Travels in Nepal #14 A small matter of convenience
Toilet at our lodge in Monjo
I have mixed feelings about camping in the Australian bush on cold nights. From time to time one has to heed the promptings of natural bodily functions. Should one wait until sunrise – or brave the cold frosty air in the middle of the night? Leaving the warm cosiness of your sleeping bag is a challenge indeed.
Imagine my discomfort then while trekking in Nepal in January earlier this year. The days were quite pleasant; we walked in T-shirts and lightweight trousers. The moment the sun went behind the nearest mountain the temperature dropped to below freezing in a matter of minutes. At least, that’s what it felt like. So using the toilet (bathroom for all my American readers) was an even greater challenge than on a frosty night in the Aussie bush.
At Monjo, where the above photo was taken, the toilet and washing facilities were in a little shed out the back of the lodge where we slept. I had never used squat toilets before this trek, so the challenge was more than just coping with the cold. I coped. There was no choice, actually. Makes one appreciate the creature comforts of home.
And it was lovely to get back into that warm sleeping bag for a few more hours.
Related articles:
- My photo gallery – photos of Australia, Thailand and Nepal – plus much more.
- Travels in Nepal – archive of articles I have written about my adventures in Nepal.
- Trekking from Monjo to Namche Bazar – my journal written on the trek.
- Trekking from Monjo to Namche Bazar – part 2
Travels in Nepal #13 What a view
Scene from our lodge in Monjo, Nepal
The most amazing thing about the trek I did in Nepal in January of this year was my reaction to the mountain views. I could not come to terms with the fact that mountains could be so high, so steep and so magnificent. At every turn I could have taken dozens of photos. I did take a large number of photos and only some are featured here on this blog.
The photo above was taken from the back door of the lodge where we stayed in the village of Monjo. This village is on the trek I did from Lukla to Tengboche. It is the same track one takes to get to Everest Base Camp. What a view to have at your back door. The mountain shown in the photo – I haven’t worked out its name yet – towers several thousand metres above the village. It seemed only a few kilometres away.
Since arriving back home I have shown some of these photos to family and friends. Several have asked me if the colour of the sky is accurate. Yes, it is. We were fortunate that the weather during our trek was bright and sunny on all days except one.
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Travels in Nepal #12 An amazing school playground
Playing cricket in Nepal
While on the trek in Nepal last January we spent a hour or so at the school in the village of Monjo. I was utterly amazed at the view from the school playground. This was impressive in the extreme. There would have to be very few school yards anywhere in the world with such a stunning view.
In the first decade of my 35 years of teaching I could look out the window of my classroom and see a magnificent view of the Flinders Ranges. Living so close to this “chain of rugged mountains” – the words of explorer Matthew Flinders – gave me a lifelong love of these ranges.
In the last decade of my teaching career I could see Australia’s largest river, the River Murray, from the playground of the school where I taught. This was a good view , but nothing like the view in the Himalayas.
The view may have been out of this world but teaching in the school would be a huge challenge. This village is a long way from anywhere. The physical effort of moving around these mountains is demanding. The conditions in the school are very basic with very few teaching materials.
But yard duty would certainly be inspiring.
Related articles:
- Article about captain Matthew Flinders (an early Australian explorer)
Travels in Nepal #11 Playing cricket in Nepal
Playing cricket in Nepal
When we had arrived at the village of Monjo on our trek towards Everest, we had lunch. After lunch we went on a tour of the village. We visited a local temple and the local school. Word soon got around that some Aussies were in town and before long we were playing with the local boys in the school grounds. Several of the boys were quite good. The equipment was very basic, but the enthusiasm more than made up for it.
I had found out only shortly before leaving on this trip that the Nepali people are ardent cricket followers and that there are quite a few active clubs in the country. This enthusiasm spills over from neighbouring India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Cricket also has a great coverage on local television.
Travels in Nepal #10 Amazing porters
One of our porters on our trek.
On our trek towards Mt Everest in Nepal last January, I was constantly amazed at the abilities of the guides and the porters. The guides were always helpful and considerate, watching everyone carefully. As I struggled with some of the climbs they were always there to encourage me and help me achieve my goal.
The porters were something else. The enormous loads they carry up those steep climbs are extremely demanding. One can belittle their efforts by saying that they are extremely fit, that they do it for a living, that they are far more acclimatized than soft Aussies like me. The truth is, they are truly amazing. Loads of up to 120kg are not unknown, though the travel group we were with insist on loads not exceeding 60kg. Even this lesser load is very demanding.
The local Nepali porters are truly amazing.
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