Himalaya hiking, Hospital visits & my Granny chair
Trip Start
Feb 05, 2009
1
29
Trip End
Dec 16, 2010
Delhi, India
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Seems ages ago… when I was hiking in Nepal…now already in Holland...more about this in my next story...
Being in Nepal surrounded by the impressive Himalayas and with the best time of the year for clear views…I loved to go hiking in the mountains. But where to go? Half of the country = Mountains. Annapurna and Everest base camp are the most visited areas, and as I am not keen on traffic jam hiking I choose another area: Helambu – Langtang, located North of Kathmandu. Most people start the trek by going into Langtang and making their way South ending at Helambu, which is why I decide to the opposite…and as it turned out a good decision in many ways. First of all you do not walk with the crowds but towards them, saving you the trouble of overtaking them all the time, second I am walking North which means I have the sun behind me with good views in front, third I am walking towards the snowy mountains always best views, forth the route is difficult but a better way to acclimatize for the high peaks at the end, fifth the Gosaind Kund pass is more amazing viewed coming from the South, Sixth It is possible to hike from Langtang into Tamang heritage trail via higher path upon return, one of the best parts of my hiking adventure!
But let's not jump ahead... When doing all the preps in Kathmandu I decided to carry my backpack by myself and with the map I bought a guide seemed unnecessary. It is not completely of the beaten trek so some English is spoken and I learned basic Nepali as well. So sorting out what to bring, keeping the luggage as light as possible. One thing I insisted on carrying was a gas cooker & pan so I would be able to make my own tea or noodles when and where I wanted. And I am happy I did cos I spend amazing moments on amazing spots with amazing views!
On the morning of departure me and Naba have a simple but tasty Nepali breakfast and it takes me about an hour by bus to get to the starting point of my 3 week-hike: Sundarijal. From here on it is me, myself and the mountains (and some tourists, yaks and locals!). Intending to hike alone…me and my walking stick…which a woman gave to me just when I am contemplating to find one…the universe is with me…but alone I am not as within one hour a Nepali boy insists on walking with me! And the same happening on day 2 and 3… a woman alone, she needs to be protected…. Hummmm Finally on day 4, after putting my I-pod earplugs in, I manage to hike on my own, enjoying the views and stopping at beautiful view points!
The first few days are hard on my legs and I must admit I could not have made it to Kutumsang if it was not for this Nepali boy that insisted on carrying my backpack for me, trying to earn a few rupees as a porter. I was sooo tired…being on my own I probably would have slept at the foot of the last hill, unable to move any further! But the remainder of the trekking I truly have been my own porter.
The photos will give you a fairly good impression of the views I’ve had, but of course you have to visit Nepal yourself to get this intense feeling of 'being with the mountains’! Before this trekking I always liked mountains, beautiful to look at, but never really understood the fascination of hiking, now I do! Especially for us Westerners coming from this small flat country with too many people, this is as close as you get to heaven, literally ;-)
Along the way I met some people of course, as you are never alone on this planet. Some other hikers like Leo, Anton and Wim who were going the same direction and stopped at the same lodges some days. But also locals, who are on their way back to their village, walking for 1 or 2 days as there is no road for other transport! Once they invite me to join them drinking the local roksi (strong alcohol), after 3 glasses I start to wonder if I make it up the next hill! For them it’s a way to stay warm (or rather…not feel the cold) and a socializing thing.
Hiking to the Gosaind Kund pass (4650m) made me a little scared. I can vividly remember how 12 years ago I had great difficulty with the 4250m pass going to Macchu Picchu in Peru while porters were carrying our luggage! Am I in better shape now? This time I am my own porter with about 15kg and it’s much colder to! So you can imagine the smile on my face when on Day 6 I am making tea for some fellow hikers on the top the Gosaind Kund pass! I did it….and not even feel half dead!
The views are amazing, little lakes all around, no trees as we are above the tree line, snowy mountain peaks in the distance. From here it’s downhill towards Thulo Shyapru, a village located on a mountain ridge, my stopover before hiking into the Langtang valley. Recommended by another hiker I stop at a lodge run by a Tibetian family. Electricity again! And a WARM shower! Things I did not have the last week. I decide to spend an extra day with this lovely family and their beautiful lodge…
Then it’s time to start walking again. After Helambu and the Pass hiking into the valley seems like a stroll (well sort of). This time it is not up and down over mountain peaks but following a river slowly ascending towards Himalaya peaks like the Tserko Ri. Within 2 days I make it to Kyanjin Gumba, the lovely small Tibetian village at the ‘end’ of the valley, enjoying dense forest and tibetian village live on the way. This valley is a bit more touristy so at every place I am offered homemade yak curd, woolen hats or Tibetian bread…sometimes it’s a bit too much for me. But I found the perfect solution, putting on my I-pod listening to music so nobody starts to talk to me!
In Kyanjin Gumba I stay for 3 days, using the lodge as my home base while exploring the area. One day I walk further into the valley, leaving all tourists behind me, which leaves me (ok and some yaks!) truly alone with the mountains! Making my own tea with only the sound of the river, surrounded by high mountains, a clear blue sky and the cold wind whistling…no words to describe my feelings. The second day I made up my mind to try to get to the peak of the Tserko Ri (4982m), this time without my backpack though. The path is not very clear but locals direct me the way…if it only were the right way! So I end up on the wrong side of the mountain. Humm what to do? After talking to some guides who are camping nearby I decide to climb (hike) to the peak from this side following a mountain ridge. And so I did, yes on my own, no not very wise, but I made it and loved the proud feeling and the views from the top!
Could stay much longer here, although it is really! Cold, specially at night…and not even winter yet! But after hearing beautiful stories of the Tamang Heritage trail I decided to hike there when leaving the Langtang valley, so time to go. In the morning I take a small detour to see 2 huge glaciers, but as with other places in the world also here global warming takes its share, you can see that ice has melted and made the glacier smaller. On the surface that is, as everlasting ice appears to be under the layer of rocks and sand.
In one (long) day I walk down the valley, definitely getting into better condition, feels good! This time taking the upper trail at Rimche to go towards Sherpagaon and other more remote village. The Tamang Heritage trail is the best part of my hike in terms of local contact, authentic village life and the best view on Tibet! And far less tourists! In Lingling I meet with a warm family, who insist I stay one day at their home, which give me the opportunity to see how roksi is made, how soy beans are beaten out of their shells, the kids take me on a tour through their village, I meet their grandmother and eat with them around the fire! I hope they received the printed photos I send them from Kathmandu afterwards. Making my way up and down mountains I meet many more hospitable people, not influenced by the tourist-dollar yet. The local police invite me to eat dahl- bath (typical Nepali dish) with them; a Tibetian man invites me for salty butter tea while monks perform a ceremony; a girl gives me a chocolate just because she likes the fact I am hiking as a woman alone…
After stopping for a hot (red) bath at Tatopani village I make my way to Gatlang. This is the end stop of my 3-week hike, where I will meet up with Pemba. He is a college student whom I met in Langtang valley and invited me to visit his family with him. Of course always eager to meet locals, especially with someone who knows the language, I gladly accept! Gatlang and its people are amazing. Me and Pemba stay at his sisters’ house and over the next 3 days we visit lots of other family members and friends, eating popcorn till we drop! We also go and visit his father, who lives by himself on the other side of the mountain in a very small hut. Growing old with bad hearing he seems truly happy living very basic and away from the village. Just above him on the hill slope an older couple is living the same way. They are a funny old bunch, who can help each other out in time of need. At the same time a USA church medical aid organization is visiting Gatlang to help out the locals with free medical treatment and medicine….and me so it turns out!
After 3 days it’s time to make my way back to Kathmandu and Pemba has corn to deliver in Langtang. We decide to hitchhike on the top of the truck loaded with the corn and potato bags, saves us from walking 3 hours to Shyapru Bensi. My hiking adventure as come to an end…just did not expect it to happen with a big bang! About 15min after driving down the road, while eating popcorn, the truck makes a sudden move and I fall overboard off the truck! Cannot remember any of it as I (still) have a complete blackout of the whole event, but according to Pemba the following thing happened: I fell off the truck, he jumped off after me, finding me unconscious without breath, he runs for water throwing it into my face, me regaining consciousness, the USA aid organization is contacted and come rushing over to help me out, bring us with their jeep to Shyapru Bensi, where the police gives Pemba a really hard time as they think he’s my guide and hold him responsible. With help of my Nepali friend Naba, whose telnr Pemba finds in my phone, they manage to arrange a jeep to bring us to the hospital in Kathmandu…a 9 hour night drive. Result: A fractured arm and a bruised back with minor cuts here and there, could have been much worse of course! Bit of a sudden end to my hiking trip though…
So instead of going to Lumbini to do the Vipassana meditation course, again I have to cancel and spend the next 4 weeks in and out of hospital and sitting in my granny chair at (Sini’s) home! Turns out the fracture is a bit more complicated, so I have my first ever operation (3 metal pins put in my arm) done in Nepal, staying overnight in a deluxe hospital room, although Pemba and I were wondering what was the Deluxe part of it! I am forever grateful to Pemba as he helped me out so much, even simple things like closing my trousers after toilet visit was impossible for me…we became very close very quickly haha
To help Sini out and give myself a bit more recovery time I decide to stay one week longer in Nepal. So the kids and me start decorating for Xmas, I manage to get of my granny chair at times and have a drink with friends in Thamel, even make it on the back of a motorbike again, trying to ignore the back pain. The 2 months fly by and all too soon it is time to leave this country again, which by now has captured me more and more! But not leaving without a see-u-later get-together! So with great cooking help of Didi, the kids carrying everything for me to the roof and Pemba arranging the firewood, we have an amazing Rooftop BBQ under the stars! Spending my last evening with people I come to know very well and will miss dearly: Willem, Hedda, Naba, Mahendra, Pemba, Olivia and Anttoni, thankx for the great night! Sini, Rene, hope you are there for our next BBQ night, which for sure will happen when I return, next year?!
Time to get to the airport and fly!!! back to Delhi, India. Spicejet = very cheap airline! Pemba helps me carrying the luggage and gives me a Buddhist scarf for a safe journey & a friendship bracelet. We drink one last tsia (tea) together. Phirri Betomla! We shall meet again! In the airport turns out the plane is delayed some hours…gives me the opportunity to make final calls and send special text messages with a friend. When finally boarding the host is pleasantly surprised when I say hello back to her. Turns out I am the ONLY one…the rest of the passengers being too annoyed by the delay…sad behavior! Of course I arranged a window seat and with a smile on my face & great memories in my mind I am enjoying the spectacular Himalaya views…knowing that I can always come back here.
