Elephant Bath

I came to Nepal with two main objectives. The first, and more challenging of the two, was to visit the Base Camp of Mount Everest. The second was to spend a few days in the Royal Chitwan National Park in Southern Nepal. I arranged the trip earlier this week and headed off this morning on a bus to Bahratpur, the nearest city to Chitwan National Park.

After a quick lunch in Bahratpur I rode in a rickety jeep into the park with a Nepali driver. It always amazes me how far a little bit of money will go in developing countries. For an all-inclusive three day tour of Chitwan National Park, including transportation to and from Kathmandu and two nights accomodation at the “Island Jungle Resort”, I paid only $150. In a more developed country the hour-long jeep ride from Bahratpur into the park might cost $150 alone.

Elephant bathing is one of the feature attractions at the Island Jungle Resort. The resort has four elephants that they use to give visitors tours of the jungle on, and once a day they bring the elephants to a bend in the river near the resort to be bathed. Since it's the off-season there were only five other visitors at the resort today, which allowed plenty of time for each person to get to know one of the elephants. An elephant driver lowered one of the animals into the river and I climbed on and rode the thing bare-back. The elephant stood up in the river and used it's trunk to throw giant splashes of water on it's back. I got completely drenched, of course, and the Nepali driver stood on the back of the elephant behind me and laughed the whole time. Next to me one of the drivers had jumped off an elephant and was letting a French girl ride the thing by herself.Wild rhinos and tigers are everywhere in Chitwan and one of the main reasons I came was to see one of the creatures in the jungle. This afternoon a Nepali driver and I ventured into the jungle on the back of one of the elephants to search for wildlife. In 2006 I rode on an elephant in Laos, but I have to say that this time the experience was much more legitimate. There were a few small trails that the driver followed but occasionally he steered the elephant off the trail and blazed a new path through the jungle. The elephant used it's trunk to snap away tree branches and clear away growth when necessary and we slowly made our way through the jungle. Occasionally we came to large clearings in the trees that were filled with grass that was about ten feet tall. I was instantly reminded of the movie “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and wondered if Disney could have saved a whole lot of money by filming the movie in Nepal instead of creating their own set.There is plenty of wildlife in Chitwan, but unfortunately I only saw a few of the smaller animals today. I saw a few peacocks from a distance and I also saw plenty of monkeys and spotted deer. It's funny to me that some people consider spotted deer to be a wildlife sighting. I'm so used to seeing the animals just wandering around up in the Avenues in Salt Lake that it doesn't feel exotic at all to see them in foriegn countries. If anything it makes me feel like I'm closer to home. To me a full-grown rhino is a real wildlife sighting. I don't think I'll ever see one of those in the Avenues unless one escapes from Hogle Zoo.

Tonight I had dinner with the five other travelers at the resort and then watched fireflys at night. Once it got dark we could see the fireflys everywhere. There were so many of them that several landed on my shirt and pants as I watched others floating around in the distance. Someone pointed out the view across the river and I went over to watch with a couple of others. Hundreds of fireflys lit up the entire jungle in the distance, and the three of us watched the show for an hour before finally calling it a night.

Nepali River Rafting

Sightseeing is great while traveling, but my best experiences are always the ones that are more interactive - experiences that involve more than just taking a look around. Until today I still hadn't had the third-world river rafting experience. A few years back a friend of mine went rafting in Thailand and said it was the most insane thing he's ever done in his life. I thought my trip could use a little more insanity, so I booked a day of river rafting through a travel agency in Kathmandu and headed off this morning for the put in point on the Trishuli River.

On the bus to Trishuli I sat by the only other person who would be on the rafting trip today - an Australian girl named Kylie. Kylie is from Brisbane, Australia and is in Nepal as part of a four month trip through the Middle East and Asia. We talked a lot about our traveling experiences and, interestingly enough, a lot about Islam. Kylie just visited Petra a few weeks ago and told me to be sure I spend at least two days there while I'm in Jordan this August. After Nepal Kylie will be stopping in Bangkok, so I had a little travel advice to offer her as well.

Kylie and I and our Nepali guide, Ochu, got off the bus at the put in point and Ochu went down to the river with two of his buddies to pump up the raft. Rafting in Nepal is a whole different ball game than rafting in the US. The few times I've been rafting have all been in Utah or Colorado and I'm used to signing a pile of legal waivers and then heading off with licensed guides and perfectly maintained equipment. In Nepal you just get in the water and go for it. Fortunately for me Ochu has twenty years of rafting experience (or at least that's what he claims). He really was a good guide though, it was easy to tell that he knew exactly what he was doing.Sometimes I wonder if outdoors-sports guides are actually more competant in third-world countries than they are in the US. In America rafting is something that most people only do when they're younger. Most river guides in the States, for example, take the job for a few summers during college and then move on to something else. For Ochu though, rafting is a full-time profession. Between the two of us Ochu only grossed $60, and that had to cover sales commissions, transportation to and from Kathmandu, and lunch after the rafting trip. If Ochu only comes away with thirty dollars per day though, that's a whole lot more than most people in Nepal make. I'm sure that rafting is a lucrative profession for Ochu; he probably has fifty times the experience of a college kid working as a guide for the summer.

Rafting Trishuli was fun and there were a few good thrills involved, but it wasn't as insane as I hoped it would be. I'm actually not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It's great that I got back to Kathmandu alive and everything, but I also wanted to come back with some wild memories and wild stories to tell. It's alright. We went on some semi-intimidating class 3 rapids today and I definitely got wet and got a workout while paddling.For lunch I had two giant plates of chapatti, chowmein, and spicy potatoes, then got on the bus back to Kathmandu. When I say I got on the bus, I literally mean that I got on the bus - meaning on top of the bus, not inside. Ochu told me really casually after lunch that the bus was full and that we would be riding the entire way back to Kathmandu on the roof. I was a little apprehensive at first, but it was actually a lot of fun. I used the time outdoors (I guess that riding on top of a bus counts as being outdoors) to enjoy the views of the Nepali countryside. After watching miles of lush, green hills and terraced rice patties go by, I realized how little I really have seen of Nepal. I feel like I've seen a lot because I've already been to all of the really well known tourist sights in Kathmandu, but there's so much more to Nepal than that. Coming to Nepal and only seeing Kathmandu would be the same as if a foreigner visited the United States but only saw New York City.

After a three-hour ride on the roof along narrow roads winding up the edges of tall, green hills, I finally arrived back in Kathmandu alive and was even free of any injuries or traumatic experiences. A few risks are inevitable while traveling, but it helps to know that the locals do things the same way and that most of them are still alive as well.

Swayambhunath Stupa

I have to admit that I was pretty lethargic today. After arriving back in Kathmandu I dropped my stuff off at a cheap hotel, updated the blog, ate a big breakfast, and then laid around for a few hours. I still feel exhausted from the Base Camp trip. I got a lot of sleep every day and had a lot of naps, but I'm still tired as a dog.

This afternoon I walked to a secluded park called “Garden of Dreams”. In a nutshell the garden was created in the 1920's by a former King of Nepal, then got neglected and fell into decay for several decades, then was restored just a few years ago. Kathmandu is a pretty chaotic city and there are very few places that feel relaxing, but the Garden of Dreams is one of them. I spent a half-hour or so walking through the garden past statues of Hindu goddesses and baby elephants. The garden also has a few covered pavilions that are used to house cafes or just as places for people to relax. After walking through I really wished that I had relaxed there earlier today instead of in my hotel room, but it's no big deal. Maybe on my last day in Kathmandu I'll go back and just lay around on the grass for a while.
I went back to Swayambhunath Stupa today. I went there in 2007 and really enjoyed the place, but I think that I've seen so many Asian temples and stupas on this trip that the novelty of them has worn off a bit. It's funny, my impression of the place was completely different this year than it was last year. After flying in from India last year, Swayambhunath felt distinctly Buddhist. This time, after spending time in the Buddhist countries of Myanmar and Bhutan, it felt almost completely Hindu. In reality the stupa is used as a place of worship by both Buddhists and Hindus, but it was funny just to see how my perspective is influenced so much by whatever place I've flown in from.
Last year when I visited Swayambhunath the sun was just setting and the light was perfect for taking photos. Today the sky was cloudy and I wasn't so lucky. I figured that I took enough decent pictures of the place last year that there was no reason to try to take all new ones with crappy light. Instead I just wandered around the stupa and watched people do their thing. It's funny, last year I spotted three old monks wandering around at Swayambhunath and I tracked them down and took their pictures. Well today I saw the same three monks hanging out together. I wanted to ask for their pictures again just for kicks, but I thought that they might remember me and it would be awkward. I guess that when I'm concerned that the locals might recognize me then I should start getting more creative with the places I visit. I feel like after this trip I'll have seen a lot of Nepal and won't need to come back for a while. Last year I only had five days here and there was so much stuff I wanted to do that I felt like I absolutely had to make a second trip. Tonight, while walking past several discount travel agencies, I realized that there's not a whole lot that they offer that I haven't already done. Nepal is a great place and I'd love to come back again sometime and see some more obscure parts of the country, but I'm pretty satisfied with what I've seen already. If 'sometime' isn't for a lot of years, then that's alright with me.

Yak Steak

I apologize in advance for offending any vegetarians who might read this...

It feels good not to have to care so much about the weather. When Min and I left Namche Bazaar this morning the skies were cloudy and rainy, but I hardly even noticed. During the past two weeks I've had plenty of days of good weather and more incredible views than I hoped I'd have when I started. One rainy day at the end is no big deal, and in fact, I kind of even like it because it's a rainy day that I didn't have to deal with earlier when it really mattered.

As we followed the trail back to Lukla we descended into green, tree-covered valleys and passed through tiny hillside villages. The Buddhist mani stones and prayer wheels that are less common higher in the Himalayas reappeared. After crossing the Dudh Kosi several more times, then hiking up the edge of the canyon, then down, then up again more times than I want to remember, we finally arrived in Lukla.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hungry, filthy, thirsty, and tired when I finally reached the end of the trek today. My first item of business at Lukla's three-dollar-a-night Khumbu Resort was to correct all four problems. I bought a liter of water and downed nearly all of it in one chug. Hot showers are a commodity in the Himalayas and I inquired about the services that are offered at the Khumbu; two-hundred Nepali rupees was a bit steep for a gas-fueled shower in a dank, moldy stall, but I was willing to pay it. Then there was the issue of my still-empty stomach...

I originally hoped I'd be given a yak to carry my bag for two weeks, but since Pemba the porter filled in for the shaggy beast, I figured I had to experience the animal in some other way. To commemorate the successful ascent to the Everest Base Camp, as well as the successful descent and completion of the trek, I ordered a large yak steak and savored every morsel of it.
For dessert I wanted some all-American apple pie, but since it's the off-season and no apple pie is currently available, I settled for a local concoction instead. The Khumbu Resort chef (who may also be the owner, manager, and janitor for all I know) cut a Mars candy bar in two and fried each half inside a rolled up piece of chapatti. I was skeptical at first, but it was actually pretty tasty. I might even prefer that to a slice of apple pie.

All things considered, the Base Camp trek has been an incredible success. When I booked the trek I knew that summer time is the monsoon season in Nepal, and I had read that in June most people see nothing but fog and the trail ahead of them. I booked the thing anyway and hoped I'd get lucky. I had no idea how lucky I'd really get. During the past two weeks there have been two days of perfect weather, and they happened to fall on exactly the days that were best for me. I originally told myself that I'd be satisfied just to get a glimpse of Everest through the clouds, but I had crystal clear views of Everest as well as views of several more of the most famous peaks in the Himalayas. I've met a lot of interesting people, and Min, my guide and Pemba the porter have been good company as well. It feels good to be so satisfied with the way everything has worked out. I'm excited to get back to Kathmandu tomorrow and to keep on rolling with the epic trip.

Namche

Today was really mellow. This morning I had a sherpa pancake and a masala omelet for breakfast and then left Tengboche with Min and Pemba. The weather wasn't that great for views, but I'm so happy with what I've seen already that I really don't even care. I hiked for four hours today along the familiar trail back to Namche Bazaar. As I walked I passed by several waterfalls on the other end of the canyon that are each hundreds of feet tall. Any one of those waterfalls could be an incredible natural wonder anywhere else in the world, but there are so many of them in the Khumbu region and so much else to see that it's as if nobody even notices that they're there.
I checked into the Hotel Everest in Namche, had a spaghetti lunch, and then spent about five hours talking to a Dutch traveler named Antoine. Antoine is about my age and is in Nepal as part of a year-long trip around the world. He already has spent six months in South America, and after Nepal he'll continue on to India and then to Africa. Whenever I meet people like Antoine I'm embarrassed to say that I'm only traveling for a few months. I'm happy with what I've got planned and I'm excited to see everything, but it will be really rushed compared to his schedule. It would be nice to have twelve months just to hang around in a few different countries and really get to know the places, but I don't think that's really in the cards for me. I guess I could make it a priority and make it happen if I really wanted to, but I'm not so sure that I would enjoy being away for an entire year.

Antoine and I talked a lot about professional sports in Europe and in America. Antoine played soccer in a small league in the Netherlands so he was naturally interested in learning everything about professional sports in the United States. It was interesting to talk with him and learn all the differences between sports leagues in Europe and in the US. In Europe, soccer, of course, is the major spectator sport. In each country there are several leagues, each of which is a level above the one below it. At the end of a season the worst team in each league can drop to the league below it, and the best team can rise one league higher. The very top leagues consist almost exclusively of big market teams that draw hundreds of thousands of fans, sponsors that will pay millions of dollars, and the best players looking for the most competitive clubs.

I told Antoine all about sports franchising in the United States, major and minor league baseball, the NBA draft, salary caps, and players unions. All of those concepts are completely different from the way professional sports operates in Europe. In both Europe and the United States sports is a business. The main difference seems to be that in Europe each club is an independent entity while in the US the clubs are collectively part of a larger enterprise. Also, in Europe players have more flexibility when it comes to deciding which club they will play for. In the US that is largely governed by regulations imposed by a player's respective league.

It felt good just to relax today. I really didn't see a whole lot besides the trail between Tengboche and Namche, but it still felt worthwhile just to unwind. I'm really happy with the way the whole Base Camp trek has worked out. I've had a really good time and I've seen a lot of awesome scenery. I feel like I can take the next few days just to relax and think it all over.

Tengboche

Another day of perfect weather! Late last night I heard a loud rainstorm outside my window and I knew chances would be good for clear weather this morning. At 5:30 I rolled out of bed and walked outside to wide, blue skies just in time to watch the sunrise.

When I hiked to Pangboche from Namche Bazaar last Friday Min told me that when there's not fog, the views are outstanding. I was disappointed, of course, that I was right there and couldn't see the incredible scenery, but I hoped that maybe I'd get to see the view on the way down. This morning the view was perfect. As the sun rose gradually above the horizon it lit up the summitts of several of the peaks surrounding Pangboche. One snowy white peak to the South created such a bright reflection that it lit up a giant circle on the mountain below it. Thamserku towered overhead to the South-east and it's twin peaks lit up like fire while the rest of the mountain remained dark. Kantega, a peak just to the North of Thamserku, and Tabuche, a peak to the West of Pangboche, also made for some good photo-ops. If there was one peak besides Everest that I really wanted a great view of on the trek, then it was Ama Dablam. Ama Dablam is one of the most picturesque mountains in the Himalayas and features one large peak to the East and a smaller one to the West. The name “Ama Dablam” comes from a sherpa language and in English it translates to “Mother-Daughter”. The best views of Ama Dablam just happen to be from Pangboche.

I took picture after picture of Ama Dablam, but since it is directly East of Pangboche, the sun rose behind it and didn't light up the mountain until nine or ten o'clock. When the light was finally right I got some really good shots. Min and I started hiking towards Tengboche and as we walked we saw a variety of amazing views of the mountain. A few of my favorites were Ama Dablam with green fields and small houses beneath it, and Ama Dablam rising over the Dudh Kosi river.
In Tengboche I chowed down on some snacks that I brought from Kathmandu, took an hour-long nap, and then headed to the famous Tengboche Monastery to watch a meditation session by several Buddhist monks. The interior of the monastery reminded me a lot of the monasteries I saw in Bhutan, with a few small differences. The artwork on the walls was similar and the room was decorated with colorful cloths, butter lamps, and a giant statue of Buddha, but it didn't have the wax cakes or other offerings that are common in monasteries in Bhutan. I sat down cross-legged on one end of the room and watched as the monks filed in wearing their saffron robes. When everyone was seated in four rows, one monk began chanting and the others followed. The deep, monotone chant went on for ten or fifteen minutes and was accompanied by the rhythmic sound of sticks clicking together. As the chanting continued one monk came in with a kettle of steaming hot tea and filled the cups of every monk in the room. After the chant the monks silently drank the tea, waited for a few minutes, and then continued on queue when one monk began chanting again.
Back at the Tashi Delek Lodge tonight I ordered the “mixed pizza” and enjoyed it in the lodge's warm dining room. As I expected, the meal was a Nepali interpretation of pizza - it's not exactly what I'd expect to get from Papa John's back in the US. I love eating ethnic food in different countries, but I think I'm about ready for a real American meal. That might be tough to find in Nepal, but next week when I fly to Dubai I think I'll drop in to the local Hard Rock Cafe.

Kala Pattar - 18,210 Ft.

PERFECT weather today!!! Planning a trip to Everest Base Camp during the monsoon season in Nepal and then getting perfect, sunny weather on just the right day is about like putting all your money on the Los Angeles Clippers and then watching them win an NBA championship. I just cashed in big time.
Min knocked on my door at 3:30 this morning and the two of us headed to Kala Pattar, a small peak that offers some of the best views of the Himalayas in the entire Everest region. The combination of the altitude and hiking in the cold at 3:30 AM really got to me today. As I climbed up the mountain I'd take nine or ten lethargic steps, lean over and pant for a few minutes to catch my breath, and then take nine or ten more. As we began the hike there was a thin layer of clouds covering Mount Everest and Mount Nuptse, but I could clearly see the entire length of the Khumbu Glacier below me. Slowly, though, the clouds filled in until there was a thick fog covering everything. I could see a few hundred feet into the distance and after that everything was a grey mist. I was sure that that there would be no views from the top of Kala Pattar this morning and that the day was ruined.

While hiking during the past few days I've asked people coming the other direction what they saw from Kala Pattar. About half of the people got up early in the morning, made the long, strenuous hike, and saw nothing but fog. Some people watched a few clouds clear away and were fortunate enough to see bits and pieces of the mountains until all the small openings filled in again. One or two very lucky people got crystal clear weather and saw everything. At the top of Kala Pattar I met up with a few of the American travelers who I talked with last night. The five of us sat for a couple of hours in the fog and cold and discussed the situation. We all felt the same way and were sure that the views this morning would be of nothing but grey mist. Of course I was disappointed. I talked with Min and arranged to stay in Gorek Shep for another day to try for one more view before rushing back down to Lukla.
The sun peeked through the clouds at about 6:30 in the morning. Somehow it felt stronger today than usual and the entire peak of Kala Pattar was instantly filled with heat and light. Within five minutes the clouds began to melt away, revealing massive mountains surrounding us on all sides. Mount Pumori was so close that I felt like I could touch it, and it rose thousands of feet above us to the North. Mount Everest and Mount Nuptse were completely lit up in the East by the rising sun, and behind me I could see an incredible panoramic view of Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Makalu, and several other well known Himalayan peaks. It's no exaggeration to say that this morning I saw one of the most incredible sights of my entire life. While heading back down Kala Pattar, a few more clouds cleared away from the base of Mount Nuptse. I sat down directly across from the snowy behemoth and enjoyed the scenery for another hour. From where I was sitting I had a picture-perfect view of Nuptse on the right, Everest on the left, and the Khumbu Glacier down below snaking along the edges of the mountains, then curving upwards towards the summit of Mount Everest. ... The following two pictures are of the summit of Mount Everest, for those who are dying to know what it looks like...
The view today made my entire visit to Nepal well worth it. Completely satisfied with my Kala Pattar experience, I packed my bags, had a breakfast of potatoes and eggs, and headed with Min and Pemba back down the trail towards Lukla.

Today's hike was a long one. Originally I was going to stop at Pheriche, about a four hour hike down the trail. To make a long story short, we skipped past Pheriche as well as a few other small villages and finally stopped at Pangboche, where I stayed last Friday. It was amazing to me that a five hour hike was all it took for the scenery to change from rocky, lifeless trails to raging rivers, colorful wildflowers, and fields of grazing yaks. Tonight I had another dinner of rice and dahl and watched “Spiderman 3” with a few other travelers in the lodge. We had to stop the movie halfway because the tiny TV came from China and becomes dangerously hot after only an hour, but it was entertaining anyway. It feels great that the Base Camp trek has worked out so well. The monsoon season is really hit-and-miss in Nepal, but mostly miss. I just got incredibly lucky.

Everest Base Camp - 17,880 Ft.

More clouds today. Like I said before, it's really frustrating to be walking right beneath the most gigantic, spectacular mountains in the world, but to see nothing but white mist because of the cloud cover. It's alright though, I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that tomorrow will be better. I actually had a really good view of the top of Nuptse for a few minutes this morning. The sun was rising right behind the peak and the clouds cleared away just for a few seconds to reveal the towering, rocky, snow-covered face of the mountain.
Now that I've made it from Lukla to the Everest Base Camp, I've decided that anyone in decent shape could easily make the same hike. The trail to Base Camp is about as hard as hiking to the top of Mount Timpanogas, except that you make a hike about that difficult six times in seven days. Anyone in decent shape could do it though.

Min and I left Lobuche early this morning and hiked about two hours to Gorak Shep, the last high-altitude outpost before base camp. Gorek Shep is really just a collection of two or three lodges in a small rocky valley, nothing else is here. I dumped off my stuff at the lodge and after an hour of resting Min and I continued on to Base Camp. From Lobuche to Gorek Shep the terrain changes from rocky brown plains to massive piles of rocks. Except for a few slivers of grass poking through the stones and the occasional bird flying by, the area is completely lifeless. A long, narrow valley leads from Gorek Shep to Base Camp. As Min and I followed a trail along the West end of the valley, ice pinnacles came into view across from us. We hiked further and more and more ice pinnacles appeared until they all merged together and formed a giant glacier.The Khumbu Glacier marks the beginning of the ascent to the summit of Everest, and Base Camp sits at the foot of the glacier. To pass the glacier and continue upwards to the summit, climbers walk across ladders used to bridge crevasses in the glacier that are hundreds of feet deep. The runoff from the glacier forms a rushing stream of crystal clear water. Smaller, icy tributaries cut through different parts of the glacier and run into the stream to form the origin of the Dudh Kosi - the river that I've crossed over so many times on the way up to Base Camp. Min and I crossed over the stream and wandered up through the bottom portion of the Khumbu. It was incredible to see and touch the glacier in real life and to imagine mountaineers on their way to the summit of Everest climbing across the ice-field and up to one of the camps high on the mountain.
I thought briefly about a suggestion that one of my co-workers made before I left Salt Lake. He said that when I finally got to the Everest Base Camp I should start running towards the summit to see how far I could get. I decided not to do that.

After exploring the glacier Min and I hiked for a few minutes to an area where most expeditions set up camp. I noticed a crude wall made of stones that I've been told is used as part a kitchen during the climbing season. Several square piles of stones in the distance marked the locations of the camps of different expeditions. A few times while exploring I heard the rumble of avalanches high above me. I looked through the mist and noticed that Base Camp sits at the end of a large, U-shaped valley surrounded on three sides by Everest, Pumori, and Nuptse, some of the tallest mountains in the Himalayas.
Back in Gorek Shep I had a spaghetti dinner and talked with a few other travelers. A group of five Americans is staying at the lodge, and they all happen to be about my age. I talked for a while with a kid named Ben, who is pursuing a graduate degree in Physics at Cambridge University and has spent time researching at the prestigious CERN Laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. Ben and I talked about our educational backgrounds, graduate school, and our future careers. Another kid named Chris piped in and boasted that he's paying for a year-long trip around the world using money he earned from investing in the stock market. For the next hour or so Chris and I debated about the feasability of consistantly outperforming the S&P 500 Index. I think made a few good points. It's obvious that Chris knows a lot about stocks, but he really just had a lucky break. Ben laughed the whole time and debated to himself whether he should aim to beat the market, as Chris claims he can do, or invest in index funds, as I argued is the better strategy.

Tomorrow I really need good weather. I'm getting up early in the morning to hike to the top of Kala Pattar, a peak that offers the best views of Pumori, Nuptse, and, of course, Everest. The last three days have been cloudy and really unfortunate in the views department. I really need tomorrow to be better...