The next day we started walking....we all were carrying our own packs and going without a guide, so the adventure had begun! That first day was intense....BEAUtiful, but intense we went up 1000 meters that day. But the walk was awesome through some really great forests with flowering trees, birds and cicadias singing while the river rushed by along the side of the trail. Just before our first stop on Day 1 we met an American guy, Jonathan, who ended up trekking with us the rest of the way to Langtang.
In the night after Day 1 Emma got sick....we still aren't sure what made her sick, but the guys went ahead that day so her and I could go at our own pace. MAN! Was she a trooper! The second day was another intense one, going up another 1000 meters that day as well. All through the forest, but rocky switchbacks that kept me breathing hard....I have NO idea how Emma did it sick. She is a TOTAL BadASS! That night Emma made a pretty good turn around and on Day 3 we made it to Kyanjin Gompa which is the viewpoint for the Langtang mountain range.
Day 3 wasn't quite as intense, but nonetheless wearing because as we got closer to Kyanjin Gompa we didn't really know where we were going....which mentally wears on you. It's interesting how beinging able to see the end point of your day of walking really boosts the morale.
Day 4 was spent hanging out in Kyanjin Gompa, Emma and I did laundry while the guys went to another viewpoint (ANOTHER!!! 1000 meteres up!) called Kyanjin Ri. Once they were back, Emma, Jonathan and I went to the Gompa (aka Monastery)....it was so beautiful! The frescos and the aura around the tiny Gompa was indescribable. The didi (the woman who looks after the Gompa) let us light a butter candle and lift up a prayer....this experience was so moving, definitely one of the highlights of my trek. Just the peace and serenity that surrounded the Gompa....made me speechless.
The next day it was down, Down, DOWN! Which you wouldn't think but it almost as hard on your body as going up. In addition to all that FUN going down the weather was kind of crappy, foggy and rainy. Yuck! That night we stopped in a little town called Lama Hotel and celebrated our last night as a group, because the next day Jonathan and Simon would go back to Syphru Besi and Emma, Paul and I would press on to Gosainkunda.
I have yet to mention, but the ENTIRE time we were walking back and forth to Langtang there was a serious (I think 10 days...) strike going on in Kathmandu. Striking means EVERYthing shuts down, no taxis, no buses, no shops, no restaurants....and this particular strike was evidently volatile. There was rioting and some acts of violence. Luckily, I was high up in the Himalayas and TOTALLY uninvolved. Phew!
May 6th....what a day! We went down AGAIN!!! then when Paul, Emma and I split off from the group....not only did we go up (STRAIGHT UP!) but it started pouring down rain and didn't stop until we got to Thulo Syaphru, our stop for the night. The only blessing about that day was a HOT shower and really good tea! Yes! It is official I love tea and I pretty much will drink it over any other beverage :)
The next day was supposed to be challenging, not only up but also the trail was suppose to be confusing. Luckily, everything went off without a hitch….with the exception that it was cloudy most of the day and Emma and I busted our butts going uphill all the way to Sing Gompa (our stop for the night). At Sing Gompa, there was a monastery AND (drum roll please!) a cheese factory!!! Paul and I hit up both the cheese factory and the Gompa….enlightenment and cheese what more could a girl want. The other, not so thrilling, thing that happen in Sing Gompa was I did my laundry (by hand ofcourse!) but it was FREEZING cold and lucky lucky me, my clothes were not dry in the morning. BUMMER!
May 8th was alittle bit like the day of doom. I woke up grumpy with wet laundry; it was cold and foggy….And we were walking uphill all day. It was so foggy/cloudy in parts that we could only see about 25 meters of trail in front of us. We had planned to make it to Gousainkund that day but we stopped early in Laurabina Yak, because the weather, visibility, and (to be honest) my attitude. I wasn’t being an outright bitch, but I was definitely NOT being my normal chatty self and Emma and Paul could tell. We hung around the fire trying not to freeze, directly after dinner I took a Valium and went to sleep. No need to be grumpy.
Woke up the next morning to clear skies and AMAZING mountain views of Langtang, Annapurnas, and Ganesh Himal. I knew it was going to be a good day. We had a pretty short morning up to the lakes, and once settled at our hotel we walked around the lake, snapped photos, and enjoyed the sunshine. YAY! Sunshine! We had several cloudy days so seeing the sun shine was AMAZING! Because it was a half day of walking, we had some time to just chill….Paul taught me Cribbage, I always love a new card game. Also there were quite a few people at the hotel we were staying at so there was some good people watching….cuddling Spainish couple and puking Frenchmen, it was an interesting stay in Gousainkund.
All too soon, morning came which meant heading over the pass (Laurabina Pass, 4610 meters!). Phew! It was an awesome view, but really windy. The rest of the morning was spent going down, down, down. Oh Man! By lunch I was already pooped…then there “ridge hell” (as Emma referred to it), there was a rough long section of rough terrain that was mostly switchbacks. But the BEST part about these switchbacks was just when you peaked and dipped down into a small gulley and thought the switchbacks were over….more magically appeared, hence Emma and I decided we must be in hell. That night we had beer, dark chocolate, and Dal Bhat to celebrate Paul’s 30th Birthday. Paul is just a stellar dude, he is light on his feet and in great shape but still really patient and helpful when Emma or I were slow or needed help. Paul was quite but insightful and surprisingly witty. (Paulism…”This is a very badly designed mountain.” And “Mother Nature is a dead beat parent who only sees you everyother weekend.” Ha! Paul you are a hoot!)
The next three days were really intense downhill, with several eroded paths…this was really hard on my already tired feet. I have EXTRA special blisters, around my toe nails and in between toes…who knew you could even get them there! The last two days we walked from at least 6 hours each day and the final day we walked from alittle over 3 hours. Man! Was I happy to get on a bus! The last half an hour of the trek was brutal concrete steps going down down down….I kind of wanted to cry. On the bus I took my boots off and actually fell asleep until we got to the bus park. I was pretty darn happy to see Kathmandu again. In the same token, it was almost surreal that we were back and we had WALKED (essentially) back to Kathmandu. Even though trekking was really intense most of the time, whether it was the up hills, down hills or the amazing views, the intensity was well worth all the hard work and difficult as it may have been time flew by….these last two weeks just coasted on by!
Back at the Volunteer house I showered and washed my nappy two week old hair…I know I am a filthy human being. Like I said to Simon “The day a Nepali person tells me I need to bathe, is the day I know I REALLY stink!” After I regained my former clean self I went into town and had a cheeseburger and drinks with Emma and Paul. Seriously! We just can’t get enough of each other! I couldn’t have picked a better pair to trek with, both were patient and understanding when times were tough and they also had great timing when it came to making a joke when I needed it or just shutting up because we all needed the silence. I love you two!
The next adventure is chill time in Pokhara before I head off to my last placement. I have plans to meet up with Nepali man and his family….(small world) his two sons live in Michigan! Also I am going to chill with my two favorite ex-volunteers Emma and Pieter, Love you guys! I can’t forget that I am meeting up with my American/Israeli friend Shira as well, lots of social chill time in Pokhara to prepare me for the solitude of my last placement. My last placement will be Charicot, there is a boy’s home there and so I am pretty excited to help out around the house and hang out with the kids. Well that is the tentative plan for now, but knowing Nepal it could change at any moment….until then, Much love!
*Side note: Emma and I are combining photos, so I probably won't be posting photos until I get back from Pokhara....sorry guys!
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