that’s Kathmandu in April. It’s glorious! I never once felt cold.

Anyway, I’m jumping ahead of myself. We got back to our hotel, settled into our room and the very first thing I did was shower. And oh was it wonderful!

For the next two days our agenda looked much the same: we slept in as long as we felt like, read, shopped and ate. It was truly exactly what we needed a.) after hiking and b.) after a few very busy weeks at school.

The hotel we stayed at is directly in the heart of Thamel, which is the epicentre of all things “hippie” in Kathmandu. The streets are narrow and maze-like. Despite the constant flow of small cars, motorcycles, bicycles, rickshaws, hippies, trekkers and vendors, there are still seems to be enough space for everyone if we all juggle it very carefully.

The air has a constant aroma of incense, garlic, barbecue and dust. The bright and bold fabrics of Aladdin-plants and wall-hangings contrast the muted bricked pathways and simple aluminum store fronts. Horns honk at varying levels of annoying decibels and people are constantly laughing and chatting. “Namaste” is the greeting of choice, and the only other popular word you hear on repeat is “hashish?” murmured covertly in your ear as you pass a dealer.

Our favourite part of Thamel has to be the abundance of garden/terrace restaurants. They are quirky, quaint oases tucked into every alley. Wandering down any narrow passage can lead you into a surprising sanctuary of green; trees adorned with twinkle lights, candles aglow, flags strewn from corner to corner and Nepalese art hung on the walls, accompanied by soothing music in the background. These comfortable little spots are ideal at any time of day.

Eventually after a late dinner, we’d head back to our hotel, and slowly thereafter, while lying in bed, we’d hear the steel grates of the shops closing up, and the happy holidayers following the distant sounds of the clubs, pumping out techno versions of Adele and Carly Rae Jepsen.

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Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 2

Nepal: Day 3

Nepal: Day 4

Nepal: Day 8

**A week ago we traveled to Nepal.  The posts that you will see over the next few days are excerpts from my travel journal recounting our trip.**

Despite feeling quite chilly all night, we managed to have a fairly decent sleep. Although, we both awoke quite sore in many muscles that clearly aren’t used in out sedentary lives. Needless to say, we were hobbling around and we were quite concerned with how we’d make the trek all the way back to Lukla in one day.

But first things first, we ate breakfast, and picked up a few much-needed supplies (tissues, chocolate, water), and then we were off.

Mornings are always best because the precipitation from over night tends to create crystal clear views of the mountain peaks. We took the opportunity to start slow and snap some pictures of Namche.

The first hour was fast as we descended what took us 4 hours the previous day. It was much easier going down, for sure. It was nice weather for a little bit, but around 11:30 it started to pour rain… and it essentially continued until the last hour of our journey. We still saw many lovely views, including strikingly green fields where the locals grows their own produce.

Every once in a while the fog and clouds would dissipate and we would get to see views of the mountain peaks again. Those views are what kept us going despite our various physical ailments (letting us know just how out of shape we are).

We eventually gave up on keeping our pants and vibrams dry as we trudged through rivers of animal dung. We tried to convince ourselves that it was like the expensive mud wraps people get. But really it was just nasty animal crap squishing up between our toes for hours.

With every bend around a hill we’d look for some sign to show us how close we were to Lukla. But it seemed like instead of seeing something familiar, we’d see another uphill climb. Eventually though we spotted the archway that signaled Lukla. I think it gave us a last little burst of energy so we could make it to our hotel.

When we finally arrived we cleaned off our disgusting feet and settled right in to our usual evening routine: eating, drinking tea, and enjoying the scenery around us. Although, this time our view was overlooking the airport runway, which was quite neat.

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Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 2

Nepal: Day 3

Nepal: Days 5-7

Nepal: Day 8

**A week ago we traveled to Nepal.  The posts that you will see over the next few days are excerpts from my travel journal recounting our trip.**

We both woke up surprisingly warm considering we were staying in a room made out of plywood without any heat. I guess that’s what 4 blankets will do for you! We pulled the “curtain” back, and we had such a stunning view of a mountain. It immediately pulled us out of bed at 6:00 a.m. ready to get trekking for the day. After a quick, but hearty breakfast, we were on our way.

Our “guide” set off with us and we walked along taking in the glorious views. I’m not exactly sure when things took a turn, but all of a sudden we found ourselves gasping for air, chests tightening, heads “floating.” It was compounded by the fact that our trek became colder and steeper. At one point we were told by fellow trekkers that it would be a steady steep incline for the last 2-2.5 hours.

I’m not even sure that “discouraged” adequately describes the emotion I was feeling. I was tired, my body was slowly shutting down, and the altitude was getting to me. I don’t even know how many times I paused in our 7 hour trek; nor can I (nor will I) admit how many times I said, “I can’t do this.” There were other dramatic statements declared as well, but ultimately my #1 encourager, Peter, kept me going. That, and the snickers bar I ate in 7 pieces.

Seeing as our “guide” didn’t speak any English (I think he muttered 3 words the whole trip, and not at once.), we couldn’t even ask “Are we there yet?!” So we had to rely on conflicting reports, and hear things like, “Oh I remember that part; it was the worst!” Stellar.

Anyway, enough of the melodrama (for now). We rounded a corner and we realized that we were at a check point for Namche Bazaar, so we knew we were almost there. At this point I could barely feel my toes, and every muscle in the lower half of my body was screaming, “Why?! Why would you attempt to climb the Himalayas when your only source of ‘physical exercise’ consists of climbing the stairs at school?!’”

I still don’t have a good reason other than it seemed cool. And cool it was; as we took step by slow step down and up the muddied trail into the village of Namche.

We had some confusion with our “guide” about finding the hotel we wanted, so we ended up eating soup in this random restaurant with an old woman humming the same 3-note tune over and over while continually flipping from Bollywood channel to Bollywood channel. We were still debating going on to the hotel we’d heard about that has a view of Everest. However, the journey of 1 hr. seemed insane and we were told it wasn’t clear enough to see it.

So we took that as a sign to settle in Namche. It’s a good thing we did because not even 15 minutes later it started pouring rain. And then as I settled in to write this journal entry, it started snowing. All things considered, I think warming by the fire with a thermos of hot lemon tea was a much better plan.

We sat chatting with various other travellers, warming up and relaxing. Dinner was a bit of a scene though. I ordered a “hamburger” and when it arrived, it was 3 slices of spam on a bun. Umm… no thanks. So we sent it back and asked for a veggie burger instead. Well, that eventually returned, but they stuck it on my existing bun and served it cold with cold fries. Not cool. Or is it? Anyway, I finally got it but was almost not hungry at that point. After that we headed off to bed early seeing as we both had headaches from altitude adjustments.

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Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 2

Nepal: Day 4

Nepal: Days 5-7

Nepal: Day 8

**A week ago we traveled to Nepal.  The posts that you will see over the next few days are excerpts from my travel journal recounting our trip.**

At some point during the evening the music stopped and things in Kathmandu settled into a comfortable silence. I know this because I was awake for much of the night. I think it was a mix of jet lag, sweating and not being able to turn off my mind. With turning 29 and having a scheduled power outage (thus no power for our alarm clock to catch an early flight), and being concerned about flying to the “most dangerous airport in the world”…I was not able to sleep.

Regardless of my worry, we woke up just fine, at a lovely breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, with a side of sweet ‘n’ sour hash browns. We at on our hotel’s terrace overlooking the stacked buildings, swooping birds and trees and flowers of all kinds. They all neatly fit together in a multi-coloured hodge podge. It’s hard to tell which buildings existed first.

After breakfast we were taken by our driver back to the airport to the domestic section to catch our flight to Lukla. He let us off at this random gate with the advice to just “go down there and you will see line.” …So we got out, walked outside on this rough trail, past a random monkey, and tons of people (none whom looked like they were flying anywhere), towards a run-down building. Now, the flight on a dinky plane to the “most dangerous airport in the world” was worrisome enough… but now this, a very dilapidated building, added to my concern.

We pushed past the crowds and into what appeared to be the Nepalese airport version of the New York Stock Exchange. There were tourists, locals, backpacks, crates of resources, and it was all happening very loudly in every chaotic direction. We both kind of laughed and then dove into the craziness and headed toward the “flight counter” that said “Lukla.” We moved around the desk trying to squeeze in amongst the others. Eventually we were given tickets and told to go to our gate. So we went through some pretty relaxed security and passed through these curtains. All of a sudden it was like we’d entered another world. There were regular airport seats and large windows facing the tarmac. It all seemed so relaxed and civilized in comparison.

We met up with the father-son duo we’d met the previous day and we all revelled in the check-in “process” we’d just been through. No sooner had we arrived than we were rushed out for our flight. When we checked the time it was barely 8:30 a.m., and yet our flight was scheduled for 9:20. As it turns out, there are no “real” flight times. They’re merely “suggestions.” What really happens is that when enough people check in, they go. So apparently they were ready.

Our small gaggle of passengers were taken by bus to our tiny plane. We loaded the 18-seater where we held our bags on our laps. We also could see the entire cockpit. It was both interesting and unnerving.

We took off with the engine humming in our ears. We were offered cotton balls and candies to help adjust to the sound and cabin pressure. The mountainous terrain was quite stunning as we soared quite closely to it. Our fellow plane companions were practically on the edges of their seats as they snapped photos and filmed the journey. You could sense the excitement and anticipation, thick amongst the gore-tex-clad trekkers.

As we began our descent, I decided not to look up due to the fact that we were about to land on a 420m runway that ends directly at a brick wall.

My fears were allayed when we landed smoothly on this mountainside “airport.” We hopped out and our guide was there with a sign all ready to go. We walked through the village of Lukla with only a brief stop to go to the toilet and for the locals to record our trekking passes.

After that we were on our way. Our guide (who, by the way doesn’t speak a word of english and who is probably only 18 years old) carried my pack which made things pretty easy for me. It was hard to take in all the incredible scenery around me while simultaneously trying not to step in animal dung.

Nevertheless, our rocky path led us through some truly magnificent views of the Himalayas. It seems to be layers of lush green grass, trees, bushes, all nestled into the mountains, with some homes and monasteries scattered throughout. Birds were chirping, the bells of the herds of cattle and donkeys were clanging.

We passed dozens of Buddhist prayer wheels where trekkers and sherpas all took turns spinning them, listening to the chiming bells, as they hoped for protection, peace and prosperity.

We paused briefly here and there along the trail to catch our breath, drink water and eat copious amounts of trail mix.

The morning was perfectly overcast with a fairly warm breeze and just a sprinkling of rain. We stopped more officially around 12:00 or so, after we’d been hiking for 3-3.5 hours. We settled in at the Shangri-La Guest House where we we warmed up with a bowl of fresh, hot soup. We rested and chatted with fellow trekkers, just enjoying the afternoon.

As we sat, we realized the rain had picked up, and instead of a light mist, it was legitimately pouring. So it was in that moment that we chose to settle there for the rest of the day. This is vacation, after all. So we sat in a room by a pot of charcoal staying warm, eating snacks and generally chatting the afternoon away to the sound of the pitter patter of raindrops. It was absolutely lovely and relaxing.

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Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 3

Nepal: Day 4

Nepal: Days 5-7

Nepal: Day 8

It’s my birthday today!  And consequently it’s the last year of my 20s… scary thought.

Last year we were in Chicago on my birthday!

This year we’re flying to Nepal.  As you read this I’m likely somewhere between Kuwait and Nepal, possibly in our stop-over in Mumbai.  In any case, I look forward to sharing all of the details when I get back!

We traveled to Ethiopia in February, and I’m just getting around to making a video now!  Here it is for your viewing enjoyment…