Dhanyabaad Nepal

The beginning of my most recent adventure, and the reason that it occurred, was I returned to Nepal. They were holding another CHOICE expedition to Nepal, and I said that I would join if they were able to convince my mother, Josh, and Emily to go. They successfully did so, and I was lucky enough to go back so soon. This wasn't the easiest time for me to leave being that I have been gone so much recently. I was already trying to catch back up on life, but you can't pass up this great of an opportunity. Because we were already on that side of the world Josh and I decided to spend a few days in both Thailand and Japan on the way home.

The day that we were heading into the village was the Holi festival in Nepal. Many people know it as the festival of colors but it is to celebrate Holi a Hindu festival. This is traditionally celebrated by throwing colors. In Nepal, because it is a poor country, many people began throwing colored water, and then slowly began just throwing water. Some people that have enough money still throw colors. The entire time while driving into the village children were throwing water balloons at the bus. A few kids even were able to find an open window and hit us.

Usually you are received into the village with Tika on your foreheads. We received it all across us because of Holi. We were walking down the road hiking up to our village, and this old lady comes up to me and my mother and smears it all over our faces. Then runs up and does it again. It was a big surprise to my mom and pretty funny seeing her reaction. 

It was really cool experiencing Holi while actually in a Hindu community. I would love to celebrate it in a big city during one of the huge color celebrations but it was still fun in the little villages.

We started every dry morning off with a little Yoga to stretch us and get us ready for the day. Not very many people had done Yoga before so it was pretty entertaining. It was as good of a place to do a little Yoga as I'd ever seen. With the backdrop a Nepali village and beautiful valley.

We spent our time working with some great Nepali's to finish up a secondary school that is being built.

We painted many of the rooms in the school. Because they don't have ladders and have the worst paint brushes ever we began coming up with creative ways to paint the ceiling. Some much more dangers than other. This was an accident waiting to happen. The bottom wasn't being stopped by anything, and the ladder was going to slide out at any time.

We stayed in a Nepali home. It was a very interesting experience for my mother. They didn't speak any English so she was having a tough time knowing what to do when they would speak to us in Nepali and bring us tea and other treats. They also would follow us into the room, which made it really difficult when you were going in to change and they would sit down next to you on the little bed and just watch you, and try and speak to you. I'm pretty used to awkward experiences by now, but it was great seeing my mom's reactions. This is our Nepali family, minus the dad, and adding an extra couple friends and neighbors. They were super cute.

My mom, Nepali mom, and Nepali grandma. When I brought out my camera and asked to take a picture with them, the mom went and changed into her cholo so she would look good for the pictures. That is the shirt she is wearing. A lady in the village also made us cholo's. While she was measuring me she said I was the same size as her so she would make it like hers. The little lady some how couldn't tell I was a foot or so taller than her. I still like how it turned out even despite the length.

The village boys would play futbol on their field which is the only flat spot in the entire village. It seemed like an awful idea to me. They would kick the soccer ball off the side every little bit and would take awhile to go find it. Seemed like way to much work when they'd already been working all day, to go hunt for a ball.

Thakur and Kiran. Two of my favorite Nepali's. They are the two most entertaining men when alone, together they are some how even more entertaining. They work for CHOICE, and I've never seen them unhappy. They seem to have a smile on their face know matter what is happening. It was super great seeing them again. I always enjoy listening to their jokes, they can make anyone instantly like them. I'm excited to go back sometime just so I can spend time with them. They are great.

This is what happens when you get bored at night and the only light in the village is your head lamp you brought. We did this for a long time one night with my camera. Turned out to be really fun.

Josh, Bishnu, and I. Bishnu is CHOICE's In Country Director. He is one of the greatest men you'll ever meet. He instantly gains the respect of anyone.  I've learned a lot from him and hope that I am able to spend much more time learning from him in the future. I was able to stay with him and his family while I was in Nepal through out the fall. He has done a lot for me, and I'm very Thankful that I've been able to get to know him. You'll also never stop laughing when he's around.

This was the village celebration the day we left. The secondary school is in the background. Even though it was early and the villagers had a lot to do all day they found time to come and say goodbye to us.

When we hiked back out of the village many of the villagers hiked the first half an hour with us, then finally said goodbye for the 50th time, and we headed on our way. I wanted to hike with my pack, but they were doing everything they could to take it for me. I finally made it out with my pack on my back, but it did take quite the effort to do so. Almost everyone else finally gave up and let someone carry their pack for them the rest the way.

I always love being in the villages. I'm usually both happy and sad to leave. It is sad saying goodbye to the friends you met and leaving such a beautiful location. Yet, its always nice getting back and sleeping in real bed and not eating anymore rice and dal baat. I get really sick of Nepal's food, it is really good at first, just get's really bland with repetition.

My mom had never been on a CHOICE expedition so I'm glad she finally was able to join us. It was fun sharing an experience with her that has become such a large part of my life. I have been traveling and working with CHOICE now for most of adult life so it was great letting her see what I've been doing. 

Himalaya's

A Choice group was going on an expedition to the Himalaya's near Anna Purna. I joined in with them for part of their expedition. On the way to the village Jack an American man that helping with hydropower, Tachor a Nepali Choice employee, and myself got dropped off on the way. Tachor was taking us to see Kisedi Khola, the proposed hydro power site. I was kind of thrown off guard when they told us that we were getting out there so I wasn't able to bring anything. For the first few day's in the Himalaya's I had my camera, a water bottle, and a little jacket. Out of all the things I wish I had grabbed, I missed socks the most. Although I kept being told their weren't mosquito's at this altitude at this time of year, I seemed to keep receiving bug bites, and my feet stuck out of their short beds.

We walked for a few hours right off through the Himalaya's before we came to our first stop. Tachor's parents friends house was on the way so he wanted to stop by and visit for awhile. They gave us Tea and Rice Puffs. I don't know what it was called but they like puffed up their rice and we were eating it dry like that.

We crossed a lot of bridges on our journey and each one is rather long and doesn't seem entirely safe. On this bridge there was a little girl crossing that we were told was on her way to school. She had about an hour walk to school that she was making alone. 

 

We kept on walking until right before dark where we spent the first night at Tachor's friends home. They fed us the typical Rice, Daal Bhat, and Saag. It's o.k. at first, but after three meals a day it get's really gross. Daal Bhat can be good depending on who cooks it, but usually in villages like this it doesn't taste like much of anything. I really really don't like saag. It's a green leafy cooked vegetable which is not very good and get's worse every meal.

After our delicious meal they took us to our room they were letting us stay in. Because I was the smaller of the two of us I got the smaller bed. I think my bed was about 4 1/2 feet long, and entirely made of wood. My hips hurt supper bad by the morning. I was glad to have a bed though and they gave me a decently warm blanket which I was very happy to have.

We stayed at a village that was about an hour away from the part of Kisedi Khola river we needed to see. When we woke up we were told that some villages members wanted to meet Jack and I. We arrived to this.

They gave us blessing on our foreheads and beautiful flower lei's to have. Then sat and talked with us for awhile. It was really cool that they did this just because they had no idea that we were even coming to their village. They found out and hurried to put this little shindig together. It was so cool because it was just for the two of us. It made it seem much much more personal than when you do things like this with a big group of Foreigners. It was cool to have them be doing it just for you.

It was super cool finally seeing the hydro power site so that I could have a better idea of what I had been writing about. It was nice to reference where the powerhouse site and everything like that is going to be. It helped me to understand how hydro power works a little bit better.

Children kept seeing us hiking through the mountains and just tagging along for awhile. These kids walked with Jack and I about an hour one night. They were super cute. They mostly just tried to sneak along behind us and I would turn around and scare them. They would run off screaming and laughing and then come do it again. It never really got old for them.

After a few days we finally started heading back to the village where the rest the group was. We walked back to the main village which took about 6 or 7 hours up and down the mountain sides. It was a long but extremely peaceful and beautiful walk. I wanted it go on for longer but at the same time I was super excited to be able to change my clothes.

I couldn't complain only carrying a camera when there were women all over carrying stuff like this. They were awesome.

We finally made it to a bus stop and had a bus ride up a valley and to the top of the mountain. It was supposed take about two hours. There are only local buses so we squished in one sitting awkwardly with out knees in our chests. We got one that was taking cement bags somewhere so we went the first hour stopping every ten min. to load more cement. Then we just stopped. I at least had a seat, but there were about 20 Nepali's just standing over us without one. we stopped for about an hour and a half. No one got off, and nothing happened. I have no idea why were were stopped. But everyone just sat or stood there and didn't really ask questions. It was weird. It doesn't normally do that either because Tachor didn't know what was going on either.

 

We finally started going and we took about a 2 hour ride up to the top. It was really dark when we go there so we walked through the dark for about an hour to the village where the Choice group was staying. But we finally made it to them.

They were having a little party with the villagers when we arrived. Dancing, drinking Roxy (local wine), eating roasted goat. I was tired and just wanted to find my pack, but it was locked up for the night. So I got to enjoy the party and hang out until someone found me a villager's home to stay in. It was super fun though.

We were building a schoolhouse in the first village we were staying in. They had already been working on it for a few day's so I helped mix cement and worked with them. Then we moved on to another village.

Before we left this village threw us a little party. They blessed us and gave us beautiful hand made gifts that you could tell they spent a lot of time on. I felt bad they gave us so much but it was really amazing. I love all these little ceremony's because you get to interact with the villagers. I love when the older villagers get in on the dances and you can tell they are having so much fun. The kids are cute to watch, but it's a cool experience when the whole village is participating.

 

To get to the next village we had a little hike ahead of us. It was only about two hours long but it was carrying our heavy packs, which was not fun. Luckily there was only some uphill at the beginning and then relatively flat for most the way. I packed light but then got stuck carrying a lot of stuff so it turned out to be a very heavy load. The hike was amazing though. It was on the top of some of the mountains so you had a beautiful view no matter which way you looked. We took a few wrong turns which unnecessarily prolonged the little trek. I was with two or three other people, all of us could see the village across from us but couldn't quite get there.

The next village we stayed in had a beautiful view of the Anna Purna range. It was quite a beautiful thing to wake up to and see the sun reflecting off the snow.

We were given a lovely welcome ceremony again. where they blessed our foreheads, danced, and made us dance as well.

We were building a medical clinic with the village. The cool thing about it is it was on top of the mountain between many villages. The Nepali government was putting in a new road between all the villages so this medical clinic is super important for everyone near by. It also had a beautiful view. We spent the time picking and shoveling the foundation. I was really happy to be doing that because I hadn't been getting much exercise sitting in Kathmandu. So it was nice to get some energy out.

Since I wasn't staying the entire time with everyone I ended up staying in a home with a family, and sharing a room with a Nepali lady. That was a little bit awkward because we couldn't communicate, and wouldn't have known what to say even if we could. But it was really a neat experience. I've never stayed with someone I don't know in a village that I haven't been to. It's such an interesting experience feeling so out of place.

After a few day's Jack, myself, and a Nepali guy had to leave early so we started our trek back. We woke up early one morning and trekked out with our packs for an hour or two. It was a way we hadn't been so it was real enjoyable.  We came to a few homes where the road began and had some tea and waited for the bus to have enough people to leave.

It was an hour long ride, and the worse bus ride I've ever taken. Times 20. Luckily it wasn't packed in the normal fashion of Nepali buses. We were four wheeling down a mountain side with cliffs on one side. It was the bumpiest thing ever. I was flexing my body the entire hour trying to save my head. I would hit my head super hard on the window and then on the ceiling. It was miserable.  You really can't explain how ridiculous it was. I can't believe the bus makes it, we went over some gnarly stuff in it. Things that I would only take the jeep across here. On top of that, they have the music playing in regular Nepal fashion. Blaring way louder than the speakers can handle so it sounds dreadful, with their awful little tunes they listen too.

We were so excited to get off that bus that we jumped off and hoped in the first van heading back to Kathmandu. We sat for 6 hours with our knee's in our chest and squished up against our neighbor sitting 5 across. It was glorious after the last bus ride though.

I was so so excited when I hoped off that bus back in Kathmandu. I hate bus rides.

The himalaya's are amazing. If you ever get a chance you definitely need to go on a trek, a Choice expedition, or something similar in the Himalaya's. Stay with a family and enjoy the beautiful scenery. It's really spectacular.

Typical.

I took a little weekend getaway from Kathmandu for a few days. These are the results.


We began in Royal Chitwan National Park, it is a 5 hour bus ride from Kathmandu and rather bumpy. I was feeling slightly sick from breathing in the dust and the exhaust so it wasn't one of the more pleasurable bus rides I've enjoyed. The end result was well worth it though. These are the sights that you wake up to there.



I took these photo's right out side of our room. It is completely amazing. This was at about 6 in the morning so the lighting was extremely beautiful. I have this weird obsession with lighting, and the light was perfect. Unfortunately it was super dusty which wasn't super helpful with the pictures. I guess that comes with elephants though.

We took an elephant safari through the forest. Since it was so early in the morning it was very mystical. Literally. It was extremely green and there was this magical mist everywhere. It was amazing. I thought just riding an elephant needed to happen, and I was very pleasantly surprised by how great the actual park was.


On our big guy we were able to walk through a large river, on the other side we were lucky enough to have a Rhino waiting for us. I was super excited about the outcome of that. I went on a Safari in Africa a few years ago and one of the only animals that we never were able to see was a rhino. So it was pretty great to finally see one in the wild. I'd have to say that they are very interesting creatures. We just walked right up to it on our Elephant and stood next to it for a little while. He just stared right back at us the whole time like, "Are you done, can I get back to my breakfast now?"


Well worth it.

We also were able to take a canoe ride down an alligator infested river, as well as, see the only set of elephant twins that there are in the world. They didn't have the little guys chained up like they would the large elephants so they came out to play. They came up to about my chest in height, and could easily take me out. I tried to take a picture with one and it nuzzled right into me and almost succeeded in taking me out. They are so cute.



Afterwords, we headed to Pokhara. I'd been trying to get there for a few weeks now with some friends. We never made it, but I made it with Josh. It's a fun tourist town that is kind of the starting and ending place for many treks. It's nestled in the hills near the Himalaya's with a great view of Anna Purna and its nearby peaks. It's got a lovely little lake, and is a nice retreat when you want to get out of the dirty air of Kathmandu.

Getting back to the dirty air, kind of felt like home though. It's nice coming back after a long weekend. This picture is how I feel about all the great things there are to buy in Kathmandu.



Josh and I explored the city a little more. I took him back to some of the places I'd been figuring he'd enjoy them. I'd been around the city a lot but I never really have a camera. It's nice to finally be able to take some pictures of what I've been doing for the last while. This is at Swayabhunath in western Kathmandu.

Amazing.

I've never had an actual bucket list. If I did have one, it would be significantly smaller after this extended vacation I'm on.

Josh arrived a few days ago and so I started my touring portion of the trip. To start off we were able to walk around Kathmandu for a few days. I've been to most of the places but they were always for a purpose, so this was my first chance to just be a tourist and really experience the sites. We were able to see some temple's, Boudda Stupa, eat excellent Mexican food, buy awesome trinkets, Etc. I really got to learn where I'm at in Katmandu, and I finally feel like I know my way around a little.


Nearby the Boudda temple (below) is where many Buddhists live. It is a huge temple that is mostly white that you walk around on, then lower you walk around a huge circle with shops and prayer wheels. You always walk clockwise around these temples. So we joined the monks and walked around for awhile. It is so amazing. These type temples are all over Kathmandu. This is just one of the larger ones.



We took a ride on a bicycle taxi one day, not as much because we were lazy, but because they need to be experienced. The seat is about 3 ft off the ground, and is leaning forward. While bouncing allover the place you actually feel quite unsafe. I've road bicycle taxi's in other countries and Nepal's are by far the scariest. After bouncing up and down on their terrible roads you are quite happy when the ride is over.


We also went through Kathmandu's Durbar square and walked around all the temples and through all the surrounding little streets. It's a very neat area. One of the things that I've most enjoyed about Nepal is that it has so many influences. Nepal is placed almost in the center of Asia leaving it to be influenced by many of its neighbors. Many Tibetan immigrants have ended up in Nepal, largely influencing its culture. There also is a huge influence from India. Almost all of its pop-culture comes from India, all of it's movies, T.V., and music as well as most of Nepal's style's. If you walk to some holy sites there is a large Indian and Hindu influence, where as areas like Durbar Square are more influenced by Chinese architecture. Nepal is like a cultural Melting pot. The western trekkers that are everywhere have a large influence as well as India, China, and the rest of Southeast Asia.



Nepal's landscape is marked by three very different type's of topography. The north is covered by the Himalayan Range, the center by very large rolling hills, and the south with the flat plains heading into India. Each area within Nepal is different and has different influences. Parts of the north are more Tibetan whereas some southern areas are very Indian. Depending on which area you go you will see differences in the culture.


One of the main places I've always wanted to go is Tibet. I will soon be checking that off. I leave in a few days to drive up through the Himalaya's and past Everest then through Tibet up to Lhasa. I don't imagine I will really ever have the opportunity to go there again. I figured I should take advantage of that while I can. It is going to be one of the longest crappiest drives I've ever had to experience, and one of the most amazing. The Himalaya's are beautiful, they are so big and shoot up into the sky from this dry dusty landscape. I'm really excited to get up even closer and be able to drive right through them.


This is my serious photo I had to take for my visa. It took me about ten try's to not smile. Not smiling is way more difficult than you would imagine. I feel for you Mal.