I've just arrived in Namche - a grueling 6 hour walk from the monastery in Pahding. Besides Lukla, this is about the nearest wifi to the monastery. This country is absolutely beautiful; I wish I could transport everyone here for a little dose of heaven!
The first thing I do is usually to check my email and read the heartwarming messages from friends and family. I look forward to these so much. It makes me happy to hear from you who are following my adventures, and I feel just a little bit more connected to you despite the physical distance between us. In replying to your messages, I often start writing with such enthusiasm, wanting to share everything with you individually, and then realize that I'd like to share these things with everyone! So here are some snippets of my letters home...
The trekking is difficult, but not impossible. A reasonably fit person could certainly do it. There are times when we bound up and down the trail, and then there are time that we trudge slowly, stopping every ten steps to catch our breath. And it is so rewarding! Every day I feel as though I've accomplished something great!
The scenery is breathtaking at every turn and the people are warm, friendly, so generous. In some ways it reminds me very much of Guatemala. The little farming villages scattered around are quaint and with their low rock walls keeping in the yaks and buffalo - it's almost like a time warp.
It's 2069 in Nepal! I got a text message a few days ago from my Nepali cell service company which read, "Happy Constitution Day 2069!" I'm living in the future! I must say...the future looks a lot like the 18th century, prior to the industrial revolution ;)
The trekking is difficult, but not impossible. A reasonably fit person could certainly do it. There are times when we bound up and down the trail, and then there are time that we trudge slowly, stopping every ten steps to catch our breath. And it is so rewarding! Every day I feel as though I've accomplished something great!
My breath is literally caught in my throat at least four times a day, at moments when the clouds blow out of the valley and another snow-capped peak, which I've somehow failed to notice before or has been completely obscured, emerges from the white mist. There's no way I can capture the majesty of these mountains in the lens of my camera. The best I can do is try, and keep encouraging you to come see for yourself!
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