Kathmandu, Lukla

Yesterday (Tuesday) we had a guide for a day tour of various temples in Kathmandu and next-door Patan. In Patan we saw the chariot honoring Machendra (I think), god of rain and crops. They build this huge contraption each year and it gets pulled around for a while, right now it is lurching dangerously against someone's home and they have rigged a rope up to try to right it so it can proceed.

At a Hindu temple, Pashupatinath, we saw one body being cremated and another one arriving to be dipped into the river before cremation. Felt a little intrusive to be there, but as long as they do allow folks to walk around the grounds I'm glad we were able to see it.

Christina's bags had not yet arrived so we went on a mad shopping spree to outfit her for our trek. Fortunately they sell a lot of cheap fleece and such in the Thamel neighborhood. Later we discovered that her bag was still sitting in L.A. although clearly labeled for Kathmandu. Who knows what the airlines were thinking. I'm afraid I might be jinxed as this happened on the last trip I led, too...

This morning we were up at 4:00 to catch the first flight to Lukla (there are over 20 per day on Twin Otters and helicopters, and if the weather delays flights you want to be scheduled to go out as soon as possible). Leah & Scott had told me about the exciting landing in Lukla, seemingly straight into the mountain.

We arrived around 7 a.m. and checked into our lovely accomodations at the North Face Lodge. We're taking this day to acclimatize, although some folks start walking right away. We're at about 9,000 feet. When the clouds cleared I was pretty blown away by the snowy, jagged peaks all around, and I know it's just the beginning of these amazing views.

A couple of small-world experiences today: Sara Harris, do you remember Karen Thompson from OSU? She's in my group and says hello. And Kyle & Betsy, I saw where Kyle signed in at the Thanka painting school here in November.

It's nice to have a leisurely day. Tomorrow we head to Monjo, then the next day for Namche Bazaar where we'll spend two days. I'll probably be able to log on again there.

We visited the Porter's Progress office here and watched their video; their efforts to cloth porters appropriately seem less well-developed than the similar project in Tanzania, perhaps b/c in TZ it's just Kilimanjaro and here there are so many trekking routes & peaks to climb. Had a good chat with a Slovenian couple who had just done the EBC trek. Their advice: more sunscreen. I'm not worried, I'm known as the white-faced clown...

We will have our duffels carried by zopkios, a yak/cow hybrid. They're kind of cute. The dung is burned for fuel. And the dogs eat it, too. Lots of cute doggies and kiddos around. I miss my doggies!