Blogs from Annapurna, Nepal, Asia - page 17

AFTER BURMA TRAVIS AND I TOOK A SHORT BREAK in Bangkok and then flew to Kathmandu, Nepal. I liked Nepal right away. One of the first things I noticed was that everyone greets you by saying “namaste” and folding their hands together in a prayer-like gesture. The first time I ever heard the word "namaste" was in a travel memoir I read several years ago. The author translated the meaning as, “the seed of the divine in me recognizes the seed of the divine in you.”I fell in love with it immediately – what an amazing way to greet someone! I am thrilled that I get to use it now as part of everyday conversation. We spent our first few days in the extremely hectic and chaotic backpacker district of Thamel and then embarked on an ... read more

Ninety five kilometres up and down steep stone stair cases, “no problem!” After hearing my brother’s stories about the Annapurna Base Camp Trek it became something I really wanted to complete while in Nepal. What an experience it turned out to be. I shared the physical examination with a motley crew of fellow trekkers; at different times I hiked with Tristan from Guernsey, Iris from Rotterdam, and Rober and Lynda, who bizarrely live ten minutes from the new flat Michelle has secured for us in Amsterdam! The trek began with just Iris and me leaving from the tiny village of Nayapul, reached by a two hour local bus ride starting at 6am in the lakeside haven of Pokhara. From Nayapul we were gently broken in to what was to come with a four hour hike to ... read more

First Impressions Kathmandu presents the traveller with a very special kind of culture shock. Our previous travels have given me the opportunity to use the phrase 'sensory overload' quite liberally: walking the streets of Hanoi, boarding an inter-island ferry in the Spice Islands, getting hopelessly lost in the winding alleys of the medina of Fez...The capital city of Nepal, however, operates on an altogether different level. Arriving in Kathmandu by air in April does not offer the heartstopping views of the Himalayas one might expect. Delhi, which we left barely an hour ago, is baking in forty degree heat. Kathmandu, at an altitude of a kilometre or so, is a little cooler, but sitting in a broad, high-sided valley, it is almost invisible from the air - concealed behind a thick veil of haze. It is ... read more

First up, I’ve got a bit of a confession to make. Truth is, God and I have never been all that tight. I suppose if relationships are built on trust, the fact that neither of us appears to believe in the other probably doesn’t help much. I’m not sure I can be entirely blamed for my lack of conviction, though. Fact is, out of all the pre-school imaginary characters, God did the least to prove he was the real-deal. Both Santa and the Tooth Fairy actually entered my room while I slept and tried to buy my faith with gifts, which you have to admit is a pretty neat trick for the non-existent. Some have since hinted that it was my parents all along, a more likely scenario I have to admit, but what I’m thinking ... read more

This entry has a map of the trek!!! click (-) on the map to see the full scope of the trek First English and Dutch is below!! Ok, It has been a while, but I made it. My first big trip is done. The Apparurna Circuit was a 12 day long trek through one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world, with one on the highest passes there is. The first day I started in Besi Sahar, about a 7 hours bus drive from Kathmandu, where I arrived the night before. Early in the morning i took my 18 KG heavy back pack an started walking the first part to Bhulbule ate 840M high. At first everything went fine and I could find my way easy. Dirt road and small paths guided me to ... read more