The Himalayas

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Regarded as the 3rd pole of the Earth, its no surprise that the magnetism of these mountains has kept me here so long. I gave Lhasa and its environs a long soak before setting off to see the crowning beauty of Mount Everest's North Face on the Tibetan side. Known to the rest of the world as Everest, the Tibetans call it Qomolongma (Mother of the Universe) and Nepal refers to her as Sagarmata (Forehead of the sky). The range that boasts the world's 14 highest peaks is far more than just a wonder of plate-techtonics and continental collision. "Uplifting" is a befitting description in every sense of the word. It also acts as the natural border between the countries of Tibetan China, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Bhutan. This monster range has a profound influence on border relations, cultural and genetic lines, monsoon tendencies and thus the agricutural way of life. Seeing Everest from Base Camp at 5300 meters floored me...nevermind the oxygen deprivation on my 1000 km drive and 8km hike getting there. Arriving cold and battered, it's best to drink 15 glasses of tea made from the same stream that everyone does their dirty business in and around. I'll let the pics do some talking.

More Hitchhiking, more squalid living standards, over mountain passes and into Nepal. Enter scene: Green Green lush vegetation, dense fog and rain, soggy cliffhanger roads (an area called "The Gateway to Hell"). Once into the heartlands of Nepal it's tacky colorful buses brimming over with people and animals, horns, sitar and pop music, fertile grounds, roadside ramshackle restaurants, super-friendly locals and curry dishes dressed for success. Nepal is consdered the 5th poorest country in the world, number one outside of Africa and an average worker salary of $250 US per year. While there is begging and suffering, Nepali people are cheerful and many speak english, especially with the passing American. Of course, any encounter with a tourist is potential for making some loot, but the Nepali vision of America seems to be the utopian "American Dream" concept that everyone is rich beyond belief. Explaining that life in America aint easy (Just ask the recent immigration policy protestors in the US), it does remind me how absurdly blessed we are with opportunity in the west. I hope you can sleep at night knowing I'm your ambassador overseas.

Spending a few days around Kathmandu you get a feel for the peculiar political position of this troubled Kingdom. Razor wire (which I knicked my leg on) is everywhere, as are miltary police jostling their machine guns more care-free than I prefer. Since the assasination of the popular Royal Family in 2001, this country has been embroiled in political turmoil including a Maoist insurgency, a crooked king wanting absolute power, and a civilian population caught in the middle of civil war. At the moment, some peace of mind exists with a 3-4 month cease fire on...but fears of resumed fighting seem imminent. Yesterday, at the finish point of one of the most epic treks I've ever done, I was forced to pay a "tax" for the Maoist Communist insurgency party (see picture for further nonsense). While you can't ignore the bullet holed signposts and occasional bullet casing littering the mountainside villages, the sights were unreal. The raw beauty of the mountain range here can only be matched by the lives it feeds. Terraced farmlands leading into jungle terrain, grazing animals outnumbering humans, and the occasional villager working their tail off. The always friendly and universal Nepali word "Namaste" comes with offers for rest and a snack. The monsoon rains meant trudging through mud and leetches and staying at a mountainside lodge for 75 cents. The 21 year old son made a great host and taught me lessons about his land (which even the Maoists tax them for a "support fee"). More than a few times I thought I was alone in these challenging trails and it was "Holy cow", face to face in the Annapurna Himalayas with this sacred animal munching away. I literally had to say "excuse me" and squeeze past. With cows untouched and so revered in the Hindu religion, I am becoming a vegetarian by default. Killing a cow here means jail time. Driving around them even if it means running off the road aint no thang. Nepal's proximity to India brings a strong Hindu following but its Tibetan refugees and decendents bring a splash of Buddhism. Since Buddha was supposedly born in Lumbini Nepal and is also the 9th incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, you have an interesting blend of beliefs and genetics. Watching funeral cremations along the ghats of the Holy River Bagmati was all of the following in one scene: Chants, bells, monkeys clowning around, "sadu" holy men smoking ganja, bodies burning, families reflecting, the sun-setting. Impossible to convey the effect. The marital practices of polygamy are baffling while some of the local "legend" men have up to nine wives. Arranged marriage is still the tradition but many are breaking the mold and finding "Love Marriage" as we know it (I giggled my way through a few marriage proposals and arrangements). Alcohol is banned in a few places but in other parts the rice wine "Raksi" is abundant and it shows. Ganja is planted freely and is used to feed sick livestock (I can't think of any other uses).

Just arrived in India a few hours ago and buckling up my psychological seatbelt for this country. Ideas and goals are all over the map. I'll try and stay warm while I'm getting good reports from home as the summer heats up and many of you are too. Keep it comin. Miss you...love you.

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