After the long days of trekking that made my legs all stiff and sore, I knew that a nice relaxing Yoga retret was in Order. I head up to Pokhara with my new bud Alessandro who would join me at the Yoga retreat just a day after arriving back to Kathmandu from the trek. The Yoga retreat was Exactly what i needed! It was a hidden away oasis, a good hike out of town in the lush trees surrounded by nature. Each Day was routine but the Yoga and the People were always changing..
My day would look something like this
5:45 wake up
6:00 Meditation
Nature Walk
Nose Cleanse (pouring warm salty water from one nostril through the other)
8:30 Yoga
9:30 Breakfast
10:30 Steam or Mud bath (cleanse and detoxify our skin)
Free time (AKA SUNTANNING)
12:00 Meditation
1:00 Lunch
Free Time (AKA MORE SUNTANNING)
3:30 Optional Karma Yoga (doing Chores basically)
4:00 Tea and Popcorn
4:30 Chanting/Singing
5:30 Yoga
7:00 Dinner
It was a packed schedule but it was perfect! The Family that run the place were amazing people and the Food they made was flippin fantastic! It was all vegitarian, organic homemade food and each meal blew me away..
The Yoga was great, each class was different from the last some pretty funny aswell where we had to practice laughing for 10 minutes.
The Meditation we practiced was where we would sit for an hour and could not move. We would repeat the Mantra OM than follow later on by repeating So Hum in our heads concentrating on our breathing. I had a hard time silencing my always wandering mind so i would sing the other mantra's i have learnt during chanting in my head to stay focused. There are so many differnt forms of meditation and I am hoping to discover differnt ways. My absolute favorite part of the day was Chanting, another form of meditation. We all sat around a circle with a drum and would sing repetative Mantra's with our eyes closed, Belting them out loud and proud. It was Liberating! If my family is reading this you guys better get ready for a chanting session when i get back home!
I Loved every minute of the 10 days I spent there... well actually apart from the dreadful cleanse that i did.
I fasted for 2 days only eating a apple each meal. This part was surprisingly easy and enjoyable, it was the 3rd day that was hell..
Me and the other girl joining me on the cleanse had to drink cup after cup of salty warm water, do some excercises and than drink more water. This repeated until a little knock came down in the rear end where we would run to the toilet. I will spare you the gory details but we ended up drinking 20 cups of salty water, did 10 sets of excercises and went to the bathroom more times than i can remember until everything that came out was clear as Pee...
Sorry, but when you travel you just dont care anymore about holding back the toilet talk to anyone, It becomes everyday conversation.
So now i am Fully refreshed, vitalized and cleansed inside and out before I take off on my adventures to China and Tibet!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Mt. Everest Trek
I am not sure how to compile my 12 days of trekking into this blog but i am going to try my best.. This trek was something i was really looking forward to, after being in crazy Kathmandu for so long i couldn't wait to wake up each day for 12 days to the beautiful Himalaya's at my fingertips.
The trek began with a rough start, Susan (my fellow Canadian volunteer and Trekking companion) and I waited around for 8 hours in the tiny airport waiting for the cancellation confirmation due to cloudy skies. It was a test of self control and patience since we had no books, diaries, cards or food to keep us occupied for the 8 hours. The next day was a success and we got on the tiny 10 person plane in no time. We flew parallel to the monstrous mountains even though we were thousands of feet up in the air, looking down and seeing the tiny villages spotting the mountains. We landed in Lukla, the starting point of the trek. It was a whole different world to Kathmandu; The cold air hit me as soon as i stepped off the plane, everyone walking around in big fluffy down jackets, Sherpa's and Porters waiting hungrily at the airport gate for some business.. We already had our Guide and Porter lined up, my Guide was tiny old man named Krishna with the sweetest smile and most contagious laugh. My Porter was probably the happiest person i have seen in Nepal, carrying our bags that weighed a good 40 Kg everyday for 12 days up and down hills, walked faster than any of us and still had the biggest smile on his face.
We were told the first day of the trek would be about 4 hours, a nice casual day to start off with. I set off with the biggest grin on my face, here i am, trekking to the most famous mountain in the world the dream and goal of the most avid trekkers. We passed many small Sherpa villages, pristine waterfalls leading to crystal clear rivers (instead of the foul covered rivers of Kathmandu), and passed over suspension bridges covered in prayer flags blowing in the wind. I was pumped and energetic and was slightly disappointed when we stopped only 2 hours later at our sleeping destination.. I thought if we walked here in 2 hours when it is supposed to be 4 this trek is going to be easy peasy, and was a little worried that it was going to be alot of slow days... Boy was that a stupid presumption.
To make me feel like I had a good worthwhile day trekking I got Krishna to take us up a hill for a couple hours to some hidden monastery. It felt a lot better arriving at the lodge tired rather than just getting started. This is when our little group of two, formed into a group of 4 trekkers. My guide and another guide who were friends met up at this lodge and we bonded with the other trekkers, Alessandro from Italy and Leonora from Germany whom i recognized waiting at the airport the previous day. We decided to trek up together for some more company which worked out wonderfully because than I had another person to hike with me while Susan could take her time. We spent the night playing cards, drinking tea and eating momo's. (perogie like dumplings filled with veg) Our lodges all the way up the trek were very similar, a tiny room with just enough space to fit 2 twin sized beds, there were very cute and cozy.
Each day I woke up at 6:30, ate my warm muesli with fruit, packed my bag and set off at 8:00. The first half hour was always a little chilly but as soon as we got going and the sun started to come out i shed most of my layers and began sweating. The second day was largely going steeply uphill or a rocky path. Susan and Leonora fell behind and Alessandro and I trekked on. It was good to have company to keep motivated and a little pressure to keep going. It was a big difference to the day before, and it kicked in that it was not going to be a piece of cake. We arrived at Namche 8 hours later at 3440 m. We stayed here two nights to acclimatize to the altitude. It was good fun, playing cards in the lodges, going out for apple crumble at the bakeries and just kicking back. We did go on a little trek on our rest day up higher but only for a few hours. Our goal was to make it to the Sir Edmond Hilary school but it got too cold and windy and we were too sweaty from climbing so we worried about catching a cold..
Th menu's at the lodges had quiet a wide variety of foods but i stuck to my daily routine of Muesli, fruit and tea in the morning, Sherpa stew for lunch (a soup filled with veggies, potatoes and dumplings- good for the energy) and usually soup, momo's or Dal Bhat for dinner.
On some mornings Alessandro and I would wake up earlier and do some Yoga in the morning. What better place to do Yoga than in the middle of the peaceful mountains, watching the sun come up. It was Perfect!
Each Day was spent trekking thicker and thicker into the mountains, closer to the goal of Everest. We would pass yaks all lined up with huge piles of gear on their backs which would force us to scramble up and out of their way. The amount of weight some of the Porters we say carrying things up and down the hills were insane! They have got to be one of the strongest groups of people in the world. We had one Snow storm that hit us when we were halfway up a long steep mountain. I had to get into my down jacket, gloves hats, everything and trek on up the hill. We were initially going to try to push on to a further village but it was just too cold and the snow was getting heavier and heavier, blocking our view so we hunkered down in a cute little lodge as we waited out the storm. I was so glad we stopped because it was so nice to get all cozy in the blankets with a hot cup of tea around the yak poo fueled fire; it reminded me of Christmas! When the snow stopped we went out to see the mountains all around us. It was the most stunning view we had seen so far, The mountains were so crisp and felt like arms distance away. We snuck out that night after dinner and went to the Bakery for some mocha chocolate cake... Yes they have Bakery's even at 3800 m... They were pretty much everywhere.
The higher we went the colder and colder the nights got and the more difficult it was to sleep. I would cover my head with my sleeping bag but then run out of breath due to the altitude and be sucking for air. Its not a nice experience when you cant sleep, your cold and you know you have to wake up at 6:00 to go trekking for 8 hours. Still... I managed and was surprised with the energy I had. I don't want to boast but i was damn proud of myself and impressed with the energy and level of fitness i had. I was always leading the group, and My guide was always telling me he doesn't know how I walk so fast. It felt good to push my body, sweat and feel the sore muscles in my legs. I loved this trekking experience so much i know that when i get back home i want to get more into it, i felt on top of the world.
We were able to see The tip of Everest a few days into the trek which was my constant reminder of what my goal was. We reached the final village Gorek Shep at 5150 m after 8 days, dropped off our bags at the lodge and Leanora, Alessandra and I trekked on to the Base Camp. We were told it was going to be a difficult 6 hour journey.. 3 hours each way and we had already trekked 3 hours to get to Gorkshep on this day so we hustled and were surprised when we could see The bright yellow tents in the distance after only 1 and a half hours. It was a great feeling to have worked so hard and waited so long and to finally get to our destination. I was so giddy, taking a ton of pictures and soaking up the fact that here i am... EVEREST BASE CAMP!!!
That evening we all cuddled up by the fire and talked with some people who were actually going on an expedition to summit Mt. Everest. It was neat to hear their enthusiasm after training for years. There was also a movie crew where were filming a T.V series on the travel network. Apparently they travel around from place to place and film their little adventures; i think its sort of like the show we get called Departures. Its called "Dhani tackles the Globe" if anyone is interested in looking it up.
Just wait though the trek is not finished... The next morning we got up at 4:45 to start our ascent to Calapatta to watch the sun rise over Everest. These is a lot of hype about making it to the top of Calapatta and most people skip base camp and just do this instead. When you see the mountain it doesn't look too bad, its all up hill but from where we were it looked manageable... that is where i was wrong...
Still dark, in the freezing cold i started up the hill, immediately i felt my lungs working double time to try and get used to the cold and the altitude. My toes went numb halfway up the hill and each step was a painful chore. I did not think i was going to make it, there was NO WAY i kept telling myself my body did just not want to push any further. I kept fighting with myself saying " i have made it this far there is no way i am backing down now" Still i would stop every 2 minutes and look down to how far i have come, than look up to see how far i had to go and it just seemed impossible. Finally i got a hold of myself and pushed passed all my thoughts and went for it. It was probably THE hardest thing i have ever done in my life but i made it. I got to the top of Calapatta and cried! I Cried because i Could not believe that i had actually completed what i thought earlier to be impossible, I also cried because i could not feel my toes, fingertips or face!
It was really emotional making it to the top just in time to see the sun rise directly behind Mt. Everest. MT. FREAKING EVEREST!
It was gorgeous, breathtaking, stunning, i just don't know how to explain it! It was so much more Amazing because the energy and all the heart and soul i put into making it here.
The trek back was meant to be 4 days but we crammed it into 3 which was not so bad. They were long days but there was a lot more downhill than uphill this time so it was easier. We laughed as we watched others suffer up the hills we suffered as we merrily bounded effortlessly passed them. It was a good feeling haha.
When we reached Lukla we went out for some ice cold Beers to celebrate.. We spent all night playing pool and talking with other trekkers who had just finished the same trek. It was a great way to end it all off.
So there it is... My Everest Experience, The time of my life!!
The trek began with a rough start, Susan (my fellow Canadian volunteer and Trekking companion) and I waited around for 8 hours in the tiny airport waiting for the cancellation confirmation due to cloudy skies. It was a test of self control and patience since we had no books, diaries, cards or food to keep us occupied for the 8 hours. The next day was a success and we got on the tiny 10 person plane in no time. We flew parallel to the monstrous mountains even though we were thousands of feet up in the air, looking down and seeing the tiny villages spotting the mountains. We landed in Lukla, the starting point of the trek. It was a whole different world to Kathmandu; The cold air hit me as soon as i stepped off the plane, everyone walking around in big fluffy down jackets, Sherpa's and Porters waiting hungrily at the airport gate for some business.. We already had our Guide and Porter lined up, my Guide was tiny old man named Krishna with the sweetest smile and most contagious laugh. My Porter was probably the happiest person i have seen in Nepal, carrying our bags that weighed a good 40 Kg everyday for 12 days up and down hills, walked faster than any of us and still had the biggest smile on his face.
We were told the first day of the trek would be about 4 hours, a nice casual day to start off with. I set off with the biggest grin on my face, here i am, trekking to the most famous mountain in the world the dream and goal of the most avid trekkers. We passed many small Sherpa villages, pristine waterfalls leading to crystal clear rivers (instead of the foul covered rivers of Kathmandu), and passed over suspension bridges covered in prayer flags blowing in the wind. I was pumped and energetic and was slightly disappointed when we stopped only 2 hours later at our sleeping destination.. I thought if we walked here in 2 hours when it is supposed to be 4 this trek is going to be easy peasy, and was a little worried that it was going to be alot of slow days... Boy was that a stupid presumption.
To make me feel like I had a good worthwhile day trekking I got Krishna to take us up a hill for a couple hours to some hidden monastery. It felt a lot better arriving at the lodge tired rather than just getting started. This is when our little group of two, formed into a group of 4 trekkers. My guide and another guide who were friends met up at this lodge and we bonded with the other trekkers, Alessandro from Italy and Leonora from Germany whom i recognized waiting at the airport the previous day. We decided to trek up together for some more company which worked out wonderfully because than I had another person to hike with me while Susan could take her time. We spent the night playing cards, drinking tea and eating momo's. (perogie like dumplings filled with veg) Our lodges all the way up the trek were very similar, a tiny room with just enough space to fit 2 twin sized beds, there were very cute and cozy.
Each day I woke up at 6:30, ate my warm muesli with fruit, packed my bag and set off at 8:00. The first half hour was always a little chilly but as soon as we got going and the sun started to come out i shed most of my layers and began sweating. The second day was largely going steeply uphill or a rocky path. Susan and Leonora fell behind and Alessandro and I trekked on. It was good to have company to keep motivated and a little pressure to keep going. It was a big difference to the day before, and it kicked in that it was not going to be a piece of cake. We arrived at Namche 8 hours later at 3440 m. We stayed here two nights to acclimatize to the altitude. It was good fun, playing cards in the lodges, going out for apple crumble at the bakeries and just kicking back. We did go on a little trek on our rest day up higher but only for a few hours. Our goal was to make it to the Sir Edmond Hilary school but it got too cold and windy and we were too sweaty from climbing so we worried about catching a cold..
Th menu's at the lodges had quiet a wide variety of foods but i stuck to my daily routine of Muesli, fruit and tea in the morning, Sherpa stew for lunch (a soup filled with veggies, potatoes and dumplings- good for the energy) and usually soup, momo's or Dal Bhat for dinner.
On some mornings Alessandro and I would wake up earlier and do some Yoga in the morning. What better place to do Yoga than in the middle of the peaceful mountains, watching the sun come up. It was Perfect!
Each Day was spent trekking thicker and thicker into the mountains, closer to the goal of Everest. We would pass yaks all lined up with huge piles of gear on their backs which would force us to scramble up and out of their way. The amount of weight some of the Porters we say carrying things up and down the hills were insane! They have got to be one of the strongest groups of people in the world. We had one Snow storm that hit us when we were halfway up a long steep mountain. I had to get into my down jacket, gloves hats, everything and trek on up the hill. We were initially going to try to push on to a further village but it was just too cold and the snow was getting heavier and heavier, blocking our view so we hunkered down in a cute little lodge as we waited out the storm. I was so glad we stopped because it was so nice to get all cozy in the blankets with a hot cup of tea around the yak poo fueled fire; it reminded me of Christmas! When the snow stopped we went out to see the mountains all around us. It was the most stunning view we had seen so far, The mountains were so crisp and felt like arms distance away. We snuck out that night after dinner and went to the Bakery for some mocha chocolate cake... Yes they have Bakery's even at 3800 m... They were pretty much everywhere.
The higher we went the colder and colder the nights got and the more difficult it was to sleep. I would cover my head with my sleeping bag but then run out of breath due to the altitude and be sucking for air. Its not a nice experience when you cant sleep, your cold and you know you have to wake up at 6:00 to go trekking for 8 hours. Still... I managed and was surprised with the energy I had. I don't want to boast but i was damn proud of myself and impressed with the energy and level of fitness i had. I was always leading the group, and My guide was always telling me he doesn't know how I walk so fast. It felt good to push my body, sweat and feel the sore muscles in my legs. I loved this trekking experience so much i know that when i get back home i want to get more into it, i felt on top of the world.
We were able to see The tip of Everest a few days into the trek which was my constant reminder of what my goal was. We reached the final village Gorek Shep at 5150 m after 8 days, dropped off our bags at the lodge and Leanora, Alessandra and I trekked on to the Base Camp. We were told it was going to be a difficult 6 hour journey.. 3 hours each way and we had already trekked 3 hours to get to Gorkshep on this day so we hustled and were surprised when we could see The bright yellow tents in the distance after only 1 and a half hours. It was a great feeling to have worked so hard and waited so long and to finally get to our destination. I was so giddy, taking a ton of pictures and soaking up the fact that here i am... EVEREST BASE CAMP!!!
That evening we all cuddled up by the fire and talked with some people who were actually going on an expedition to summit Mt. Everest. It was neat to hear their enthusiasm after training for years. There was also a movie crew where were filming a T.V series on the travel network. Apparently they travel around from place to place and film their little adventures; i think its sort of like the show we get called Departures. Its called "Dhani tackles the Globe" if anyone is interested in looking it up.
Just wait though the trek is not finished... The next morning we got up at 4:45 to start our ascent to Calapatta to watch the sun rise over Everest. These is a lot of hype about making it to the top of Calapatta and most people skip base camp and just do this instead. When you see the mountain it doesn't look too bad, its all up hill but from where we were it looked manageable... that is where i was wrong...
Still dark, in the freezing cold i started up the hill, immediately i felt my lungs working double time to try and get used to the cold and the altitude. My toes went numb halfway up the hill and each step was a painful chore. I did not think i was going to make it, there was NO WAY i kept telling myself my body did just not want to push any further. I kept fighting with myself saying " i have made it this far there is no way i am backing down now" Still i would stop every 2 minutes and look down to how far i have come, than look up to see how far i had to go and it just seemed impossible. Finally i got a hold of myself and pushed passed all my thoughts and went for it. It was probably THE hardest thing i have ever done in my life but i made it. I got to the top of Calapatta and cried! I Cried because i Could not believe that i had actually completed what i thought earlier to be impossible, I also cried because i could not feel my toes, fingertips or face!
It was really emotional making it to the top just in time to see the sun rise directly behind Mt. Everest. MT. FREAKING EVEREST!
It was gorgeous, breathtaking, stunning, i just don't know how to explain it! It was so much more Amazing because the energy and all the heart and soul i put into making it here.
The trek back was meant to be 4 days but we crammed it into 3 which was not so bad. They were long days but there was a lot more downhill than uphill this time so it was easier. We laughed as we watched others suffer up the hills we suffered as we merrily bounded effortlessly passed them. It was a good feeling haha.
When we reached Lukla we went out for some ice cold Beers to celebrate.. We spent all night playing pool and talking with other trekkers who had just finished the same trek. It was a great way to end it all off.
So there it is... My Everest Experience, The time of my life!!
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