After spending four days in Kathmandu tying up odds and ends we finally hopped on the 9 AM bus to Jiri, a village up in the mountains. The bus ride was exciting, to say the least. We wound up and down mountains and valleys picking up various people along the way. By the time we arrived in Jiri (10 hours later) we had accumulated enough people to fill the bus and the roof rack along with 20 huge bags of rice, which took up most of the aisle. We were very glad to get off when we finally arrived in Jiri. However, the ride did make us more and more excited for our trek because the views were amazing. Everywhere we looked we were surrounded by rolling green hills with terraces running up and down the sides. Each terrace was man made in order to provide the villages with adequate land to grow crops. The further we got away from the city the more beautiful the landscape became. We also noticed the culture changing as well from fast paced city life to rural Sherpa villages. We passed people with large baskets on their backs hauling crops up the mountain.
It is incredible seeing people carry large loads like this on their backs. Many times during the hike we saw people carrying multiple large jugs of water up the trail and most of the weight is distributed on their head where a thick strap is placed to carry the loads. Sometimes they use small walking sticks (that resemble upside down mallets) that force them to bend over almost at a 90 degree angle. Occasionally they stop to res on the mallet, balancing their loads on the flat top. I feel bad every time I complain that my back or feet hurt while carrying only 40 pounds. Most of the time we get passed by people carrying what looks to be almost 100 plus pounds and usually the man or woman carrying it looks about 75. It's pretty incredible.
So far we've made our way to a village called Ringmo (it has taken us 6 days) where we decided to take a rest day, mainly because we drank too much of the local beer called Chaang (it looks similar to pureed corn). We have also been drinking a lot of Raksi which is another local liquor. They call it Nepali whiskey, but it tastes more like bad rice wine and looks like water.
The hike thus far has been very tiring. Each day we have spent anywhere from 7 to 9 hours hiking from village to village. The weather has been great though, which definitely helps. Most of the hikes have very steep ascents and descents and your feet feel like hell at the end of the day. Our average ascent is about 3,000 vertical feet a day and we have 40 pounds on our back. I have to say I've been pretty proud of myself so far!
Although the hiking can be physically straining, the scenery makes up for it. Nepal is by far the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life. Almost all of the villages we have stopped in are only accessible by foot. Every material in the villages is either hauled in on foot or taken from the land. We have even seen men with multiple long 2 by 4s about 8 by 10 feet on their backs bringing them up the mountain to build new lodges. Unfortunately, during part of our hike we witnessed what the trekking industry has done to the land. Many people living in the mountains have begun housing and feeding trekkers as a main source of income and thus a large amount of deforestation has occurred in order to build lodges, heat food and water, etc. Our trekking guide book has been very adamant about trying to avoid places that use wood and gravitate more towards propane and solar energy. A few times we have even seen lodges using what looks like a reflective satellite dish to heat water in the sun. Brian and I have also strictly been using our UV water purifier for water. We have noticed that there is no form of trash pickup or recycling available in many of the villages so many lodges just dump their trash into valleys or rivers. Therefor we are trying our hardest to "leave no trace".
The food at many of the lodges is the same (lots of soups, rice and noodles) and we find ourselves fantasizing about food from home during our hikes. I've decided that I am going straight to New York Subs (in Bend, OR) when I get back and getting a turkey sub with cheese, mayo, lettuce and grilled onions. Brian has been craving a fat juicy cheeseburger. It's the little things in life.
We have also discovered that Snickers are like gold here. All trekkers want them so lodges can charge almost 2 dollars a bar! But we are almost always willing to pay.
It is incredible seeing people carry large loads like this on their backs. Many times during the hike we saw people carrying multiple large jugs of water up the trail and most of the weight is distributed on their head where a thick strap is placed to carry the loads. Sometimes they use small walking sticks (that resemble upside down mallets) that force them to bend over almost at a 90 degree angle. Occasionally they stop to res on the mallet, balancing their loads on the flat top. I feel bad every time I complain that my back or feet hurt while carrying only 40 pounds. Most of the time we get passed by people carrying what looks to be almost 100 plus pounds and usually the man or woman carrying it looks about 75. It's pretty incredible.
So far we've made our way to a village called Ringmo (it has taken us 6 days) where we decided to take a rest day, mainly because we drank too much of the local beer called Chaang (it looks similar to pureed corn). We have also been drinking a lot of Raksi which is another local liquor. They call it Nepali whiskey, but it tastes more like bad rice wine and looks like water.
The hike thus far has been very tiring. Each day we have spent anywhere from 7 to 9 hours hiking from village to village. The weather has been great though, which definitely helps. Most of the hikes have very steep ascents and descents and your feet feel like hell at the end of the day. Our average ascent is about 3,000 vertical feet a day and we have 40 pounds on our back. I have to say I've been pretty proud of myself so far!
Although the hiking can be physically straining, the scenery makes up for it. Nepal is by far the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life. Almost all of the villages we have stopped in are only accessible by foot. Every material in the villages is either hauled in on foot or taken from the land. We have even seen men with multiple long 2 by 4s about 8 by 10 feet on their backs bringing them up the mountain to build new lodges. Unfortunately, during part of our hike we witnessed what the trekking industry has done to the land. Many people living in the mountains have begun housing and feeding trekkers as a main source of income and thus a large amount of deforestation has occurred in order to build lodges, heat food and water, etc. Our trekking guide book has been very adamant about trying to avoid places that use wood and gravitate more towards propane and solar energy. A few times we have even seen lodges using what looks like a reflective satellite dish to heat water in the sun. Brian and I have also strictly been using our UV water purifier for water. We have noticed that there is no form of trash pickup or recycling available in many of the villages so many lodges just dump their trash into valleys or rivers. Therefor we are trying our hardest to "leave no trace".
The food at many of the lodges is the same (lots of soups, rice and noodles) and we find ourselves fantasizing about food from home during our hikes. I've decided that I am going straight to New York Subs (in Bend, OR) when I get back and getting a turkey sub with cheese, mayo, lettuce and grilled onions. Brian has been craving a fat juicy cheeseburger. It's the little things in life.
We have also discovered that Snickers are like gold here. All trekkers want them so lodges can charge almost 2 dollars a bar! But we are almost always willing to pay.
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