Napal Adventure

Thamel

OMG what a kaleidoscope of color, noise, noise traffic and people in the few few streets that make up Thamel in Kathmandu. I can't walk 20M without being offered Hashish, Opium and girls Grr, again I have a sign on my head.
The traffic is horrendous, no rules biggest has the right of way because there are no rules there is no road rage.

Out looking for some music perhaps to dance a little. I am finding it releasing to dance by myself I don't care what people think it releases any bent up frustrations and makes me feel good. Mmm walked into a bar with music (must read all of sign next time). The bar is full of pretty young Nepalese girls they grab my wrists and try to gently pull me in ... nooo not for me. Find out in later chats that they are not hookers just dancing with clothes on and you pay for a girl chatting with you while she drinks expensive cordial. That's all good but not for me.

I find a 'Bar' with live music and spend the night chatting with two Irish blokes and a Yank who lives in India. 11PM the band stops (curfew)and I leave at 11:30. The streets are dim (no shops are open) no people out only police and military checking the odd ID they seem happy with me passing, but! I guess I forget there is an uneasy peace in Nepal. Many travelers I have chatted to tell me that Kathmandu is nothing in comparison to India, Mmm.

Pepsi Cola Orphanage

Sofie has been in contact and offered to show me around an orphanage we help out, its in Pepsi Cola a town named because of the only factory in the town. OMG a 40 minute trip in a taxi during rush hour what a ride. Just shut your eyes Jim. No too much to see there goes a three wheel bus packed with 12 passengers.

I visit the orphanage with Sofia. The house is in darkness as there is load shedding in place but no one cares it's all part of the norm. The kids were great healthy and happy and well cared for. I took a few photos then the oldest boy took over the photo duties with my SLR happily snapping everywhere. The kids were a little standoffish at first but relaxed when we started taking funny pictures.

Pokhara for Some Sanity

Beautiful peaceful Pokhara Lakeside . I took the aircraft on Yetti air 45 minutes $98US but you can negotiate down, better than the 8 hour bus ride for 200km I know I'm a princess.

Its lovely I have a great room at the North Face In looking at the mountains. Although they shut and lock the doors at 11pm and I have to get the owner up to let me in.

I have purchased a yoga mat so can workout each morning in front of the mountains when not covered in cloud. I walk every day for hours and have found a great coffee shop. I walked around the lake to Happy Village where the para gliders land. It looked great 10 para gliders swooping down the mountain all the colors of the rainbow.

Have met and chatted with loads of travelers one in particular was a young German woman and we have been discussion Buddhism and meditation I think she is trying to convert me as she has given me a book on same. It helped her find happiness I guess she lost her husband to cancer 2 years ago at 25, she has a little boy and is just starting her degree.

I walked up to the Peace Stupa (Temple) Its on this huge hill on the other side of the lake. 330 minutes flat and 1 hour up through the Jungle. I kept asking the locals for directions to the bush track and they helped. How can I get lost its all up.

Trekking Poon Hill for 4 days

The plan was for a 4 day trek 5 of us and a guide. I have hired a porter $12US a day because I'm a princess and my SLR is heavy. I have purchased a large umbrella and a trekking stick hopefully they are worth it.

Day 1

Mmm The married couple have pulled out the husband has belly problems ( I would have left him in the Hostel). So it's me Alicia an Aussi Physio returning from 2 years in the UK and Suzanne a doctor from the UK (if anything goes wrong I'm covered) Susan is the same person I met up the top of the hill at the Peace Stupa, the guide Budi and the porter Jini. Budi has already started calling me Buzi ( grandfather)its funny and the Nepalese love it.

A taxi ride to Naya Pur 1100M and then we are off on our first day. An easy walk 4 hours some up some down through a jungle track. Meeting the odd trekking group on the way everyone is happy and relaxed by the time we meet our destination . We have been chatting from another group from the company we are traveling with Christina the Spanish girl and Elania the Russian girl they are doing a similar trek but for 5 days.

Strange things we saw on the way
Goats
A guy carrying an old man in a basket on his back
and a dog that has been following us all day.

Alecia and I went swimming in the freezing river near our tea house 'so cold' the rapids were so strong, her in her bra n nickers and me in my jocks. The Nepalese guys were scoping her out from the swinging bridge overhead so funny. When we were out we thought we could do the 2 hours up right then until the first 10 steps that was.

The guide is hitting on the girls just a little not to bad they say just testing the ground but not right.

Dal Bart for dinner trekkers power food. We play cards for a few hours and go off to bed with the warning that tomorrow will be difficult.

Day 2

Two hours up endless stairs of varying height continuous 1000M up then 3 hours of Nepalese flat (that means not continuous up but still up. I was going to count the stairs but stopped at 100 only 3000 or so more to go until we get to the 'flat'.5 hours later we arrive at the guest house just before the heathens open and the rain lashes down.

We plan to sleep at the lodge and get up at 4:30am to walk up Poon Hill and see the sunrise over the alps back down for breakfast before going on with our trek.
It had been a difficult day but had been told that this was the worst day so we felt quite good.

Played cards again. No drinking too expensive as you get higher and more trekking in the morning.

Day 3

Woe at 4am low cloud cover so the trip up Poon Hill was off unless we wanted to look at fog. Sleep in til 8 instead and hope we get a view at Deuaril instead (basically the same height and view as Poon Hil. Off trekking again 'guess what ' uphill passing through Deuaril at 3000M with a glimpse of the mountains. At one stage I plugged in my Music and it started thumping I'm loving it. I'm distracted by a yell from behind it appears Crowded House and Dal Bart give you extreme trekking power the girls are telling me its rest time is.

What a day 9 hours 8 of which we constant hard trekking up 400M down 1100M, drenching rain all afternoon slippery rocks and river crossings huge steps up to Suzanne's crutch. the girls needed help down some of the steps and over the river crossings luckily I had my trusty stick (I love my stick). I stomped to discuss how slippery it was with Budi and down I went like a sack of potatoes lucky it was mud. Both Alicia and Suzanne went down Alicia quite hard hitting her back on a rock step.
Shitty steps, shitty rain and SHITTY LEACHES I hate leaches Yuck blood suckers on my hands and legs.

Yahoo Ghandruk our guest house time for a shower and warm dry clothes. As I walked up the 'stairs' to my room the porter came up to me with a concerned look on his face pointing to my hip. Holy shit a huge blood stain ' and it was mine' seeping through my clothes Shitty leach had been there and the hole was oozing blood yuck. The leach was gone But Where? I rushed into the shower visual check than hands checking everywhere ' places they wouldn't normally go' Than god no more leaches in nasty places.

Trekking power food for dinner Bal Bart with chicken curry. The guide taught us a new card game fun but early bed. Tomorrow is meant to be easy 2 hours down and 2 hours flat.

Day 4
Suzanne is really struggling a little lowly taking tiny steps wincing with each one. I feel great the sun is out scenery is beautifully. Kids are racing past skipping from rock to rock in their flip flops (I resist tripping them little shits), donkeys carrying gas bottles and men carrying huge loads One guy had a whirlpool fridge on his back still in the box by himself struggling up the hill it looked crippling.

It's not until I use the squat toilet that I realise my legs are a bit stiff. Shit I can't get back up out of the squat thank god for the back wall. They need a rope and handle hanging off the door.

Throughout the trek we have seen the same folks.
Two sticks - the huffy puffy guy with a group of yanks
The colorful umbrellas - a Chinese couple without a guide who I have seen come down on their ares at least twice
The Old Lady - Traveling withe her daughter who was over it 2 hours into the 9 hours day
Cranky girls - Two young girls who looked stuffer and over to 2 hours into the easiest day and looked worse and worse every day after.

At last back in Naya Pur what a great 4 days. We ride back crammed into a 4WD 8 passengers. I loved it because Suzanne hates the drive, the edge of the mountain and the on coming overtaking trucks she is scared shitless ' that's normally me' It makes me feel comfortable and think how silly I am about that 'nothing is permanent'.
A shower and I collapse on the bed. I am thinking of my next trek. My guide had a 78 Yr old on the Annapurna Circuit last year Mmm.

Thanks Suzanne and Alicia you were great company and many thanks to the guide and porter.