I naively believed that I had figured out the time table for Kathmandu's blackouts: Power on from 8 PM till 4 AM, then back at 8 AM till 12 PM.  I got back from my trek early today at 1:30 PM and was surprised that the power was working.  Perhaps the blackouts had only been temporary, I thought?  Nope .. the power was on until 8 PM, when suddenly the city went black.  Goddamnit.  The spoiled American that I was, I had left all my things scattered in the hotel room, planning to pack later on and planning to shower later.  After stumbling for my room key, I made it down to the lobby where there were candles being passed out to irritated guests.  "When will the power come back?," I asked.  "12," the front desk guy replied.  "Or maybe 4 AM."  Absolutely fabulous.  I laughed, cuz there was nothing else to do.  I have to be up and ready in the lobby at 5 AM tomorrow morning to leave for my Tibet trip.  I'd been hoping to have solid time updating the website.

 

As it were, the power abruptly came back on at 11 PM, after I had spent a couple hours reading "Tuesdays with Morrie," a book that I'd highly recommend to everyone.  Now, I'm back on the computer, furiously typing and trying to take advantage of every electricity moment possible.

 

The 3 day, 2 night trek was something I endured and succeeded at.  It was not something that I found completely enjoyable at all times, I must admit.  The first day was a grueling 6 hour intense uphill trek (read my previous entry and you'll see how I felt).  The second day was a longer trek of 6 hours, then the third, we finished in a record 3 hours (versus the 5 hours the guide quoted, mainly due to my desire for the trek to be over).  Highlights?  Getting to pass through the Nepali villages and see a very different life from mine.  Morning sunrises as the sun peaked over the Annupurna and other mountain ranges were breathtaking.  Finding moments when I truly enjoyed being out in nature, watching the butterflies fly about.  Looking through my pictures, I'm glad I did it.

The second day was definitely the best.  There was something rewarding to awake after the painful first day and see the sunrise from my window, high on the Chisapani hill.  It was refreshing to be up early (thankful for light out), having breakfast, as I watched the Nepali men argue about this or that.  A group of army men ran by us from the nearby barracks for some early morning exercise.  A herder went about his business, pushing his two cows through our breakfast area.  A young child came out of the house carrying the biggest piece of Tibetan bread I've ever seen,  (Ok, so I've only seen Tibetan bread twice, but it was really big!)   It was all so normal for the people there and couldn't have been more foreign from the normal morning I would have back home.

 

The pictures show it best, so I'll leave it at that.  Check out the pictures of these boys dragging a beheaded goat, its blood smearing on the ground.  Right before I took that, I saw a woman carrying a bloody goat's head on a plate, likely for a sacrifice.  Quite disturbing.

 

So would I have done the trek if I'd known how grueling it would be?  Absolutely.  After all, I am in Nepal, and trekking is the thing here.  At the end of the day, the pain is easily forgotten but the memories -- those moments where you realize how beautiful it is out there and how amazing it is to see the life there -- that's what is remembered.

 

Click here to see the photos: Kathmandu Photos.

 

 

 

What in god’s name was I thinking, to do a trek in Nepal?  I’m in horrible shape, haven’t been to the gym in months, and hell, I hate bugs.  But here I am, in a guesthouse in Chisapani after a 6 hour trek today.  90% of the day was a grueling uphill trek with an intense incline.  My guide, Indra, and I went from 1500ish m to 2300ishm.  By the top, my ears were popping and I started to feel like I’d caught the bug.  It wasn’t until I looked at my swollen fingers that I realized that I likely was having a mild case of Altitude Sickness.  Jeez, if I get it now, how will I fair on the trip to Tibet, where we’ll go to 4000 m?  Or Peru, where I’ll be hiking up Machu Picchu?

I write by candlelight because there’s no electricity.  Life is incredibly different out here, where sunlight determines the length of the day and where sunset calls it quitting time.  Dinner is started from scratch after you order, thus, it takes about an hour wait simply to get food.  Yet there is something calming and relaxing in this simple life, here on the top of the hill with views of the Annapurna and Everast range.  It’s like going camping, day after day.

I was startled by a giant moth that was flying around my room, hitting walls.  Finally, I had to have Indra evacuate it from the room.  God, what a wuss I am.  I was ducked under the covers for a good few minutes, lying in fear of that stupid thing.

The first day of trekking, though grueling, allowed me to see what the villages are like.  Those steep steps are the norm for the villagers, who often do it twice a day, according to my guide.  Life is simple out here, but very poor.  According to Indra, 70% of Nepali do not have work.  Most subside off the food of their land.  Education is provided to about 70% of the kids, with only 50% females completely primary school.  If anything, I learned today that there is definitely a preference for the men in this society.  Go figure.  I am thankful again to have been raised in the US, where women have equal opportunities.

Most of the day was spent either with me asking Indra questions about Nepal or about his family and life here; the other part was in silence as I cursed myself for putting me in this godforsaken situation that I clearly have no right to be in.  I mean – I’m carrying a laptop in my backpack (not wanting to risk leaving it at the hotel in Kathmandu).  What kind of trekker brings a laptop on their trip?  I hate bugs, don’t particularly have much interest in many of the random animal sightings, hate turd on the ground.  So what’s it worth?  I suppose the views of the mountains are what its worth; the feeling of accomplishment to crest the tiny mountain (or rather, a steep hill) where colorful Tibetan flags are hung.  For me, it’s all about the destination and having that sigh of relief that, Thank God, it’s over for now.

I must be a masochist, cuz I seem to like to torture myself.  In Jordan, I am considering traveling to Aqaba from Wadi Rum by camel for three days – who the hell wants to ride a camel for that long?  I must be out of my mind.  This is yet to be the last trek on my trip as well; I plan to summit Mount Sinai in Egypt, where the burning bush is said to have appeared in the Bible, and I have a 5 day hike on the Inca Trail before I reach Machu Picchu.  We’ll see how I fair.  The only thing that gets me through is pure motivation to succeed in the treks.  I have naught else – no strength, no appropriate fitness level, and not the right gear.

Yes, I must be insane.
 

 

21 April 2009

Kathmandu: First Impressions

When I added Kathmandu to my travel itinerary, I was inspired by a picture of Durbar Square that I’d seen online.  The square was filled with traditional pagoda-like temples and buildings from the 17th and 18th century.  I wanted to be there to get my photos.  Aside from that, I really didn’t know what to expect.  Would it be a crazy crowded place like India?  Would I constantly be harassed to buy stuff?  I really didn’t know it.

What I didn’t expect was that there are only 12 hours of electricity available during the day, ‘scheduled’ to start at various hours in the evening.  I’d encountered places with rolling blackouts during my weekend trip to Kerala, India, but I’d never expected 12 hours constant blackouts.  Mostly during the day, this doesn’t really quite impact me too much.  Although, the free internet access allowed by my hotel is definitely limited to the evenings.

The first day of my arrival, I was struck by the inefficiency at the airport as I had to wait to purchase my 15day visa.  With only a name of a hotel in hand, I was soon helped by friendly workers at the airport, who put me into the free taxi to my destination.  At the hotel, I noted how laid back everyone was.  I was still in my high-strung, high-paced travel mentality, but as I sat to have tea with the hotel workers, I was told, “Hey, don’t worry, you’re not in America.  You don’t have to rush so much.”  And thus, this became the theme of my first day.  I slowed my walking pace, slowed my usual impatience to explore the place, and just took it easy.

After a much needed nap after having spent the entire night in the Bangkok airport with only 3 hours sleep on cold, metal chairs, I set out to find the adventure agency that I’d booked a Tibet trip with.  My hotel is at Chhetrapati, just on the outskirts of Thamel.  Thamel is the central tourist area that most people spend their time while visiting Kathmandu; it’s a maze of medieval-like streets filled with street vendors, temples allow the way, and makes for a good day of walking.  I got lost the entire way, due to major lack of street signs.  In the end, I simply resorted to asking people for directions every so often on the way.  Nepalis are very friendly people, I’ve found, and always willing to assist a lost foreignor.

I was surprised by the non-pushiness of many of the vendors I’ve encountered.  Granted, the street vendors will yell out to get your attention, but the one that struck me as odd was the agency representative at my hotel.  He spent time telling me about the different treks, but when it came to booking, unlike other tourist agencies I’ve encountered in the world, he was laid back and said, don’t rush, think it over.  I thought it over and decided today that I’d book a 3 day, 2 night trek that starts tomorrow morning.  I look forward to seeing the great views of the Nepali mountains.

The best part of my walk yesterday started after sunset.  The blackout was still in effect, thus, the entire city was thrown into darkness.  There were the occasional lucrative stores that had a personal generator, but aside from that, the streets were light only by the motorbikes that came along and candles used by the street vendors.  It was a surreal and very relaxing experience to walk in filled streets, not overly crowded, and following the windy roads of the quaint city.  I found myself at the Nepalese Kitchen, a recommended restaurant, and enjoyed a serene meal outdoors by candlelight.  Had I found Shangri-La at last in Nepal?  Perhaps not, but I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Today, I set out early to explore Durbar Square.  It was filled with people, many Hindus praying at temples, many others simply lounging around on the steps.  The square is the location where Kumari, the living goddess, lives.  I was told that this current living goddess comes from a Buddhist family but is currently a “Hindu” goddess.

The living goddess is chosen at an early age, around 3, and retires once she starts menstruation.  The goddess is chosen from a group of young girls whose final test is to stand in a ceremony with men dressed in scary masks and outfits, chanting and dancing around them.  The one who is not scared is worthy of being a goddess.  My ‘guide’ at the Square also spoke of a yearly ceremony where 108 animals (54 goats and 54 cows) are killed; that night, the goddess has to stay in the temple with all 108 heads of the animals.  The living goddess is not scared because, well, she’s a goddess.

After her first period and thus, retirement, the Goddess often cannot find a husband, as the myth says that any man who marries her will die in 36 days.  It’s hard to imagine a retirement around 12 to 13 years of age.

After the Square, I headed to Swayambhu Temple, sometimes known as Monkey Temple due to all the monekys that lounge around the area.  After a 30 minute walk somewhat knowing where I was going, I came upon the temple to discover that it was at the top of a high mountain!  I had to climb the 365 steps to get to the very top, something that simply wore me out.  I was rewarded though, with great views of the city and an interesting view into a temple that is tolerant of both Buddhist and Hindus praying.  It’s a testament to the religious tolerance and co-existance here in Nepal.