BikerZ goes to ... NEPAL!

[aka_kim]

Thanks for the update melissam, that's a relief. I hope she can still join the trek.

[bikerz]

Namaste everyone!

I just arrived home today after 38 hours of traveling

I'm showered (Yay! My first really HOT shower in 2-1/2 weeks!), and have started the first of 3 loads of wash.

What an experience - it was the hardest thing I have ever done, no question, but amazing. I'm very glad I did it.

I'll try to get a few photos posted later this afternoon, and in the meantime, here's the abbreviated version:

First of all - yes that crash in Lukla was horrible - so sad for all the trekkers, and their Nepali guides, and their families. I should have thought to post here that I was fine, but it didn't occur to me that the crash would have been reported over here. As Mel said, we were originally scheduled to fly that day, although on a different airline, and we would have been on the flight immediately before or after that Yeti Airlines flight - landing, or trying to, in the same bad weather. They closed the airport that day, and then the next day our flight was canceled as well due to weather - the consensus was that everyone was being super-cautious - not a bad thing. But we did get out the following day, and cut one rest day out of our trek to stay on schedule. And yes, I was totally freaked out by flying when we did finally go. But I took a Xanax, and actually enjoyed the flight - it's a trip landing uphill!

It turned out that my friend Mary and I were the only people in our "group" so it was like going on a private trek. We had the most fantastic guide, Amber, and his cousin Buddhi, a sweet, sweet guy, was our porter. Those porters work really, really hard, and Mary and I were both very glad that we had worked so hard to lighten our packs, compared to some of the other trekkers' packs we saw out there.

We ended up trekking 7 straight days - I did about 35 miles and more than 12,000 feet of climbing (and descending!). Honestly, the descending was harder than the climbing, I think. On one day, I did about half the distance of an out-and-back overnight, because I was developing some serious blisters, and we still had 3 big days to go after that. I was sorry to cut that day short, but I think it was the sensible thing to do. I could have done it, but I would have been extremely miserable. But Mary was able to go on that day with Buddhi, and she enjoyed the steep hike down and up at her own (spepdy!) pace, while Amber and I stopped at a lodge along the way to wait for them.

The second to last day was the hardest - 1000 ft of ascent, and 5000 ft of descent over 9 miles - yowza, were my quads, calves and feet sore! But that day we hit our highest elevation - 13,000+ feet, and saw Everest, Ama Dablam (which I think is much more awe-inspiring than Everest) and some other beautiful peaks. Mary took a picture of me holding the AV buff - I'll post it here when I get it from her.

We stayed in tea houses and lodges along the way - most of them rustic and still quite comfortable (better than sleeping in a tent, anyway!) We ate Nepali vegetarian food (no yak steak for me, thank you!) - usually dal-baat (lentil soup and rice with vegetables). The main issue I had was total lack of appetite at altitude - the higher the elevation and the more strenuous the day, the harder time I had eating. I really tried, but it was very difficult. I also had a very hard time sleeping at altitude - I never once slept more than 6 hours a night - usually 3 hours , then awake for a couple of hours than another 2-3 hours before waking up. But in spite of that I felt I did well - finding my own pace and sticking with it, whether going up or down.

We crossed high suspension bridges covered with prayer flags flapping in the wind, got crowded off the trails by yak trains, and due to spectacular weather the entire time, we saw incredible views of all the big peaks, including one magical night of snow-covered peaks lit by the full moon, and some beautiful sunrise views. The peaks tended to cloud over in the evening.

There are such beautiful Buddhist shrines and monasteries there, and prayer wheels and prayer flags strung up everywhere. Everywhere you look you see the Buddhist mantra "Om mani peme hum" carved into rocks, and written on prayer flags, and so on the rough parts, I just kept repeating it to myself step after step, mile after mile. I learned enough Nepali to greet people along the trail, and ask where they were going and coming from, and (usually!) answer it correctly. I could always tell when I had gotten it wrong, because it struck them as very funny!

Kathmandu was great fun too... I'll try to get some photos posted later today!

- Ann

[SadieKate]

Welcome home! We missed you.

Sounds like a wonderful and fulfilling trip. Can't wait to hear more and see those photos. I'm sure we're in for a treat.

[jobob]

Yay, she's back!

[snapdragen]

Welcome home! I can't wait to see your pix!

[Aggie_Ama]

Welcome back! I am jealous and completely impatient waiting for those photos. Sounds like you had the trip of a lifetime as planned.

[Trekhawk]

Glad to hear you are home safe and sound.
Sounds like a fab trip.
I look forward to seeing some pics.

[aka_kim]

Welcome back! So it was a transcendental experience!

[Momonbikemob]

Wow! What an adventure!
Can't wait to see pictures too!

[bikerz]

Okay - some photos are here at my flickr site. (They have hardly been post-processed - I'll have to get to that over the weekend.)

Nepal photos

I also took a bunch of short videos of suspended bridge crossings, yak trains, the crazy landing and take off at Lukla, etc. I'll have to figure out how to put them on youtube one of these days...

Oh, I forgot to mention before that DrBadger's advice about ginkgo for altitude worked great - I took 3 capsules a day and never had anyting worse than an occasional afternoon headache (except for the appetite and sleep issues). I'm pretty sure I'll sleep tonight - I think I've been on the go for 48 hours!

[michelem]

WOW!!! What an experience!

I loved reading your report, but enjoyed viewing the photos even more. You really got some great shots. The dashboard icons, "Hello This Is Good Toilet," the dzos (never even heard of them -- very cool looking animals!), and I really like the look/feel of the black and white "Thamel Street Scene." Hey, did you try any of that yak chilli with rice at the Namaste Cafe -- YIKES!

Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful experience.

[OakLeaf]

WB! What an incredible trip!

[andtckrtoo]

Absolutely amazing!!! Thank you for sharing. I want so badly to go, too. I'm happy you had a wonderful experience.

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh, I forgot to mention before that DrBadger's advice about ginkgo for altitude worked great - I took 3 capsules a day and never had anyting worse than an occasional afternoon headache (except for the appetite and sleep issues). I'm pretty sure I'll sleep tonight - I think I've been on the go for 48 hours!

Good to know! I took Diamox last time for a trip to 9,000 ft and didn't really feel much improvement over nothing. We are headed to the mountains for my birthday in February and even though it is only 5,000 feet last time we went there I got altitude sickness.

I will have to check out the photos later, maybe at lunch.

[Tuckervill]

I LOVED all the pictures! I had so many questions. What were the spinning drums?

Karen