Face of Bhudda
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Tenzing and her mother Nandu
Chandan and Rebecca taking a break on the Trakshindo Pass
Stupa below Traksindu La
Monks at Thubten Chhuling
Friendly Lama
The Hindu Temple and the Bagmati River
Tenzing and Pemba with their daughters Tsering and Utten
Nawang and her daughter Chorden
Two cousins Utten and Wongel our babies
Pemba the manager of the Khumbu Lodge and his wife Mingma and son Wongel
Chundun on the way to Junbesi
Susan outside Junbesi monastery
Cremations at Pashupatinath where the remains are swept into the Bagmati River where the children are swimming
Hordes of mad monkeys
Preparing the bodies for the funeral fire
Leaving Namche and Tenzing's wonderful family at the Khumbu Lodge was an emotional morning. Tenzing and her daughters and neices and nephews accompanied us to the edge of town. The last look at Namche and all the goodbyes were memorable. Why did I wait 25 years before returning? I feel like I've left another family behind.
All that was ahead of us was downhill. For 8.5 hours we walked. Over bridges too many to count. Most of them suspended too high over the Dudh Kosi to even look. The biggest bridges secured by huge cables to prevent wind gusts from bouncing you off were an effort. The yaks loaded with kerosene, soda, cement, toilet paper and all manner of things were old veterans at these crossings. We waited for their passage and then bravely started. Some of these bridges took several minutes to cross. Some I had to grab the cables the whole way until a group of tourists in the other direction mandated that I let go. By the end of the day I could let go about 3/4 of the way with no hands holding on to dear life. A Sherpani took pity on me at one bridge. She grabbed my arm and whisked me across. My feet could hardly travel as fast as she was going. She said supportive things the whole way. Delivering me safely she was off at a pace we could never have matched.
There were waterfalls in every directions. Mountains on every side. Many people were coming up the trail with their clean clothes and boots. October is the busiest month in the Khumbu. We were jealous of their adventure to come. Little did we know how tough our next few days were going to be.
It started to rain. We turned off the trail of the Tourists to the lesser used trails of the Solukhumbu. We past pastoral settings and grain fields, children stared at us. Rebecca wore a lovely blue pastic bag from head to toe. Our porter was similarly attired. I wore my raincoat over my back pack. By 4 o'clock we were ready to look for shelter but we still two hours away from a town. The plastic bag was plastered to Rebecca's face. More waterfalls, more bridges of stone and wet slippery trails. Within five minutes of daylight we found a hotel. The electrical power was off. We sat in the dark, wet and tired. Had a hot meal served by a lovely family and went to bed. I laid there for several hours awake in the dark listening to the rain wondering how we would get out of there. Rebecca sat up and looked out the window. "I see stars." she says. "How could you?" I ask. She says "It's clear out." "Huh?" We were next to a waterfall. The noise I heard for hours was not a monsoon but our own river ballad. I fell into a well deserved deep sleep.
Next day was foggy. We could hear the planes landing at Lukla. At the first village we arrived in the woman of the house came out with her cell phone. She told us of the crash at Lukla. We climbed a little higher and could see the wreckage. Very somber morning as we met and traded what we knew with everyone on the trail. The news traveled fast. We arrived that night in a town that oddly enough had tv reception. We treated some kids in town with infected bug bites from playing in the mud.
Third day, hot, humid and really steep rocky trails. We climbed a hill so steep that when we stopped for a break none of us could talk. Chandan our guide looked at my red face and said "Susan you better put some water on that." We appreciated the power of Snickers as we sugared up for the rest of the climb. Another hour not anywhere near the top of Tuksindu pass. After 5 hours we stopped for lunch. We unfolded the map and I declared a holiday. Now way no how I am not moving from here. It's flat, they'll feed and shelter us. There is a lovely baby to google at. Nobody had any argument against staying. We rested.
Fourth day: We still had a pass to climb, another descent to the river bottom and another climb. The pass was intoxicatingly beautiful, the foothills and rivers went on forever in their rolling way.
The forest was filled with huge pine trees, the bird life abundant, the breeze refreshing, the mood good, the Snickers were fully consumed, even the Coke was appealing. Sugar take us home.
Junebesi a lovely town and an apple lovers paradise. Five monastaries to visit. One was over 500 years old. One was 1.5 hours away and worth an extra day of traveling to visit. This is one my husband Richard mentioned in his update. When we entered the main monastery and took off our shoes little did we know what was behind the curtain. When we stepped in to the room the presence of 600 monks chanting literally took our breath away. All three of us flattened ourselves against the wall with a kind of gasp of incredulous-ness. The nuns lined along the back wall with us thought this rather amusing. We were stunned with our mouths wide open. What a sight. The chanting stopped. They all took a tea break, adjusted their robes, blew their noses, talked to their neighbors, repositioned themselves and began again within a few minutes. When we left and walked out to the bright sun it was hard to believe what we had just seen. It was like we had just crossed over from another world.
And then off again jiggety jog to another town with an airstrip. Tickets back to Kathmandu and we were ready for that hot shower. Rebecca applied acupressure to her wrists in a kind of mudra that helped to hold her breakfast in while we were landing. We arrived with only a little sweat on our brow. Our porter carried our bags to Pemba's car. He halted as we entered the parking lot of the airport and declared "I'm lost here. I need a guide."
After showering and grooming for hours we all met for pizza that night. Our porter Chandan and now our dear friend arrived with new purchases. He had his first cell phone and shoes for his trade. He had been to the doctor's. His extracted tooth from the week before had not healed. He was given antibiotics. 225 Motrin later his ordeal and our trip was over. He solemnly gave us the katas for a blessing (the white scarves). More tears and more goodbyes.
Pemba then sat with us and told us stories of rescuing tourists from all kinds of places where they should and should not have been. Being a helicopter pilot with more than 4000 hours has put him in many unimaginable places. Pemba loved trekking. His pictures were great and it was fun sharing the rest of our trip with him.
This morning we sat on the banks of the Bagmati River watching cremations. We watched two monkeys stalk and attack a 10 year old boy while Rebecca and I tried to shoo them away. The boy clung to us as we helped to his feet and then guided him safely away. After that experience we went back to the hotel, recovered our normal heart rates and went to lunch. While chatting with a young couple from Wales on an outdoor terrace an old most disgusting banana was dropped on to my lap from a crow above in the tree. I thought it was a rat. Yicccck. It was almost too startling to laugh but laugh we did.
Tomorrow photos or maybe later tonight. And then we are home soon enough.
All that was ahead of us was downhill. For 8.5 hours we walked. Over bridges too many to count. Most of them suspended too high over the Dudh Kosi to even look. The biggest bridges secured by huge cables to prevent wind gusts from bouncing you off were an effort. The yaks loaded with kerosene, soda, cement, toilet paper and all manner of things were old veterans at these crossings. We waited for their passage and then bravely started. Some of these bridges took several minutes to cross. Some I had to grab the cables the whole way until a group of tourists in the other direction mandated that I let go. By the end of the day I could let go about 3/4 of the way with no hands holding on to dear life. A Sherpani took pity on me at one bridge. She grabbed my arm and whisked me across. My feet could hardly travel as fast as she was going. She said supportive things the whole way. Delivering me safely she was off at a pace we could never have matched.
There were waterfalls in every directions. Mountains on every side. Many people were coming up the trail with their clean clothes and boots. October is the busiest month in the Khumbu. We were jealous of their adventure to come. Little did we know how tough our next few days were going to be.
It started to rain. We turned off the trail of the Tourists to the lesser used trails of the Solukhumbu. We past pastoral settings and grain fields, children stared at us. Rebecca wore a lovely blue pastic bag from head to toe. Our porter was similarly attired. I wore my raincoat over my back pack. By 4 o'clock we were ready to look for shelter but we still two hours away from a town. The plastic bag was plastered to Rebecca's face. More waterfalls, more bridges of stone and wet slippery trails. Within five minutes of daylight we found a hotel. The electrical power was off. We sat in the dark, wet and tired. Had a hot meal served by a lovely family and went to bed. I laid there for several hours awake in the dark listening to the rain wondering how we would get out of there. Rebecca sat up and looked out the window. "I see stars." she says. "How could you?" I ask. She says "It's clear out." "Huh?" We were next to a waterfall. The noise I heard for hours was not a monsoon but our own river ballad. I fell into a well deserved deep sleep.
Next day was foggy. We could hear the planes landing at Lukla. At the first village we arrived in the woman of the house came out with her cell phone. She told us of the crash at Lukla. We climbed a little higher and could see the wreckage. Very somber morning as we met and traded what we knew with everyone on the trail. The news traveled fast. We arrived that night in a town that oddly enough had tv reception. We treated some kids in town with infected bug bites from playing in the mud.
Third day, hot, humid and really steep rocky trails. We climbed a hill so steep that when we stopped for a break none of us could talk. Chandan our guide looked at my red face and said "Susan you better put some water on that." We appreciated the power of Snickers as we sugared up for the rest of the climb. Another hour not anywhere near the top of Tuksindu pass. After 5 hours we stopped for lunch. We unfolded the map and I declared a holiday. Now way no how I am not moving from here. It's flat, they'll feed and shelter us. There is a lovely baby to google at. Nobody had any argument against staying. We rested.
Fourth day: We still had a pass to climb, another descent to the river bottom and another climb. The pass was intoxicatingly beautiful, the foothills and rivers went on forever in their rolling way.
The forest was filled with huge pine trees, the bird life abundant, the breeze refreshing, the mood good, the Snickers were fully consumed, even the Coke was appealing. Sugar take us home.
Junebesi a lovely town and an apple lovers paradise. Five monastaries to visit. One was over 500 years old. One was 1.5 hours away and worth an extra day of traveling to visit. This is one my husband Richard mentioned in his update. When we entered the main monastery and took off our shoes little did we know what was behind the curtain. When we stepped in to the room the presence of 600 monks chanting literally took our breath away. All three of us flattened ourselves against the wall with a kind of gasp of incredulous-ness. The nuns lined along the back wall with us thought this rather amusing. We were stunned with our mouths wide open. What a sight. The chanting stopped. They all took a tea break, adjusted their robes, blew their noses, talked to their neighbors, repositioned themselves and began again within a few minutes. When we left and walked out to the bright sun it was hard to believe what we had just seen. It was like we had just crossed over from another world.
And then off again jiggety jog to another town with an airstrip. Tickets back to Kathmandu and we were ready for that hot shower. Rebecca applied acupressure to her wrists in a kind of mudra that helped to hold her breakfast in while we were landing. We arrived with only a little sweat on our brow. Our porter carried our bags to Pemba's car. He halted as we entered the parking lot of the airport and declared "I'm lost here. I need a guide."
After showering and grooming for hours we all met for pizza that night. Our porter Chandan and now our dear friend arrived with new purchases. He had his first cell phone and shoes for his trade. He had been to the doctor's. His extracted tooth from the week before had not healed. He was given antibiotics. 225 Motrin later his ordeal and our trip was over. He solemnly gave us the katas for a blessing (the white scarves). More tears and more goodbyes.
Pemba then sat with us and told us stories of rescuing tourists from all kinds of places where they should and should not have been. Being a helicopter pilot with more than 4000 hours has put him in many unimaginable places. Pemba loved trekking. His pictures were great and it was fun sharing the rest of our trip with him.
This morning we sat on the banks of the Bagmati River watching cremations. We watched two monkeys stalk and attack a 10 year old boy while Rebecca and I tried to shoo them away. The boy clung to us as we helped to his feet and then guided him safely away. After that experience we went back to the hotel, recovered our normal heart rates and went to lunch. While chatting with a young couple from Wales on an outdoor terrace an old most disgusting banana was dropped on to my lap from a crow above in the tree. I thought it was a rat. Yicccck. It was almost too startling to laugh but laugh we did.
Tomorrow photos or maybe later tonight. And then we are home soon enough.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Safe Return to Kathmandu
Susan sent a text message from Kathmandu. They arrived by Twin Otter aircraft from Phaplu about noon, Monday, (our midnight Sunday) and moved back to a cheerful room at the Yak & Yeti Hotel. I phoned when I woke up and Susan answered. She was walking with Rebecca and Pemba through the noisy streets of Thamel. They'd had dinner and were shopping for paper bunting or streamers to augment our aging collection. (We use them for birthday celebrations.) Tomorrow, Susan says they will find an internet cafe, add a page to this blog, and upload more photos, before heading over to the Hyatt hotel spa for massages and manicures.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Visit to Thupten Choling Monastery
Susan and Rebecca are staying at Jumbesi village overnight. Ang Pemba in Namche got a phone call from Susan and sent me an email update this morning. Tomorrow, they will visit the Thupten Choling Monastery. Here is a link to a page about the monastery from the New York Sherpa Society: http://www.sherpasociety.googlepages.com/monasteries4
Then they will make their way down to Phaplu village. There is an airstrip at Phaplu and internet access, so we should hear from them Sunday.
Then they will make their way down to Phaplu village. There is an airstrip at Phaplu and internet access, so we should hear from them Sunday.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Lukla Plane Crash
Susan sent me a text message saying there had been a plane crash at the Lukla airport and asked me to email Ang Pemba back in Namche that they were okay. It was just coincidence that Susan and Rebecca happened to be staying at Lukla yesterday after trekking down from Namche the day before. They are on their way south into the Solu Khumbu, following the trail that was originally used by all the mountaineers before Sir Edmund Hillary built the airport at Lukla in the late Sixties. It was not part of the plan for Susan or Rebecca to fly out of Lukla, and the crash occurred to an arriving flight, but I'm glad to know they are not involved and I'm sure our friends in Namche and those reading this blog are too.
Here are the details archived from Reuters:
Small Passenger Plane Crashes In Nepal; 18 Dead
By Gopal Sharma
KATHMANDU (Reuters) - A small private plane crashed in the remote mountains of northeast Nepal on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people, mostly foreigners, airline and airport officials said.
Twelve Germans and two Australians were among the dead. The rest were Nepalis. "There were 19 people on board," said Vinay Shakya, an official of Yeti Airlines, a domestic airline.
A crew member survived and was taken to hospital in the capital Kathmandu by helicopter.
The aircraft, a Twin Otter carrying 16 passengers and three crew, crashed shortly before it was due to land at Lukla, known as the gateway to Mount Everest, about 125 km (80 miles) northeast of Kathmandu.
"According to initial reports we have it crashed before it was to land and caught fire," said Yagya Prasad Gautam, chief of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). "The accident was probably caused by a last minute change in the weather."
The remote airport at Lukla was built in the 1960s by mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary to facilitate expeditions to Mount Everest and bring development to the impoverished area where the Sherpa community, known for their climbing skills, live.
Nepal named the airport this year after Hillary and his climbing mate, Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, as a tribute to the pair who climbed Everest first in 1953.
Media reports said rescue workers and locals fought for two hours to put out the fire.
Airport official Pratap Bista told state-run Nepal Television that the Lukla airport was among the most testing in the world.
In 2002, 18 people including 13 Germans, were killed when a small plane crashed in bad weather near Pokhara town in west Nepal. Nine people died in a similar crash in 2006.
About a dozen private airlines operate in Nepal. Many fly to remote areas that have no roads, mostly carrying foreign tourists to the Himalayan foothills, including Mount Everest.
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
KATHMANDU (Reuters) - A small private plane crashed in the remote mountains of northeast Nepal on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people, mostly foreigners, airline and airport officials said.
Twelve Germans and two Australians were among the dead. The rest were Nepalis. "There were 19 people on board," said Vinay Shakya, an official of Yeti Airlines, a domestic airline.
A crew member survived and was taken to hospital in the capital Kathmandu by helicopter.
The aircraft, a Twin Otter carrying 16 passengers and three crew, crashed shortly before it was due to land at Lukla, known as the gateway to Mount Everest, about 125 km (80 miles) northeast of Kathmandu.
"According to initial reports we have it crashed before it was to land and caught fire," said Yagya Prasad Gautam, chief of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). "The accident was probably caused by a last minute change in the weather."
The remote airport at Lukla was built in the 1960s by mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary to facilitate expeditions to Mount Everest and bring development to the impoverished area where the Sherpa community, known for their climbing skills, live.
Nepal named the airport this year after Hillary and his climbing mate, Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, as a tribute to the pair who climbed Everest first in 1953.
Media reports said rescue workers and locals fought for two hours to put out the fire.
Airport official Pratap Bista told state-run Nepal Television that the Lukla airport was among the most testing in the world.
In 2002, 18 people including 13 Germans, were killed when a small plane crashed in bad weather near Pokhara town in west Nepal. Nine people died in a similar crash in 2006.
About a dozen private airlines operate in Nepal. Many fly to remote areas that have no roads, mostly carrying foreign tourists to the Himalayan foothills, including Mount Everest.
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Monday, October 6, 2008
Last Night in Namche
Yaks in town
Kids in baskets
Utten, Tshering Palden and Wongel
Pemba is off to work
Hand game with kids
Watching TV
Pemba and Tenzing's daughters, Tsering and Utten
Yanjee and daughter Chorden
Kids in baskets
Utten, Tshering Palden and Wongel
Pemba is off to work
Hand game with kids
Watching TV
Pemba and Tenzing's daughters, Tsering and Utten
Yanjee and daughter Chorden
It is our final hours in Namche. This morning was busy with a spectacular send off for Pemba. His helicopter company decided he had had enough vacation and they sent a helicopter to bring him back to work. Every kid in the village turned out for this event. The schools are closed for a two week holiday and this created quite a diversion for them. After clearing the field of cows and kids with kites the helicopter landed in a huge dust cloud. Ang Pemba the manager of the Khumbu Lodge was the first on the field with a thermos of the obligatory milk tea. After several more hugs and katas (scarves that ensure safe passage) Pemba left into the sky.
This afternoon we spent the day watching the world go by in front of the Lodge. We tried to guess the languages of the many trekkers walking by, ate a bar of chocolate, played cards with the kids, ate potato pancakes with our Sherpa family and generally tried to hold on to the memories of this magical place. I'm getting all teary eyed just thinking about tomorrow morning when this portion of our trip is over.
Our next adventure is a 7 day walk to Jiri. This was the traditional way to the Khumbu before the airport. It is a lot more populated, more diverse culturally and off the beaten path these days. We leave the land of the Sherpas and move on to where the majority of people are living. We don't know if there is any internet service but I have Pemba's cell phone number in case he is flying by next week and wants to stop and pick us up. If that works out we'll be even more amazed by this place.
Good bye and Namaste for now. We will post if we can. And thank you so much for commenting on our blog. It is so comforting to know that we are reaching our friends and family with this goofy media.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Here are some of the photos from our journey into the Mount Everest region called the Sagarmatha National Park. Many people helped us along the way. The best computer support came from here at the Khumbu Lodge. I'm including their website in case anyone is planning their trip: www.khumbulodge.com
We are here a few more days. Tomorrow we will publish some family photos so you can figure out who is who.
Next week we are heading to the area called the Solu Khumbu as we attempt to walk out of the mountains. We arrived as celebrities and we will humblely walk back to town. Should take about a week.
We are here a few more days. Tomorrow we will publish some family photos so you can figure out who is who.
Next week we are heading to the area called the Solu Khumbu as we attempt to walk out of the mountains. We arrived as celebrities and we will humblely walk back to town. Should take about a week.
Trekking Family Style
Our Captain Pemba led us on a wonderful adventure. We met an international group of people who joined us and left us during our trek. We reached Kala Patar which overlooks the Everest base camp at 18,000'. That was a 5:30 am summit bid which gave us a short view of Everest without clouds. There were two glacier crossings and two high passes. They can only be described as short and difficult, long and hard, long and dangerous and long and difficult. Ah life in the mountains.
The accomadations along the way were very hospitable. We had a hot meal, lots of tea and our own room every night. The water supplies were good. Rebecca's filter worked great and we almost finished all the power bars. The last two days we gave out candy to every porter and child we met. They were grateful. Our bags got lighter and our pants a little looser. The views and the clouds contributed to outstanding vistas in every directions, every day.
We got tired but we never ran out of steam. We got goofy but never lost our sense of humor. We have had camera mishaps and computer viruses but we not stopped taking pictures. There were days where we could not recharge our camera batteries but our bodies kept on going. We feel so fortunate to have had such a successful trip.
Returning to Namche Bazaar and the Khumbu Lodge is like returning home. We have laundry to do and postings to make, people to visit and a dentist visit tomorrow for our porter Chandan. Life goes at a very fast pace here in Namche Bazaar. We are amazed at how many more trekkers there are only 9 days later. This morning I could hardly step out the door of the lodge because there were so many porters, yaks and trekkers filling the paths. By 9am they were gone and we have our l0vely village for ourselves for a few hours.
Pictures will follow in a few hours. You are sleeping now anyway.
The accomadations along the way were very hospitable. We had a hot meal, lots of tea and our own room every night. The water supplies were good. Rebecca's filter worked great and we almost finished all the power bars. The last two days we gave out candy to every porter and child we met. They were grateful. Our bags got lighter and our pants a little looser. The views and the clouds contributed to outstanding vistas in every directions, every day.
We got tired but we never ran out of steam. We got goofy but never lost our sense of humor. We have had camera mishaps and computer viruses but we not stopped taking pictures. There were days where we could not recharge our camera batteries but our bodies kept on going. We feel so fortunate to have had such a successful trip.
Returning to Namche Bazaar and the Khumbu Lodge is like returning home. We have laundry to do and postings to make, people to visit and a dentist visit tomorrow for our porter Chandan. Life goes at a very fast pace here in Namche Bazaar. We are amazed at how many more trekkers there are only 9 days later. This morning I could hardly step out the door of the lodge because there were so many porters, yaks and trekkers filling the paths. By 9am they were gone and we have our l0vely village for ourselves for a few hours.
Pictures will follow in a few hours. You are sleeping now anyway.
Friday, October 3, 2008
WWW Return To Namche Bazar
Our daughter, Joslyn, alerted me to check my text messages this morning and, sure enough, Susan and Rebecca are back at the Khumbu Lodge in Namche Bazar. Susan texts that they are tired after their wonderful nine day trek and that they are going straight to bed after dinner. They will let us know more in the morning after they are rested.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Cho La into the Gokyo Valley
Here is the map section showing the trail down from the Cho La at 5420m to Gokyo at 4750m. From here on, Susan and Rebecca are continuing westward through unfamiliar territory. No trail is indicated on my map, but I can find two unnamed passes over the mountains. The pass further north at 5486m seems the more likely route connecting to the Nangpo Tsampo valley and the trail south returning to Namche Bazar. We should be hearing from them on Friday or Saturday.
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