Travels in Nepal #9 Up close and personal
On the trek in Nepal
On my trek from Lukla to Tengboche in the Everest region last January I was not completely prepared for the village life along the track. The walking trail takes you through the middle of most of the villages along the way. In many cases you have to walk right past the front door of the locals. One step off the track and you would be in someone’s humble house. It is experiencing life up close and very personal. There seems very little privacy for the village people.
For a first-timer overseas, everything was fascinating for me. I drank in deeply from the barrage of experiences in my face every step of the way. People preparing meals just a metre or so away. Children being bathed on the front step just a step to one side. Teenage girls washing their hair in the “main street” and men sitting on a wall discussing the news of the day. Actually, they were probably laughing about these crazy Aussies slogging their way up through the mountains, huffing and puffing every step of the steep climb.
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Travels in Nepal #8 The Amazing Himalayas
Everest region Nepal.
When I went trekking into the heart of the Himalayas I was utterly amazed by the unbelievable scenery at every turn. Wherever I looked the scene was picture perfect. The camera was given a good workout. The photos featured here on my blog and in my photo gallery are just a small sample of the hundreds of photos taken.
As we trekked further up the valley towards Namche Bazar the vistas opened up more and more. One of the problems I encountered, however, was being torn between looking at the scenery and making sure of my footing. The walking tracks in this region can be very uneven, rocky and potentially ankle twisting at every step. I was pleased to survive the whole trek with nothing more than bruised toe nails and a rather nasty blister on my left heel. That was my own fault; I didn’t treat it early enough.
The solution was to take frequent breaks along the track. I would walk for three or four minutes then take a short ten second break and soak up the scenery. When the track did level out or was well made gravel surface (this didn’t happen too often) I could indulge in the luxury of taking my eyes off the path and take in more of the scenery.
Travels in Nepal #7 Suspension bridges
On the trek in Nepal
One of the challenges with trekking the Himalayas in Nepal is crossing the suspension bridges. They are unavoidable. On our trek last January I lost count of the number we crossed; it must have been at least eight or nine, perhaps more. Of course, we had to cross each one twice because we returned to Lukla via the same route.
I knew that the bridges could be a potential problem for me. I’m not exactly paranoid about heights; I just respect them with a great deal of caution. Most of the bridges are well secured to minimise the swinging. What they can’t do is do away with the distance between the bridge and the rocks below. Sometimes this can be as little as five metres. On one bridge it must be at least fifty. On my return home I was viewing a photo of one bridge I had taken from below near the water’s edge. I was shocked that I had actually crossed that bridge without fear! Caution yes, but little fear.
Another hazard is the yak trains. If it can be avoided one tries not to be on a bridge at the same time as a yak train. They tend to take up the whole width of the bridge. I was caught once but suffered no ill effects, but I did have to lean out over the edge to avoid getting pushed by these endearing beasts of burden.
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Travels in Nepal #6 Hitting the wall
Phakding on the trek towards Everest
On the morning of the first day of our trek in the Himalayas we went from Lukla to the village of Phakding. Much of this three and a half hour trek goes gradually downhill. I was very aware, however, how careful one has to be. I wanted so much to be watching the constantly changing scenery. After all, that was a major reason for coming here. The track was sometimes flat and smooth but more often it was rocky and uneven. Twisted ankles or bad falls are a very real possibility every step of the way.
Just before arriving at Phakding the track dips down to a river crossing and then sharply rises to the village. Up to that point I had been progressing quite well. The steep climb up to the village was my next great challenge. I felt I had “hit the wall” as athletes often describe. I was able to persevere and push through both the physical and mental barrier of this challenge. In reality, I did quite well, arriving about twenty minutes after the rest of the trekking group, most of whom were over twenty years younger than me. Lunch and plenty to drink at the lodge was most welcome.
In retrospect, I had the added discomfort brought on by the onset of diabetes. I am writing this some eight months later and have just been diagnosed in the last few weeks. How I managed the trek without any kind of help or medication now astounds me. It just makes the achievement even more pleasing.
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Travels in Nepal #5 Stunning scenery
On the trek in Nepal
As we forged our way up through the valley on that first day of the trek I realised several things very quickly.
- Physical Challenge: This trek was going to be a little more challenging than I had been led to believe. Although I had trained hard for the trek, nothing in the flat terrain of Murray Bridge in South Australia where I live can prepare one for the steepness of the Himalayan mountains.
- Cultural challenge: Nothing one can do at home can prepare you for the vast cultural differences between Australia and Nepal. Every step of the way brings a new experience, a new insight, and a new slant on this fascinating culture.
- Mental challenge: One aspect of trekking the Himalayan mountains I had not been warned about was the mental challenge of hiking in this region. It is just as much a mental challenge as a physical one. After only a few hours of walking one begins to question why one is prepared to put one’s body through torture. The answer is simple: I do it because I dreamed of doing this for decades, I do it because the scenery is absolutley stunning, like nothing else on Earth and I do it for the sheer pleasure of achievement.