We are in Nepal; that is an amazing thing. Buddha air, yeti airlines, Sita air. Toilets like stables, urine in the air, walkways (and everything else) in a state of (de)composition - who can tell? Talkative people, laugh a lot. Every angle to make a bit more money - why not?
This domestic departures terminal looks like a bus station in a third world country. Lots of different noises echoing thought the cement shell, including a lone tv showing a nepalese item number and now two men debating - what to do with this airport?
We're taking a small airplane up into the sky into the massive, forbidding, hard mountainscape.
And what a view we had. Mar and the two kids slept, but of course I couldn't. Nepal has been a dream for me ever since I climbed my first mountain at serre chevalier in the alps. My heart started swelling as soon as we arrived in the domestic departures terminal with all the postcards of the peaks, the woolen hats and milk tea. It soared with the view from the airplane. How would I climb that one? Ridge line? No. Direct assault? The mountains are too massive to take in and comprehend. They are sublime and you recognize your insignificance compared to the might of nature and the world.
We touched down in Pokhara only 45 minutes later, welcomed by 31 degree heat and high humidity. Thankfully someone from Marlene's work picked us up and dropped us off at the hotel. From the domestic terminal we came into a garden of Eden. The mount kailash resort was a sight for weary eyes, but even before we had fully checked in I was having a discussion with a travel guide in the lobby. 4 days in the himalaya from pokhara to ulleri to ghorepani to taraparti just underneath the trudus Khale glacier, and then back again to pokhara for Friday night. Leaving tomorrow with one guide and one porter - with two kids I need someone else to port a kid!
Mar and I chatted with the guide for an hour and later we went out to buy some gear. I bought quite a bit... Prices were too good not to. Mar and the kids left for be hotel earlier and are still there - probably sleeping. I have no desire to sleep - despite a deep fatigue from waking at 4am. so, I came down for an Ayurvedic massage (beautiful) and am enjoying a bottle of gorkha beer - all out of Everest! - waiting on me fish and chips. Soon to bed for an early start on our four day expedition!
Next update on Friday or Saturday when we return.
No comments:
Post a Comment