Alright, here I am already on my flight back to Germany! The three days which were still left in KTM just left me with no time to concentrate on writing the English version of my trip this year! I am still working through all the images and emotions which this trip has left me with. Time is precious thou.. tomorrow morning I will start my regular work day at school at 8 am!
Nima had organized everything perfectly before my arrival, so that all we had to do was pick up the school bags, which were being seen in KTM, buy the copies (= exercise books), pencils, rubbers and sharpeners and off we were. The weather God was extremely happy with our trip once again and we had beautiful weather with clear mountain views all the way, sunny and warm days. I have to admit the nights were pretty cold, but sleeping in an ex-expedition tent was a glimpse of the old style Everest Base Camp 🙂
Still on the jeep way to Paphlu we, for the first time passed snow covered fields. We had a “Nepali tourist” with us and jumped out for some tourist photos only to realize that it was really cold and my pictures are therefore blurred….Our tourist was Rosy a young Nepali friend who has just opened a pre-school in KTM. We met 7 years ago and I had visited her little school the day before we left. Spontaneously we decided it would be a total win win situation if she would come with us. She had never been to Solukhumbu and we needed a Nepali expert in education. So she there she was our Nepali tourist! After 11 hours bumpy ride with our trusted super hero Jeep driver Bajuram we finally arrived in Paphlu. The day after another two hours on another jeep and for a change a Jeep ride even bumpier. A land slide had washed away parts of the old road this passed monsoon, so we had to bump up and down an additional hour through the scenery! I didn’t mind at all since I got to see something new and we passed the new hydro power plant …
Finally I Ringmu the porters were already waiting for us. This time four carried the whole load! I always call them my super heroes because they are!!!! They DO carry heavy loads! With all their pride! The first climb to Taksindo they were lucky enough to catch a ride with a jeep and only nima, I and our Nepali tourist walked all the way. Our stop for the night was in Nunthala. I love every second of this home trekking! It makes me humble! Being part of this incredibly huge and beautiful valley! We humans are such tiny little things.
The road is now slowly being extended into this remote area and as much as it makes the villagers along the way hope for the better it fills me with awkward feelings because for us.. it is another Paradise Lost. But I definitely do understand the joy and happiness of these people…finally life will be a little easier. Instead of the donkeys their bells and the smell of their poo you now have engines and the noise of motors and machines approaching. Nepal is changing. No turning back. We also witnessed non stop helicopter transportation of wood which is flown out to Namche for building lodges there and lodges in Everest Base Camp!!!!!!….The helicopter pilots (Nima said they are Russian helicopters and pilots) are amazing!!!! And I admire their skills, nevertheless… Lodges in EBC? One of the places I will avoid going to for as long as I go to Nepal (at least this is what I am thinking right now!)
(For me) luckily we still had to do most of the way by foot! And there were a couple of ups and downs…finally in the village we had three beautiful days, filled with happy faces, family meetings, tea, tea, tea, kata, kata kata and lots of sparkling children’s eyes! Since Nima has stopped drinking Chang we have realized a change for the better concerning the amount of Chang consumption when there! The day of departure is usually the day when the happy eyes turn to watery eyes and it is mega hard to part but Sherpa way is the quick leave when the time has come. (After many teas and katas and blessings….). Our way home was a blessing again. Beautiful sunshine and Nima and I could complete the mission walking back all the way to Ringmu, while our Co travellers took the jeep to spare some of the way up to Taksindo Pass!
The jeep ways back into KTM were just as long and bumpy again. Arriving in KTM is always a shock to the system. Road works as tons of dust to the already extremely polluted air. Ke garne?! (= Nepali for: What to do?!).
Back in KTM we visited the children which have already left HILL for better and worse in KTM. Time flew by!
What’s left is this mega warm feeling inside! And I am thankful and happy for being part of this! Thanks to everyone who supports us, checks our homepage and spreads the word! One world!
Nima had organized everything perfectly before my arrival, so that all we had to do was pick up the school bags, which were being seen in KTM, buy the copies (= exercise books), pencils, rubbers and sharpeners and off we were. The weather God was extremely happy with our trip once again and we had beautiful weather with clear mountain views all the way, sunny and warm days. I have to admit the nights were pretty cold, but sleeping in an ex-expedition tent was a glimpse of the old style Everest Base Camp 🙂
Still on the jeep way to Paphlu we, for the first time passed snow covered fields. We had a “Nepali tourist” with us and jumped out for some tourist photos only to realize that it was really cold and my pictures are therefore blurred….Our tourist was Rosy a young Nepali friend who has just opened a pre-school in KTM. We met 7 years ago and I had visited her little school the day before we left. Spontaneously we decided it would be a total win win situation if she would come with us. She had never been to Solukhumbu and we needed a Nepali expert in education. So she there she was our Nepali tourist! After 11 hours bumpy ride with our trusted super hero Jeep driver Bajuram we finally arrived in Paphlu. The day after another two hours on another jeep and for a change a Jeep ride even bumpier. A land slide had washed away parts of the old road this passed monsoon, so we had to bump up and down an additional hour through the scenery! I didn’t mind at all since I got to see something new and we passed the new hydro power plant …
Finally I Ringmu the porters were already waiting for us. This time four carried the whole load! I always call them my super heroes because they are!!!! They DO carry heavy loads! With all their pride! The first climb to Taksindo they were lucky enough to catch a ride with a jeep and only nima, I and our Nepali tourist walked all the way. Our stop for the night was in Nunthala. I love every second of this home trekking! It makes me humble! Being part of this incredibly huge and beautiful valley! We humans are such tiny little things.
The road is now slowly being extended into this remote area and as much as it makes the villagers along the way hope for the better it fills me with awkward feelings because for us.. it is another Paradise Lost. But I definitely do understand the joy and happiness of these people…finally life will be a little easier. Instead of the donkeys their bells and the smell of their poo you now have engines and the noise of motors and machines approaching. Nepal is changing. No turning back. We also witnessed non stop helicopter transportation of wood which is flown out to Namche for building lodges there and lodges in Everest Base Camp!!!!!!….The helicopter pilots (Nima said they are Russian helicopters and pilots) are amazing!!!! And I admire their skills, nevertheless… Lodges in EBC? One of the places I will avoid going to for as long as I go to Nepal (at least this is what I am thinking right now!)
(For me) luckily we still had to do most of the way by foot! And there were a couple of ups and downs…finally in the village we had three beautiful days, filled with happy faces, family meetings, tea, tea, tea, kata, kata kata and lots of sparkling children’s eyes! Since Nima has stopped drinking Chang we have realized a change for the better concerning the amount of Chang consumption when there! The day of departure is usually the day when the happy eyes turn to watery eyes and it is mega hard to part but Sherpa way is the quick leave when the time has come. (After many teas and katas and blessings….). Our way home was a blessing again. Beautiful sunshine and Nima and I could complete the mission walking back all the way to Ringmu, while our Co travellers took the jeep to spare some of the way up to Taksindo Pass!
The jeep ways back into KTM were just as long and bumpy again. Arriving in KTM is always a shock to the system. Road works as tons of dust to the already extremely polluted air. Ke garne?! (= Nepali for: What to do?!).
Back in KTM we visited the children which have already left HILL for better and worse in KTM. Time flew by!
What’s left is this mega warm feeling inside! And I am thankful and happy for being part of this! Thanks to everyone who supports us, checks our homepage and spreads the word! One world!
Vielen Dank für deinen unermüdlichen Einsatz im Dienst einer nützlichen sache.