Treking Part II

The second day of our trek was the worst because we had to climb up thousands of stairs, GRRRR.  Worst of all my grandmother needed the horse almost all day so I had to walk it all, GRRRR.

On the third day of our trek we had a really fun morning.  We got up in the dark at about 4:45 to climb up Poon Hill.  We climbed in the dark using our head lamps, and it was really cold!  Even though it was pretty overcast we still saw some views of the high Himalayan mountains, such as Annapurna and Machupuchre (fish tail). But this was another hard day of trekking with lots of steps, both up and down, and again I didn't get to ride the horse.

Later that day we hiked through an enchanted forest through a beautiful river gorge.  At our guest house that night I met a friend (Kabita) and played soccer with her, but she also had to do lots of work around the guest house.

On the morning of the fourth day I again played soccer with Kabita.  It was very fun playing soccer with with her and before we left I gave Kabita 3 silly bands.  Today was an easy day, and I was very happy to have an easy day, after the two hard days.  The people on the trail throughout the trek were very surprised to see a six year old girl trekking.

That night I met another friend (Pramisha) who helped me with my homework by playing math games and reading with me.  We then played lots of games like Uno.  Before we left I let her pick 5 silly bands.

meditating at our guest house on the 5th morning of our trek

On the fifth day of our trek we had to climb down, down, down, to the river.  It wasn't too hard, but again I didn't get to ride much.  The horse doesn't like steep downhill so no one was able to ride, and when she could my grandmother rode.  I did get a short ride when my grandmother sent the horse back for me.  Yeah!

At our guest house there were some kids shooting off fireworks.  I went to watch and made some friends.  Some of the kids were really stupid and got so close to the fireworks, but luckily didn't get hurt.

I am glad that this was the last day of the trek! I was very sad to have to say goodbye to our horse Dorje.

The next morning I got a great surprise, Dorje was back!  He had rescued a poor woman with a bad foot  coming down. and so Dorje came back to see us!  Today was Amala's birthday so we sang happy birthday to her.  On the walk back to the bus I met a dog who started following us, I named him cookie, and he followed us all the way to the bus stop! yeah! that was very fun! that was the best surprise

Back in Pokhara I ordered an ice cream at the restaurant, and it was gross, never ever order ice cream here!

Doing school work in Nepal

Doing homework in Nepal is not not not! fun at all! I mean at all!  You'd think it is fun for me, but its not! because I want too play and have fun!

Something that makes me feel better is that I get to be home schooled by my dad and he is a fun tutor.

Another thing about school work is that I have had to do school work everyday on this trip, even Saturday and Sunday. but I sometimes get days off! its fun when I get to do that. 

A classroom with a view

Pramisha watching me doing homework

Playing a math game with Pramisha

Writing in my journal

Another classroom with a view

Trek in the mountains. Day 1.

To start our trek we flew to Pokhara and stayed in the beautiful Fishtail Lodge.  Fishtail is a mountain that looks a little like a fish's tail.  The lodge is on a lake and has great views of the mountains.

At the Pokhara airport with Fishtail in the background

Fishtail

This day we are trekking to Tikhe Dhunga.Staying in room number-102. My grandmother, Amala, needed a horse to trek six or seven miles to reach the guesthouse that we were staying in. I got to ride on the horse today more than my grandmother, but still I walked most of the way.  It was very beautiful trekking to the guesthouse.  My backpack was heavy and made my shoulders very sore.

While we walked through rural Nepal I saw lots of different jobs people do in Nepal. We walked through terraced rice fields (terraces are when people make the steep hills like stair steps to stop water from coming and washing away their fields). People were growing and harvesting rice. Rice plants look a little like corn or wheat. People harvest the rice by bending over and hand cutting the stalks.  We also saw two water buffalo plowing a field.

Other workI saw were people do was washing clothes in the rivers. We also saw people leading cows around a pole to beat the rice, it was really funny watching that. We saw people crushing rocks using little hammers to make tiny stones for building trails. People also collect horse poop in buckets to make fire for cooking and heating because there isn't much wood, and horse poop burns very well in fires.  People also had to build the trails we were walking on by hand with huge flat rocks. 

There were people leading horse trains carrying food and big fuel drums to the villages. They don't bring it up by car or truck because there are no roads up the steep hills.  

Our group includes my mom, my dad, Amala, Bindesh, Wangchu (our guide), our porter and our horse handler.  Being a trekking porter is another job in Nepal.  Our porter was carrying all our duffel bags (3 bags) on his back and amazingly was able to walk faster uphill than any of us.

Finally we got to the guesthouse we are staying in.

A traffic jam of goats on our trekking trail

Holidays - Halloween and Tihar

Halloween was our second day on trek.  It wasn't very fun because they don't celebrate Halloween in Nepal.  My mom gave me some really cool glasses and a spider necklace.  The glasses are really scary because you can see eyeballs in the glasses.

In Nepal they celebrate a holiday called Tihar, which is their festival of lights.  Tihar lasts three days.  We were in the jungle for the first day of Tihar.  I got to light lots of candles around our camp and then we danced with the staff of the camp.  It was so much fun!!!


The second day of Tihar we came back to Kathmandu and helped decorate the house.  We lit candles and set off fireworks and then we walked around Kathmandu to see all the lights.  Houses in Nepal are decorated with a round colorful circle to invite the goddess Laxmi into their house.  On the second night of Tihar Laxmi rides her owl around Nepal and brings luck and prosperity to the houses.

A Tihar decoration for Laxmi Puja when Nepali's invite the goddess Laxmi into their homes for good luck and prosperity

Giving my mom a Tika for Tihar

Getting a tika from my mom for Tihar

Giving a tika to Ami the cat

Nepali Ways

Today was sort of a sad day because it was the last day of our trek and we had to say goodbye to many friends including Dorje our horse and Wangchu our guide.  We are now in Pokhara for one night before heading to the Jungle for two days.  We will post more pictures when we are back in Kathmandu as well as writing more about the trek.  Being back in a town is nice but also very noisy and busy.  More soon.

Namaste and TTFN

Kathmandu

This is an introduction about Kathmandu for you.  Kathmandu is a very ancient city of narrow winding streets with no side walks, old Hindu and Buddhist temples, large palaces, teaming markets, and ugly big apartment buildings. Some of the things you notice when you get to Kathmandu is that there are lots of stray dogs on the street as well as cows, which just wander the streets, with cars and motor bikes whizzing past them.  There are also lots of monkeys on the streets, in the trees, and on the fences.  There are lots and lots of motorcycles, a few cars, but mostly lots of pedestrians.  Everyone shares the busy streets, cars, motorbikes, pedestrians, dogs, and cows.  Nepali's favorite animal is the cow, and in Nepal it is illegal to hit one with your car or motorbike, because it is a sacred animal.

I am sorry to say this, but Kathmandu is very polluted.  So in Kathamndu, unfortunately, if your walking outside you breathe in dirty fumes.  There are also lots of smells in Kathmandu, some like incense are very good, and others like rotting garbage are very bad. 

A narrow street in Kathmandu, notice how everyone shares the street

Stupa's and Prayer flags in Kathamndu

More prayer flags and shrines

Putting up prayer flags with Amala

My dad and I by a Buddha statue

Looking at an ancient idol

Burning pots at a temple

Spinning Prayer wheels at Swayambhu

Me with Kathmandu in the background

Swayambhu Stupa

My dad and I with a Hindu idol

Me on a Nepali swing

A lotus flower, these are sacred flowers in Nepal

My mom, dad, amala, and me