Leaving my large backpack in Kathmandu, I took just a small bag with my camera, some warm clothes, torch, walking stick (the best thing anyone recommended me to take), 15 bars of snickers (the only time when it is acceptable to have one per day!) and a notebook. We didn't need more then this which was a liberating feeling. Needless to say I wore the same sweaty, smelly clothes for the whole three weeks which made it even better when we returned to Kathmandu to have a bag of clean clothes waiting and a hot shower/attached bathroom (ahh heaven as before we had to endure mainly cold showers which were seperate from the lodges so you had to go into the freezing cold to wee) plus a choice of food other than daal bhat, noodles and tibetan bread with omlette.
Steadliy climbing on up
One of the amazing lodges that we slept at in the forest
We saw some of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen and it was fascinating to watch the landscape change as we climbed higher and higher - from forests to valleys to snow capped mountains and glaciers. There are not enough words to do it justice. The walking was not always easy, we climbed alot of steps and sometimes got caught in the rain or the icy wind. But walking for hours and being outdoors all day in nature just gives you such a feeling of satisfaction at the end of the day.
The usual forest traffic jam
The Buddhist Monastry where the celebration was held
One of many cute, red cheeked Tibetan toddlers running around the monastry
The women sat downstairs chanting the same song over and over again whilst the men made music upstairs and performed prayers. Lots of toddlers ran around being left to their own devices and I must have lifted up around ten different kids so many times saying 'oooohh paahhh' - everyone wanted 'oooo pahh'! The children in the mountains are by far the sweetest and friendliest ones I've ever met and I had so much fun being a child myself and playing with them at different points along the way. I loved it!
Playing horsey with one of my favourites kids
We particularly enjoyed the company of Lama, a lady that became our Tibetan mother as she looked after us for six days when we stayed at the top of a mountain at around 3000m. She took us under her wing and made sure we always had enough to eat and that there was enough wood on the fire. She also took us out to look for 'Yatsah Gumpa' which, from what I can make out, is some sort of rare mushroom, that originally starts off as an insect. They look like small sprouts of grass coming out of the ground and are therefore very difficult to spot so you have to get down on your knees and crawl around to find them, which Lucy and I did for three hours without finding a single one! However they are worth a great deal of money in China as they are supposedly extremely good for your health and are somewhat of a delicacy. Looking back I don't think that we should have been part of picking them, however sadly whether we were there or not people will continue to look for them as they are so valuable.
Lamu showing Lucy Yatsah Gumpa
Me, my wooly hat and the stunning ice capped mountains
Lucy and Ren alone in the mountains
I was also touched by the sweetness of the Tibetan people and how hospitable they were. One night I felt some slight altitude sickness (partly to do with over exerting myself after all the 'ooo pah pah'ing with the kids) and had such a thumping headache that I couldn't speak. I just sat by the fire trying to keep warm and waiting for the pain to ease. But then when I went to bed, one of the Tibetan girls came to my room (which had no door only a cloth) and made me get in my sleeping bag and then proceeded to pile three thick woolen blankets over me and then tuck them under my body. I felt so warm and cosy and touched by how caring the girl was as I haven't been tucked into bed for years! Despite being half way up a mountain, thousands of meters from home in pain, I still felt a sense of calm and ease from this and these kind of moments make me really happy and appreciative. I also am indebted to the girl's father who leant me a huge thick, bomber jacket for when I went furthjer up the mountain as the clothes that I had just weren't enough, he really saved me as without it I would not have been able to appreciate the place.
High altitude yoga with a view was so amazing
Renee it's like your getting further and further away! Look at the writing as it goes down the page! Love the pics hunny, especially the ones where you look like your pretending to be a mini mountain in downward dog! Kate x
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