Merry Christmas to everyone.
The celebrations began this morning with our paper Christmas Tree and gifts underneath for all the kids. It's fun to see the kids all running around smiling. (not that they are usually sad). It's just nice to be able to share in the celebrations with them.
Yesterday we prepared "chicken stuffing MOMOs (which are like dumplings). Bringing Nepal and the Western Christmas together. We are also making mashed potatoes and gravy. For dessert, cakes were made in the oven at a local bakery. Quite an event!
So, shall I write about my trek...I guess so.
I headed off with two other volunteers I met here on a 5 day trek. The trek, we believe would consist of going to Ghorepani and Poon Hill and then to Ghandruk and back out of the mountains.
We were planning to leave at 8:30am on the 16th, though we were told there would be a strike so we left just after 6am. VERY early. We had a guide and a porter that would help us along the trek and carry our stuff.
Day 1. We started out in Nayapul around 830am walking. We stopped about an hour later for breakfast. I believe it took about 2 hours, no joke. The lady had to run down to the next shop to get 2 eggs. She came back hiding them behind her back like she was embarrassed. It was quite cute. After lunch we continued walking until about 2 when we had lunch and finished our day just after. It was a nice relaxing evening playing cards.
Day 2. We started around 7 or 730 and began with about a 300 metre climb of stairs up from Thikedunga to Ulleri. It was hot out and a little challenging, but once we got to the top we had our Coke/Fanta reward. From there we made our way to Ghorepani arriving around 430pm. Got our guesthouse, Nice View, which had a great view over the mountains. We were at about 2900 metres and it was COLD.
Day 3. We started out at 5:45 to hike up to Poon Hill, 3200 metres, for the sunrise. It turned out to be not the most exciting sunrise, but the view was still stunning. We headed back to the guesthouse for breakfast before another LONG day. We thought we were going to Chuile, a little past Tadapani, but our guide decided to push us to the max and we walked till 5 pm. It was a LONG, HARD day for all of us. I don't know what our "guide" was thinking, but we did it. The guesthouse wasn't the best and we were given a bucket of boiling water to shower with. This is quite a Nepali experience. The other two girls were really unimpressed. For the money we were paying our guide (who told us we would have great accomodation) it was not up there, but I thought it was kind of fun. You haven't experienced Nepal until you had a "saucepan" shower. That meaning, along with the bucket we had a saucepan and a large bowl to mix cold water and pour it over ourselves.
The next day, Day 4. Up at the crack of day again and off by 730. We made it to the Hot Spings in Jhainu which was a nice break. The shower part of the hot springs was amazing. Probably the best shower since I have been in Nepal and that is saying a lot considering I was wearing shorts, and a tank top. Not to mention the 10 Nepali people/kids watching us wash. Again it was a long day as we had to push on as far as possible to shorten our walk for the 5th and final day. A National 3 day Strike was planned beginning on the Sunday, our last day. A national strike means there are NO cars on the road and most shops are closed. We ended in a Tolka, 3 hours from the road.
Day 5. The Final day. We started walking at 730am with a big set of steps to start. Not fun. We walked for hours. And when I say hours, I mean we had to walk all the way to Pokhara, the city we started in. We arrived at 7pm that night. We physically walked for about 9 hours that day. It is quite amazing what we accomplished. It was probably an 8 day trek crammed into 5 days. More walking than we really wanted, but I am proud of what I did and happy I did it. And even happier that I was able to keep positive the entire time and finish with a smile. The other girls seemed a little more bitter about the long days, but there was nothing we could do. Just be happy we did it. I even think that I would like to come back and do a longer trek in a couple years.
Trekking in the Himalayas....check!
Missing everyone at home but enjoying my time. I will try and put some photos up in the next few days.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Another week gone
Time started out slow, but is now flying by. Though it feels like I have been here for quite a long time.
What has happened in the past week...hmmm.
This past weekend I went up the mountain to Sarangkot with Charlotte, from France. She is staying with a homestay family and the grandparents live up there so we stayed with them. We took the local bus up which was quite funny. We were crammed in like sardines, and not only in the bus but also on top and hanging out the door. Just this morning I read in the paper about a bus on that road that fell over the side of the hill and killed about 13 people. Anyway, there was a lady on the bus that kept trying to talk to me, though all I could do was smile as she didn't speak English. She slapped me lightly for god only knows what reason. She was quite funny, and possibly drunk...who knows. She was taking 5 litres of "raksi" the local alcohol up the mountain. There were some sweet little boys that let me sit with them. It was a fun/funny ride.
Up at the house was interesting. The houses are just cement walls and an aluminum roof. It gets quite cold at night. We played with the children and hung around the "buffalo" house to keep warm by the fire and ate dahl baht. As it gets dark early we went up to bed just after 8, wrote in our journals and then to sleep. "Grandmother" tucked Charlotte and I into our single shared bed. It was quite cute and funny. We had to go outside to the "squat" toilet. The next morning we got up at 6 to walk up to the viewing tower to see the sunrise over the mountains. We were really lucky that it was a nice clear morning. Then a nice breakfast looking over the mountains. Back to the house around 8:45 or 9. Just in time for dahl baht at 9:15. That was my first time to have it in the morning. 9:15 is too early to eat rice and beans and curried vegetables. We took some photos with the grandparents. I love them. They are just the cutest sweetest old people.
Around 10:30 we headed out to walk to the "paragliding" take off place. Charlotte and I were doing a 30 minute paragliding down to the lakeside. It was quite the experience. Really fun and interesting, though myself, I wouldn't do it again. In order to gain height you have to circle and that made me feel nauseous. NOT fun. After we made it to the ground I felt better. We were just in time to meet up with the group of volunteers for an afternoon on the lake with paddle boats. We were 12 people and had 4 boats tied together. It was such a fun afternoon. Lots of good laughs.
Tomorrow I am heading off trekking for 5 days. We are going to "Poon Hill". It is going to be fun and challenging for me I think. I am going with 2 other girls and we will have a guide and porters. We can't/don't want to carry our things. Lots of little things to get organised today. Last minute things to get.
After my trek I am planning to be back here for the rest of the year volunteering. Looking forward to it and spending Christmas with the children.
If I don't get on here before Christmas, Merry Christmas to everyone.
What has happened in the past week...hmmm.
This past weekend I went up the mountain to Sarangkot with Charlotte, from France. She is staying with a homestay family and the grandparents live up there so we stayed with them. We took the local bus up which was quite funny. We were crammed in like sardines, and not only in the bus but also on top and hanging out the door. Just this morning I read in the paper about a bus on that road that fell over the side of the hill and killed about 13 people. Anyway, there was a lady on the bus that kept trying to talk to me, though all I could do was smile as she didn't speak English. She slapped me lightly for god only knows what reason. She was quite funny, and possibly drunk...who knows. She was taking 5 litres of "raksi" the local alcohol up the mountain. There were some sweet little boys that let me sit with them. It was a fun/funny ride.
Up at the house was interesting. The houses are just cement walls and an aluminum roof. It gets quite cold at night. We played with the children and hung around the "buffalo" house to keep warm by the fire and ate dahl baht. As it gets dark early we went up to bed just after 8, wrote in our journals and then to sleep. "Grandmother" tucked Charlotte and I into our single shared bed. It was quite cute and funny. We had to go outside to the "squat" toilet. The next morning we got up at 6 to walk up to the viewing tower to see the sunrise over the mountains. We were really lucky that it was a nice clear morning. Then a nice breakfast looking over the mountains. Back to the house around 8:45 or 9. Just in time for dahl baht at 9:15. That was my first time to have it in the morning. 9:15 is too early to eat rice and beans and curried vegetables. We took some photos with the grandparents. I love them. They are just the cutest sweetest old people.
Around 10:30 we headed out to walk to the "paragliding" take off place. Charlotte and I were doing a 30 minute paragliding down to the lakeside. It was quite the experience. Really fun and interesting, though myself, I wouldn't do it again. In order to gain height you have to circle and that made me feel nauseous. NOT fun. After we made it to the ground I felt better. We were just in time to meet up with the group of volunteers for an afternoon on the lake with paddle boats. We were 12 people and had 4 boats tied together. It was such a fun afternoon. Lots of good laughs.
Tomorrow I am heading off trekking for 5 days. We are going to "Poon Hill". It is going to be fun and challenging for me I think. I am going with 2 other girls and we will have a guide and porters. We can't/don't want to carry our things. Lots of little things to get organised today. Last minute things to get.
After my trek I am planning to be back here for the rest of the year volunteering. Looking forward to it and spending Christmas with the children.
If I don't get on here before Christmas, Merry Christmas to everyone.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Shaka Laka Boom
This is the slogan written on walls for noodles. Quite funny.
Anyway, once again it has been quite some time since I have written. I don't even remember what I have done since I last wrote. I do keep a journal and know, but it is upstairs in my room. Lets see if my memory is any good.
Last week, I don't remember anything earth shattering happening. I got my camera stolen last Sunday at a festival. That kind of sucks cause they are not the cheapest thing here. I still haven't bought a new one. I did get a police report to file my insurance. No big deal. We had gone to this festival with a guy that teaches some of our students. It ended up being awkward because he seemed to assume that we would pay for everything, Harvey and I. We paid the taxi there, fine. But his entrance fee, that is a little far over the line. I mean, he didn't even offer to pay, just assumed that we would. I didn't like that. We got coffee, very cheap, but again, he assumed we would pay. Sure it was only 15 cents, but the principal....Harvey wasn't having it and asked him for the 10 rupees.
Met a volunteer from France who is teaching in a school about 25 minutes away. SHe is the only volunteer there so we meet up from time to time. We met for dinner on Friday with her and a few other volunteers. It was a nice evening. We went to a bar after, just me and a couple of the guys, but I didn't find it enjoyable so headed home. No one had energy to do anything on Saturday. I am not even sure what I ended up doing. I think I may have met up with Charlotte(from France) and we went to book paragliding. We are going on Saturday. She is staying with a homestay family and their grandparents live up on the mountain where we will do the paragliding. They invited me to go there Friday night with them and spend the night. Then we will come down flying. Should be fun and a good experience staying with the family.
Sunday there was a strike by the Maoists. This meant that kids didn't have school in the afternoon and most shops were closed. A few of us took the kids to the park. It was quite a relaxing afternoon just lazing in the park. Some of the kids ran around and played football(soccer) and others just enjoyed relaxing. I know I sure did.
Monday Harvey and I went to school with some of the school kids. They didn't have classes because there was a teachers strike but they had this "sport" class which is really just them marching like in the military and some random exercises. It was a little wierd.
I am planning to go trekking next week with a couple girls next week for 5 days. We need to get it all planned. It should be fun. I am hoping to spend Christmas here with the children. It should be fun.
Sorry this post seems a little all over the place. I wrote half last night and finishing it up this morning. And I really don't want to re-read it all to see what I wrote or not.
Things have been going well though. I am enjoying my time here a lot. There are quite a few volunteers here now which is not the best. There are some that just rub me the wrong way which is quite annoying. At times I feel quite old because some of these people are not only young, but also immature. Part of me just wishes that we had our original group. Oh well, enough complaining from me.
I am going to eat some delicious dahl baht soon then into town...I really need to get a camera.
Ciao
Anyway, once again it has been quite some time since I have written. I don't even remember what I have done since I last wrote. I do keep a journal and know, but it is upstairs in my room. Lets see if my memory is any good.
Last week, I don't remember anything earth shattering happening. I got my camera stolen last Sunday at a festival. That kind of sucks cause they are not the cheapest thing here. I still haven't bought a new one. I did get a police report to file my insurance. No big deal. We had gone to this festival with a guy that teaches some of our students. It ended up being awkward because he seemed to assume that we would pay for everything, Harvey and I. We paid the taxi there, fine. But his entrance fee, that is a little far over the line. I mean, he didn't even offer to pay, just assumed that we would. I didn't like that. We got coffee, very cheap, but again, he assumed we would pay. Sure it was only 15 cents, but the principal....Harvey wasn't having it and asked him for the 10 rupees.
Met a volunteer from France who is teaching in a school about 25 minutes away. SHe is the only volunteer there so we meet up from time to time. We met for dinner on Friday with her and a few other volunteers. It was a nice evening. We went to a bar after, just me and a couple of the guys, but I didn't find it enjoyable so headed home. No one had energy to do anything on Saturday. I am not even sure what I ended up doing. I think I may have met up with Charlotte(from France) and we went to book paragliding. We are going on Saturday. She is staying with a homestay family and their grandparents live up on the mountain where we will do the paragliding. They invited me to go there Friday night with them and spend the night. Then we will come down flying. Should be fun and a good experience staying with the family.
Sunday there was a strike by the Maoists. This meant that kids didn't have school in the afternoon and most shops were closed. A few of us took the kids to the park. It was quite a relaxing afternoon just lazing in the park. Some of the kids ran around and played football(soccer) and others just enjoyed relaxing. I know I sure did.
Monday Harvey and I went to school with some of the school kids. They didn't have classes because there was a teachers strike but they had this "sport" class which is really just them marching like in the military and some random exercises. It was a little wierd.
I am planning to go trekking next week with a couple girls next week for 5 days. We need to get it all planned. It should be fun. I am hoping to spend Christmas here with the children. It should be fun.
Sorry this post seems a little all over the place. I wrote half last night and finishing it up this morning. And I really don't want to re-read it all to see what I wrote or not.
Things have been going well though. I am enjoying my time here a lot. There are quite a few volunteers here now which is not the best. There are some that just rub me the wrong way which is quite annoying. At times I feel quite old because some of these people are not only young, but also immature. Part of me just wishes that we had our original group. Oh well, enough complaining from me.
I am going to eat some delicious dahl baht soon then into town...I really need to get a camera.
Ciao
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
