Hello! here I am ..

Posted on November 21, 2009

What to do in Kathmandu?

That’s where I am see, I’ve lessons in Thangka starting up on Monday. Seeing the wall paintings in the gompa of Upper Pisang I’m renewed in ambition to learn of Buddhism through the artistic medium.

At mentioning Upper Pisang I’m reminded of how little I’ve put down here save a few fleeting phrases of reassurance. A finger in palm of “I’m ok!”. With such a poor record, I’ll try now to present a sufficient recount:

Trek to Tilicho lake (at 4950m its one of the highest, a few ancient signs around the place made claim that it was the highest. Well well. It was mighty high and that is that) began at Bhulebhule south of the trail – Verena, Paulina, June and I. We were quite the favourite being such an international community of youngins tramping trail all on our lonesome.

In 6 days I was quite in love with all of them and sorry to part with them in Manang. Manang district is all rainshadow meaning the rain forgets this place and so the mountains are unnourished and emerge from the brown earth rather haggard and bitter. There was a whirlwind of a night where I visited the dining halls of most houses to ask aloud for companions to the lake next day. I met some lovely people in the process and found myself a lone companion who shared the same plans.

The morning rose and discovered me quite reluctant to move from bed for the fear of the obstacle before and the cold making ice in the fields. But I rose with the morning and was congratulating myself all the way up the trail. The trail started through the stone steps of Manang and then up into a scar-trail dug into the sides of mountains. We were encompassed by snow line of the neighbouring mountains and the distorted rock features of a mountain bullied by wind. After a few landslide crossings we found home for night. Cold cold cold cold. Morning time and it was three hours of battling wind and altitude to make it to the lake. I regret to say I was not in the proper mind frame to best appreciate the lake, though beautiful it was. The wind had found all the faults in my clothing and a bad fall and found my hand (momentarily naked) embedded in ice. I jumped around and hid behind rocks, all the while with an eye locked on the lake. Then our guide with his cloth shoes and lack of glasses and gloves asked me gently could we go? I leapt up and then bolted down the mountain dizzy with exubulation and fresh pockets of delicious oxygen.

That day was meant to be over at descent but we pushed on keen to make Thorung La sooner than later. We found ourselves walking at night with cold air rattling our lungs and bringing up vicious coughs. Well well. Yak Kharka was a haven of yellowness. Warmth and dahl baht and tea and hot water. Next morning I found I could not sleep past half 6.

Push on to Thorung Phedi (phedi means bottom of the hill) where we passed time by drinking generous proportions of tea, playing yanif and chatting with fellow trekkers. Reggae is huge in Nepal and half way through my potato egg fry up Roots, Rock, Reggae bounced through the room and convinced us for a moment that we were warm. Warm and that the snow falling outside and threatening our chance at the pass was nothing to worry about.

(Two blankets that night plus sleeping bag).

Morning started at 3.45. We were walking 4.15 with head lamps and a carefully picked line to give those without enough light to see the trail. Thankfully an ambitious group had decided to attack the snow before us and left us a trail of packed snow. We climbed, slowly slowly with our lights bouncing round the mountain mixing up the colours so we were watching blues and whites beam over the snow. Moonshadow came to mind and wouldn’t leave, as reassurance I hummed it then sang it softly and though there was much effort and mental exhaustion the ‘trail trance’ fell on me again and I nodded gently up the trail with a small smile behind my scarf.

Reaching Thorung La the light had come and with that the heat and the wind which we had been working hard to avoid. They were baby winds, windlings .. so I lingered happily in the broad pass clicking my camera at the mountains looking ghosty in the clouds and the frozen prayer flags. Then down down over the steepest parts I’d come across. Steep and packed in and icy. Did a bit of sliding.

Walking towards Muktinath I was by myself as Koen my companion was 6″5 and made predominantly of leg, thus meaning he was ahead a few hundred metres. Never mind. Each step made me warmer and the juniper has a funny way of calming you yet startling eyes wide afresh. The way was still brown, still in rain shadow region. I was all humming buzz and bliss.

Now on the western half of the trail there was the road which had done a lot of pollute the trail. Desperate to see darling Sebas in Pokhara and Koen needing to get back to Pokhara as well we went by jeep and bus through to Marpha then Pokhara. Pokhara was three nights of bizarre wackness. I couldn’t sleep dispite my exhaustion. I walked in zombie for about three days before pushing on to Lumbini. In Lumbini I was missing company and feeling a right sore amongst all the temples. So with word that Verena and Paulina were in Sauraha I bused a day their direction and waited their arrival from a jungle walk. By the river with A History of Time blowing my mind I fell into a pacified state of awe. The universe, human capacity to think beyond great vastness and great smallness and our capacity to love and create what stars can not. Aah.

Happily reunited I bounced around with elephants while they had their baths and then climbed on the back of one for a walk around Chitwan where we saw rhino, deer and monkey being beautiful.

Then in a haze of transport, light cones and black holes I was in Kathmandu.

And that is the honest happenings (though brief and missing much further detail) of a one se payne to date.

I plan visits to my family and painting courses and general chilling. I plan to eat up, the trek took a bit off me and I want it back thank you very much. (photos of trail and more below)

My love to all!

–Steph

(I fly for Sydney in 6 days!)