Nepal



Ah to escape the filth of India in exchange for the pristine Himalayas!  Such were our expectations.  We arrived in Kathmandu, somewhat expecting relief from India, and discovered that the differences were indiscernible.  I had somewhere read that Kathmandu was a relatively small town.  Maybe that was 50 years ago.  At 5 million or so (and I wouldn’t trust any Indian or Nepalese census) I guess it is small compared to Delhi.  Being somewhat wily veterans of navigating the streets of India, we ventured out from our Kathmandu hotel and found a lovely restaurant and did some smart shopping and vicious bargaining at some local shops.  Then it was off to pack for our 4 day trek. 

 

The morning before starting our trek, we decided to take a mountain flight on Air Buddha to see Mt. Everest.  Billed as “the greatest Mt. flight in the world” it was a huge letdown.  We had to awaken the kids at 5:20, missed any semblance of a decent breakfast (or the all important cup of coffee), waited at the airport for an hour or so prior to departure, then once airborne had a few brief sneak peeks through frosty and scratched windows at Mt. Everest from about 75 miles away.  Lame, lame, and made more lame by the stewardess selling “I didn’t climb it but I really saw it and loved it” t-shirts as we descended through the smog back to Kathmandu.  She actually sold a few which was a sad commentary on our fellow passengers. 

 

But enough of the glass half-empty, now to the trek.  We boarded another flight several hours after the scenic letdown to Pokhara, about 200km NW of Kathmandu.  Our trek was called the “Prince’s Trek”, so named for a relatively easy, low-altitude route developed for Prince Charles in the early 1980’s. After gathering our gear, we were met by our guide and escorted to our van.  It was something straight out of the Beverly Hillbillies, with the van wobbling with a tower of reed baskets and gear on the top.  Sitting in the back two rows of the van was a group of Nepalese that I assumed was two families that were in need of a lift.  I was happy that our tour operator was making use of some of the extra room in the van and doing a good deed.  We drove about 30 minutes to the outskirts of town and stopped at the bottom of a steep trail.  To my surprise the “families” in the back of the van were our support crew.  I felt like an idiot, but was quickly consoled by the realization that it wasn’t the first timeJ!   Our family of 5 was accompanied by a support crew of count ‘em 12, yes 12 people.  We had our main guide, called a Sirdar.  We then had 1 cook, 3 sherpas, 3 cook boys, and 5 porters.  This is pretty much the class hierarchy of the crew, based on experience and to some unknown degree, social class.  Our Sirdar, named Ang Pemba, was a beautiful man who I’m guessing was about 55 but could have been 40 or 70.  He had summited Everest once and been just below the summit in a supporting role several other times.   He took great care of us but unfortunately we don’t speak Nepalese and his English was not that much better than that of the school teacher in the Charlie Brown tv shows.   We hiked 3-5 hours a day at elevations ranging from 3-7000’, and camped in some beautiful spots: the first being beyond a village called Bhumdi, the second called President’s camp just  below Panchese Lekh, and the third called Tashi’s camp above the village of Bhadhaure.  The kids were strong and didn’t complain.  It was great for all to get some serious exercise for the first time in almost 3 weeks.  I’m guessing we hiked about 5 miles and gained about 2-3000’ in altitude each day.  Despite the size of the entourage, our accommodations and were pretty basic which was an appreciated change; much like the camping we occasionally enjoy in Idaho.   It was great to work hard, enjoy a campfire meal, go to bed at 8 and awaken before 6.  Several mornings we were treated to beautiful views of the mountains.  We were super close to the Annapurna range and some huge peaks (two over 8,000 meters) but unfortunately there was so much smoke and smog that the hoped for views were obscured to varying degrees.  Two mornings we could see the peaks, especially the spectacular Annapurna South and Macchapuchre, but not to the sparkling degree that we had hoped.  It was obvious that the peaks were spectacular, but when we looked at pictures of what is seen when it was clear, we were left with mouths agape.  Still the exercise, the camping, the friendly Nepalese, and the relatively clean air (in contrast to India and Kathmandu) provided an incredibly positive experience for each of us.   As an added benefit, we met 3 American families with similarly aged kids who were on the same basic trek.  These folks were all living in Singapore, and it was delightful to share the late afternoons at two of the campsites with them. 

After 4 days of trekking, we stayed at a cool hotel just outside of Pokhara called the Pokahara Mountain Lodge.  Built on top of a local mountain by a Briton who pretty much pioneered the trekking business in Nepal, it had amazing views, nice clean rooms, a swimming pool, and most importantly great showers.  It was great to take a LONG warm shower and to soak (i.e. throw Hayden in backflips) in the pool.  In the morning, the skies were relatively clear and there was an amazing vista of Annapurna South (7219m), Annapurna I (8091m), Machhapuchre (6993m), Annapurna III (7555m), Annapurna IV (7525m) and Annapurna II (7937m).

Our two main objectives for Nepal were to trek and to jungle safari in hopes of seeing the elusive Bengal Tiger.  With a successful trek under our belts, we headed south out of the mountains to jungle territory on the southern border with India.  A 5 hour drive, we decided to break it up with some river rafting.  Our guide, Santosh, was a beauty.  He was about 35 but was really just a big kid.  After a very detailed and professional safety briefing (which turned out to be unnecessary), we were off into mostly gentle rapids.  There were a few sections of the river that got the heart pounding, but the raft was so big and well-built that it handled everything with ease.  What we will remember is Santosh playing “Titanic” with each of us (suspending us from the side of the raft with a rope), having us stand on the edges and paddle, having us stack together on the front of the boat as went through rapids, and really engaging with the kids and making it a blast for all of us.  We took several plunges in the river which was super refreshing, as long as we didn’t think too much about its astronomical bacterial levels and assumed the brown color was from sediment.

After rafting we were subject to a 3 hour bone jarring drive south to Royal Chitwan National Park and to Tiger Tree Tops Tented Camp.  This camp has pretty basic (but large) sleeping tents with attached bathrooms/showers.  Nothing like the sheik accommodations in or many safari camps in Africa, but relatively posh compared to our earlier trek.  Our small camp was truly an oasis from the press of humanity, and if it weren’t for the threat of scorpions or the 4” spiders in our bathroom, it would have been idyllic.  Our days were spent with a variety of wildlife viewing activities:  walking tours, jeep safaris, boat/river safaris, and elephant safaris.  Our first day here was Halle’s 9^th birthday, March 31.  We started with an elephant safari, and from the backs of the magnificent beasts we saw dozens of Rhinoceros, deer, wild boar, and hundreds of birds.  Halle then enjoyed some “mommy time” with Traci in our tent (reading of course) while Hayden, Sydney and I did a local walk.  After a lunch of meatballs (Halle’s favorite….I think she ate about 20), we were off to learn more about elephants.  After about a 20 minute presentation on elephants, we were off to the river to help bathe them.  The elephants know about 25 verbal commands, and being a quick study and master dog trainer, I realized that these included (in Nepalese) “sit” “kneel” “lay down on the left side” “lay down on the right side” and “get up”.    The birthday girl quickly accepted an offer to ride an elephant in the river, and quickly learned that this elephant knew another command which was “shower the rider on your back with a trunk-full of water”.  The elephant shower was a huge hit.    Next up was a late afternoon jeep safari in search of the elusive tiger.  Alas the tiger was not to be seen but we still saw some amazing wildlife.  Following a delicious dinner and special chocolate birthday cake, we retreated to our tent where I had just enough battery power left in my computer for snuggling together to watch one of Halle’s favorite movies, “Momma Mia”.  Hayden chose to go to bed as he accurately described the movie as “It is so dumb…all that happens is that people get sad and then they start singing songs”.  Great day for Halle and all. 

We realized that our chances at seeing a tiger were very slim.  The odds are as good here in Nepal as at any of the reserves in India such as Rathambore (and those odds are still long).  The guides tried to be optimistic but in reading the guestbook we sadly noted that a tiger hadn’t been seen in about a month.  There are only 7 of them that cover a relatively vast area around the camp and most of the reserve is covered with thick, 10’ high striped black and orange grasses (kinda tiger like!) that make viewing anywhere other than on a road impossible.  We spent our last safari drive with a Danish pilot from Hong Kong and his two kids.  We searched hard, to no avail, including hiking up and sitting in a watch tower.  On the way back to the camp, Sydney and I were discussing if we could arrange an early morning jeep safari to give us one more chance to see a tiger, when lo and behold, what should appear on the road ahead of us but a huge male tiger.  Named “Rhino Hunter”, this big fellow quickly disappeared into the bush, then reappeared on the road about 25 yards behind us and walked casually along, stopping every 10 yards or so to mark his territory.   We were stunned.  Our driver and guide were high fiving and very excited, which told me that what we just witnessed was pretty rare.  Once again the good Janssen fortune came through. 

Nepal has been a fascinating country to visit.  Like India it is definitely third world, but the people seem a bit more innocent and happier.  I still find it striking how much pollution, filth, and garbage there is.  We were rafting down a beautiful river gorge.  One minute you are marveling at incredible geologic rock formations (vast layers that are twisted in a “U” shape) and waterfalls, then the next moment you see a landslide of plastic garbage bags that are carelessly and very purposefully chucked off the road and down towards the river.  Someone (I’m assuming it’s a government official) then sets these on fire and that is their idea of a landfill.  Both here and in India I tried SO HARD to see the logic in how things were done, yet could never see it in anything.  Roads and traffic are deplorable.  There is no thought given to traffic control or separation of different types of vehicles.  People stop their cars or trucks on the side of the road without the tiniest bit of consideration of what that will do for other vehicles and traffic disruption.   Why don’t they attempt to have slower vehicles travel on the left (traffic is left-handed aka British here).  Why don’t they at least dig a big pit for their refuse and if they have to burn it, do it there or at a minimum bury it?  If developing rafting on the river is important, isn’t keeping it clean a requirement?  On our trek hiking, there was plastic trash scattered at all elevations (although it was less the higher we went).  Why don’t the trekking outfits have their people make an effort to help clean this up and leave the trail better than they found it?   The people here are averse to killing many types of animals (our lead guide on our trek was insistent that we not burn kindling in our campfire that had a few lady bugs on it), yet they take no notice of the piles of plastic that are clogging their trails, roads, streams and rivers and oceans.  Traveling in this part of the world makes you quickly realize the importance of recycling plastics.   The bottom line in this area is that the crush of humanity is relentless, and along with that comes a devaluation of life.  Humans have an incredible will and ability to survive, to the detriment of other creatures and habitat.  With government corruption so rife, the education required to break this poverty will likely never happen.

Mt. Everest, zoomed about 5x through the cockpit window

The clan behind a supply depot for some trek

Unloading the gear at the start of our trek

Up, up and away

This guy is actually watering the path but it looked even more bothersome at first glance



With one of the sherpas at the end of the first afternoon.  Our camp was being set on the tier just above the orange tents in the distance.

Hayden at sunset

Lunch stop

Second day lunch break.  To our great surprise, what do we find Halle doing in the shade?

Love this picture of our big girl!

Second night's camp.  I was getting CWS (campfire withdrawal syndrome) and thankfully enjoyed a healthy fix



Hayden and Halle.  Early morning buddies pose with our first view of the Himalayas, complemented by our portable outhouse

"Now Ang Pemba you just stay right there and stop that!"

"Relax Mr. I just show you mountain!"

Morning at our second camp, and our first glimpse of the Himalayas



Hayden ready at the plate



This horrid baseball swing (and miss...note the untouched yellow ball) looks so much like my golf swing that it is scary



Halle and Sydney playing in the outfield

Me getting ready to shower

The crew minus the photographer at our final camp.  Annapurna South is in the background

One of Kathmandu's cleaner streets (with a bonus sidewalk on one side)

Since Hayden lost our football, the preferred early morning activity was sword fighting

Traci in awe of one of the porters lifting his load

Halle playing Titanic

Raft safety 101

After lunch while rafting.  Our guide gave some local kids our remaining food and they were incredibly grateful.



First morning elephant safari in Chitwan National Park



The one-horned rhino and it's magnificent bottom.  What looks like armored plates are folds of skin.

Hayden giving a little love

Elephant bathing



The birthday girl gets a surprise shower

For some reason the water isn't that clean

Hayden awaits the inevitable

The birthday girl is the unlucky recipient of some bird droppings.   Very proud that she dealt with it with a laugh!

Halle enjoys some reading for her birthday

At a local swimming hole

I spy with my little eye, something orange



and black

and white

and a little brown and muddy as well

The smoky skies do make for beautiful sunsets

One of thousands of spotted deer



Cool long-snouted crocodiles on our "river safari" (aka very long jeep ride followed by a short, slow, very hot boat ride, followed by a very long return jeep ride)

Hayden get out of the tree!

One final bath

and lastly the better, front side of a rhino.