Saying Good-bye to the Most Magnificent Beard Ever

Sir....Tiger balm? Hash? Smoky-smoke? Shave? Something? Anything?

Parker’s beard attracts a lot of interesting offers. Everyone gets touted in Kathmandu but I’m positive Parker is hit up more often. In fact, it’s non-stop. I stay behind or in front of him because they cut in front of me anyway to get to him. Parker handles it well. He calmly says "Namaste", with a "No, thank you" and smiles.

Parker receives a dozen complements on his beard everyday. He is stopped often on the street, and there is a lot of discussion about the beard. An Israeli girl went nuts everytime she saw him. Travelers and locals tell him how beautiful it is and ask how long he's been growing it, etc. People walking by give him a thumb's up. Beard envy is what I call it.

It's been five months since he started growing the beard. I have even learned to like it. It suits him in Nepal as opposed to Southeast Asia. But we are done trekking for a while and it's getting ridiculous. He has to eat buttered toast upside down , for Pete's sake , so he won't get butter on his mustache. It was time for his magnificent mane to go.

It took me a few days to get used to my new husband. I was so happy to finally see his handsome face. How did I let this go on for so long?

Trekking Tips for Nepal

As most of you know, Parker and I can talk for days about trekking and gear. If anyone has any more questions about any of our treks or other adventures, please feel free to contact us. We have compiled some info. for our trekking buddies and travellers on their way to Nepal. Below we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about our Everest Region and Annapurna treks.

Parker and I prefer to trek independently but three are advantages to both. However, unless you are attempting to summit Mt. Everest or other 20,000 footers, the majority of treks in Nepal are easy to do independently. The routes are roads for the Nepali and are well travelled. There are many guide books available. Usually there is only one road and you are either going up or down. The Nepali are extremely friendly and are more than happy to point the way.

Independent means not guided. We recommend that no one treks solo if possible as a precaution. You will literally run into hundreds/thousands of trekkers. It’s easy to find many people with the same schedule. We trek independently because we enjoy the freedom of having our own schedule. Another benefit is that independent trekking cost way less than guided. More importantly, we feel that we connect with the locals more as opposed to having a guided do everything for us.

Guided: You can get a guide and/or porter for a reasonable rate in Kathmandu. There are thousands of trekking agencies. You would get the best prices when you are there in person, not on the web. Guides can take care of your accommodation, order your food, point out all the names of the mountains and give you advice on your ailments, etc. With a porter, you won’t have to carry anything but water. We met a couple of guides that we would highly recommend if anyone is interested.

Altitude must be taken seriously but do not obsess about it. It’s normal to feel fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite and lack of sleep. If you do feel more persistent symptoms the best thing you can do is to descend quickly. Read up on diamox. We took them for a few days as a prophylactic and did not get sick. Many people did not take them at all and were also fine. But we were surprised to see how many people around us got sick and had to be evacuated. Take them in case you need them. Ascend slow and acclimatize properly. If you do feel altitude sickness coming on the best thing you can do is to descend as quickly as possible.

Gear: All you need to bring is a good sleeping bag, warm clothes and cash. Blankets are available at most lodges but we recommend your own bag for comfort and hygiene. Any gear can be hired in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Nepal is the fake gear mecca of trekking. You can’t find anything without the North Face logo. It’s not the real thing but still good quality. Down jackets start at $30 (USD).

Daily Cost: Nepal is very affordable. We averaged less the $15 (USD) a day. This was with lodging, three meals a day, plenty of tea and the occasional beer.

Many ask us to compare the two treks or which ask which they should do if they had to choose only one. Of course, this is very difficult to answer. In the Everest Region you have to decide if you want to walk or fly in and out of Lukla or some combination of both. We walked from Jiri and flew out of Lukla. Everest Trek is a challenge. No one goes unaffected by the altitude in some way. But there is nothing like walking on glaciers and being surrounded by 26,000 ft. mountains. We highly recommend starting in Jiri to wake up your hiking legs, start acclimatizing and see the Nepali village life.

The Annapurna Circuit is known as one of the Greatest Walks in the World. We agree. Go before the road is complete. Even with the road, it is still worth the trek. There are also a lot of side treks you can do from the Circuit. Annapurna Circuit is easier to get to logistically. The majority of trekkers go counter clockwise and start in Besi Sahar. The road is complete on the Jomson side. From Jomson you can continue walking, take a jeep or fly to your next destination.

You can’t go wrong with either trek. They are both fantastic. Trek On!

Naturally Nepal, Once is not Enough.....

On our first day in Nepal we knew that two months would not be enough. Straight away we decided we would be able to use our full three month visa. We instantly liked the friendly Nepali. We also knew there would be plenty to keep us busy in the Himalayas and Nepal is very affordable. In between trekking we split our time between Kathmandu and Pokhara. Our three visits to Kathamandu could not be avoided. We preferred spending our time in Pokhara. It took us a few months but we finally figured out a few important things to consider while traveling/living in Nepal.


Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, is insanely smoggy, dusty, loud and dirty. We stayed in Thamel, the fake gear mecca of Nepal. Tour agencies are a dime a dozen. While there we visited the Swayambhu Stupa (monkey temple) and Bouddhanath Stupa, two important Budhist monastaries. Durbar square is the home of Kumari the Living Goddess. The Pashupatinath was the first cremation site we have visited. If you can get past the pedal-rickshaws, motorbikes and touts there are several interesting sites in Kathmandu but a few days in the city is more than enough.

Pokhara is a lovely lakeside town and a breath of fresh air after Kathmandu. We spent over a month there eating and recovering from our Everest and Annapurna treks. Parker and I both lost weight from the exertion and the cold. Sunny Pokhara is laid back and has plenty to do. It's the hub for the Annapurna treks. There are also many day walks, biking and paddling. Pokhara is popular with paragliders who stay for a month or longer. It was nice seeing the same faces for a few weeks and we made some really good friends.

In Pokhara I spent a few hours a day in Tarah's shop. She is the owner of Chetana Women's Skill Developement Project. She operates a two year program where she teaches women how to weave and make purses, mats and other crafts. The vast majority of Nepal still uses the caste system. Tarah is of a higher caste and women she hires are of a lower caste. She does not care for the caste system. I did random tasks and put my awesome selling skills to good use. I informed the customers of Tarah's mission and on downtime I taught the girls English. On my last day we made a cute little ragdoll in the likenes off my three nieces.

After a month or so we figured out a few things to key things to make us more comfortable in our daily living and developed a routine. In Nepal there is no central heat/air. So first, sunlight was king. Sunshine to heat up our room made all the difference in the world. Second, we had to time things around the power schedule. Blackouts are common in Nepal but by our last month the country was down to 12 hours of electricity a day. If our room did not have an emergency light we used candles and our headlamps. Next, solar showers were tricky. We had to wait until 3pm for the sun to warm up the water. Finally, restaurants are also open air so we chose our restaurants wisely. Not only did Zinnia Fans have the best breakfast but it also had direct morning sun. In the evening we chose restaurants based on availability of seats next to the open fire.

We were lucky at the end of our stay to rent our friend Iona's flat while she was away. We had an awesome patio and a place to call home for a bit. Finally, we were able to have a routine. Our hotel said that we were no longer guest, we were family. People around town knew us and we were not hassled to by souvenirs anymore. We had our favorite grocery store, internet cafe and grocery store.

We came to Nepal to play around in the Himalayas but will be coming back because of the friendly Nepali. I loved that they were totally convinced I was from Nepal. They said I was their sister and Parker was their brother-in-law. The country's unstable government and political unrest has kept travelers away. In our time there we did not feel in anyway unsafe or threatend. The country needs tourism and they are very welcoming. It's easy to see why "Nepal Naturally, Once is not Enough" is the county's motto. No one visits just once. We already know what treks we will do on our next visit.

Annapurna Circuit

Backtracking to December 6, 2010.


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Parker and I rested 10 days after our Everest Region adventure. After 7 days in Kathmandu and 3 in Pokhara we were ready for another walk. This time we were walking around the Annapurnas. The Annapurna Mountains are a ridge of some the most challenging summits, reaching over 26,000 ft. The Annapurna Circuit which travels around this ridge for over 200 kilometers has long been considered one of the Worlds Greatest Treks.

The Circuit can take anywhere from two weeks to three weeks. It begins in the lower altitudes of the farming villages. The walk is relatively gentle with only a couple of days at altitude when trekkers climb Thorong-La, claimed to be the World’s Biggest Pass at 17,872 ft (5416 meters). The massive views of the Annapurnas, lower elevation and gentle terrain attract tens of thousands of trekkers every year.

We started our trek at Besi Sahar on the 6th of December. In December it’s starting to get cold and marks the end of trekking season. December, however, offers the clearest skies for the best views of the mountains. We asked around and were told that there was no snow yet on the pass. No trekkers and no snow. We decided to go for it.

The beginning of the circuit was nice and gentle. Our plan was to take it easy and enjoy the mountains. But the Annapurna is going through major change. A controversial road is being built around the whole circuit. The first few days of our walk we walked through the dust of passing jeeps, buses and motor bikes.

On our second day we were dodging donkeys loaded with dynamite. A major part of the road ended and they were transporting the dynamite by trail. We saw the road workers blasting chunks off the mountains. We stepped over freshly blasted rock piles, tons of det-cord and a broken down Caterpiller Earth Mover.


After a few days we were able to breathe once the dust cleared. It was the last harvest before winter. We passed fields where the entire village gathered, harvesting the last of the crops before winter set in. It was a festive sight. The Nepali were also busy chopping wood for winter.

The days were warm, however, as soon as the sun was down it was instantly freezing. Even though we were at a lower elevation than the Everest region, it was already colder. Fortunately, the lodges in this area are well built. They are built out of stone instead of plywood. Most came with attached baths and solar showers which was a treat at the end of the day.

As we walked around the mountain range the Annapurnas began to reveal themselves. These mountains are extraordinary. The river valley is beautiful and the waterfalls impossibly high. We have been in Nepal two months and became used to seeing such massive views. We had to occasionally remind ourselves that this was not an everyday sight.

We eventually ran into a few trekkers. There was a bottle neck at Thorong Pedi, a tiny village at the foot of the pass. We arrived on the last day that electricity was going to be available. There were 20 of us huddled in the lodge anxious about our 3,500 ft. climb the next day. There was the usual nervous talk of altitude sickness and everything associated with it: headache, lack of appetite, lack of sleep, and nausea. A couple of donkeys were arranged for one of the groups. Each donkey charged $300(21,000 Nrs) for their services.

Everyone got started at 6am to avoid the high winds on the pass in the afternoon. Freezing cold does not begin to describe the conditions. We carried extra water for the long day of climbing and long decent ahead of us. Of course our water froze as soon as it was exposed to the air. Parker’s beard was layered with chunks of ice. Freezing and dehydrated, we made it up 3,500 ft in three hours. It was a beautiful moment when the sun shined over the mountains.

The pass is festive with a giant sign surrounded by thousands of Buddhist flags. Printed on the flags are prayers and mantras that are will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into space. Prayer flags a strung all over Nepal and all over the mountains. After a few obligatory victory shots we ran down to the warmth of lower elevation. Parker and I were happy to find out that we were still acclimatized from our first trek. It was a six-hour day for us when it took many of the trekkers ten to twelve hours.

There is a lot of mixed feeling about the road. It will be complete by 2012. It will bring more tourist but at what cost? The road has left a tragic scar on the mountains. Even more lodges are being built in anticipation of the traffic once it is complete. One day, tour buses will be a norm on the Circuit. It makes us sad to know that we are indirectly part of this demand. We are in the Himalayas to get away, not to dodge tourist buses and donkeys with dynamite.

Regardless, the Annapurna Circuit is still one of the world’s best treks. Where the altitude of our Everest trek was a challenge, the Circuit was a pleasant walk with a challenging pass. We walked past tiny farming communities and medieval stone villages. It was bloody cold but there was not a cloud in the sky. The snow covered peaks of the Annapurnas were splendid.


Trekking around the Annapurnas and the Everest Region has been a dream for Parker and me. We are two lucky and happy trekkers. We are also two trekkers who are ready to gain a little weight, take our boots off and thaw out in the sun.

Kicking off 2011 in Style

December 31, 2010

Parker, Celeste, Timol, Cam, Rob and Misty (Iona is not pictured.)

At the end of the year, Pokhara holds it's Annual Street Festival. The festival/carnival is held to celebrate the English New Year and to promote tourism 1in Pokhara. From the 28th-1st, 500,000 tourist and Nepali were expected to attend the festivities. Approximately 3km of the main road is blocked off. Restaurants arrange their tables on the streets. The vendors also display their goods outside on tables.

There were several scheduled events. On the 31st was the 2km Tourist Race. Misty and I thought it would be fun to do the fun-run. I signed Parker up and we convinced our friends Cam and Iona to join us. None of us have ran in a while but it was only 2 kms. We figured the whole thing would be no more than 30 minutes. We planned on blending in with the other racers and try not to embarrass ourselves too much.

When we checked in we were shocked to find out that there were only 7 of us signed up. It was only the 5 of us and two others: Timol from Germany and Rob from the UK. 2011 is Tourism Year for Nepal. All 7 of us were given race numbers, red hats and red polos printed with "Nepal 2011 Tourism Year".

A Nepali band with local instruments was playing and a crowd was gathering. This was not part of our blending in plan. It was only 2kms but one we didn't know the whole town was going to be watching us. The officials told us race was running late because they were waiting for the news crew to arrive and our police escort. Apparently, we signed up for more than we thought.

We followed our police escort. The news filmed us. Parker was wearing chaco sandals and Misty ran in her boots. We discussed jogging the 1st km and then racing the 2nd km. But Timol and Rob took off in a full sprint. We found out later that Timol is a tri-athelete and expected competition. Imagine his surprise when the 5 of us strolled in.

Parker was just infront of me. As people cheered for him he raised his hands and cheered back. I was cracking up watching him run in his sandals. Everyone thought I was Nepali and was excited to see me run (they were also probably wondering why a Nepali was in the Tourist Race). The whole town cheered us on. Timol, the professional athlete, was first followed by Rob, Cam, Parker, myself and Misty and Iona rolled in together.

We all ran through a red ribbon at the finish line. We thought it was all over but little did we know the fun was just getting started. The officials, the band, our fans and the news led us to the fair grounds and to the stage. The band was rocking and we were taught Nepali dance moves.

We were then called to the stage one at a time by name and country. All seven of us were seated. There were speeches made and we were all thanked for our participation. The top 3 finishers were awarded traditional Nepali khukiris(knives). We were called up one at a time and given a Buddisht scarf for good luck and traditional Hindi face paint for blessing. We then took an official photo with our finisher's certificate and shaking hands with the President of the Bar and Restaurant Association. Since there were only 7 of us, we were all invited to dinner with cocktails later on in the evening.

We were asked to dance one last time with the officials, the president and the band. It was a 10 minute fun-run that turned into a 3 hour affair. Everyone in town congratulated us. Our friends saw us on the news. It was by far the most fun and most memorable race any of us had been apart of. It was an awesome way to end 2010 and a fantastic kick off for 2011. We were all excited to have our part in kick starting Tourism Year 2011 for Nepal.






Parker, Celeste, Misty, Iona, Cam, Dan and Dude(?).

Christmas on a Party Barge

December 25, 2010



After our Annapurna Circuit Trek, we had rushed to sunny. Pokhara is a wonderful town near the Annapurna Range. It borders beautiful Fewa Lake.

We met up with friends Dan and Misty. The pair are from Alaska and are also exploring Nepal for a few months. We met them during our trip in the Everest region. Through them we met Shane from Australia. For Christmas, we decide to spend the day on the lake. We rented a "Party Barge". We cruised the lake in style on an giant paddle boat.

We came prepared with snacks, drinks and Dan brought his guitar. It was an great day with friends in the sun. Towards the end of our excursion the boys got a little rowdy and started messing around with the other boats. Parker and Dan raced other boats and paddled full force towards kayaks, paddle boats and canoes overloaded with about 15 people. It was all in good fun. Thankfully no one fell in the water.



After the party barge we went for a nice dinner and then to a jazz bar for drinks. The Silk Road is popular with travelers. Of course, being a Hindu and Buhhdist country Nepal does not celebrate Christmas. However, Pokhara is a tourist town and there were decorations and Christmas greeting signs for our benefit. At the Silk Road we were surrounded by other travelers who were also far away from home. It was a nice way to end Christmas.