Kathmandu - STILL!!

Howdy Folks,

Long time no write! I have spent the past few weeks in Kathmandu, living at Happy Home guest house. Although I finally got my India visa, circumstances suggested that I stay in Nepal just a little longer. For a while I was feeling lost, wandering the streets of Thamel (tourist section of Kathmandu) and feeling overwhelmed with the noise, beggars and consumer culture. So I took myself to a yoga class where I met Catherine (an aussie who has been volunteering for 5 months) and later, in the yoga teacher's office, Robert (from Spain, who will be volunteering for 5 months). Turns out that Catherine was about to run a Leadership course for Trekking Guides through the Kathmandu Environmental Education Project. I cheerfully offered my help, and eventually she agreed. I assisted with the course preparation then attended the five day course, running the practical exercises and other activities. It was great to spend time with the trekking leaders and I found that the course material was all very familiar from my previous studies - leadership styles, assertiveness, problem solving, conflict management... etc etc. KEEP ran a beautiful closing ceremony, where the 'respected teachers' were offered Kata (scarves), a certificate of appreciation and a present! I felt very warm and fuzzy.
Have also been spending time 'getting to know' my singing bowls and have reconnected with my inner healer, offering reiki to a friend and helping to set up a reiki practice group with Robert at a local Osho-based healing centre. Have also been practicing some Osho meditations and went out to the Osho retreat at Nagarjun Forest Reserve yesterday - absolutely gorgeous setting! Am not yet convinced that the meditations are for me though.
I have met so many lovely people in this town, have got a decent grasp on the Nepali language (tourist-basics!), have learned to love dahl baht for lunch and dinner, and no longer mind the harrassment to buy tiger balm, smoke, necklace or take rickshaw (Chine Dai Na - I don't need). It will be very hard to leave, but I had set myself a deadline regarding volunteer work and I will stick to it: if I didn't find any health-related volunteer work by Wednesday, I go to India with Katrin (my Annapurna trekking partner)... So, we go to India!
We will take the bus to Sunauli then train to either Varanasi or across to Delhi then north to Dharamsala and Mcleod Ganj. Everyone I meet who has just arrived from Varanasi says we are crazy to consider going there now as it is about 45 degrees, however I feel that Varanasi is essential India and I don't want to miss it! Dilemmas!
Chat soon!

Chitwan - Kathmandu

Given that my Nepal visa is due to expire on the 21st, I thought I should cut my trek short, get myself to Chitwan then Kathmandu and arrange my India visa so I wouldn't have to buy another Nepal visa. I took an amazing flight from Jomsom to Pokhara - 18 minutes in a tiny plane flying alongside amazingly huge mountains, over forests of pink and red rhododendron, tiered fields of green and sparkling rivers snaking down valleys. Absolutely stunning!
From Pokhara I journeyed to Chitwan National Park, moving from below zero to 35 degrees in the space of five days! During a canoe trip, jungle walk and elephant safari I saw two types of crocodile (harmless gharial and the man-eating mugger), spotted deer, rhino (so many rhino!!), monkeys, and many beautiful birds, including peacocks. We also found trails for a small snake and python, the sloth bear and some tiger prints and scat. Very cool!
Arriving in Kathmandu I made my way to the India embassy bright and early only to discover that it was closed for the day (a public holiday in India). All my best laid plans were set astray so I now need to buy another Nepal visa before being able to apply for an India visa. Looks like I will be in Kathmandu for a while yet.
Yesterday I traveled out to Bhaktipur to see the old city. There are amazing buildings, temples and wood carvings, including a temple to Shiva and Parvati covered in images of animals in erotic embraces!
Today we (Kate and Amit from London and Manu and Vanessa from Belgium) set out (nursing hangovers) to Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple and site for cremations. It was very confronting to see families grieving for their loved ones at the rivers edge as the bodies were prepared for cremation. During this reflection on impermanence, we were approached by a local television crew and asked some inane questions regarding our experience of traveling in Nepal... how bizarre. We also saw a group of ash-covered sadhus painting their bodies for the day, using tiny mirrors and looking terribly vain for people who are supposed to have renounced the world.
We then walked to Bodnath, which is one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. It was an amazing place, absolutely buzzing with noise, mantras and music filling the air and a riot of colour as locals slowly circled the stupa. I spent a good amount of time in a Tibetan singing bowl shop and emerged finally (to my companions' relief) with a small bowl for meditation. It has a gorgeous tone and is lovely to sing along with. Yeay!

Annapurna Circuit

It is day 17 of my trek and I have taken a rest day in Jomsom.
For the past 16 days, my feet have led me through snow-capped mountains, desert valleys, fir and pine forests covered in snow (winter wonderlands!) and gorgeous old stone villages. I have passed countless mani wheels and mani walls, crossed many crazy rocking suspension bridges over tumultuous rivers, seen frozen waterfalls, yaks grazing, blue glaciers suspended over mountain-tops, and slid down scree slopes, snow and mud paths.
In villages along the way I have played guitar against the mountain backdrop, eaten dahl bhat, apple pie, chocolate walnut cake (divine!), vegie burger and vegie lasgania (sic) and bathed from buckets of hot water in freezing cold bathrooms with the wind blowing through open windows. I have witnessed a spontaneous sleeping bag stuffing competition, participated in a rather heated snow fight, watched the film 'Caravan' ("I am Tinle, I conquer passes!") in a freezing and tiny cinema, watched amazing sunrises and sunsets and gone to bed before 8pm just about every day.
I have had belly sickness, blisters, headaches, shortness of breath and have visited doctors of the Himalayan Rescue Association at both Manang and Thorung Base Camp.

The day before yesterday, I crossed the Thorung La Pass, which is about as high as you can walk without climbing a mountain, at 5416 metres (2 1/2 Mount Kosciuszkos). After reading a lot of information about altitude sickness and hearing an information talk given by the Himalayan Rescue Association, I was super conscious (to the point of paranoia) of the symptoms, however I crossed the pass with the help of a local porter and little more than shortness of breath and a teensy headache. It was a damn hard slog up the scree slope then through snow up and down a series of false summits, especially with so little oxygen available. After the pass, we had to race down as the boys (Darryl and Benny) were both in bad shape with headache, nausea, blueness of lips, lethargy and vomiting. We decended 1600 meters (oooh, knees) to Muktinath where we fell ravenously on steaming dahl bhat and hot tea.

Pokhara

Howdy All!

Just a quick message to say G'day before I begin the Annapurna Circuit trek.
This morning Tilly and I walked up to Saranghot to view the Annapurna Ranges... the clouds were rising fast but we were able to see the peak of Macchapucchare and some of the Annapurna mountains. Absolutely stunning, amazing and splendiferous!! I am soooo excited about the trek, and just a little bit nervous as I am way out of shape after the meditation retreat.
I have made all necessary trekking-gear purchases and my pack is ready to go. The knee braces, trekking poles, anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as anti-giardia medicine are all packed. I have registered with the Annapurna Conservation Area office and with the Trekkers Information Management System in Kathmandu.
Tomorrow Katrin and I will meet our guide and make our way via a tourist-free area to the beginning of the Annapurna Circuit (or Around Annapurna Trail). We are going to take it slowly to acclimatise (and avoid altitude sickness hopefully) as the trek reaches a height of 5416m at the Thorung La Pass. Should be about 21 days to complete the journey.
Will post some stories and photos when I return to Pokhara at the other end!!
Love to you all!
Chelle

Holi!

He he he!!

I love Nepal! What a fabulous country! Where else (but India of course) does an entire country close down so the people can throw water and coloured powder at each other??!! I highly recommend that Melbourne consider adding Holi to its calender of festivals.
Today I woke up early to the sounds of shouting laughter and slowly made my way out of bed. Outside, all the shops were closed and the streets just about deserted... but as the day grew, more and more young people (mostly men) emerged with buckets, water balloons and plastic bags full of coloured powder.
We started 'playing holi' from the rooftops, throwing water on those far below along with the guest house staff and eventually - when we were soaked through, made our way onto the streets. I hung out with my new friends Kishan, Manoj and Tilly and we made our way through the streets of Nepal's old town. Along the way we encountered hundreds of young men, all of whom shouted 'Happy Holi' and smeared our faces with coloured powder or threw water bombs at us. It was hilarious and fun and eventually painful (I'm sure there'll be bruises tomorrow) and very, very satisfying.
Yipeee!

Nepal Shenanigans

Wooo Hoooo! I am in Nepal. I can't believe how excited I am, even considering the day I've had.
Yesterday I was up at 6.30am to travel by bus from Pai to Chiang Mai, then by overnight train to Bangkok. I foolishly assumed that there would be a shower on the train so skipped the outdoor bathroom experience (cold shower) out back of my hut at the organic farm. The train journey was looong, and my night's sleep was interrupted by various stops through the night, always accompanied by loud speaker announcements. So, having arrived at Bangkok train station, I found a taxi and made my way to Bangkok International Airport. There I foolishly assumed that I would find an ATM as I had spent my last 350 baht on the taxi fare (and was still short the toll fare so ended up giving the driver my two packets of noodles for his lunch to make up the difference). In desperation for a shower (it had been two nights and my scalp was crawling) and with the intention of baggsing a window seat, I quickly checked in for my flight and deposited my luggage.
After I had successfully 'departed' Thailand at the visa counter, I discovered there is no ATM at the Bangkok airport so I was completely cashless and still desperate for a shower. I searched one end of the international terminal to the other and was kindly rejected from using the Thai Airways lounge (only for first and business class passengers - prats). By now I was feeling the lack of sleep and noticing my temper was getting shorter (annoyed, annoyed, annoyed... angry, angry, angry). I eventually found a day spa and was able to pay for a shower (400 baht - that's the most expensive shower I have ever had) using my visa card. It was divine! Oh, to be clean!
I boarded the plane smelling far sweeter than I might have otherwise and we had a fairly smooth journey. Having failed in my intention to get a window seat, unfortunately I didn't see any of the Kathmandu approach.
The lonely planet had said that the airport had an ATM next to the visa desks, however, there was no ATM inside so I had to leave my passport and go outside, where, of course, the ATM was not working. I had some moments of amused panic... how would this little dilemma be resolved? After considering asking complete strangers to loan me the $30 for the visa, I discovered there is a 3-day visa for free. I took the visa after reassuring the immigration staff that I would go to the Department of Immigration in town to obtain a 30-day visa.
I have found a place to stay, the Happy Home Guest House, and have already found a new friend, a fellow who runs music treks. Trek all day then play music all night! What fun! Have just been convinced to buy a sandlewood flute and a bracelet even though I had no intentions of spending any money at all... these guys are damn good! Have also traded my too-small boots in for a better fitting but lower quality pair. Am hoping they will last the distance of my trek.
Tomorrow is Holi, a celebration where everyone (well, the young and young at heart) throws coloured water or paint on each other, fabulous timing to arrive in the city. Gotta go have some dinner!

Tacome Pai

Howdy Folks,

Today is my three month travel anniversary! Have just spent two (well one and a half really) lovely days at an organic farm just out of Pai in Northern Thailand. Pai is a little hippy town that is filled with 'healthy food' restaurants, healing centres (reiki and massage courses in abundance) and great clothing and tribal craft shops.

I had heard about the organic farm from Jody at Vipassana (the conversation occuring after we had finished!!). She had planned to spend a few days learning some sustainable skills from the owner (Sandot) and ended up spending over a week! Tacome Pai has been in Sandot's family for three generations. He has transformed the land into a sustainable organic farm that welcomes travellers who would like to learn organic farming, or who would like to relax for a while! The accommodation was a variety of different hill tribe huts made mostly from bamboo, stones, or straw bales. Bamboo is used everywhere and for everything, including bamboo dishes and spoons for dinner and breakfast.

On my first evening I was playing guitar and singing some mantras when a woman from Holland and her 8yr old son joined me. We sang for ages and they taught me some new mantras... it was so lovely to share spiritual music with others and to sing in harmony again!!

I would have loved to have stayed for longer but Nepal calls. Am about to board the overnight train for Bangkok then I leave South-East Asia. How quickly these three months have flown... and how blessed I have been to enjoy many wonders and experiences.

PS. Photos are of the sunrise view from my 'balcony', my hut, a little friend inhabiting my bathroom and the path through mango trees to the kitchen.