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.

Everest Basecamp: Part 2

We had 8 days to prepare for the crowds. If you don't want to walk from Jiri (or Shivalaya), you can fly in to Lukla and save 8 days. This is what the majority of the trekkers do. Basically, our there were two parts of our trek. The quite green terraces from Jiri to Surke and the crowded trek from Lukla to Base Camp. There are many options in extending the trek around Base Camp. But for those in a time constraint EBC can be done in as little as 12 days.

Everest Base Camp is, of course, the busiest trek in the Himalayas. Everest, even just Base Camp, calls to many people. Us included. As soon a we got on the path from Lukla, we were bombarded with hundreds of people. The whole trail completely changed. Where our Jiri trail hit the Lukla trail we turned the corner and literally ran into hundreds of people. There were giant guided groups of 10-20 along the way. Following them were their porters and yaks with loaded with all of their gear. We are on the trail to EBC and it's all business from here. We got in line and started climbing go to the base of the world's highest peak.

We flew past everyone. Not only did we have our legs but we have also acclimatised to 11,500ft. From here on out we are steadily climbing and had to acclimatize properly. We cut our long 8 hour days to shorter 4 hours days as we climbed higher in altitude. Once we got Namche Baazar, everyone was pretty much on the same schedule.

At the Sagamartha(Everest) National Park entrance, we read that the average number of visitors for the month of October was over 8,000. The average for November was half at 4,000. Even though it felt busy to us, we were at the tail end of peak season. It is starting to get cold in Novemer but he skys are clear and we have to share the trail with fewer people. Our timing was perfect.



We climbed from green terraces towards the barren alpine of the glacial Khumbu Valley. It was unreal that we were walking on a glacier for days. We heard the muffled sounds of avalances around us and were almost hit by falling rocks. It was an amazing feeling to be surrounded by world's highest peaks.

The last town before Base Camp is Gorak Shep. It is also at the base of Kala Phatar. It was a haul to get there. It was getting colder and the altitude was slowed us down. In the higher altitudes the Tea Houses seem to be made with less material. The rooms have zero insulation and the bucket flush toilets are frozen in the mornings. Dozens of us huddled around the stove in the dining area. In the higher altitudes there is no wood for fire so our stoves were fueled by yak dung. We tried to ignore the fact that the person who filled the stove with dung was usually also our cook. On one of our coldest night close to at about 17,500ft., it was 40 degrees when we went to bed and we woke up to a chilly 26 degrees inside our rooms. Even though we all got used to the cold, I remember telling Parker that this is not normal.


From Lebouche we made it to Gorak Shep by lunch. We dropped off our packs, ate and took a quick nap before trekking two hour and 1,000ft to EBC. Base camp is on a deserted bed of rocks. Since it was not summit season (May) there were no tents up. We shared Base Camp with several dozen others. We waited our turn for our picture op with a rock that someone scribbled "Everest base Camp" on. Everest Base Camp itself is anti-climactic but it was still pretty awesome to be there knowing that this is where all the craziness starts. The Khumbu Ice Fall to Camp I was pretty impressive.

The next day we climbed from Gorak Shep to the top of Kala Phatar. Many people who are short on time skip EBC for the views on top of KP. And for good reason. Kala Phatar is an easy but slow walk up to 18,500 ft. This is the highest any of us have ever gone. There is half the oxygen at Base Camp and Kala Phatar than at sea level. We took very slow half steps. Sometimes after a water break we felt good and started walking up with normal strides. The altitude quickly stopped us and we had to take a minute or two to catch our breath. On Kala Phatar we were rewarded by one of the best view of Everest and a stunning 360 of the Himalayas. This was absolutely a highlight in our trek.

After Base Camp and Kala Phatar we started our way back. We took the loop back to Gokyo via Cho la Pass towards the glacial lakes. It was a steep assent and decent with a lot of shouldering and scrambling. On top we walked on a magnificent glacier at over 18,000 ft. with sheer drops to a cold bottomless pit. On the way to Gokyo we also walked on another glacier. We were clouded in and a walked through light snowfall. We felt like we were on the moon. Parker thought we were lost and felt like were were in a twilight zone.

After Gokyo we started making our decent back to lower altitude. We also heard that there have not been flights our of Lukla back to Kathmandu in five days. This made us nervous because Jason and Melissa had an international flight to catch. We treated ourselves to a proper room and hot showers in Namche. Our first proper shower in 20 days. Then we were off to Lukla where we got on a waiting list for a flight back. We waited for four days in the tiny airport.

We were all fortunate that we did not get altitude sickness. We were above 14,000 ft. for a week. We felt the normal affects of altitude headache, short of breath, lack of sleep and some loss of appetite. We consider ourselves lucky because we saw a lot of people in world of hurt up there. We saw medical choppers everyday and witnessed 6 people get evacuated in one day . One of the guys we met had to be evacuated by a donkey to get to lower altitude. One trekker broke his leg attempting Cho la Pass. Trekkers on there way down were telling us of their altitude sickness, etc. Evacuations and altitude related stories were the topic of conversation around the dung filled stove in the tea houses.

Overall it a was a successful trek. We had a few inconveinces. Melissa and Jason had food poisoning but walked through it. My dry altitude cough turned into an infection but we found a clinic. We dodged rock falls and avalanches. And survived the cold and altitude. The Everest Base Camp Trek is not an easy one. No matter what time of year it is always cold. Altitude must also be taken seriously. But we all would highly recommend the trek. The Himalayas are magnificent and worth all the effort. This was Jason and Melissa's first trek and they rocked it. Amazingly, the four of us ate every meal together for a month and still like each other. Our friendships survived the ultimate test. We shared an incredible experience that none of us will ever forget.

Jason and Melissa, Thanks for visiting us!

Jiri to Everest Base Camp: Part 1

November 1st - 26th

A year and a half ago, we celebrated Parker's birthday in Austin. We told our friends Jason and Melissa of our trip and invited them to meet us anywhere in the world. They chose Nepal. Jason and Melissa are our 3rd and 4th visitors on our trip. We are so excited to see familiar faces and to share this experience with them.

Nepal is one our most anticipated destinations. The Himalayas is a pilgrimage for those who love the mountains. We have been carrying gear for the last year for our trek here. We spent few days prepping for our trip in crazy Kathmandu. Parker got us set with proper maps and I stocked up on fake "F-Oakleys" and "North Fake" accessories. Then we headed off towards the mountains to start our 26 day adventure.

The Himalayan Range is home to worlds highest mountains. It boasts 100 mountains over 23,000 feet. Mount Everest stands at 29,029 ft. Our goal is Everest Base Camp at a mere 17,590 ft. You can't actually see Everest from base camp so we are also climbing Kala Phatar which has amazing views of the Himalayas at 18,500 ft. We will be making a loop on the way back from Everest Base Camp through Gokyo via the Chola Pass.


We always wanted to start our trek in Jiri. Due to the terrain of the mountains, the road from Kathmandu to the Everest Region ends at Shivalaya. It is an epic 8 hours bus ride to Jiri. Shivalaya is another 8 hours away. Jiri, the gateway to the Himalayas, is the original beginning of the Everest Base Camp Trek and this is where we started walking.

After the road ends, a walking road/trail winds towards the mountains. This intricate network of trails has been used by the Nepali people for centuries. They use it to travel from village to village to visit their families, to conduct business and carry supplies. Sometimes the roads are the size of a footpath, some times it is the size of a one lane dirt road. About 70,000 trekkers visit Nepal every year. Most trekkers fly to Lukla(the only other access point to the mountains) and start their 2 week trek. Only 5% of us start in Jiri which will add an extra 8 days.There was never a question about being guided. We always go independently which means we carry everything ourselves. It's tough but it's always worth it.


We wanted to start in Jiri to see and experience Nepali life. As well as to strengthen our legs before we hit altitude. The roads end in this area for a good reason. It's was up and down all day for the next 8 days. Jiri is at 6,000 ft. and we climb up to 11,000 ft. and back down and up again.
It is a diffucult start to the Everest Trek but worth all the work. This is Jason and Melissa's first trek. Not only did we have to deal with the terrain but we also all had to learn how to walk/climb together. The first couple of days was rough. We hiked 6-8 hour days, every day. It never necessarily got easier but we got stronger.
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The Nepali people are beautiful and kind. It is a poor country and life in the mountains is tough but they were very welcoming to wards.We hiked through rice terraces and walked by little villages. We met the Nepali people as as they tended their farms and as they hauled giant loads through the mountains. Of course, since there are no vehicles, all supplies have to be carried for days to their destination. In the lower altitudes, donkeys are also used to transport goods but the Nepali carry a lot of the loads. The Nepali people are small. The biggest load we heard about was a Nepali of 120lbs carrying a load of well over 200lbs. Some of these loads looked so heavy, they brought tears to my eyes. With these giant loads they covered in a day what it took us at least two days to walk.


I had no idea until I came to Nepal that I looked Nepali. Starting in Kathmandu and throughout our hike, the Nepali were curious about me. Most thought I was a guide for the three Americans I was with. Hilarious. I received many looks as I passed the little villages as everyone was trying to figure me out. I explained a dozen times a day that I was born in the Philippines but I am American. A guide told me there was no difference between me and a Nepali. I felt very accepted. As we hiked we all learned a few Nepali phrases. We learned basic greeting exchanges and learned how to ask how far in hour the next villages where. It was helpful when we finally learned to count to 10 so we could understand their answer.

I became the negotiator for the group for a lodging. They make almost all of their profit in the food so we got most of our lodging for free. We paid as little as 50 Ruppes (75 cents) to no more than $1.30 for a room. Our meals where around $1-$2 and a cup of tea was 25 cents. The staple meal is Dal Bhat, rice and lentils. With our increasing appetites, we were more than happy to accept the free refills. The tea houses are sometimes just an addition to a house and we basically ate in the family's kitchen. Most of the accommodations are dormitories or basic rooms with single beds. Forget about rooms with bathrooms and heat in rooms. We were lucky when there was a stove in the dining area.


On our 6th day we decide it was time for a day off. It happened to be the Hindu festival, Dipawali. It was the eve of the festival and we were dragged out of our lodge by a group of 20 kids between 6 and 10 years old. Dipawali is a brother and sister festival. The sisters cook for their brothers and give them wreaths of marigolds. The brothers give their sisters gifts of clothing and money. The kids went from house to house plugging in their little radio and dancing well into the night. We found ourselves in the middle of the dancing parade.


The day of the festical I took a walk around town. I was mistaken for a Nepali and Hindu. When they found out I wasn't, they invited me anyway into their home. I was surrounded by tons of marigold, drinks and food. I went back to our lodge with dots on my forehead and a wreath of flowers around my neck.

We enjoyed the first 8 days of our trek knowing we were experiencing a special part of Nepal. The Buddhist and the Hindu of Nepal live in harmony. We passed temples, monastaries, prayer rocks, prayer wheels and prayers flags all along the way. The days were warm. Shorts and t-shirt weather, in the 80s, perfect of trekking. The nights were chilly but bearable. Our coldest night was on Lamjura pass We were only at 11,000 ft. and it was below freezing. This gave us a taste of what was to come. We were all excited to be out here together. Our legs were strong and we began our adjustment to altitude. We were ready for the second part of our trek.