The Dream Team - October 16

Months ago when we began planning (and by we - I mean Kim) we discussed hiring guides and porters. It is now a law in Nepal, that all trekkers must hire a certified guide. We learned that most reputable guides will also insist on the use of porters. Truthfully, and naively, Rob and I bristled at the thought of having someone else carry our packs. To our western sensibilities it just didn’t seem right. Oh, how our thinking has changed. We would not be sitting in the dining hall of the Apple Garden Guesthouse in Junbesi without them. In fact, we likely would have turned around an hour after leaving Khamding if we had to do it on our own. So without further ado, I would like to introduce you to our guide and porter dream team!

Tendi Sherpa - Guide

Kim first met Tendi in 2011 and since meeting Tendi she has never trekked with anyone else. Patient, kind, knowledgeable and quick to smile Tendi sets the tone for the group. Clearly, he is highly respected by the porters and they are eager to please him. When asked questions about the route or weather conditions he always responds - “not to worry, Tendi has small powers.” I would like to suggest he actually has SUPER powers!

Rinje 

Rinje is Tendi’s son and an absolute delight. In his youth he studied as a monk, and he is happy to share his learnings. Fortunately, his English is much better than our Nepali, so it is easy to chat with him and share the odd joke. This is his first gig as a porter, and it is evident he is working incredibly hard to meet Tendi’s high expectations. Without exaggeration, he must weigh 110 pounds. Sadly, I think our packs weigh more than that! He as been assigned to Didi Kim and dutifully keeps a watchful eye over her.

Gel Sheree 

Gel Sheree, a strapping athletic 19 year old, has been assigned to Rob. Before leaving Kamding, his mother gave us a Khata to protect us during the trek. Her gesture definitely struck a chord in me, as I understand a mothers worry. Although his English is not as good as Renje’s we have found an easy way between us. He is beginning to tease me! As I cautiously cross streams, he leaps! As I gingerly descend steep slopes he runs! As I struggle uphill, he mimics my panting. He is fun! I feel an enormous responsibility to return him home safely to his mamma. Rob has been teasing Gel Sheree relentlessly as earlier in the trek he forgot his jacket at one of our rest stops. We were all exhausted, yet he managed to spring all the way back to look for his coat. 

Pasang 

A seasoned trekker, proud daddy and excellent chef, my porter Pasang appears to be the leader of the porter team. I laugh to myself as I remember the old camp rule - make friends with the cook. DONE! His call to action is “party-time” and when Pasang says party time we don our packs and start putting one foot in front of the other. His trademark move is the way in which he presents the food he has carefully prepared. With a slight bow and a huge smile, he lays the plates before us. I admire his ability to gauge both the mood and ability of our group. He sets the pace to match our energy levels and does this masterfully without fanfare. Unfortunately, I am developing a freudian reaction when I notice him slow down our walking speed as it means steep hills ahead. They terrify me!

I find myself being very careful with my words when I speak to any of the Dream Team, because the instant they sense we might want something, they work tirelessly to meet our needs. I worry about the weight of the packs they are carrying, especially on the bone crushing downhills and fret over their footwear. We are in our high tech vibram sole hiking boots, moaning and groaning about our feet and they are wearing sneakers. I worry about their clothing. We are in our comfy down filled jackets and they are wearing windbreakers. I worry about them eating enough. They always wait for us to finish our meals before they dive in and I know they must be famished! I worry about a lot of things. Yet, despite my worries, they are happy. I catch them in moments when they don’t know I am watching and they are goofing around, joking and teasing each other. They are the unsung heroes of the Nepal trekking community and we are forever in their debt.

Giggle of the day

During one long, arduous climb, we asked Gel Sheree how much further to the tea house, to which he replied, “45 years!” We are confident that it must feel like that to him!

Sucking Wind - October 14

Rob and I have both played our fair share of competitive sports over the years, and have endured coaches screaming at us as we ran endless lines in stuffy gyms, yet our definition of sucking wind has been forever changed. Over the course of two days, we have climbed 1377 metres, that’s roughly 5,000 feet the hard way! Trekking at altitude is a whole new experience. I find myself gasping for breath and feeling like my heart is about to explode out my chest. All this while moving at a pace that would embarrass the slowest of all snails. On the other hand, Rob is crushing it! He has yet to break a sweat or pant. I try to be happy for him, and not jealous, but the green eyed monster is a difficult beast to tame.

Fortunately, the slow pace allows for frequent stops to take in the incredible views and soak up the essence of this magical place. From forested trails to open alpine meadows covered in wildflowers, the trail never disappoints. We were delighted at our first Yak and Nak sightings and as a courtesy we suggested Rob take the lead as we navigated our way by them. Kim kindly reminded Rob to pass on the uphill side, as Yaks have been known to push unsuspecting trekkers over the cliff.

Tonight we are cuddled up at the Pikey Peek Lodge, elevation 3777 metres. By Nepal tea house standards our accommodation is quite luxurious. We have a light in our room and the squat toilet is inside. We have a fabulous sink in the hallway, but no running water. Why the sink one might ask. Why not? The rooms are not heated so we pass our down time snuggled in our sleeping bags, chatting, journaling and reading - a most wonderful way to end a day of trekking.

Giggles of the day were plentiful:

We left Khamding, bursting with energy and excitement! Our hiking poles had barely hit the ground before we were invited for a cup to tea! Giggling we looked at each other and wondered how many cups of tea we would need to drink before we arrived at the trailhead.

To our amazement the cell phone coverage along the trail continues to be superb. Today we overhead a call from Tend’s wife Lamu to Tendi. She asked, “How are you doing? He replied, “we are doing.” Rob, Kim and I giggle at the thought of what that might mean!

Last, but not least, after dinner at the Pikey Peek Lodge, we found ourselves caught up in a Trekkers Disco party. Several young trekkers cranked up the music and invited us to dance. With Kim cheering us on, Rob and I took to the dance floor and did our best to represent Canadian old farts! To our great shame, altitude also affects ones ability to dance the night away. After one song, and a round of applause we said good night and put ourselves to bed.

Everest - October 13

Far off in the distance, there she stood - Chomolungma. Peeking at us through the clouds, she called to us to come closer. Indescribable. …and YES, I cried!

Another Brick in the Wall

If we were forced to board the plane and leave Nepal this instant, I would return home happy, fulfilled and most importantly humbled. Today was a great day! 

Over the years, Kim and her travelling band of vagabonds have made donations to help support the school in Khamding. By Canadian standards, the supplies and cash donations we provide are meagre, but in Nepal a US dollar goes a long way, and to say the students and staff are appreciative would be a gross understatement. To show their appreciation of Kim’s ongoing support and our donations, we were invited to a school assembly. 

To my embarrassment we were asked to seat at the front of the assembly alongside the town dignitaries. Both staff and students had worked extremely hard to prepare speeches and dances in our honour. Looking around I chuckled to myself as I observed the youngsters perched on their benches. Kids are kids! I watched the fidgeters, the wigglers, the instigators, the interested, the disinterested, and the staff valiantly trying to keep the troops engaged. Clearly school assembly behaviour is universal.

For those who know me it wont come as a surprise to learn that I shed a few tears during the festivities. Watching the “littles” dance so enthusiastically touched me to my core, and the older girls in their traditional dresses were stunning. A young boy delivered a well memorized speech in English thanking us and acknowledging how funds would help their school community. Later, I had the opportunity to thank and praise his English teacher for a job well done. Her pride in her student was palpable.

After the assembly we were invited for a tour of the science lab. Never have I seen such excitement over a periodic table! I couldn’t help but notice, that although the classroom had power, there was only one functioning light bulb. Periodic tables seemed the least of their worries. By Canadian standards learning conditions are extremely poor, yet this dedicated staff team are passionate about their students and their learning outcomes. 

For the cherry on top, we were invited for yet another cup of tea! Never in my life have I consumed so much tea, and we have yet to start hiking! As we sipped away, we were joined by the entire school staff. Thankfully, their English is much better than our Nepali, so we were able to enjoy a conversation and share a few laughs. 

Giggle of the Day

To commence the assembly, we were adorned with khatas and the most beautiful marigold garlands. I swear every mother in the region had been up all night making these beautiful flower arrangements. It felt reminiscent of my “mom there’s a bake sale tomorrow and I need 24 cupcakes days.” To our amazement, child after child approached and placed the garlands around our necks. How I wished I had worked harder on my core strength as the sheer weight of the flowers began to impact my posture. Rob looked particularly regal with flowers atop his world famous baseball hat. 

All Roads Lead to Khamding

Truthfully, I felt a sense of relief to be loading up the Jeep and leaving the frenetic pace of Kathmandu. Don’t misunderstand, the city is amazing, but this “outdoorsy Island girl” can only last so long in the crowds before nature withdrawal sets in. So with great excitement, and a fully loaded vehicle we began our 11 hour “expedition” to Khamding.

The drive was an adventure all in itself. We began by once again weaving our way through Kathmandu and although it was only 6 am, traffic was busy. As we put distance between ourselves and the city, we followed a river valley and climbed higher and higher via a series of switch backs up the steep mountain banks. Throughout the day, the road morphed into several different versions of itself. We experienced fresh black top, old blacktop, potholes, divots, deep mud, brickwork, gravel, sand and a short delay as a result of a recent landslide. 

Harrowing isn’t really a long enough or powerful enough word to describe our drive to Khamding. Kim, bravely or simply because Tendi suggested it, road shotgun in the front passenger seat. I lost count of the number of times I noticed her clutching the side of her seat. Rob focused on photography, appeared nonchalant yet he did squeeze my leg on numerous occasions and to Tendi’s amusement I was caught ducking, flinching, gasping and cowering!

Thanks in large part to the incredible skill of our driver we survived near collisions, sections of dense fog and successfully completed a river crossing (the bridge had been washed out). It goes without saying that in Nepal when a bridge is washed out the only logically thing to do is to just drive straight across the river bed. Jostled, shaken and stirred we neared Khamding only to grind to a halt to allow a local logging operation. By local logging operation I mean a few men with a chainsaw and a machete. They were. downing trees directly across the road and seemed quite surprised to see us. We watched in amazement as they worked cohesively as a team to expertly measure, cut the logs and clear a path for us within minutes of our arrival.

As darkness falls we are gathered together in the lovely home of Tendi and Lamu. We are welcomed like long lost friends. The bond between Tendi, Lamu and Kim is very special and by association we are also treated like family. Tendi and his father built this home. It feels like family. It is a gem. Words can’t express our gratitude.

Giggle of the Day

Giggles were plentiful today - I will share a few:

Put away your radar guns, and grab your paper and pen! Simple, yet effective, speed control on the route to Khamding is monitored by a system of manned check points. Drivers are issued a series of coloured papers that they present at each checkpoint. Their drive times are monitored, so those with a heavy foot on the gas must either drive the appropriate speed or pullover and wait until they meet the expected travel time before proceeding. It was a little disconcerting to notice numerous drivers pulling over for tea as opposed to driving slower.

And speaking of speed, or lack there of, we are beginning to seriously worry about our hiking pace. Today Tendi gave us a quick tutorial on Nepali definitions of hills, peaks and mountains. Hills are anything up to 5000 metres, peaks are 5000 to 7000 metres and mountains are considered anything over 7000 metres. To our dismay we have been training all summer long on hills. It is time to rename Mount Washington to Hill Washington.

Last, but not least, as we sat warm and contented in Tendi’s dining room drinking our tea, Tendi’s son popped in and asked if we would like to use the internet. Collectively, our jaws dropped! Tendi’s daughter lives in Australia and as a gift she gave her mother a wifi extender to enable them to chat via FaceTime. You can imagine Rob, our resident tech nerd’s delight to be chatting all things tech in this remote Nepali village - population 100. I can not believe we have internet connectivity and squat toilets in the same home. What a fabulous paradox of tradition and modern life.

First Impressions

After 60 hours of travel our trio of weary explorers arrived at the Kathmandu airport slightly jet-lagged but extremely excited to start our adventure. After navigating entry visas, security checkpoints, and baggage claims we exited the airport to find Tendi patiently waiting to welcome us to Nepal. Stepping aside, Rob and I watched from a distance as Kim and Tendi shared a joyous reunion.

You only get one chance to make a first impression and what a first impression Kathmandu made on us! The sights, sounds, smells, history, people, momos and TRAFFIC. Yes, that’s traffic with a capital T! Never again will we complain about waiting for one light at the 17th street bridge in Courtenay.

Driving in Kathmandu is not for the faint of heart! Terrifying, yet fascinating, we found ourselves in awe of the disorganized, yet functional chaos of the city streets. I would liken it to a giant game of chicken, in which buses, cars, motorcycles (more motorbikes than one could ever imagine) cyclists and pedestrians willingly participate. Helmets appear optional and it is not uncommon to see a couple of toddlers perched on a motorcycle between driver and passenger. The rule of the road appears to be - don’t worry - keep moving - it will all work out. And magically it appears to. This haphazardly choreographed dance seems to work as cars, bikes and buses expertly weave in and out, moving forward on mass unscathed. Well, vehicles were unscathed, we were overwhelmed if not slightly traumatized by the experience.

Our “base camp” for our week in Kathmandu, is the Hotel Lotus Gem, located in the heart of the Bodhnath (Boudha) and home to Asia’s largest stupa. Its white washed dome has a gilded tower and is painted with the all seeing eyes of the Buddha. We are awakened each morning by the rhythmic sounds of monks drumming and chanting and go to bed in the evening under watchful eyes.

Home to several world UNESCO sites, Kathmandu is a fascinating mix of history and the modern world. Taking a step back in time, and under the expert guidance of Tendi, over the course of a couple of days we visited medieval Bhaktapur, where Tendi’s son Nema dazzled us at the pottery wheel. Together, we ambled along narrow cobblestones streets winding between red brick buildings under the shadow of the towering temples. Captivated by the Nepalese architecture we took great delight in the elaborately carved wooden windows.

The magnificent Golden Temple, a Buddhist monastery was the highlight of our stop in Patan, Kathmandu’s sister city. A centre of both Hinduism and Buddhism Patan boast 136 courtyards and 55 major temples. 

Last, but not least, we found ourselves overlooking the city from the site of Swayambhunath. Mobbed by monkeys, we took in the beauty of the great Stupa. Prayer flags flapped in the wind as tourists and pilgrims alike spun the prayer wheels at the base of the central Stupa. Tendi shared that the prayer wheels are embossed with the sacred mantra of om mani padme hum. We observed and listened and became lost in the moment. 

Our time in Kathmandu has flown by and our appetite to learn more about this land, its history, gentle people and customs has only grown. We are feeling excited to leave the  big city behind and begin our trek. Tomorrow we plan to complete a final gear check, exchange our money to rupees and stuff our backpacks. City life has been a blast, but the mountains are calling. It is time to begin our trek.

Giggle of the Day

We began our adventure in Thamel, an area the guide books have described as a tourist ghetto. Fascinated, we blindly followed Kim as she expertly weaved her way in and out of countless shops bartering like a seasoned pro. “But how much if we buy six?” While Rob can hold his own during price negotiations, I have been known to talk shop keepers up in price, so to set Kim loose was a huge relief to me and my brand new $35.00 bright pink North Face jacket!

Thrilled with our shopping excursion, we managed to find our way back to Boudha just in time for garbage collection. Waste Management take note … there is no need for bins and hydraulic lifts. Like magic, young and old alike appeared out of alleyways and shops clutching their bags of trash. Garbage collectors accepted the bags and with the skill of a hammer throw Olympian they tossed large bundles of trash to the top of a garbage pile in a flat bed truck. With each passing second the mountain of trash grew. Men balanced precariously on top of the massive heap sorting and stacking as the truck rumbled along.

Old Fart Training Days

The mind is willing, but the knees are screaming!

Our trip to Nepal would not be a reality without the guidance, support, and leadership of the unstoppable Kim Letson. An intrepid adventurer and seasoned traveller, Kim has taken us under her wing and organized a detailed travel itinerary. Now, when I say organized and complete, Kim takes it to the next level. She has created a masterpiece four page spreadsheet complete with daily ETD and ETA times. Her exceptional planning skills have been honed over time. Before reinventing herself as a kayak guide, ski patroller, and author, Kim served for twenty years in the Canadian military and much of her time was spent as a logistician. Skills that serve her well as a "trekking consultant." We are beyond impressed with Kim's skill set and slightly embarrassed that our contribution to the trek to date has been to book the BC ferry. Lord, I pray our sailing isn't cancelled. 

In addition to trip planning, Kim has been instrumental in designing our "altitude training sessions." Frankly, when you live at sea-level, training for altitude is near impossible, but as a group, we have dedicated ourselves to hiking up to the summit of Mount Washington, a total of 1588 metres elevation (just a little higher than Kathmandu) on a regular basis. Once again, Kim's expertise shines through. She encourages us to summit the mountain twice per outing, but to save the knees she recommends taking the chairlift down between climbs. Rob and I have enthusiastically embraced the idea and have termed our Washy outings - "Old Fart Training Days."

Jane and Kim training on Mount Washington

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Scenic chairlift at Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Giggle of the day:

Packing day is here, always one of my favourite days! Full of excitement and anticipation we reviewed our gear checklist. To our horror - it turns out our medication list is longer than our equipment list. New additions include Tylenol arthritis, Volteren, vitamins, electrolytes .... the list goes on! So much for an apple a day keeping the doctor away. This is the 60+.