Back home

5 Jun

well my trip is over so ill post all my pics of facebook when I get my SD card from the mail. in total 2 months in india, 1 in nepal, and 1 in thailand =) maybe ill update this blog for my next trip but that wont be for awhile =(

Trekking in and around Everest

20 Apr

Well i finished my 16 day journey from Jiri to Everest base camp, then I crossed Chola Pass (5400m) to Gokyo, and then renjo pass (5300M) back to Namche. It took 11 days to get to base camp doing approx 300km with ups and downs of 10 000m, (or so a website just told me) but the hardest part by far was the 4000m+ climbs because of the altitude and lack of oxygen. I brought a bag of about 8-9 kilos, and started my trek with a 58 year old USA woman and a 19 year old UK friend. Cary (USA), was quite theater act herself and didn’t think twice about going to the washroom on the trail in front of us, or taking the frying pan from the Nepali teahouse cooks if she thought they were making her eggs incorrectly. She made the locals stare and laugh and helped Solomon (UK) and I get free lodging and cheap food most nights because she would bargain every Nepali in sight, in order to save some rupees =) The three of us met in a Khathmandu hostel and after our plane ride to Lukla was delayed for 4 hours because of weather, we decided to get a refund and split a taxi to Jiri (the 6 day trek leading up to Lukla).

I started the trip with a bag of maybe four kilos but on the first day my rain jacket failed its test and soaked me thoroughly. That was the moment when I realized that I hadn’t really prepared myself but now it was too late! So I bought a new “North Face” bag, waterproof rainjacket, headlamp, and some warmer clothes. On the trail my bag was the smallest and I was constantly asked if my porter or yak was carrying a bigger bag. Most people go with a guide ($30) and a porter ($15) but for a budget traveler that simply wasn’t an options so instead I bought a map ($4.25) and joined up with other solo travellers for the more difficult/dangerous parts of the trek.

The days with my UK and US friends, were spent slowly trudging up huge mountains, walking through jungle and winter snow, and falling into a familiar routine of early mornings and packed lunches. At night time we played cards, hungout with locals, ate Dal Bat, and drank the local beer. When we reached Namche Baazar, we decided to seperate because they wanted to go to Gokyo (best view of everest) and I wanted to go to the Everest base camp first and then Gokyo after. After spending a fun acclimatisation day of relaxing and eating, I set out alone the next cloudy morning and unfortunately walked farther then I should have. I ended up near 4000M and defiantly felt AMS (acute mountain sickness) and had a headache, dizziness, feeling like vomiting, exhausted ect. So the next day I only walked two hours in the early morning to the next town and spent the day reading, eating, and adjusting to the altitude.


Most people spend even another day to adjust but I was bored so the next morning I left and walked uphill to Laboche. My head was pounding and I was breathless alot of the way but it was such a beautiful walk that i didn’t mind =) I had to start wearing my sunglasses from here on out because the reflection off the snow was way to bright and people warned me of “snow blindness”.

I saw many helicopters going overhead, some ferrying altitude sick passengers back to the hospitals, others bringing wealthy climbers up the mountain with a charge from 3-7000 dollars!! Its hard to describe a day to day walking adventure but basically you keep walking until you reach the top of a huge hill and then a new and amazing view/terrain greets you and gives you another energy boost to keep walking till the next amazing mountain ridge. The pictures I have here were quickly uploaded so I might be missing some, but the videos I took will probably be able to help explain how small you feel in a valley of 6-8000m mountains that surround you~!
I then arrived in Laboche and got a free room because I let a Dutch guy share it with me (we are still travelling together). I drank lots of ginger tea, ate a big meal and talked to other hikers about plans and travel until I finally went to bed with the knowledge that tommorow I’d be at everest base camp!!

The next day was a grueling walk that proved I still wasn’t used to the altitude. I had to rest constantly and for the first time was passed by other trekkers (all older than me). It was an ammmazzing walk and my first good view at an ice glacier but by the time I arrived in Gorak Shep I was dead tired and quickly booked a room to sleep in (it was only 8:30 am).



Out of the entire trip this was my worst moment for altitude but the bonus was after this, I never had a problem with it. I took some Diamox for the first time and after sleeping I was still worried for my health so I debated descending. Luckily I met some friends I made days before and we talked for a couple of hours over hot chocolate, which must’ve allowed the Diamox to kick in a little. At about 12ish my desire to go to base camp was too strong so I said farewell, packed lightly and headed off!! It was an easier climb then expected and the terrible sickness I felt in the early morning had almost dissappeared so two hours later I finally made it =D I went through the enormous camp (big mistake) and when I finally arrived back in Gorak Shep I stumbled into my room, fell asleep, woke up to eat quickly, and dropped into bed again.



The next morning I felt 100 percent better and climbed Kala Pattar (5643m) and while this was an extremely hard climb, the view on top was amazing. It was a little too cold and soon my fingers couldn’t press the button on my camera so rushed down because I felt the obvious oncoming feeling of frostbite and finally got feeling in my fingers by rubbing them together for 45 minutes.

After breakfast I headed all the way down to a town near Chola Pass, where I met a funny Korean girl who was about 5″6 and had a bag that weighed 15 kilos!! We got a free dorm room, had supper and then early the next morning set out to cross the infamous chola pass. She spoke Nepali and was a big hit with the porters because she was resting with them from big rock to big rock due to the weight of her massive backpack. We eventually made it up the icy mountain and through the snow covered pass until we reached the highest point where my fellow exhausted hikers stopped to have food/water and enjoy their personal victory! Asha (the girl) got us free yak cheese and cookies from the Nepalis and then we made the crazy climb down to gokyo. The steep verticle drop was covered with snow and often I’d be falling/sliding for 5-10 seconds with no way to stop myself except the ragged rocks that I hit. We passed a crying older lady being helped up by two Sherpas because the climb was extremely difficult with the amount of snow. Eventually we made it to the bottom, and walked through a huge empty valley where there was not a house/wildlife in sight as far as the eye could see.



My dutch friend and a swiss friend caught up to us and we all continued another 4 hours together to Gokyo. We passed through a huge stone glacier that reminded me of the Hobbits when they saw Mordor. Somehow we navigated through it and arrived at 5:45 PM to a yak burger and a free (but cold) room.


Jimmy and I (dutch) went to the 3 holy lakes but found out after that the third one was too far for a day trek and 8 hours later we stumbled into the lodge dehydrated and starving because we only brought 1 L of water and no food for the day. I can see how people get lost out here because if one of us were any weaker then I’m not sure we would’ve made it back! Next morning I woke up with Armad (swiss) and we brought boiling water/cups/biscuits/teabags with us on the two and ahalf hour hike up to Gokyo Ri. Amazing views of Everest and surrounding mountains and we sat up there comfortably for hours with our tibetean tea and cookies. There was a Llama from Thailand that had apparently slept on the mountain, and his 13 followers listened to him preach into a tape recorder. I have seen this Llama everwhere (everest base camp to gokyo) and even the previous night we spotted him in the middle of the frozen lake with his 13 faithful Thai followers crowded around him!






Spent the day play cards with new friends from France, and US, and introduced them to the local beer Chang. After settling my $65 dollar bill of amazing food, we left our warm lodge for Renjo Valley (easiest pass) at 7 am and were treated with some amazing last views of the Everest Himalayan Range. The rest of the day (till 5:45?) was spent walking downhill down to Namache through some amazing valleys. We didn’t eat all day and our swiss friend stayed at an ealier town, while Jimmy and I pressed on too Namache in hopes of cheap momo, coca cola, and a warm place to sleep. It feels like an end of a 15 day journey for me and now I could finally take a shower (gross I know) and treat my feet that look a little worse for wear. I’m gunna relax for a day or two more and then take a flight back to Khatmandu. Maybe a week more and im going to leave to Thailand because im in need of a rest and don’t think im for another trek. Hoping to get my scuba diving cetificate in thailand and April/May is whale shark season so theres a chance I’ll be able to see one! Hope to be back to enjoy the summer in Canada thou =)



^^^ Everest ^^^

Pictures nepal

10 Apr

I did a 6 day hike from Jeere to Namche and tommorow am going to start a 3 day hike to everest base camp, then go to Gokyo valley and fly back to khatmandu. Had to buy lots of warm clothes and gear in Kathmandu and now have the altitude to worry about =) So i have another 10 days of hiking ahead and then ill debate to do the Annapurna Circut (20 day hike) or just head straight to Thailand and rockclimb/snorkel/relax


My swing bungee jump

Delicious momo’s and the local beer “Chang” felt like you were swollowing vomit =)


Most porters carry from 40 kilos to 100 kilos up and down huge mountains for only a few dollars. Starting the day at 5 am and finishing at 6 pm. My hikes started at 5 am and finished at 2 pm with only 8 kilos =/

Carrying ten 2x10s up and down 400-700m elevations


Namche Bazaar (current location)

Pictures

10 Apr

I have no time to write but since I won’t be on the internet in a while i’ll just send some of the pictures I took. Im in Nepal and starting my trek to everest tommorow so thats my update =)
















Srinagar First Half

28 Feb

My initial impressions of Srinagar to be fair were bad. The tourist agent promised me that I’d live on a houseboat on the water, and every person I met insisted Kashmir was heaven on earth. But I got driven by Arif (travel agent, and owner of house) to his house. Everyone just sat watching TV for hours, and talked Kashmirian to each other, when I asked what to do he said it cost 100 dollars a day (basically have a driver/guide/me) so I told him I’d walk with their “servant” Nassam (who is my good friend). I felt thrust into a place that I didn’t want to be, only to find out that I’d have to pay to do anythng!! The electricity goes off our hours every day so even thou I turned my heated blanket on, I was shivering to death at 3:30 am cause it was snowy outside (-5c/-7c) and the houses are built with brick/cement, no insulaton!! Plus I was coughing and sniffing as my sickness had just picked up! So that was my first impression, but 3 weeks later it has changed as I became part of the family =) So after walking with Nassam the next day we talked the whole time about his life and mine, and why it was so expensive! After that we formed a good friendship, where we talked most nights in the hall about his girl/job problems, and about my life ambitions.

They wouldnt give me a map so I agreed to see the “Mogul Gardens” the next day, which is a collecton of 5 gardens throughout Srinagar, and when we stopped for tea and somosa I was treated with a beatiful view of the lake!! It looked quite polluted, but still the reflection was brilliant! No flower were in bloom in the garden, but still there were some cool buildings.

Kasmir almost completely Mulsim. Every day the dozens of mosques shout out prayers through their speakers, in the form of singing. While the unison sometimes sounds beautiful and almost coordinated, the first prayer is at the break of dawn so I usually wake up from my deep sleep because of it but still better than an alarm clock I guess. Alot of the women are either dressed in Burkas, or colorful clothes but either way their heads are covered. Half the men are dressed like “westerners” and the other half wear a poncho that to me is the equivalent of sweatpants. So of course I wore mine almost every day, The bonus of the poncho is you can hold a Kongra inside (clay pot of burning embers) and stay warm on the electricity free cold nights.
Kongra:

I then decided to do a 3 day mountain trek, before I left. What I didnt know was that it was extremely hard to trek in 5/6 feet of snow, with running shoes on! So I spent most of my time snowboarding with the kids of the village (who hadnt seen a snowboard before). Arif dropped me off with a guide name Phildos, to a small gypsy family of five, and after tea and introducions (no english), I went outside to play with the kids. It wasn’t long before I was pushing them on sleds down the hill, and drawing/playing with them in the house before supper. Of course they loved my camera and since its waterproof/super tough im more than happy to share it! Watched shawshank redemption on my ipod with Phildos before bed, but unfortunately spent the night coughing as my chest infection had officially started ='(

The next day, one of the neighbor kids took me around town to find a good spot for a snowboard jump! Everyone in kasmhir is extremely friend, and this mountain village was no exception! By the way I forgot to mention that the foothills of the Himalaya are beautiful!!! I’ll be coming back sometime in summer to do a 15 day trek i possible. Once we fond a spot we spent a few hours snowboarding before I got tired and headed back for lunch. When I came out, I found my posse had grown and now everyone wanted to go to the same spot (we gained people on the way. I carried the youngest kid on my shoulders (picture above =) ) With this big group, everyone tried snowboarded, and took turns filming eachother and me. Familys came out of the homes to watch us, and their kids usually ran up to join us. We built a huge jump but I found out that I was the one expected to use it soo I did some easy tricks and then after much insistence, face planted on my 360 degree attempt and called it a day! Got back and did an hour or two of trekking with Phildos before we decided that it wasn’t possible without snowshoes + it was getting dark. Maybe because of my exercise that day, but I was sicker than ever that night and ate 4 handfuls before I politely refused (or i’d vomit!).

Not related to being sick lol but heres the toilet


Next morning I felt too tired to snowboard so I just pushed the two kids down the path to the house on the sled, and carried it back up for them. It was a beautiful a sunny day so I spent it reading until too many kids came back to snowboard so I helped build a jump close by the house and made a few bad attempts at doing grabs. Walked around town for a bit and then relaxed and watched tv until Arif came by at 3:30 to pick me up. I said goodbye to everyone headed back through the mountains in our colorful car!

Trek Attempt

Inside Family Home

Deluxe version of Kashmirs staple meal (because theres lamb in it!!!)

There was two more weeks spent in Kasmir which I’ll update soon, now im In Delhi again with a train ticket booked for Agra (Taj Majhal) tommorow at 11. Just finished a 14.5 hour cliffside jeep drive, and a freezing/crowded 15 hour train ride so today I’ve finally gotten to relax. Going to get some butter chicken/bread in the hotel because I’ve had rice for 3 weeks straight! Still not sure if I’m going to do Southren India because Thailand has cleaner and swimmable beach, where goa apparently isn’t as nice. Its a 48+ hour train ride too so that is a disadvantage as well =)

Dave

28 Feb

Rest of Delhi

I was arranged a free taxi to drive me around the whole day (with my trip to Srinagar) and since the hop on, hop of bus wouldn’t be there till an hour, I grudgingly accepted. My driver was a nice guy and we talked about life in India as he brought me to the Red Fort. He said to meet him in one and a half hours and I went inside, passed through the metal detectors/body search with my knife in my pocket (oops) and walked around. I went to museum first and when I looked at the time, suddenly I only had 40 minutes left so I rushed around quickly to see the rest. Very beautiful but I felt I was on a time crunch the whole time so I didn’t get to fully enjoy it and relax. Unfortuantly I’ve made the mistake of having a driver on the first day in Egypt as well, and Ben and I ended up coming back to the Pyramids on the last day because we were wayyy to rushed. The first 3-7 days on trips for me seem to be the worst for being sucked into buying things (at least in culture shock countries) but after that you learn quickly from your mistakes =) We toured around Delhi till we stopped at some gardens, and a bunch of kids came up to me and talked/took pictures. An older student (or teacher) spoke no english but followed me around up until I got to my car, talking Hindi the whole time. Eventually I figured out he wanted me to write my address for when he came to Canada so I wrote a fake one and shook his hand goodbye =(

After that was India Gate, parliament buildings and then back to the tourist office. The drive brought me to two shops where he got paid 500 ruppees at each, just for me walking around for five minutes and leaving. I did it as a favor to him, but refused to go to the third shop. He brought me to have some tea with his friends as a thank you. Moonma again had me over for dinner, but this night he was crazier than before and was hugging me and laughing. Good food (rice, spinach,lamb) and I had more fun with the kids that night then Moonma lol. He gave me an intense talk about government corruption but the mood lightened when he gagged on a huuuuuge hair found in his food =) everyone else looked serious (his wifes hair) but I thought it was soo funny and couldnt so laughing!

The next day I decided to go on the Metro (the way I actually like to travel) so after buying my ticket, I soon realized that I had no clue how to get to the Lotus Temple. Luckly I saw some fellow travelers looking at a map so after finding out we were headed to the same place, I followed the Australlian girl Pipi and an American/india (forget his name) to the temple. We had a nice chat, Pipi had been to India at least 15 times so she gave me some tips about what to see and how to survive.

They were lingering in the museum waiting for a cousin so I headed off to India gate (again) and I first met a Physics teacher and then medical student who both chatted with me on my way to the gate. After that I tryed to metro back to the tourist office but I got off at the wrong stop and after asking differnt people, ended up where my taxi dumped me the first night, but this time I noticed a huge baazar! I bought scarves, shopped around and then headed onward cause it was getting dark. An hour and half later, after getting directons from rickshaw, tourist agency,and policemen I finally found my way and they booked me a room. I had’t eaten all day so I treated myself to butter chicken, roti, and a beer. Unfortuantly my room was on the roof nxt to the cooks so I watched indiana jones, and pianist until they finally slept at 1:30 AM only to get up at 6:30 to start breakfeast!


Next day I was supposed to fly to Srinigar but after waiting at the airport I found that I missed my flight so it was scheduled the next day. I waited at the tourist office all day (helped make lunch) and listened to to two unhappy chinese tourist who wanted a refund. We exchanged knowing glances but there was not much to do about it. Eventually I set off again to the bazaar, bought a watch, SD reader and some more scarves. Finallly they gave me a hotel room, free of charge because they had made a mistake. Man was I dissapoined! It was a 6×10 foot concrete rectangle (windowless), with a terrible smell of mold. So bad that I left my door open, until the last second before bed when I had to shut it =( I could barely breathe in the morning, but they had arranged me to picked brought directly to the airport so not much to do about it! And unfortuantly maybe because of that, I had a terrible chest infection and sinus condition that lasted for about 2 weeks =(

I boarded the plane, talked to a friendly Med student during the flight, and then landed in Srinagar.

Quick picture post no time for update yet

9 Feb


Life in Delhi

3 Feb

Well I cant upload any pictures so far, but words can’t describe life in Delhi. My parents drove me to the Toronto airport, and on the way I had a nice visit with my oma and opa =) After saying goodbye, I went through a thorough airport screening (maybe because India is near Pakistan??) and then found my way to my gate. Getting on a flight filled with Ukrainian people is quite fun, I sat (on my favorite window seat) next to a 45 year old woman and after saying hello she quickly said that she spoke no english =( As the plane was taking off I got my book/ipod out and asked her “You live Ukraine” she smiled then took out her english phrase book and suddenly the rest of the flight was amazing =D we spent the whole flight talking, laughing and telling about our lives. She was a teacher, who just came back from visiting her husband (construction foreman) and students (physcology/spanish) in ontario/quebec. We filled 3 pages back and front with drawings/numbers ect. and the hours passed quickly until finally I landed in Ukraine. Olena then told me to put on my jacket because it was freezing cold outside. We exchanged emails and I said goodbye to the quickest and least english speaking friend Ive made =) After waiting for 6 and ahalf hours, I boarded a flight to India and arrive in Delhi at about 3:30 AM. The ukrainian next to me wasn’t as friendly (no phrase book) but she did ask for help to fill out her landing information card, which I was glad to do. Also I knew a few words from Olena so she smiled when I said the food was good.

Extremely foggy landing in delhi, and I picked a cab with a meter caused I didnt really know the taxi prices yet. Tons of honking traffic that seems to keep evolving. If there is any extra space, everyone shifts to it and a 2 lane highway is quickly turned into a 3/4 lane. My taxi driver brought me to Main Bazaar but apparently my written directions weren’t very helpful so he got someone else to walk me to my hotel. Unfortuantly that someone else walked me into a very dark street, with the promise of a tourist agency that was set back in even darker corner. With so many Indian homeless/sketchy people around, I decided to politely refuse and talked with 6 tuktuk drivers who laughed with me at my predicament, especially the fact that I left my hotel adresses in the car so I didnt know where to stay. One man b\rought me to a local hotel,which charged 1000 rupee (ouch) but since it was about 4:30 now, I decided I just wanted to sleep and deal with everything in the morning..

Woke up at 4 PM india time (soo bad for jetlag) , searched the internet for the same hotels I had written down and after some insistence, got walking directions from the hotel staff. Walked the crowded streets for a bit, its impossible to describe the smell/sound/sight of things but it is something else. Cars/bikes weave around foot traffic and theres usually half a foot between me and the cars as they pass by. A friendly off duty officer directed me to my hotel but a tuk tuk driver brought me to the tourist info center, which turned out to be an amazing idea!! Im writing this in the future, so now I’m good friends with everyone at the info center, been invited to Moonmars house for family supper twice, and his kids walk me back to my hotel every night. Ive even been invited to another friends house is Kashmir to stay for free and hunt deer/geese/mountain goat in the Himalayans. But now in the past for day 1, it was all very intimidating to me and I felt pushed to buy itioneraries and tickets/cab drivers. I ended up buying a 7 day houseboat in srinagar including fight/pickup/drop but decided that that was the last future reservation Id be making in my travels. They booked me in a hotel that was 500 ruppees, which was fortunate because everything else was full. I dropped my stuff of then Moonmar came by Tuk Tuk and brought me to his home to meet his family. We picked up a beer and then walked up to their rooftop home. He has 3 very cute kids (pictures soon) and 4 cousins who stay with him. I colored with the youngest one for awhile and once I gave him my camera he couldnt let go. The best way to take polite pictures in a family home is to give your camera to a kid =D We had butter chicken, rice, and of course I washed my hands in water and ate with my fingers to be polite. Moonmar is quite the good but exaughsting host and after he had hash and beer he translated for me some of what everyone was saying and his wife was not happy about him. She thinks he should be in amsterdam with the girls because thats how he is acting. But besides that I can tell that she loves him and defiantly heard alot of laughs coming from her, the children, Moonmar, and of couse me =) The pictures will explain alot when I get them up. His kids brought home, and I sat down for a good sleep in a very nice hotel, but then unfortuantly some school kids kept me up till 12:30 and woke me up at 5:35 by having a door slamming competition that lasted until 7:30.

ok ill just send this so I dont lose it but that was day 0/1 and now i think im on day 4, heading out of delhi tommorow and about to have a lunch that I helped make. I could literally write this much on an every day basis because theres so much going on, but I dont have the time so I might have to summarize!

Dave

Getting ready for India!

19 Jan

Heyyy there, ok well this is my first blog post made a week before i’ve left. Getting my vaccination shots today, and hopefully fixing my computer so I can get important info off of it like my India Visa application number =( Anyways Im not bringing any laptops so I won’t be able to update this very often, maybe every 2 weeks? oh well my next post will be from India!!

I also made a map for my mom, so she could follow my trip so check that out at the side of the screen, and let me know if its not working!