Grand Summary:
- A few days in Kathmandu in the tourist hub of Thamel getting sorted and rearranging our transport & route (so we could work in a job interview in a place with reception in 5 days time)
- 10-11 hour jeep ride from Kathmandu to Phaplu
- 28 Days trekking from Phaplu return on the 3 Passes Circuit in the Khumbu Valley beneath incredible peaks like Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nhuptse, Cho Oyu and Everest
- Currently relaxing in Tansen, (west of Kathmandu) staying with a friend working as a doctor in a hospital here.
- Next: Back to Kathmandu, where Miriam will be with the Himalayan Foundation for a short time assisting with the Himalayan Trust/REED Nepal teacher training programme before we head back to NZ.
It's been a truly incredible 28 days amidst the Mighty Mountains of Nepal!
28 days of near perfect weather, every day.
28 days of expensive Dahl Baht for lunch & egg veg noodles for dinner every day.
28 days of not showering or shaving.
28 days of pulling on the boots and stinky socks and packs every morning.
28 days of attempting, but mostly failing, to avoid trains of yaks, mules and people.
28 days of experiencing and appreciating different levels of oxygen.
28 days of theoretically getting fitter, but seemingly feeling less and less fit with the increasing altitude.
28 days of trying to speak enough Nepali to be able to eat in the local teahouses (as opposed to tourist lodges), where food was better and much cheaper.
28 days of journeying through incredible beautiful, awe inspiring, places.
On our days off, as a break from walking, just for a change, we usually climbed 600m up a nearby peak for the view or to help acclimatise. Ahh, but what a real privilege being able to spend this time here coming towards the end of our journey! Hamro Nepal derri man parcha! (We really like Nepal!).
In a couple of weeks we'll aim to post another blog with some reflections on Nepal and our time here in general. But, without further ado, we'd like to share some of these Mountain spots with you. The photos really don't even come close to doing it justice. For you, though, this is a WIN! You'll save on the necessary slow days acclimatising to the high altitudes, the conscious effort required for the simple acts of breathing, and the painfully slow uphill walking with excessive amounts of stops required to do a distance that would normally be straight forward. (Yes, we learnt that altitude is definitely a force to contend with).
