Posts Tagged ‘Sherpas’
Outdoor Adventures
I started reading a book about an outdoor adventure last night and as the narration described packing a small plane and the flight they took into a remote wilderness, I was transported to memories of my experience flying to Lukla in the Himalayan mountains. That trip I took to Nepal was over 12-years ago now, enough time that I don’t think about it nearly as often as I used to.
I don’t want the ever-increasing span of time to erase the brilliance of my experience. At the same time, I don’t want to endlessly repeat the stories from that trip just to keep them alive.
Maybe just fragments of the stories.
The drama of navigating our way through the gauntlet of locals around the airport in Katmandu, twice, to wait for our flight to Lukla.
Seeing the mountains from the air for the first time.
Realizing that everywhere we would go beyond the airport at Lukla would be on foot.
Walking the same path as so many others who climbed to the summit of Everest.
Experiencing the gift of being guided by the Sherpa people.
Exchanging Namaste greetings with locals and other foreign trekkers as we pass on the narrow trail.
Crossing the deep river gorges on swinging suspension bridges.
Seeing eagles soaring in rising circles on a thermal column of air, while standing above them at a higher elevation.
The mantra om mani padme hum.
The incredible views of Everest, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse.
Overnight snow that covered our tents in Namche Bazaar.
Taking a side trail to avoid congestion because our guide was from the region and knew the “backroads.”
The sound of an evacuation helicopter climbing the thin air up the valley between high peaks.
Laughing with fellow trekkers in our group and our Sherpa guides and porters.
Hauling school supplies in our backpacks to donate to small schools along the way.
Finding a property with electricity and paying a modest fee to charge my camera batteries.
Warm milk tea.
The variety of locals, yaks (dzo), and travelers who shared the main trails.
Mani stones with carved prayer inscriptions along the trail.
Witnessing a day of activity when I stayed put on an off-day in Monju.
Prayer flags flapping in the wind.
It all made for a mighty good dose of outdoor adventures that I really enjoy remembering.
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Remembering Nepal
I am thinking of Nepal and the friends that I met during my visit in 2009. The Sherpas and porters who took care of us during our trek were great people. I have not received any information regarding their situation, but given the severity of the damage caused by the earthquake, and the large area affected, I imagine all survivors are suffering hardship. My heart goes out to them.
I am sending big love to the people of Nepal.
Carol, a member of our group, took this shot during a pause in a tour of some fascinating places in the city of Kathmandu. We saw some incredible history in buildings that I fear would not likely have held up well during such a severe quake.
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Pam captured this great shot of two happy guys from our support crew up in the high country above the town of Lukla in the Khumbu region.
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I enjoyed the luxury of spending extra time with Lhakpa Sherpa after separating from our main group. He shared several personal stories that helped me gain perspective of what life was like for the people living in the areas most influenced by the commerce of guiding tourists on treks. I’m pretty sure it was Gary who took this picture for me with my camera.
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Hoping that gracious relief from suffering comes swiftly for the people in Nepal.
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Relative Something 