Hakunah Matata

After leaving Nepal we had a bit of a marathon trip in getting over to Nairobi. Our flight left Nepal in the afternoon and arrived back in Delhi in the evening. We booked a cheap $20 hotel near the airport since we weren’t flying out until the next morning. The hotel itself was okay, but in the morning (1:30am) when we had to head back to the airport they tried to charge us double the shuttle price. We argued and pointed out there price list, which they had covered over with newspaper from the night before, when we had seen uncovered. In the end they claimed it was a night service price and we were stuck since we needed to get to the airport, so we had no choice but to pay the price.

From Delhi we flew to Doha, Qatar for a brief layover before heading on to Nairobi. The airport is interesting because it is pretty new, sparkling clean and serviced almost exclusively by the Qatar based airline. It seemed that only 2 flights in the entire morning were not from the Qatar airline. The airport had a mosque inside which we assume was to make sure that at any of the designated prayer times the Muslims had access to a mosque.

Then, finally we were on our way to Nairobi. Out of our entire 4 month voyage Christine was most excited about the Nepal portion of our trip; however, Kenya was what I was most looking forward to. A very good friend of mine that I have known since about 3 years old, Chris, has been living in Kenya for many years. The thought of seeing Africa, the incredible wildlife, and a life-long friend was very exciting. My father also grew up in neighbouring Ethiopia, so I have been raised on stories of Africa. (Left - Hovan and his good friend Chris).

When we landed in the afternoon we were picked up by a driver that Chris uses regularly. We had been out of the airport not more than 3 minutes when we saw giraffes in the distance. Too cool!! The trip through Nairobi and out to the complex where we were staying was pleasant and about 45 minutes. The city itself seems quite clean and comparatively quiet on the traffic front when compared to India.

Chris and his wife Sherene are teachers at Rosslyn Academy, a Christian school designed to teach missionary children. The school goes from primary all the way up to high school graduation and has about 500 students, including diplomat kids and those of children whose parents have business interests in Nairobi. The staff at the academy all have accommodation within the complex grounds and things are very well guarded. The street the academy is just off of holds the UN complex for western Africa, the US embassy along with about 10 other embassies. Funny enough the academy is sandwiched between the US embassies staff living quarters and the Iraqi embassy. Security is tight all around as Kenya can be a very dangerous place where robberies and car jackings and other violent crimes are a somewhat common place occurrence. One must always be vigilant.

Above - Rosslyn Academy

When we arrived at the academy we were introduced to Chris and Sherene’s beautiful baby girl Amaya. We also had the opportunity to meet their nighbours across the street, Tim and Lisa along with their two boys Max and Simon. It turned out that Chris’s place is a bit small for visitors so they arranged for us to stay with Tim and Lisa. Tim also happens to be Chris’s boss, and the principle of the Academy’s high school. Tim and Lisa are an absolutely wonderful couple and they completely opened their home to us and made us feel so very welcome. After so long in tents and hostels and hotels it was very nice to be in a home, especially such a nice one where we are treated like 5 star guests. (Right - Lisa and Tim).

It turns out that the day we arrived was Tim’s birthday, so we all piled into their 9 seat vehicle and went out for some delicious Indian food. Along the way we got a bit of an education on Kenya and some political and social back history. It seems sad that terrible corruption still plagues the country and often in such blatantly obvious ways. We also got a lesson on the driving rules in the country, limited so they appear. Still the Kenyans are much lighter on the horn than most of the Asian countries we visited and nothing can compare with India’s traffic situation, so to us it seemed reasonably tame, if not a little erratic. (Left - Lisa, Simon & Max).

On our way back from dinner a giant wolf spider decided to make it’s presence known on the outside of the car. When we returned to the academy, Chris and Tim managed to capture it in a container. The spider was absolutely enormous and not only was it large, the legs were incredibly thick. Very creepy.

Christine and I spent the next two days lounging around the academy and taking the odd trip here or there. We were treated to a tour around the entire campus and it is quite the facility. There are a number of well designed buildings, gorgeous grounds, a pool, lots of sports fields and a track. The US marine detachment guarding the embassy also uses the grounds to train, as most places aren’t safe enough, so we actually saw a marine running laps around the track (he was doing them in army issue boots). They seem to have most of the modern amenities of a western school and I have no doubt that the quality of education is quite high by western standards. We also were able to spend a bit of time watching Chris in action as a teacher, and I think he is a natural. I had the pleasure of having Chris’s father as a teacher when I was in elementary school and much of the family is in the education system. Chris is a natural at building good relations with his students, but still has that ability to be strict and serious when necessary and crack the whip so that the students learn. (Right - Tim & Lisa's Porch).

A good deal of our time has been spent on Tim and Lisa’s patio which has an amazing view down to a river and up a small valley the other side. It is so quiet and peaceful that we just sat and read, lazed in the hammock, drank tea, ate snacks and spent time chatting with Lisa or playing with Amaya when we could. They have been a couple of lazy days. We have also been eating well as there is a constant flow of delicious meals and continuous snacks. Many people here have staff to help with cleaning and cooking and the cost for staff is less per day than it would be for one hour of help in Canada. They are so kind and hard working. Apparently Chris hasn’t washed a single dish, done laundry or cleaned his bathroom once in the 6 years he has been in Kenya. That sounds pretty good to me.

We also took a trip to a jewelry shop that specializes in rare beads, such as trade beads which were used to buy slaves, (in some cases one bead was enough to buy another human life – so very sad) extinct black corral, and many traditional styles of local areas. Many of these beads and pieces are no longer being made as the skill has been lost through the centuries, so there are limited numbers left. One type of bead that Christine fell in love with was the bright burgundy of the Samburu tribe. The Samburu are closely related to the very famous Maasai tribe. In Samburu tradition a male would kill a lion and then receive a bead from the elders. He would then give the bead to a woman he felt was beautiful. Once a woman had a necklace with a significant number of beads, she would be eligible for proposal. The more beads a women had the more beautiful she was considered. I bought Christine a bracelet and earrings that contained 9 beads. I now have to find a way to hunt and kill 9 lions with either a spear or my bare hands in the next week and half, so I guess that’s the end of my lounging on the porch.

We really enjoyed our few days spending some good time with Chris and Sherene and Amaya as well as making friends with Tim and Lisa and their boys. It was incredibly relaxing and very peaceful. The break gave us some time to collect ourselves before we set off on our safari.

On Thursday morning we were picked up early by Ian, a driver for the safari company whose services we engaged. Ian was requested by Chris as a driver that he has used a number of times in the past and who does an excellent job. Ian was driving a standard safari van that has a pop top which allows us to stand and look out without obstruction when we are in the parks.

Chris had helped me make arrangements with the safari expedition since I had no idea what I was doing. He recommended a visit to 3 parks over a week and a schedule that I think was a very functional and common one. The trip to the first park was the longest drive of the whole trip and we spent about 5 hours driving out of Nairobi. Along the way Ian stopped at a few places where we could look at some local handicrafts or points of interest. The second stop we made was at the equator where we were treated to a demonstration on the correolis effect. A gentleman explained to us that water drains a different way depending on the hemisphere one is in. We walked about 20 metres from the equator into the northern hemisphere, and he drained water through a bowl showing that the water turned clockwise and that the water draining out the bottom was corkscrewing thusly. Then he walked us down to the southern hemisphere and demonstrated that it drained counter clockwise. At the equator he showed that the water drained straight down. It was very entertaining and somewhat reminiscent of a Simpson’s episode that focused on the same issue. (Right - Hovan and I at the equator).

In the afternoon we arrived at the Samburu game park, which is the same tribal area that I bought the lion beads for Christine. On our way into the lodge we passed a bunch of reticulated giraffe and saw an elephant in the distance. The lodge we stayed at turned out to be a wonderful facility with really nice rooms, a great pool, and phenomenal buffet feasts. We were treated at the door to a cold eucalyptus cloth that was very refreshing after the long drive. Then we were offered some fresh squeezed juice and led off to our room. The thing about Samburu is that it’s incredibly hot and the room only had a fan to keep cool, but the pool always served to cool us down. (Left - the beautiful lodge we stayed at).

Our lodge sat facing the river and we had the pleasure of viewing crocodiles sunning themselves on the shore. Monkeys, baboons and tropical birds are all around and we have enough wildlife off our balcony to give us a show without going anywhere. One monkey actually stalked us all the way from the restaurant because we had snacks in our hand for later and he hoped to make a quick hit and run, but we never gave him the opportunity. (Right - Monkeys in the hotel compound).

We went out for an afternoon game drive after getting settled in. The pattern is typically to do a drive early in the morning for about 2 ½ hours before breakfast and another at 3:30-4:00 in the afternoon for another 2-3 hours. This is the time of the day that the animals are moving around more and increases the chance of spotting them. We had 3 game drives in Samburu, which may seem like a lot, but the parks are very large and there is much to see. We had a fairly lengthy mental list of animals we wanted to see, not the least of which are the Big 5. The Big 5 are: Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and Buffalo. The Buffalo seems like an odd one amongst the others, but apparently they are very dangerous and if you are out in a field close to one they will very likely charge you, due to their somewhat aggressive nature. (Left - Abundant wildlife)

Kenya has an incredible diversity in the wildlife, and the number of different types of gazelles and antelope is amazing. They are very easy to spot, in large numbers and all over the place. We were told that generally the gazelle families have males with horns and females without. The antelopes are a bigger class and both males and females have horns. You can see all kinds from the tiny Dik-Dik to the Oryx in abundance and scarcely does 5 minutes go by without seeing some, so there is always wildlife around. We will never be able to outline all the animals we have seen on our drives, so we’ll keep to the highlights and the big “popular” ones. (Right - Dik-dik).

On our first drive we came across a lion lying near a kill and keeping an eye on it. In Samburu many of the males do not have manes, so Ian had to explain to us that it was in fact a male. His kill was a baby elephant and there was enough of the carcass left to identify it. We watched him for quite a while, and at one point he passed about three feet from the van, so we got a really nice close view of him. We were a bit disappointed to leave him, but Ian promised that we would see many more over the course of the week. True enough we rounded the corner and about 7 seconds later spotted another male, and he did have a mane, sparse though it was. Through the drive we also got a good view of a giraffe up close and personal, and they are a fascinating creature as they look so very different from anything else on earth. (Left - Lion going to guard its kill).

The next day we enjoyed two more drives and they started off a bit slow. We did spot a very lengthy cobra, and that creeped me out, not being a fan of poisonous snakes. We also found a sizeable tortoise out in a rocky desert area. In the afternoon we came across the same lion as the day before, once again he was lying down not really moving much and enjoying probably his 10th nap of the day. Near the end of the day we discovered a wonderful herd of giraffes, elephants (including a couple of cute babies) and our first zebra. The zebra was strange as they are apparently found in large herds and he was all by himself. The zebra was pretty shy, but we got really close to the giraffes who seem not to care in the least how close we got. The elephants were also pretty casual in their attitude to us and apart from sheltering the young ones were content to let us get close. On our way back to the lodge we saw a family of warthogs waddling along. (Left - Giraffe and the lone zebra we saw).

We really enjoyed our time in Samburu not least because we saw our very first wildlife there. The park is a bit remote so the trails are rugged and bumpy and there was hardly anyone in the park. Apparently we stayed in the nicest lodge in the park and it only had 10 guests to fill the 72 bungalows they had, so definitely a quiet time in low season. We also got a good appreciation for not only how durable the vans are, but how good a driver Ian is. Every time we came to a rough spot that I assumed we would get stuck, Ian handled it with aplomb. Christine and I even found our travel legs as we stood and held on, balancing and bouncing all over the rocky terrain. (Right - Elephant and her baby).

Now we are off to Mount Kenya for the next leg of the safari.

Best wishes from us to you,

Christine and Hovan

Part VI - Half Atmosphere

Here is the last and final post regarding our trekking in Nepal. I hope you have enjoyed reading these as much as I have enjoyed writing them!

I'd like to correct something from our first posting. I mistakenly said that Mary worked for Sierra Systems - in fact, she does not, she works for the Ministry of Finance. (Sorry about that Mary!).

Also, please don't be shy to have a look at all the photo albums of the Nepal trip. The links to the various albums can be found on the right hand side.

Anyway, back to our final days in Nepal...

Day 15 – Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi
Tuesday, November 17th
Hiking Time: 3 hours
Elevation: 4540m

(Christine) Today was a relatively straight forward hike where we gained 500 meters vertical elevation. We could certainly feel the thinner air, especially on the steeper bits of trail. The trail was rocky and snowy as we are above the treeline now. The trail is filled with westerners, mainly a large group of French people. We generally hike faster than them, likely because we are more acclimatized. We have seen yaks wandering down the path alone and I wonder where they are going, but I’m sure they probably the same about us. (Left - one trail we zigzagged down).

Umbang found us a nice tea house in Thorong Phedi to stay at. Staying in the tea houses has been a different experience than staying in the tents. I am glad to have experienced both, but after a few nights in tea houses I must admit I prefer the intimacy of camping with the group. The tea house rooms are unheated so they are actually a lot colder than the tents as the space is larger and often drafty. The tea houses are made of mud and rock and are never more than two stories tall. Floors are sometimes wood, sometimes dirt or sometimes rock. The rooms are sparse with two beds and a light bulb. The light may or may not work depending on if the power is functioning (one can never assume it is working) so it is prudent to always carry your head lamp.

The tea houses usually have a central area that is heated by coals or a fire and is where the food is served. Food will usually take a minimum of 1.5 – 2 hours after been ordered to come as there is usually only one woman cooking and she cooks one meal at a time. The food is generally really quite good and you can get traditional Nepalese Dal Bot (rice and lentils), mo-mo’s (similar to a perogy) or western foods such as macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and pizza. People generally congregate in the central area as it is very cold outside or in the rooms and here you can chat with fellow trekkers. That said, everyone in the tea house is a foreigner apart from the staff so it is difficult to see or experience any of the Nepalese culture. The tea houses exist purely for the trekkers and were non-existent not too long ago. (Right - the trail to Thorong Phedi).

Tomorrow we summit the Thorong La, a pass of 5416 meters. Our plan is to leave at 4:00 am to get away before most of the other trekkers as there will be many people hiking the pass tomorrow. It’s off to bed early to get as much sleep as possible.

Day 16 – Thorong Phedi to Muktinath
Wednesday, November 18th
Hiking Time: 11.5 hours
Elevation Reached: 5416m
Camp Elevation: 3700m

(Christine) The morning began at 2:45 am, with the sound of our alarm beeping and the Sherpas knocking on the door with tea. Tiredly we climbed out of bed and prepared ourselves for an extra early start. We had to wake the kitchen crew up to make us some breakfast that we had ordered the night before and then donned our headlamps and began the 1100 meter climb to the summit of the Thorong La. Unfortunately Hovan’s tummy had decided it didn’t like the spaghetti from the night before and so had emptied itself in the middle of the night. Hovan was doing okay, but was unable to eat anything and had a very sore stomach. Thankfully the nausea that had bothered him on the Kang La wasn’t rearing its ugly head today, but with Hovan not feeling great, we started off into the darkness with only our headlamps and the stars as the source of light. (Left - Hovan hiking in the dark. Icicles are beginning to grow on his beard).

Never having hiked in the darkness before, I must admit this was a really amazing experience. The sky was clear and the stars shone brightly all around us. A few times I was fortunate to see shooting stars. We could see dark mountain peaks everywhere, but the only reason we could tell they were there was because there were stars missing from that part of the sky. There was no moon and so it was in true darkness that we hiked. (Right - Dawn approaching in the morning).

The trail started out rocky, but quickly became snow and remained snow until the summit. It was quite cold and we both hiked in our down jackets, gloves, fleece pants and toques. We stayed close as a group and no one strayed to far ahead or behind. Icicles began to grow on Hovan’s beard and one particularly long icicle grew to nearly an inch long. Hovan kept reminding me not to knock them off as they might break large chunks of the beard off with it.

Above - Hovan's beard growing icicles

As dawn approached we began to see the mountains take shape all around us. They were beautiful and changed colour as the sky began to lighten. As the sun rose over the mountains, the magnificent mountains emerged on every side. It was truly a sight! (Left - The sun rising over the mountains).




We reached the top of the summit after 5 hours of grueling but beautiful uphill climbing. The sun was fully shinning by the time we reached the top and we were finally able to take off our warm down jackets. The top was decorated with prayer flags and a sign congratulating us on our achievement. (Right - Our group on the summit of Thorong La).

The descent of 1700 meters took us 6 hours. Amazingly, our beloved Sherpa Umbang, who was in charge of getting us a tea house in the village of Muktinath, took one hour and 45 minutes to descend as he was trying to race 6 other Sherpas to get the best tea house in the village of Muktinath. He said he came in second place and was able to secure us the “Dream House”. At the “Dream House”, Hovan had to again rescue someone, this time it was Sharon who Robyn accidentally locked in her room. This was very amusing to us, and we wondered if it was truly an “accident”. (Left - The trail down to Muktinath).

That evening we played cards with the Sherpas and the porters which began as a simple game of pair making then as more Rakshi (a local spirit) got drank degenerated into a game of three card draw poker where cheating was abundant by both the Nepalese and by Hovan and I. All in all we had a wonderful time and everyone was laughing and in good spirits. Sleep was welcome that night as the day had started so early.

Day 17 – Muktinath to Jomsom
Thursday, November 19th
Hiking Time: 0 hours
Elevation: 3200m

(Hovan) Today we decided that we would take the Jeep ride from Muktinath to Jomsom, the only place on the entire trek where it was possible to take a Jeep. Roads have been reaching further and further into the Himalayas as both the Chinese and the Indians build trade routes. The trip over the Thorang La was pretty arduous and after 18 days of trekking the Jeep ride sounded like a really fun idea.

After enjoying sleeping in until 7:00 we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the Tea House and then made our way to the Jeep. The Jeep had a number of seats, but we crammed in one Sherpa, 4 Porters, Mick and most of the crew (two people and two Sherpas decided to take the 6 hour walk between the two villages). After squeezing all of us into the vehicle we went for a bumpy, twisty, fun ride down the mountain, hugging the cliffside at certain points as we went. It was a lot of fun and a unique experience to cover so much ground in such a short time. (The Jeep we rode in to get to Jomsom).

Above - the view from the Teahouse in Muktinath

Once we reached Jomsom we settled into a Tea House and proceeded to explore the town. At one point Christine, Robyn, Sharon and myself went up to visit a museum on the Mustang Region, which is where we had been trekking through the last few days. When we exited the museum we found that a huge wind storm had come up, and even though the valley was quite wide it was funneling down something wicked. It was a good indication to us why sometimes flights were canceled due to weather. (Left - Streets of Jomsom).

We spent the late afternoon hanging out with the Sherpa’s and preparing to say good-bye. They had all been such an invaluable part of our journey and had gone over and above the entire trip to make us feel special and very well cared for. In the evening we enjoyed our final dinner on the trail as a group at a very nice restaurant. After dinner we all bunked down to have our last night sleep in the mountains before heading back to the big city and the hustle-bustle of life we left behind.

Final Days – Jomsom to Kathmandu
Friday, November 20th – Sunday, November 22nd

(Christine) Sadly this was our last day in the Himalayas as today is the day we fly back to Kathmandu. If we were to take the bus, it would be a 17 hour bus ride back to Kathmandu so I’m thankful we are not doing that option.

We got up at 5:30 in order to be ready for our 7:00 am flight. Thankfully there is no commute to the airport as it is literally right across the street. Before we left the Sherpa Dawa gave us each prayer scarfs as a parting gift. It was sad to say goodbye to the Sherpa’s and Porters after nearly 3 weeks together. We’d come to know them quite well and they’d done an excellent job leading us through the Himalayas, guiding us when we were afraid, carrying our packs when we were sick and generally providing encouragement and support along the way. (Right - the plane we flew on out of the mountains).

The airport in Jomsom consists of one landing strip and one tiny building. There were no x-ray machines and so the security attendant just searched our bags thoroughly for any contraband. We flew in a Canadian Twin Otter and it made me feel very safe to be in a home made plane in which I’ve flown many times for work back and forth to Vancouver.

Above - the airstrip in Jomsom

On the flight Mick and I held the hands of an elderly Nepalese woman who was seemingly terrified of flying. Despite the language barrier, I could tell she was thankful that we were there. She had likely not flown more than a handful of times in her life. With the mountains everywhere, the flight was actually quite turbulent but also incredibly spectacular. It was just like a shot out of National Geographic, flying down huge valleys in a small plane, sandwiched by enormous gorgeous mountains. A second hopper flight from Pokhra took us to Kathmandu where, if you were fortunate enough to sit on the left hand side, you were treated to view of the entire Annapurna range. (Left - Views of the Annapurna range from the plane).

In Kathmandu we were delighted to meet up with Kevin, Gerry, Glen & Mary whom we had parted with only 4 days earlier and we easily resumed the comradery we had enjoyed while on the trek. Thankfully they were feeling much better and it was great see them eat healthy portions of food. Hovan proudly managed to eat a half pound burger at one restaurant, something he'd been dreaming of the entire journey. (Right - Hovan and his half pound burger)

A final night of food and drink together led to an amusing story as our super cool fighter pilot (Jarrett) perhaps a little inebriated, decided he wanted to drive a rickshaw. He managed to find a rickshaw driver who would let him do such a thing, and, treating the rickshaw like a mountain bike, took a corner way too quickly and crashed it. Thankfully he was unhurt, and so was the bike and driver (who was riding on the back of the rickshaw), but the story stuck and he became known by a new call sign "Rickshaw".

Sadly, we parted ways and our journey in Nepal came to a close. I must admit, despite the difficulties we encountered, the trek has been my favourite part of our trip to date. It was everything I expected, and nothing I expected (if that makes any sense). We saw some of the most beautiful, remote parts of the Himalayas, practically untouched by our Western society. I built relationships with wonderful people from home and abroad, I was led down a mountain by a Buddhist monk who took me places I did not think possible, I saw people carrying wood for days just to keep warm at night, I experienced an incredibly beautiful culture and I grew with Hovan as he experienced one of the toughest mornings of his life. It has truly been an amazing once in a lifetime experience for me.

And now, it's on to our next adventure, but this trek is one I'm sure never to forget.

All the best,
Christine (and Hovan)

Part V - The Kang La

Day 12 – Kang La Phedi to Ngawal
Saturday, November 14th
Hiking Time: 9 hours
Elevation Reached: 5340m
Camp Elevation: 3600m

(Christine) This morning started at 4:30 am for Hovan and I, although not by choice. Unfortunately, Hovan suffered another bought of Montezooma’s revenge. And boy was it revenge, with at least 10 trips to the toilet tent for Hovan between 4:30 and 6:00 am complete with some cursing with a few choice unfavourable phrases about Nepal. Unfortunately today was the toughest day possible to be ill. Not only was Hovan ill, so was Kevin and the two alternated all morning in the toilet tents.

Hovan managed to make it out of bed into hiking gear in preparation to cross the 5340 meter pass, the highest both Hovan and I have ever been on foot. Snow fell as we set out very slowly at 7:45 am to cross the pass. When I say slowly, I mean slowly. At the elevation we were at there was nearly half the amount of oxygen as there is at sea level and Hovan was so nauseated that he walked only a few steps before pausing and bending over his walking poles. At one point, as Hovan was emptying the contents of his stomach (he seemed to have problems coming out both ends in addition to severe nausea) near the side of the trail, I managed to take his bag from him and give it to Chasang, one of the Sherpas. I was thankful for this as I knew it was at least a four hour climb to the top of the pass followed by a descent of 1700 meters on the other side. Kevin was feeling similarly awful and both Hovan and Kevin hiked slowly step by step up the pass. I was very amazed at their strength and perseverance as the climbed up the pass. Both hadn’t eaten or drank anything and were incredibly sick the whole way up. We probably averaged four or five steps before Hovan had to stop and lean on his poles as waves of nausea passed. Nevertheless, five hours later, we summited the pass and Hovan said that the morning was the most difficult he’d ever had in his whole life. We were accompanied the entire time by the Cirdar Devi, who was supportive, encouraging and also was carrying an oxygen tank so I knew if Hovan deteriorated we’d have oxygen close at hand. Thankfully the oxygen wasn’t required, but it was nice to have near. Devi was also very concerned that we not take long breaks, so every time Hovan would sit, he would tell him that we need to keep moving slowly and that breaks in the snow were not a good idea. I should also note that the nausea was not at all related to the altitude. It was likely something Hovan and Kevin had eaten. Thankfully I was feeling OK (although of course worried) so I could provide encouragement and support to Hovan. (Right - Hovan climbing the Kang La Pass)

The funniest part of the day was on the way up to the top of the pass when we were passed by a monk from the village of Nar. After some conversation with him, we discovered that he was hiking to the top of the snow covered 5340 meter pass to make a cell phone call, as this was the only place in the region that had reception. The distance from Nar took us 8 hours to hike, it probably took him 5 hours or so, but it sure gave a whole new meaning to a long distance phone call! I was amused to watch the monk sitting in the snow at the top of this massive pass, chatting happily on his cell phone, just like this was the most normal thing in the world to do. (Left - Hovan pretending to be enjoying himself).

The top of the pass was topped with a Chorten and prayer flags. I managed to get some gravol in to Hovan which I believe made the descent easier for him. And boy, was it a descent! We went down, and down and down 1700 meters. Near the top it was so steep that Mick set up some rope as a safety line. Thankful for the rope, we picked our way slowly through the snow and rock. The snow slowly turned to loose rock scree and as we descended, the pine trees started to appear and the air began to thicken. Never having experienced such an extreme change in air thickness, I finally realized what my mother-in-law means when she says there is so much oxygen in Victoria. (Right - the descent down the Kang La).

About an hour away from camp, some of the kitchen crew met us with hot juice and cookies. The unbelievably dedicated crew had hiked their loads over the pass, down to camp, boiled water, prepared the juice and hiked back up 1.5 - 2 hours to meet us. At this point Hovan was feeling exhausted, but not so nauseated, likely due to the gravol and the fact that there was absolutely nothing left in his system. (Left - the Kang La Pass, up to the right of the massive peak)

We reached the camp around 4:30 pm and Hovan began to stumble a little, likely due to the fact that his mind knew he didn't have to keep going anymore and was telling him he needed to lie down. He crawled into the tent, not to emerge until the next morning feeling much much better. Kevin similarly slept 14 hours and also was much better the next day. It was an incredibly long and challenging day for both of us. I'll admit it was more mentally challenging for me as I was so worried about Hovan, and extremely physically challenging for Hovan as he was ridiculously ill and climbing a 5340 meter pass is difficult when you are healthy. Nevertheless, we made it together and are stronger for it.

Four turned up for dinner that evening (Jarrett, Mick, Robyn & myself). Unfortunately both Sharon and Ian had suffered stomach upsets, but luckily not until they reached the camp, ate some food and lied down. Mary was also still recovering from a cold or the flu she'd had back in Kathmandu. Also, little did we know at the time, but both Gerry and Glen hadn't been able to eat more than a dry cracker for days and were also feeling very ill and were both exhausted and resting in their tents. Now Glen and Gerry are probably the most silent sufferers I have ever encountered. Not once did we hear a word of complaint from them, not once did we hear them say they couldn't do something, or didn't want to get out of bed or the latest status of their stomachs. They had endured all of their discomfort in silence and I'm sure they did this in part selflessly not to ruin the experience for others. I’d like to send out an acknowledgement to the two of them as the most silent sufferers and two of the strongest guys I’ve ever met.

Even though 7 of the 10 of us were too tired or sick to make it out of the tent, those of us who did were extremely amused at a donkey (now named Bubbles), who, decided he really liked the smell of the strawberry bar soap we were using to wash our hands. He crept up silently behind Robyn and in a moment of donkey stealthiness, ate the entire bar of soap! We laughed as we pictured bubbles coming out the other end of the donkey. (Right - Bubbles the donkey).


Day 13 – Ngawal to Braka
Sunday, November 15th
Hiking Time: 3 hours
Elevation: 3360m

(Christine) Today was a much easier day which was good as over half the team is still ill or recovering from some sort of illness. Thankfully I am well, but Hovan, Sharon, Ian, Kevin, Gerry and Glen are still not 100%. I have been doing my best to eat well and take care as I would like to keep my strength up in case anyone needs extra assistance. (Although in reality, the sherpas and porters would be more help as they could easily carry one of us out of the mountains should the need arise. They are the toughest guys around! Some of the group actually saw a porter carrying a woman out in a basket). (Left - Views from our hike Day 13).

The walk today was flat or downhill through beautiful pine forest dotted with tiny villages, tea stops or agriculture fields. We rejoined the main Annapurna circuit after about three hours and started seeing a lot more foreigners after being out in the less explored areas for nearly a week and a half. We saw stores where we could buy coke, sprite, chips and various other western comforts. These things had been either impossible or very difficult to find during the past week. Looking back, the places we saw were magical, unique and really felt like the end of the world. It stretched my mind to see life in the remote places and it was sad in a way to rejoin what is possibly one of the most trekked regions in the Himalayas.

We are to spend the night in a tea house which was a real treat after 2 weeks in a tent without a shower. A real bed and a luke-warm shower is incredibly heavenly!

In the afternoon, Mick, Jarrett, Robyn and I (the four healthy ones) decided to try to find a nearby cave which is supposed to have been the spot where a Buddhist who killed his father reached enlightenment. He is somewhat of a local hero, demonstrating that even people who commit terrible deeds can reach enlightenment. After walking across a donkey field, we began a 1000 meter climb through pine forest. The trail was quite good, not too steep, and quite muddy in places. About halfway up we reached a chorten that was high up perched looking over the valley below. We continued our climb and the mud turned to snow. We continued to climb and after about two hours we reached a Gompa and whole multitude of buildings nestled high up in the Himalayas. Prayer flags cascaded down cliff faces and a grand stone staircase led up to an ornately decorated statue of Buddha. Although we looked around and found some sandals outside a door, it appeared there was no one living up there at this time of year, possibly it was too cold. This place was truly magical as it was almost like a little village nestled way up in the mountains, not something you’d stumble across by accident. The cave appeared to be further up the hillside and we weren’t able to reach it as we were running out of light. The path to the cave appeared to be quite treacherous as it wound along the cliff face. We later learned that the cave is inaccessible as you need a ladder to get in and the original ladder disintegrated many years ago. In any case, it was a fascinating trip up into the mountains to find this hidden gem. (Right - the multitude of buildings we discovered. Left - the grand staircase).

We all ran down the mountain side for the pure fun of it and it took us 45 minutes instead of the 2 hours it took us to climb up. I realized at this point how fit I’d become in the past two weeks as running in these mountains at a fast pace was not difficult at all. I enjoyed it immensely and only wondered what it would feel like if I was at sea level.

Day 14 – Braka to Yak Kharka
Monday, November 16th
Hiking Time: 4 hours
Elevation: 4050m

(Hovan) Today we effectively saw a breaking of the Fellowship of the Trek. Over breakfast Mick explained that we were at a crossroads in our journey and everyone had to make a decision for themselves. A number of us have been sick over the last number of days and this was our one and only opportunity to make our way back to Kathmandu or to carry on for the next several days over the Thorang La mountain range.

I was still not feeling great, but the worst of my illness had passed on the Kang La day. I knew that Christine was fit and excited to carry on with the trek, and I was certainly feeling on the mend and that we could press on. Unfortunately, Glen and Gerry were both seeing no improvement and the two of them had been suffering in silence for a long time. It was concerning that neither of them had eaten really anything in many days, and there energy levels had to be almost finished. It was incredible how far the two of them hiked over such challenging terrain without saying anything or complaining at all. In the end though they made the prudent decision to take the necessary rest they needed.

We traveled as a group the short distance to Manang, a regional hub, where some visited a doctor and the rest of us enjoyed their baked goods. We had some sad good-byes as we parted with Glen and Gerry (Mary and Kevin escorted them on the trek back to Kathmandu). After so long together and enjoying the wonderful company of Kevin, Glen, Gerry, and Mary, we were sorry to part with them. (Right - the Manang Aid Post where it was possible to visit a doctor).

At this point, Mick also sent most of the porters, all the donkeys, Devi and Raj back down the trail. We had a nice send off with all of them and handed out everyone’s tips at that point since they were all heading home and we wouldn’t have another chance to get all together as a group. The rest of us took the best Sherpa’s and the strongest porters and carried on the trek, doing so in the Tea House fashion. Most people on the Annapurna circuit do so by staying in tea houses, which are like motels with shared washrooms and if you’re lucky, warmish showers. (Left - Thanking the Sherpas).

We carried on our trek and enjoyed a relatively easy day of climbing up and alongside the mountain. The path on the Annapurna circuit was a lot smoother, wider and more casual compared to what we usually did. Along the way we started to get views of some amazing mountain ranges. We also discussed the rest of our trip with Mick and the decision was made to take the Thorang La pass instead of Tilicho. The Thorang La pass has a higher altitude, but Tilicho is considered a much harder climb. Given the shape our group was in and that some of us were still getting over some stomach problems, it seemed the wisest course of action.

We arrived at Yak Kharka partway through the afternoon and it took a moment for us to recognize that the designation of ‘Yak’ in the villages title held a practical meaning, as there were yak herds all over the mountainside, in the town and everywhere. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening relaxing, playing cards, eating dinner and hanging out. At one point I went out of Christine and my room to get something and I heard Robin call my name. It turns out that when her mom left the room she accidentally flipped the latch closed, and even though she didn’t padlock it, it had the same affect for anyone (in this case Robin) inside the room. Being the nice guy that I am, I let her out of her temporary prison.

The group seemed really small without our 4 compatriots and all of the team that was with us. It was also strange to be staying in rooms and eating in a restaurant instead of the tents we have grown accustomed to. That said, we will just take each day as it comes and enjoy what lies in the days ahead.

Part IV – Following a Buddhist monk down a mountains

Day 9 – Around Phoo

Wednesday, November 11th
Hiking Time: 5 hours
Elevation reached: 5000m
Camp Elevation: 4200m

(Christine) This morning we were treated to a tour of the village of Phoo by a Buddhist monk who inhabits the monastery we were fortunate to see yesterday. He led us through the narrow dirt paths of Phoo, up through some narrow passageways into an old house where the back room was over 400 years old and housed ancient Buddhist statues, musical instruments and furs. This room is rarely seen by anyone and I’m certain that we were among the first ever white people to set foot in the room. The room used to be where the Buddhist practiced before moving to the monastery on the hill nearby. This was obviously no tourist stop. (Left - Ancient Buddhist statues in the old back room).

After touring the village and seeing some yaks for the first time from a distance, the group trekked up another 300 vertical meters to help with acclimatization. At this point the whole group was given the option of climbing the nearby 5000 meter peak, or returning to camp for a much needed rest day. Three of us, (Jarrett, Ian and myself) plus Mick, the monk Lakma and the Sherpa Chasang decided to try for the 5000 meter peak, while the rest of the group opted to descend back to camp for a little R & R. What would follow was probably the craziest, coolest, hike I’ve ever been on in my life. (Right - Child in the village of Phoo).

The six of us headed up, and up, and up, for about two and a half hours. (We’d already hiked up for an hour and a half!). There was no trail really, and we just had to pick our way up the mountain, through the loose dirt and prickly plants. To my delight, Chasang discovered an old sheep skull, completely with a massive set of horns and fur on the nose. (Left - Chasang with a sheeps skull).

On our way up, as it was November 11th, Remembrance Day, we shared a moment of silence. This had particular significance for Ian who lost a close friend Andrew in Afghanistan recently. We also saw chortens and Buddhist prayer flags near the top – it is amazing to find these monuments everywhere in the Himalayas, even in the most remote, unexpected places. Griffon vultures soared 20 feet above our heads, seemingly curious about these people on the mountain top. The griffons are huge birds whose wing span is at least 6 feet.

Above - View from near the top of the 5000 meter peak

The views from the top were phenomenal of course, and we were able to see the mountain Manaslew, one of the 14 peaks in the world that is over 8000m. It had its own weather system blowing from the top and towered above nearby peaks. We gasped as the Sherpa Chasang ran laughing up to the sheer cliff face to peer over, seemingly unaffected by the 4 hour climb and the sheer drop off of the mountain face. (Right - Chasang waving from the top)

During our preparations to head back down to camp, the monk Lakma told us that he knew of an easier way down, which involved going down the other side of the mountain instead of heading back the way we came. Admittedly I was not looking forward to going down the way we came up – while it was not exposed, it was steep and there was a lot of loose dirt which makes it harder to go down. Mick hummed and hawed, asked us how we felt about following this monk we had just met, and upon our agreement, we decided to follow this devout Buddhist down the other side of the mountain. Little did I know, this monk would lead us on the most incredibly insane trail I have ever been on in my life. (Left - On the summit from left to right Jarrett, Ian, Lakma, myself and Chasang).

The hike started off easy, through some snow down to an old hut where the yak herders stay. Lakma also pointed out a spring high up in the mountains. As the story was told, a famous Buddhist struck the rock at this place and water came forth. During the summer the whole village treks up to bathe in as their belief is that the spring will heal them. (Right - Hiking down the other side of the mountain).

As we continued down a nice easy mountain dirt path, we turned a corner and the path changed dramatically. I realized that we were on the same path we had seen yesterday from the monastery, an extremely exposed, winding, narrow trail along the side of a sheer mountain. The monk seemed completely unaffected by the extreme change in the path, as if this was the most regular path in the world. As we began following Lakma down the trail I realized that physically yes, the trail was much easier, but mentally, this trail was much much more difficult as it was extremely exposed. The trail was about a foot and a half wide in the best of places and in others was practically non existent or merely a scree slope where if you didn’t step carefully you would be sliding down thousands of feet of rock. The path wound around many corners and each time we turned a corner and saw the path (or lack of path) in front of us, I kept thinking to myself, how in the world are we going to make it across that?!? But, I just watched the monk glide along the path effortlessly without a care in his shoes that were far too big for him and thought to myself, if he can do it, I can do it too. And we did do it, helping and encouraging each other along the way. At times the monk would hold out a helping hand and the Sherpa would hop out onto seemingly nothing and hold out his hands to make a foot hold for our feet when there wasn’t anything to stand on. Of course to a monk, who’d spent his entire life in the Himalayas, this trail would not bother him in the least, but to us it was the most exposed hiking we’d ever done. The two hours it took us to descend this path really truly felt like Indiana Jones. (Left - Path down the mountain. Right - Helping each other out across the steep bits. Left - Lakma making his way down the path).

Following the monk, we made it safely down and were so happy and relieved that hugs ensued. I asked Mick if he’d do the trail again and he said he wouldn’t, but at the time the group was strong and he felt that we had the strength to be safe on the trail. Lesson leaned: if a Buddhist monk offers to lead you down a mountain, you can trust him, but know that he’ll probably take you places you wouldn’t dream of ever going on your own. (Right - Lakma describing the meaning of the inscriptions).

Upon reaching the village of Phoo, more excitement came as a helicopter landed in the village to rescue a climber from a nearby expedition. This was only the second time a helicopter had ever landed in the village of Phoo and the entire village came out to watch. I’m sure some of these people had never seen a helicopter before. (Left - Helicopter landing in the village of Phoo).



Day 10 – Phoo to Mahendra Pul
Thursday, November 12th
Hiking Time: 7.5 hours
Elevation: 3490m

Above - Mountains socked in

(Christine) Today was a long day of hiking. We backtracked all the way back to Kyang (Phoo’s winter village) and then past to a place called Mahendra Pul where we would make our camp for the night. After 9 straight days of sunshine, the weather finally shifted on us which meant snow at the higher elevations. Many of us pulled out or wet weather gear for the first time in 10 days. At lunch it began snowing particularly heavily. The Sherpas and kitchen crew were so kind that they excitedly erected a makeshift cover from a tarp and hiking poles. Due to the lack of trees at the higher elevation, some of the Sherpas stood holding the tarp for us as we ate hurriedly in the cold under the tarp. These Sherpas and kitchen staff are amazingly hard working people. (Left - Sherpa holding the tarp up for us to eat under).

Descending into Mahendra Pul was quite an experience as the trail descended crumbly steep rock before reaching a new suspension bridge that spanned a very narrow, very deep canyon. It was probably at least 200 feet high. The old bridge sat right next to the new bridge and I was incredibly glad that we no longer had to cross the old bridge. It did not look at all secure. (Left - old unsecure bridge).

As we neared the campsite the snow turned to rain, but we could really feel as the air became thicker and easier to breathe. Unfortunately Glen has fallen ill and is unable to keep any food down and so hopefully this thicker air will help his sickness. Tomorrow we are set to climb up 1100 meters in preparation for crossing the Kang La Pass (5340 meters).

Day 11 – Mahendra Pul to Kang La Phedi
Friday, November 13th
Hiking Time: 7 hours
Elevation: 4600m

(Hovan) Today was an intense day as we wound up gaining more than 1000 metres of elevation. The morning started off with a very slow 700 metre hike straight up a mountain side. Perhaps the most common phrase on the trek is Bistari Bistari which is Nepalese for slowly slowly and today we fully engaged the phrase. We started getting into the snow line and spent most of the morning on a safe but steep cliffs edge. Just as we were nearing the top we came across a field full of yaks. Yaks are as you would expect for animals that only live over 3500 metres, large, hairy and tough. There were dozens of them all around us and we managed to get quite close as they are a loose herd shepherded by an absent Nar villager (are they Narnian's from Nar?). (Right - the path we hiked up. Left - Yak).

When we arrived at Nar for lunch we found ourselves with some spare time, having made the climb faster than Mick had anticipated. Once in the village we saw that there was a funeral procession with singing and prayer wheels and other activities. We enjoyed a nice lunch, a sherpa vs. porter snowball fight and then carried on for the afternoon.

The afternoon only saw about 400 metres in elevation gain, but it was along a valley that seemed to have no end. We were warned that the valley seemed interminably long and they seemed to be proved out. The walk was not without spectacular mountains towering all around, but it seemed like a bit of a trudge to get to camp. We finally rolled in about mid-afternoon, finding our campsite near the base of the Kang La, the mountain whose pass was to be our most challenging test of all. It was an imposing mountain but a beautiful site, and for the most part we were excited for the next day. (Right - View from where we ate lunch).

All of the trekkers had dinner and went to bed early to try and get some rest for the treks hardest day. The Nepalese staff however seemed un-phased and continued their usual evening celebrations and partying. Chesang in particular never seemed to run out of a full tank of energy and could guide us all day, set up our tents, serve us our meal, dance, sing, run around laughing and joking, party all night and then do it again the next day. We however settled into our sleeping bags early in hopes of a good sleep before the big day.

View more photos from Part IV