lydsandemmet's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member lydsandemmet on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/lydsandemmet en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:26:11 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com Shaken but not stirred in Udaipur — Udaipur, Rajasthan, India http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1243756860/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1243756860/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1243756860/tpod.html Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:26:11 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

Ah Udaipur!This was the first place we visited in India where we really had to drag ourselfs ( eventually ) away from. We actually ended up staying a good 8 days here and it was a struggle to drag ourselfs away at all in the end.Our time here though started in typical Indian fashion. After phoning ahead the previous night to book our hotel, get a good deal and most importantly, secure our pick up from the bus stop, we arrived in at 5.30 in the morning and no one was there to meet us. 5.30 in the morning in a strange and dark Indian city is not where right thinking individuals or even people like us wish to find themselfs hanging around sporting back-packs containing all there worldly possessions. After waiting 30 minutes absorbing the usual pletora of hasslers and annoying tuc-tuc drivers doing their best to assure us they were our pick up we decided to bite the bullet and pay a driver to bring us to our hotel. Needless to say much banging of heads and telling off awoke the stupid and witless staff on duty. Especially when they told us the great news that in actual fact there was no room available and we would have to wait untill 10.30 to get one. What is the bloody point of phoning ahead if this happens was the jist of my raging argument. Eventually after I told them that my journalist ( fake) wife would be writing a particurlary venemous piece on their hotel we secured a provisional room untill our actual room was ready. Whoopie, another great start to a new Indian town!In fairness though, this is a great city and it got a lot better from that point on.We spent the first 3 days in this hotel, the Anjani, which was really centrally located and handy for getting about the main sights and activities. And activities we did. Never afraid of a good cliche, I took up sitar lessons with the eccentric Krishna in his cool little shop. Also, myself and Murph took a brillian 4 hour cooking class with brilliant Shashi under the sunrise restaraunt. This was a great lesson. Not just on Indian food but also on the crazy treatment of women in the society and the caste system. well worth doing if you are here. We are both looking forward to wowing our friends and family with our new cooking skills. No time in Udaipur would be complete without watching Octopussy in one of the nightly venues that show the cheesy Bond movie partly filmed in the city. One can only pity the poor suckers who work in these joints. Having to watch Roger Moore's Carry-On style gurning for an hour was enough for us and we made a 007 like escape.We did a little research aftera couple of days and located our favorite hotel of the trip so far. The Mahendra Prakesh is a great little place with fantastic clean pool, good grub and beer and great friendly staff. This place was certainly one of the main reasons we stayed so long here. Our room was gorgeous and even cheaper that hotel anjani. It was a little further out of town but a tuc-tuc still only cost 40 ruppees to get in.We spent a great few days lounging by the pool for a couple of hours in the morning before it got too hot. Eating lunch before I'd duck off to my lesson. Then catching a GnT somewhere followed by some tasty grub and then a late beer back in the hotel and a sometimes decent flick on the telly box. Ah, that's more like my idea of a holiday. We must be getting fierce lazy at this stage because it was a tough decision to decide to finally move onwards and into the desert for our camel safari.We spent an interesting if mightily auckward evening over in Krishna's house after he invited the two of us over for dinner. It was a fascinating insight into Indian family life and before we left Lydia was on the recieving end of some interesting ( have I used that word already ? ) henna designs on her hands.My last minute appealls for maybe one more day in the lovely Mahendra Prakesh fell on deaf ears, thankfully in hindsight, and we were off on another spendid bus journey that would encompass more skullduggery, hours of utter discomfort but ultimately a successful scoot to Jaisalmar.
]]> Pushy Priests and Pujas in Pushkar — Pushkar, Rajasthan, India http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1243756680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1243756680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1243756680/tpod.html Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:47:12 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Pushkar, Rajasthan, India

The sign on the wall of our hotel is full of stern warnings. No drugs, no alcohol, no non-veg food (including eggs!), men and women to dress respectfully and NOT (underlined!) to embrace in public. There goes my plans to down a beer and an omelete down by the lake wearing nothing but my bikini whilst giving Emmet a good grope. Yes indeed...they are not into craic in this town. They are into God (or should I say Gods, they have 33 million after all...). And in a big way.It's a touristy little town, beautifully situated on a lake. Unfortunately for us we are and I quote "like mad dogs going around Rajasthan in the summer" so the lake resembles a puddle with green sludge floating on the surface, the picture postcard view perfected with several lorries and diggers in the dry patches, giving it the look of a flooded quarry. Still the town is fairly used to bainnins like ourselves, and this is reflected in the myraid of stalls selling crusty clothes, silver jewelery etc and 'western' style restaurants. (Think soggy toast, dodgy pizza and overcooked pasta.) The other part of their tourist trade is Indian pilgrims who come to worship at the one and only Brahma temple in the whole country. We decided what the hell ( I didn't see blasphemy on that poster) if you can't beat em join em.So with all the enthusiasm either one of us can muster for religion / yet another temple we troop past the shops, stalls, piles of rubbish and wandering bovines to our destination. We are immediately accosted at the entrance by a smooth talking operator who delighted us with his cupla focal. He gave us a small newspaper package filled with flowers and lumps of sugar, leads us around (much to many Indian's amusement) and shows us how to make offerings. Then before you can say "bless me father for I have sinned, I have worshiped false Gods..." we are getting whisked from the temple down to the lakeside for a puja (prayer ceremony) Despite the neon flashing warning in the book of lies about said pujas, we decided what the hell if it costs us a fiver it'll still be a good experience. And it was. We were led with more sugar lumps, flower petals, sandlewood, rice, jasmine on silver plates to a set of steps leading down to the lake. Emmet and I were split up, men on one side, women on the other. Then a brahmain (Hindu priest or complete and utter chancer, who cares he played the role well) got me to chant aload of gobbeldey gook after him whilst sprinkling water on my hands and forehead.I tried not to laugh and hoped I wouldn't get stung by the swarm of wasps now gathered around me and my silver plate, but I knew wasps or no wasps, the real sting was coming. The inevitable, quintessential, Indian intonation..."SHOW ME THE MONEY!"Fecker hit me up for 300 rupees for local charities and another 100 for himself and his family. In exchange I got a warm fuzzy feeling and a red and yellow thread braclet; the so-called 'Pushkar passport'. Supposedly if people see it on you, they know you have already given you money and don't try to hit you up for more. So in effect it's a passport to a hassle free existance. Ha. I'm not sure if it works, but I intend on keeping in on until I leave this country. Anyway the way I see it, if karma does exist and he was a chancer, the universe will it sort out. If there is no karma and he was just a chancer, it still cost hardly anything and was a pretty interesting experience.Karma and pujas aside the rest of Pushkar was fairly uneventful. I think it would have been a nice place to chill out if there had been a few more tourists around and the place wasn't so deserted. As it was we decided to move down to Udaipur (where they filmed part of Octopussy) and upgrade our acommodation from the slime to the sublime. It was time for a bit of luxury, pampering and dear God some booze!!!!Traveler's TipsWe stayed in Prafal Palace - it was only 200 rupees a night, but hey you get what you pay for. Was clean and you can get "special water" in a teapot if you ask. The pool is minging though and it's a bit of a walk (north of bus stop) to where the main action is.Pink Floyd Cafe looked like it could be fun (special water there also) except it was dead so they weren't showing any of their nightly movies or anything this time of year.
]]> We'll have the super deluxe suite please... — Jaipur, Rajasthan, India http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958600/tpod.html Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:39:05 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Getting from A to B in this country is the hardest part. The hecticstreets, beggars and hasslers etc. are easy to cope with when you canduck back into your hotel to escape for a bit. Not as easy when you'restanding on a packed train platform, your nostrils full of the fumesand stenches, the eyes of the masses studying your every move, waitingfor a train that you hope will arrive reasonably on time and at thisparticular platform. This is why we are trying to devise the optimumtime to arrive for transport. Not to early so as to lesson hassle timeand not to late as to avoid missing the early leaving trains.Ourtrain eventually arrives and brings us of towards Jaipur. A Scottishcouple we meet are in India celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.After they get moved up to 1rst class they send a wee bottle of rum anda large packet of crisps back to us bums. I guess a year of travelingis giving us the appearance of wandering orphans.We arrivedonly a couple of hours late and thankfully our driver was waiting forus . He ferried us to our hotel. Now, I had done a little phone-callingin advance of this journey to get us the best possible bargainconsidering it was slow season but we were pleasantly surprised todiscover on arrival that we had been given a super-deluxe room for halfthe normal price. Not bad at all. Basically for a tenner each we got agorgeous room with 4 poster bed and all the trimmings. We havediscovered that their is great hotel deals at this time of year hereand its pretty important to have good digs when after a few hours ofexploring etc you can retire to your haven for all important India RnR.Jaipuritself is one of the duller cites we have seen in India. There reallyisn't much to see or do here. The so-called pink city isn't, for themost part, very pink. The palace was mildly interesting and the foodoptions are limited at best. You have the usual drinking problem herein that its bloody hard to get some. None at our hotel and then theauld luke warm clandestine fair served in a tea-pot and covered glass.So,bar the surreal sight of 5 business men strolling down the street ontheir way to work one morning, one of whom was completely naked savefor his brief-case, Jaipur offered little interesting substance and wewere happy to be on our way. This time by bus to the town of Pushkar.
]]> The Taj Mah-all to ourselves.... — Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958540/tpod.html Sun, 31 May 2009 04:10:47 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

Surely a milestone of any Indian adventure is your first train journey. Ours was to be from the holy city of Varanasi to the home of the Taj Mahal, Agra. It's reputed to be one of the worst routes in all of India for hassles, muggings and druggings; thus it was with a healthy dose of paranoia we left Ganpati guest house, led by a small boy who was to bring us to our taxi to the station.  There was the usual manic hassle with people running up to you, whispering or shouting various entreaties in your ear. Our guide stood fast against the secret deals he was being offered and delivered us safely to our nice air conditioned car. We stepped into the station and it looked like a bomb shelter. There were families and bodies strewn everywhere on the floor, panned out lying flat down in the heat, shoes off, paying us no heed at all. We ducked into the foreign tourist office on the left hand side of the entrance. The difference couldn't be more apparent. Air conditioned, furnished with soft couches and mercifully quiet bar the sound of one or two tourists buying their tickets. I am both appalled and relieved by the segregation. We make inquiries and are told another man will let us know which platform to head for when the time comes.  I spend half an hour trying to read my book, words flitting past my eyes and through my ears as concentration gives way to nervous anticipation. Finally, it's time. An orderly, hassle free, 3 minute walk and we're on platform 5. But is it our train? We consult with 3 equally confused French men before Emmet takes the initiative and starts striding down the platform in what I hope is the right direction. The train is the length of all the trains in Ireland put together. It's sturdy and blue with yellow letters on the side depicting class, coach and number. Sleeper (unreserved) class looks grim; metal bars adorn the windows, heads and hands pour out the gaps of the hot sweat boxes.  After some uncertainty we find our berth. Our lodgings for the night in the 3AC berth are like, as Emmet said, being stuck in the boot of a car all night with our faces around 4 inches from the ceiling. Still, the upper berth does afford some privacy which is a relief given all the stories I've heard about the tendencies of Indian men to stare at Western women for hours. There is no place to chain our bags up high, but we can sleep with them behind our heads. So far, so good. I get another attack of paranoia when the dinner man comes around. Despite my plans to survive on crisp sambos for the night I risk a dhal bhat. It is cold and insipid and I am afraid of being drugged, so I refuse to let Emmet have any. Still we survive the night and arrive into Agra in the wee hours of the morning. Despite many warnings about it being one of the worst cities in India, Agra was not as bad as I expected it to be. Either people have been exaggerating, or we've just been to too many shit holes at this stage! Between the train journey and the slightly better than expected Agra, I was beginning to relax a bit more about being in India. Yet I couldn't help but feel that India was trying to lull me into a false sense of security, and when I least expected it, she would pounce!!Anyway, having arrived, we realized that the Taj Mahal is actually closed on Fridays. Oopsie wetsite. Good job we booked our onward ticket to Jaipur for 2 days time. We visited Agra Fort to wile away our extra day. It's an incredible structure and the buildings inside (many added on by the same Shah who built the Taj Mahal) are beautiful and ornate. That evening Emmet decided he needed a G & T stat, but unfortunately, like Varanasi, it's fairly hard to acquire alcohol in the town. We consulted our trusty book of lies which told us the 7 star hotel in town, with rooms going at over 1000 USD a night, had a great bar from which to watch the sun set over the Taj Mahal. I was a bit nervous about turning up in my crusty backpacker gear, but with a mighty thirst and never to be deferred by a bit of snobbery, we marched in to the place like we belonged. Access granted, we watched the sun streak orange, pink and purple over a perfectly unspoiled view of the Taj and sipped our G & Ts contentedly, joking next visit to India we'd stay in this hotel. Ha, I don't know which was the bigger joke. The thought that we could afford 1000 USD a night room, or that we'd be coming back to India!!!The next morning it was a 5.30am start to watch the sunrise over the Taj. The early hour promised small crowds and cool climes. Being the slow season there was hardly any foreign tourists, although many Indians started turning up as the morning wore on. Thus we (incredibly) managed to get good snaps with no tourists in them. The monument itself did not disappoint, despite having seen hundreds of reproductions of its image over the years. It is  truly one of the man made wonders of the world. With nothing more to see in Agra, we decided it was time to get the hell out of dodge before Agra's reputation decided to rear its ugly head. Traveler's TipsWe stayed outside of the Taj Ganj area (in the Tourist Rest Stop, in the LP, 600 rupees for room with air cooler and TV), which may have contributed to our view that Agra isn't as hassly as people say it is! Also in the LP the South Indian restaurant and Zorba the Buddah are absolutely delish. The bar at the 7 star hotel is beautiful and not too bad price wise. We paid 250 rupees for a small beer and aprx 300 rupees for a G & T. Totally worth it.
]]> You can kiss my Varanasi — Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958480/tpod.html Sat, 23 May 2009 09:48:49 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

What was I saying in my last entry about the diminishing appeal of scary flights? Well my impressions of India so far are that anything horrible that another country could have produced will be surpassed and bettered by this equally mental and amazing country.So, because of the trouble in Nepal we were forced to fly from Kathmandu to Varanasi on an Air India plane. The last time I flew Air India was 1983 on route to Tampa Bay. I remember it for the multiple electric shocks I recieved every time I touched the arm rest on the seats. Also I remembered hearing that year of other Air India flights which had crashed. Hmmm, soothing thoughts. This without doubt was the scariest flight ever. First of all, out of the 11 or so passengers, the 4 nearest to us are Mexican. Thats great considering the news of Swine Flu. Secondly, this plane is old and tattered. Besides the general dirt, the plane has broken parts and rattles like an E-fuelled geriatric disco. Then about 20 minutes ahead of schedule the plane begins to decend rapidly with no sign of any airport. As the pilot dives and veers the big old plane left and right, pulling moves that would have made the Cruiser sick in Top-Gun, flight attendants scurry about pulling a curtain across the plane so passengers cant see whats going on up above. Once again on this trip ( Wellington , Lukla and Kathmandu take a bow ) we are only a few hundred meters from the ground with no sign of an airport. Murph turns to me full sure that this is the end when all of a sudden out of nowhere tarmac arrives and we hit the ground and screech to a halt. Welcome to India.On the way into town an accident occurs in front of us. Two motorbikes are scattered on the road along with 3 bodies. A crowd converge and begin tossing the scraps of metal and the dead and dying onto the side so cars can pass. No difference in treatment for human or machine, just rubbish being cleared from the road. Welcome to India.We spent four days in this city. At first it's a little scary. The tiny windy cobbled laneways are full of people, cows and filth. Everywhere people come up to you trying to sell you something are bring you somewhere. You have to be cold and distant just to get from A to B. After a day or two though when you get the lay of the land Varanasi gets easier and you get braver. We took an early morning walking tour which inevitably ended up in a silk shop where our " guide" tried to sell us garments. No thanks. Before we left though we took an amazing boat tour at dusk up and down the Ganga. We got up close and personel ( far to close for comfort ) to the burning Ghats. As our boat man chatted to grieving relatives the tide moved our boat extremely close to the feet sticking out of a burning pyer. Poor Murph, not the world's biggest fan of feat in the first place, living or dead, was within a couple of yards of this corpse. Jaysus ! Eventually we moved on to a safer distance. We also got to witness from the water the amasing Pujas which take place on the Ghats every night. An amazin spectacle of music, colour and religion. I'll never forget the image of a kid, in silhouette against the lights, flying his kite in animated fashion that made him appear as a sort of dancer to the tablas and singing. A beautiful image to round of our time in Varanasi.I can't say I wasnt glad to be getting out of town but I'm also happy to have seen this place for myself. We had a night train to Agra to look forward to and the pleasures of the Taj Mahal.
]]> The Last Resort — Kodari, Nepal http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958360/tpod.html Fri, 22 May 2009 08:22:41 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Kodari, Nepal

The journey to the Last Resort was arduous. Bleary eyed and still half drunk from our exploits the night before; Emmet was asleep on my lap, his head pressing into my (full) bladder. This position was made all the more uncomfortable by the woegus state of the Nepalese roads, which were in parts, unpaved or covered in the aftermath of recent landslides. To make matters worse, as we left Kathmandu, the visible presence of the army on the streets, and the long queues of cars and motorbikes for petrol were grim reminders of the political uncertainty in the country at the moment.   4 hours later we arrived, a mere 32km short of the Tibetan border. Entrance to this aesthete's paradise is via a metal swinging bridge hanging over a steep river valley, with Asia's largest bungy dangling in the middle. My (now premature) thoughts that my vertigo had diminished this past year were ridiculed as I stumbled petrified across the precarious looking structure staring straight ahead and screaming at Emmet to hurry the hell up!   As soon as we entered the resort however, all stresses melted away. The grounds were lush and green, with beautiful stone and wooden buildings nestled amidst the bushes and trees. Neat pathways of smooth pebbles lead to our safari tents, which were cool, comfortable and mercifully well spaced out from one another ensuring maximum privacy. At night (with the inevitable power cuts) oil lamps and candles light up the bar, giving the place the same feel as El Retiro in Guatamela, although a little more polished. It was pure serenity and the perfect antidote to two hard weeks of trekking in the Himalayas.   We spent the next 2 days reading, sunbathing, feasting on delicious food and enjoying the odd tipple. (Just one or two, honestly!) There is a whole host of activities run by the resort; white water rafting, mountain biking, canyoning. We were sorely tempted, but our tired limbs convinced us that a bit of R & R, not more adventure activities, was what was required.   Our last night turned into an a bit of an impromptu sing song when we got chatting to two South Carolinans at the bar, one of who could play the guitar. We sang into the wee hours until we eventually got kicked out of the bar and back to our own tents, ensuring we left the Last Resort in pretty much the same state we came in. Hideously hungover, but happy all the same.  Traveller's Tips   This place is heaven, really chillaxed, perfect for post trekking recuperation. Although like we said, we would have loved to have joined in some of the activities. They are pretty pricey though. Food and a private tent (2 beds) and your transport to and from KTM costs 34 euro per person per night. If you want to do any activities you can look at doubling that per day at least. It's definitely worth the money just to stay here anyway, the food was great, the tents are nice, it's all very clean and the staff and helpful and friendly.
]]> Everest conquered, time to celebrate in Kathmandu — Kathmandu, Nepal http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958300/tpod.html Fri, 22 May 2009 03:38:42 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Kathmandu, Nepal

AH, DOWN IS GOOD !As Lyds said, you feel a million bucks on the way down. After struggling and sluggin our way to a hight of 560 m you feel fit and happy skipping back down. We had a nice rest day in Namche and then it was time for the final decent into Lukla. At this stage though we were really knackered and were looking forward to getting the trek over and done with.Myself and Lyds put in some good pace on the final stretch just wanting to put an end to the hike. We struggled up and over the final climb up into Lukla a good half hour ahead of raj and Tek. Jaysus were we glad as we realised that yes indeed this was Lukla and yes indeed we made it!It was time for drinks so the 4 of us hit a little tea house and sampled some home made hooch that the local porters love called Chang. After a glass or 6, some buffalo momos and a few games of cards it was of to leaba with our thoughts now firmly fixed on the dreaded flight of that bloody runway in the morning.The weather was good and Raj's contacts did'nt let us down so we got on flight number two and skidded down the runway veering left then swinging right and finally lifting off seconds before the edge of the cliff/runway. Bloody hell, what a start to this dreaded flight. But it got better. I notice after half an hour that we seem to be going around in circles. Whats going on ? I ask Raj. He in turn asks the air hostess, "I don't know but its scary " says she, full of confidence, hmm!  Eventually the skipper decides to risk a landing by flying very low under the clouds for ten minutes. We skirt over flats and high buildings. A tall man standing on his roof almost looses his head and then we land with a thump and everyone breathes a massive sigh of relief. These hairem scarem flights are beginning to loose their appeal.Back in Kathmandu Raj invites us for a beautiful meal over in his house. We get to meet the family and he shows us around his building project. He is putting in 4 new floors on top of his home. It will be brilliant when finished we reckon. Many beers are had and the craic is great. His daughter brings us off to find a taxi later and we decide to hit the bar ourselfs and catch some of Kathmandu's excellent live music. There are dozens of bars here that feature cool live acts most nights.We meet Raj again the next night. he has an Irish fella who planned on going with him to base camp but Raj is double booked so he asked us to vouch for Tek. We do this and end up having a good night out with the guy. Its been a long time since we had any Irish company.Next morning and we are off to The Last Resort for some well earned r'n'r'.
]]> Trek to Everest 3 — Everest Region, Himalayan Region, Nepal http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958180/tpod.html Mon, 18 May 2009 09:13:47 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Everest Region, Himalayan Region, Nepal

Day 7: Dengboche to Lobuche (4343m - 4930m)Wake to early morning ebulltions. Coughing, blowing, sneezing, hacking.Heavy footsteps shudder down our plywood corridor. A brief inspectionof my body finds my thighs in bad shape, locked stiff after yesterday'sadventure, lactic acid swashing about in my limbs. Looked at myself inthe mirror for the first time in about a week and resolved not to do itagain. After a hearty breakfast of beans and eggs it's back up the way we wentyesterday. I find it very hard going and worry I might have spent allmy reserves yesterday. After 30 minutes the trail levels off to a'Nepali flat', which means gradual and sometimes not so gradualinclines. I am gasping for breath despite this. What ninnies theporters must think we are as they stride Herculean like up themountains, with as much as 100kg on their back. Despite taking Diamox,I am worried about developing AMS. For those of you not familiar withthe insipid disease its 'mild' symptoms can include a simultaneousoccurance of headache, nausea, vomiting and diohrea. How lovely. (Bearin mind most of the toilets are of the squat variety and its all youcan do not to spew in some of them anyway.) It gets more serious whenit turns into HAPE or HACE, the former being a pulmonary edema i.e.your lungs filling up with your own blood. The latter being a swellingof the brain. Raj warned us that the 2nd part of the climb today up to the Tulka pass(a very steep 300m climb) is where many people start to feel ill andshow symptoms of AMS. As it turns out, the Diamox had kicked in andcompared to our sojourn up the "hill" yesterday I found the climbrelatively easy. En route we saw two seperate girls being escorted down the trail, onebeing guided by the arm with her unsteady legs, the other actuallybeing piggybacked down by a guide. No laughing matter altitudesickness. I'm just grateful we've made it this far, it would besickening to have to turn around so close to our goal. At the start ofthe Tulka pass (or memory hill as it is also known due to all thememorials erected to those who have perished on the icy graveyard thatis Mount Everest) we pause for breath and take in the scenery. Theclouds roll in and settle mid mountain like bands of soft fluffy cottonwool and we marvel at the beauty. The next hour to Lobuche is really glacier territory, we walk through avalley which is grey on both sides, scree and small rockslides warningus to keep to the middle. Everest has been out of view for the last 3days now, but she's around the corner (so to speak) and soon we'll setfoot on her." After another lunch of soup and egg sambos (the menus are all the same,low on fresh fruit veg, high on carbs like pasta and spuds) we try tokeep ourselves awake by trekking up 100m to the ridge overlookingLobuche. Raj promised us we'd get nice views of both the Khumbu andLobuche glaciers. He was half right. The section of Khumbu we could seewas covered in dirt and fallen rocks with only the odd pool of brightblue sticking out. Lobuche was impressive before the afternoon cloudscame rolling in like clockwork. Boulders were scattered along the ridgeand chortens were built up by trekkers past looking for good uck. Wedescended back down quickly as the snow and hail moved in. It's anearly start tomorrow, 3 hours to Gorak Shep, than a 5 hour round tripto Everest Base Camp. We'll have to keep the games of Jab Jab (Nepalesecard game) to a minimum tonight.Day 8: Lobuche - Gorak Shep ( 4930m - 5160m)Fitful restless sleep. Couldn't have come at a worse time. Ourdeparture time got pushed back to 5am due to the late opening of thekitchen. We were going to breakfast in Gorak Shep instead. Layered upand packed in the dim light of Emmet's head torch, then walked out tothe frosty misty morning. We advance like a funeral procession. I amlike a zombie, my feet barely lifting an inch off the ground, leaningon my stick for support, my heart screaming more oxygen, more, more,more!!We continue up through the Lobuche pass, I enquire about thepossibility of getting frost bit at this altitude. We scramble overboulders, its silent except for our heavy breathing and the chirping ofa few birds. I wonder what they eat or how they survive in this harshenvironment. I am at one of my lowest points on the whole trek and whenI feel I can no longer go on, the sun breaks out. We get a panoramicview of several mountain peaks, glowing they look like floating in asea of cloud. They are gilt edged as the sun creeps up behind them,eventually huge beams of golden sunlight shoot off their tops at rightangles, bringing instant warmth to the valley and to my body. I amenvigorated and find new strength to go on.We are relieved to arrive in Gorak Shep which is a tiny godforsakenlooking place. Around 20 people work here during the season, then moveback down to lower and more hospitible altitudes when there are notourists around. The, by now much anticipated cricket match, is gettingset up in a field adjacent to the village and we find much to ourdismay that there is no room at the inn. Unable to secure private digs,we settle for a dorm bed and feel very glad of it as we see moretrekkers arrive later, knowing they will have to rough it out in a tentthat night. After breakfast we sit for an hour in the surprisingly warm sun towatch Team Tenzig battle it out with Team Hillary on a flat patch ofsand with an incredible backdrop of snow capped peaks and perfect blueskies. Despite my slight annoyance at being unable to escape planetearth's most boring sport at 5000m, I can't help but be impressed bytheir efforts. They don't seem to take the foot off the peddle at all,shouting (i get winded talking), batting, bowling and running. Theysaid their team doctors have been worried frantic about them, but theyhave the guru of AMS from the Himilayan Rescue Association overseeingproceedings, so hopefully they will all be alright. If not, at leastthe helicopter has a nice flat patch on which to land!! (We found outlater that the HRA doc had to be choppered back to Kathmandu, sufferingfrom, you guessed it, altitude sickness!!!)As we set off towards base camp, the yelling and whooping of cricketersmade for a surreal soundtrack. The landscape is shifting and glacial.It's amazing the size and amount of rock moved about by Khumbu. Hugeslabs of rock are perched precariously over our heads, Raj tells us tohurry up in case there is a landslide. En route we see porters carryinggoods up to base camp, which is apparently very well supplied. Well itwould want to be. It cost 65,000 USD to join an expedition to thesummit back in 1996, lord only knows what it costs now. May is themonth most climbers attempt the summit so the camp was full of brightlycoloured tents. We make it as far as the first camp then collapseexhausted. The scenery of the glacier is spectacular, almost alienlike. We trace the route with our eyes that climbers must make, up theKhumbu icefall, into the Wstrn Cmn. It looks treacherous. It's a long round trek, especially with our exhausting trip fromLobuche thrown in. As we struggle back to Gorak Shep I marvel at thefact that they have a marathon from base camp back down to NaamcheBaazar every year. The winner is naturally always a sherpa and thefastest time is a very respectable four hours and sixteen minutes.Eventually we make it back to hear Team Hillary has triumphed. We havea bite to eat and settle in for what we expect to be a sleepless night.Emmet has a headache after the base camp trek, I hope he improves forthe morning.Day 9: Gorak Shep - Kala Pattar - Periche (5160m - 5600m - 4280m)Need to go to the toilet all night but ignore the urge. Can't face thecold and the squat toilet. Can hear Emmet rustling in his sleeping bag,breathing sounds quite laboured. The Germans beside us wake first.Emmet tells me his head and stomach are bad. I make plans in my head toclimb KP alone if Emmet is not too serious. Will see what Raj says, wemay have to go back down. 5am we crawl out of our sleeping bags alreadydressed. One weak cup of black tea and 2 soggy digestive biscuits laterand Emmet says he'll give it a bash. He necks 2 headache tablets and weexit our tea house. Emmet looks like he wants to lie down and die as wecross the cricket pitch. No AMS symptoms for me so far, but I stillfeel like death warmed up. Can't imagine where Emmet is getting hisstrength from. We cut a sorry figure the two of us as we struggle upthe first part of the hill. It's 300 long metres to the top. We are nottoo ill that we can't take in the incredible scenery though. Gorak Shepis shrinking steadily behind us, at a height we can appreciate finallythe size and stature of the Khumbu glacier. The village is backing ontoit and it fits snugly up against the mountain range containing Everest.The valley is partially in darkness, the tips of the mountains startingto light up in contrast as the sun rises. Still we struggle.Ignorance is bliss. Over the first ridge we see how much further wereally have to go. The top looks miles away, unreachable. I fight backthe tears, try not to look up and focus on putting one foot in front ofthe other; and again and again. After what seems like an eternity wereach 5562, but decide to go the extra 40m to the very top. It's atough climb over black boulders which give the mountain its name. Atlast...success. We have reached our final goal, our highest point, andwe are still in one piece. The sun has risen directly behind Everestmaking pictures impossible, but we are too tired and happy to care.After some victory poses we make a quick descent, grab breakfast andbegin the long walk back to Lukla. Despite only descending 1000m mylegs feel like they have been released from giant manacles. I canbreathe easy, I can walk up hills without panting...MY GOD!! This mustbe what it feels like to be fit!! And I like it. It's a fun, mostlydownhill or flat alk to Pheriche, skipping along, remembering pointswhere we faltered, or where our spirits ebbed. No more worries aboutAMS now, just a growing sense of achievement and a looking forward toour rest day in Naamche Baazar where we plan on indulging in 1 or 2well earned beers!!!Day 10: Pheriche - Naamche Baazar (4280m - 3340m)Legs not as light today and the trail is very dusty. Still my fitnesssurprises me, and I don't want to give the feeling up. I am a tad smugif not triumphant when greeting people on the way up. Oh they have itall ahead of them. Naamche is like coming home. We celebrate with 2beers and a delicous buffalo curry. Sleep soundly looking forward toour first day off in nearly two weeks.Day 11: Rest day Naamche Baazar (3340m)Still wake at six but lie on reading until 9. Thoughts of job huntingpreoccupy me. We spend the day strolling (gasping) through the town.Come across a bakery and treat ourselves to hot chocolates and applepie. It's like heaven after all the bland food we've eaten. There arestalls and shops everywhere selling Tibetan jewelery, prayer bells,rugs, postcards, snacks and tacky "I trekked to E.B.C" t-shirts. In theafternoon we make a trip to the local market where porters have carriedgoods in from Jiri. There are tempting cloth bags of fresh veg,cauliflower, garlic, onion, white cabbage; they sit beside flat basketsof chilies and spices. Dried goods, pasta are there, along with themore luxurious chocolates and coffee. There are also chickens stuffedinto small woven baskets, trays and trays of eggs (I've probablyconsumed 3 dozen myself over the last 10 days) and a huge and ratherdisturbing carcus of mystery meat thrown over someones sweaty shoulder.The locals mill around selecting, chatting, and haggling. I startdreaming about all the delicous food I am going to eat in Kathmandu.
]]> Trek to Everest 2 — Everest Region, Himalayan Region, Nepal http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241958000/tpod.html Mon, 18 May 2009 09:13:19 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Everest Region, Himalayan Region, Nepal

Day 4: Naamche Baazar to Tengboche (3340m - 3870m )   So this is what it feels like to suffocate. Is this what heavy smokers feel like all the time? The day started innocently enough. Perfect blue skies, clear mountain views. After 10 minutes of sharp ascent, the trail leveled off to a 3 person wide dirt path snaking around the side of mountains. Luckily it rained last night, keeping the dust down. Pine covered hills and bushes of blooming pink rhododendrons were all around us. There was a sheer drop to the right of about 1000m, where we could see the milky blue white river roaring below us, gathering strength all the time as the glaciers melt. Majestic mountain ranges, of which Everest forms a part, bend into view around the corner like a picture from a postcard. They are snow capped, awe inspiring, with eagles soaring overhead and clouds floating past as we trek deeper into Sagarmatha National Park. The many villages we encountered on the trail earlier have begun to thin out, but this is still Buddhist country and we pass many stupas (tombs) bedecked with prayer flags fluttering in the wind as we walk. Mani stones featuring the carved mantra "Om mani padme hum" which are painted in black and white are littered along the trail, and we always walk on their left hand side for good karma. I figure we need all the help we can get. We continue on this blissful walk for an hour where the only sounds are the occasional tinkle of yak bells as they slowly haul supplies up the trail. Then we descend sharply to meet the river. The last monsoon had dislodged some massive boulders and destoryed the suspension bridge, a brief but sobering reminder that we are in a moving, active region that can throw you at the mercy of its elements. Then, the climb begins. Not as bad as the climb to Naamche Baazar, but the atmosphere is thinner here and my lungs, heart and brain can all feel it. The only thing able to run at this altitude (beside sherpas and total freaks) is my nose, and it is. Prodigiously. Will have to dose myself in honey and hot lemon later. We see another rescue helicopter on the way. We have already seen 5 / 6 in the last few days. Reminds us that our insurance only goes up to 4000m. We laugh nervously and hope we'll be alright and that whoever is being rescued isn't suffering from anything too serious. (We find out later in the week that 2 sherpas actually died that day. They were part of a team attempting the summit of Pulmoni Mountain.) We arrive into typically rustic lodgings; the loo is a hole in the ground in a shed outside, complete with thoughtfully included window so you can look out (or in if your that way inclined) and enjoy the view!!  Still we can see Everest from our bedroom, and it doesn't get much better than that! Tengboche is famous for its monastery, so after lunch we go for a look around and are let in by a monk in maroon robes, a hoody and a pair of converse runners! The contrast of tradition and modernity is on display all over the region. We also visit a nearby visitor centre and wander through the very interesting exhibition on Buddhism. The Dalai Lama has certainly made it a very appealing religion (if you can call it that) for many Westeners, and I can see the attraction although I'm not sure if I'm entirely convinced. Then again as Voltaire said; "It is no more surprising to me to be born twice than it is to be born once."   Day 5: Tengboche to Dengboche (3870m - 4343m)What do nuns, porn films and helicopters have in common? Unlikely as it may seem, the mountain monastery town of Tengboche.   Helicopters: The day began uneventfully enough with the usual quick clamour into thermals and baby wipe shower. There we were innocently tucking into a nutritious breakfast of veg omelettes and black tea outside, enjoying the view; when suddenly the lodge owner came running over to myself and Emmet gesturing wildly as a helicopter came swooping down and tried to land on our heads. I kid you not. Was it a rescue helicopter, someone spitting up blood in the throes of AMS? (In which case I could forgive it for blowing up buckets of mud and dust onto my breakfast and shattering my peace and tranquility.) Alas no, it was a load of toffs on a mountain flight. Cheers for that lads. Next time don't be so bloody lazy and do what everybody else does in Nepal. Walk it! Breakfast ruined we decided to cut our losses and start trekking.   Nuns: 15 mins walk downhill from the monastery there is a small stone building which houses a load of Buddist nuns. They are funded by the monks, but their lodgings look far less plush. Raj tells us to go inside. It's dimly lit, and they are defintiley poor cousins to their richer male counterparts. There is no alter or massive buddah like in the monastery. We sit against the back wall, two nuns sit with their backs to us, in lotus position on a wooden bench. Opposite them and facing us is another bald nun, maroon robes pulled snugly around their shoulders to stave off the early morning chill. The walls are brightly coloured with murals depicting tales from the life of Buddah, a series of grid windows with intricitley carved frames let in what little light there is. The nun facing us beats a gian drum in time to prayers, their voices pitch at different tones, almost like harmonies in a song. The mantras are hypnotic and soothing. We watch for a few minutes and the mood is sombre and pious as we tip toe out in our socks.   Porn Films: Alas, as usual, down means up. After that nice descent to the nunnery, the rest of the climb to Dengboche is long and steep and my laboured breathing, as my heart threatens to explode, could provide the sound track for a cheap porno film. Luckily the walk does provide some diversions (besides the stunning scenery) and we meet the Sherpa who holds the current world record for climbing from Everest Base Camp to the summit in the fastest time. 8 hours. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. I was somewhat fazed by his modern appearance, bedecked as he was in the latest labels in mountaineering gear, a true poster boy for the "Gortex Gang" as Emmet liked to refer to hard core trekkers / mountainerers. (I don't know what I was expecting, someone a bit more like Tenzig in 1950s gear maybe?) Not contect with having scaled the highest mountain in the world 8 times and in the fastest time, he is now going to attempt to stay n the summit for 24 hours without oxygen. Good luck is all I can say to that.   Day 6: Acclimitization day Dengboche (4343m - 5083m)  Had vivid dreams again, seems to be a side effect of sleeping at high altitudes. They weren't scary this time though, I got a job with TV3. (On second thoughts maybe that is a nightmare?) Decided to take it as a good omen. Woke at six after my TV3 escapades with a congested wooly head. Emmet was also bleary eyed after putting in another sleepless night. The plan was to climb to the top of Nagathana "hill", which stands at a modest 5083m. The climb started out ok but grew increasingly steep towards the summit. For the last 100m we had to scramble over large boulders. We climbed 600m in all. Like most challenging things in life, it was extremely rewarding. We got 360 degree jaw dropping views, the wonder of a snow capped Abu Dabla mountain towering infront of us and the river snaking through the valley down below us. You could even hear its roar at 5000m. The landscape from up there looked arid, grey, too harsh an environment for much to prosper. The clouds rolled in without warning, obscuring the mountains to our right until only the summits were visible. It was an awesome feeling to be up so high amidst the mountain tops and clouds. We don our down jackets for the descent. The effect of the chilling wind and the diamox (altitude sickness tablets) lead my whole face to tingle, giving my head a strange buzzy feeling, like it might pop off and roll down the 'hill' at any minute. The only problem with that of course was that my legs seemed to be having some sort of OBE, so I wasn't entirely confident in their ability to chase after and secure my ever accelerating noggin. I stumbled down the mountain in a trance on bambi legs, my cartilidge seeping away with every judder and bounce. More than once my stick prevented a nasty tumble. The lack of rain had made the trail dusty and dirt clung beneath fingernails, boots, tights, jeans and socks and I was filthy and destroyed by the time we made it back to the warmth and comfort of our lodge.   After some rest and recovery its time to explore Dengboche a little bit. The houses are typical of all the ones we've come across on the trek, stone with painted corrugated tin rooves. The scenery is almost Connemara like with fields marked out by low stone walls, arid landscape all around. Most places are tea house treks like our own, with unimaginative names. Everest rest house, Everest view lodge etc...but there are other services too; there is even internet at this height.( Although I can't vouch for its speed or reliabilty.) All the shops have shelves cluttered with the same products. McVities biscuits are popular above 4000m, with chocolate digestives and hob nobs both making an appearance. Pringles too are a staple (Emmet saw an empty box in the nunnery the other day, they must be good so, holy sanction!), as are snickers, mars and a myraid of other tempting chocolate bars. Not so tempting is their astonishing price tags (2.50/3 euro for a bar). Worse than Dublin even! But then again, no one ever had to carry a case of coke on their back for three vertical miles uphill. Dengboche is quiet, save a few other trekkers strolling around trying to loosen up their legs, or else locals are out washing clothes in small streams and lying them out on walls to dry.   Our lodge is a comfortable one and has the standard dining room, with heavy wooden benches and tables around 3 sides for eating or playing cards. The welcome warm stove in the middle is useful for drying your socks or boots on as well as warming yourself up after a day of trekking. The benches are also long so you can sit right back on them and stretch your weary legs. Upstairs seems practically made of plywood (some of which we probably saw getting carried up on tired backs no doubt) and I'm worried about the whole thing falling apart.   Raj has sent a colleague's porter up ahead to our next stop Lobuche. They are expecting large numbers because two cricket teams from England have decided to try and break the world record for playing a game at the highest altitude. Is nowhere safe from this dreaded boring game???
]]> Trek to Everest 1 — Everest Region, Himalayan Region, Nepal http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241509800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241509800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lydsandemmet/1/1241509800/tpod.html Sun, 10 May 2009 03:04:36 -0400 Around the globbbb...
Everest Region, Himalayan Region, Nepal

Jaysus what a plane journey !First of all we were bloody lucky to get on one at all. Landing a plane in Lukla is like trying to jump off a 10 foot high wardrobe into a pair of leather trousers after two bottles of rum. Myself and Mr. J. Morrison of Los Angeles, California are the last two people to take a stab at that glorious endeavor . Any bit of cloud cover makes it impossible to touch the tiny, wobbly planes down as the pilot needs complete visual of the miniscule runway built onto the side of the mountain.Thus, very few planes have a go at landing every day resulting in backlogs galore. We met many people who had returned for a third and sometimes fourth day hoping for a flight. We were supposed to get on the first flight at 6.30 but at 11.30, with the last flight supposed to leave at 12 we finally got the nod. On the runway as we were being bussed to our plane we got the word to go back as planes were returning from an unsuccesful run at Lukla.Damn, so close. Our guide, Raj, rather than admit defeat, asked wheather there was an off chance of one more plane attempt later and was told to hang on one more hour. At one o 'clock we were given the nod once more and we dashed through the tiny lounge and on to the bus. As we borded the plane our initial joy at getting another shot became replaced with a sneaking anxiety over the abilities of our weener plane.Off we took into the skies. Lyds behind me grimmaced and clung on to the back of my chair. Our attendent handed out cotten wool for the ears and sucky sweets for the gobs. All 10 passengers gasped and groaned as the plane dipped and jumped and floundered all over the place, dashing past high mountains and sailing over massive cliffs and valleys. My hands turned to liquid as we made the all important approach. I reflect that at least two planes a year crash up here and that doesnt help much. Then whack, we landed with a thump and skited down the tiny runway towards a wall of rock turning at the last moment and skidding to a halt. We had made it.To Lukla that is. Only a 13 day trek to complete now.We met our porter Tek next who had been patiently waiting at the airport for us all morning. We put on our bags( Tek taking our main bag and myself and Murph carrying only our day bags ) and set off on the relatively easy 4 hour first day hike to Pakding. On the way we pass lots of trekers going in the opposite direction. These weary looking souls are on the final leg of the triip and its daunting to see how knackered they look.We spend our first night at decent digs in Pakding and in the morning set out for Namche bizarre. Today we have to start taking our altitude tablets as the climb up to Namche will bring us to 3400 meters where many people begin to get sick. Unfortuately, I reckon I have a bit of a stomach bug so I felt sick as soon as I took the tablet. After a couple of hours treking I stop to get sick. This is when you realize that having a good guide like Raj is really important. He knows the symptoms of AMS and can tell me I probably am just feeling the effects of the tummy bug and should continue. So off we go. The climb into Namche is pretty tough going. Up, up, up we climb, crossing over the river on little cabel suspension bridges and climbing through rocky valleys. We get our first glimpse of Everest half way up and this gives us a lift to make the last few hundred meters in what is already tough climbing conditions with the lack of air.When we get to Namche both myself and Murph take a sigh of relief and begin to relax. Unfortunately our digs is at the very top of the town meaning another half hour of steep step climbing that we were not ready for. This about knocks us out and we collapse into our room. I foolishly fall into a deep sleep which is bad for the aclimatisation. Thus, at dinner I find it hard to eat anything and when I take my tablet after it stays down for only a minute. I'm starting to get a bit worried at this stage but thankfully we have a so-called rest day next day to give me a chance to recover.Rest day me arse! On our rest day we have to work on our aclimatisation so this means a gruelling mountain climb up overlookin Namche up to over 4000m. I decided today not to take anymore of the altitude tablets and chance doing it without them. This doesnt seem to do the trick immeadiately because two thirds of the way into today's climb and I'm getting sick again. But this time I feel pretty good afterwards so I continue up the mountain and then after we climb back down I'm able for a bowl of chicken soup which I keep down and then another at dinner. We watch a cool movie about the ill-fated Everest expedition which was caught in a freak storm resulting in the deaths of 12 climbers. Then its off to our leabas wrapped up in all our finery.By next morning I feel a little better and I'm ready for the day's hike to Tengboche.
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