Gaining Elevation
Namaste!
The last week here in Kathmandu has been pretty heavy to say the least. Alot of firsts, and very high times. No people not “that” kind of high times. The kind of high that you get from being in a place so extraordinary and powerful, that you get the shivers from the energy and from the moment you set foot inside or around you feel elevated. I can’t really describe it any better than that.
I spent a lovely weekend in Dhulinkhel, a town with commanding views of the Himalayas, well the town itself doesn’t have the great view, of course that entails a hike up tourtuous amount of steep stairs. I, of course opted for the hotel at the top of the mountain, ( I must satisify those masochistic needs) but of course was rewarded with the most incredible sunrises and sunsets. The trek to Namobuddha stupa ,one of the holiest sites of Buddhists in Nepal, took the most of a glorious day and if weren’t for the fact that I seemed to be on a honeymoon for one I would have stayed a bit longer. I swear I keep ending up in the most romantic places alone!! The retreat was well needed though, the pollution in Kathmandu is enough to make you crazy, not to mention the noise and chaos in the streets. Playing human frogger to cross the street can play on the nerves a bit.
So the elevation started there in Dhulinkhel, recharging batteries and preparing to exercise those itchy feet once again. Back in Kathmandu my Spanish fireman friend Luis, was waiting. Seeing someone again, fellow traveller from Tansen was also a boost to the itty-bit of loneliness that had been creeping around me. Good times we had swapping stories around countless cups of chia. I haven’t met someone with, more enthusiasm than me, but man Luis takes the cake, the guy is so much fun to hang out with.
The chia shop I frequent gave us some inside information about a festival in Thankot, a town about 12km outside kathmandu, hmmmm. Adventure! Festival! YAY! We took the bus to this little village and followed the hordes of people up to the sound of drums. On the way up we notice people are very, very, happy, I am guessing becuase of the gallons of Chang that was being consumed. There were people playing the music, and to the music men had two shrines Ganesh and Shiva on bamboo platforms and were dancing around (or trying to) They looked really heavy, but the guys were no doubt lubricated to the point beyond pain. So there was much dancing and celebration. Luis and I were the only forigeners there, which made us the rockstars of the day, we took photos and the people marveled at the digital cameras, little children tugged at our sleeves to take pictures of their brothers and sisters.. One Photo! One Photo!!! Big hugs and laughter, my cheeks hurt from smiling
gaining elevation.
Sure enough no Hindu celebration is complete without a sacrifice or two, so at the apex of the music poor mister goat saw the end of his days. I somehow got pushed up to the front of the crowd of people and saw the whole thing. Yikes, not something I would want to see everyday, but it is normal here, I think as normal as americans would see putting the star on top of the christmas tree. Wow, it is something I will never forget, the slicing off of mister goats head. The nepali folks got a kick out of my expression of ICK and laughed their pants of at me.
Then more dancing and celebration, I think the town wanted to adopt us. We got invited into so many houses for Dahl Bhaat, and Chang but had to refuse because night was approaching fast and shiva knows when the buses stop going back to Kathmandu.
The next day dawned and I knew I had a decision to make…
“Go to Tibet…”
the little voice inside my head assured me.
“You know you want to…. Go to Tibet….”
oh but it is soooo expensive
“eat instant noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner”
okay maybe…
“who knows when you will be here again Jessica”
Right! Oh Tibet.
We go..
Feeling like I could soar with the birds, indeed feeling this high should be illegal.
I am going to Tibet, with my Spanish Fireman friend Luis.
tomorrow as a matter of fact.
Oh yes one month in Tibet
I will have to eat Yak for Thanksgiving.
But my goodness
I feel so High…
Tags: Nepal, Travel
jessica
Jessica:
Oh my goodness – you are blowing my mind!
Have you thought about this little fact yet?
Like, WHAT WILL YOU DO IN YOUR THIRTIES?
AND THE FORTIES – forget about it! you might as
well put your name on the list for a flight to MARS.
Its like you’re turning into some kind of adventure junkie -and you’re already mainlining the hard stuff. like it was cotton candy – no less.
a girl your age is supposed to be getting registered at Gottshalks and volunteering at the P.T.A. – didn’t you know that.
and NOW TIBET?
you may actually be a material threat to the modern american way of life. where’s your credit card debt?
LHasa. Mango LHasa. Just get ready to deal with the consequences when you get back, if you ever do. AS soon as you touch U.S. soil – you know your ass is going straight to I.C.E. quarantine for Level 4 interrogation.
and don’t think you can tell em it’s just what you wrote in your cute blog. “we decided to go to Tibet over a cup of chai and left that afternoon”
who do you think will believe that?
Who Are You Really Working For?
I LOVE IT!