Thursday 4 November 2010
Appendix - a note on place names
If you have noticed that some place names are spelt differently, such as Tengboche/Tyanboche, it is because Nepalese is written using a different form of alphabet and the correct spelling gets lost in translation!. Sorry for any confusion.
Epilogue
This Big Adventure really has been the trip of a lifetime. It has been a huge privilege to have the opportunity to visit the highest mountain in the world and to experience just a taste of what drives real mountaineers to put their lives at risk to achieve their goals.
It has been a wonderful way to celebrate my retirement from 32 years of teaching and latterly, seven years as Headteacher of Wells-next-the-Sea Primary & Nursery School.
The Parent Friend Association has organised sponsorship of this trek. If you would like to contribute to their funds, please send cheques to Wells-next-the-Sea Primary & Nursery School Parent Friend Association.
It has been a wonderful way to celebrate my retirement from 32 years of teaching and latterly, seven years as Headteacher of Wells-next-the-Sea Primary & Nursery School.
The Parent Friend Association has organised sponsorship of this trek. If you would like to contribute to their funds, please send cheques to Wells-next-the-Sea Primary & Nursery School Parent Friend Association.
Kathmandu to Heathrow
An early start to fly from Kathmandu to Heathrow via Delhi.
All checked in except for my travelling companion who is told her flight left two days ago and she missed it! After reassurances that she would be looked after, we were ushered onto our plane and she was left in Kathmandu. Horrendous!
At Delhi our connecting flight was delayed for six hours without explanation (thank you Jet Airways!) and we arrived back at 11pm. My travelling companion managed to get a flight with another airline and got back to Heathrow at 7am the following morning.
All checked in except for my travelling companion who is told her flight left two days ago and she missed it! After reassurances that she would be looked after, we were ushered onto our plane and she was left in Kathmandu. Horrendous!
At Delhi our connecting flight was delayed for six hours without explanation (thank you Jet Airways!) and we arrived back at 11pm. My travelling companion managed to get a flight with another airline and got back to Heathrow at 7am the following morning.
Kathmandu Once Again!
Our last day in Nepal was spent in seeing the unusual sights of Kathmandu.
We visited Pashupatinath which is the most important Hindu temple in Kathmandu and is situated on the banks of the Bagmati River. This is the home to many sadhus, holy men who cover themselves in ash and hope to persuade passing tourists that they should give them money to take their photographs.
Pashupatinath is the place where Hindu cremations take place on ghats along the riverside. The remains are scraped into the river, after which men retrieve unburnt pieces of wood to reuse.
The river is horribly polluted, but it is considered holy and close members of the bereaved family, wash themselves in it.
On a cheerier note, we visited Bodnath, the largets Buddhist stupa in the Kathmandu valley and home to a large number of Tibetans.
Bodnath is wonderful. It is massive and is placed centrally in a colourful square of shops selling religious artifacts and is surrounded by prayer flags.
We visited Pashupatinath which is the most important Hindu temple in Kathmandu and is situated on the banks of the Bagmati River. This is the home to many sadhus, holy men who cover themselves in ash and hope to persuade passing tourists that they should give them money to take their photographs.
On a cheerier note, we visited Bodnath, the largets Buddhist stupa in the Kathmandu valley and home to a large number of Tibetans.
Bodnath is wonderful. It is massive and is placed centrally in a colourful square of shops selling religious artifacts and is surrounded by prayer flags.
Lukla to Kathmandu
The weather is fine and there should be no problems in flying out of Lukla. Our plane has just arrived and as the passengers are disembarking, with are hurried onto the runway ready to take our seats for the flight to Kathmandu.
We say 'goodbye' to the snowy mountains.........
and fly along the fertile Kathmandu valley which is solidly terrassed in order to produce Nepalese's fresh food.
Kathmandu seems horribly polluted and noisy after being in the mountains, but it will be good to meet up with my travelling companion who flew back two days ago.
Monjo to Lukla
The last leg of our trek. At this stage, the thought of a hot shower (or any sort of shower for that matter!) and clean clothes becomes increasingingly attractive.
We pass the place where John (a member of the group) was pushed over the side of the mountain by a yeti on the first day of the trek!
These children are collecting yak dung in a plastic tub. The pats will be dried to use as fuel.
At Lukla, we say 'goodbye' and 'thankyou' to our yak boy and the assistant guides. They have been a wonderful team and we are very grateful to them for all their support whilst we have been on trek.
We pass the place where John (a member of the group) was pushed over the side of the mountain by a yeti on the first day of the trek!
We have time to share technology with the children....
and for the children to share facts about their lives with us.......
At Lukla, we say 'goodbye' and 'thankyou' to our yak boy and the assistant guides. They have been a wonderful team and we are very grateful to them for all their support whilst we have been on trek.
Wednesday 3 November 2010
Tengboche to Monjo
The regular sound of helicopters reminds us of the number of rescues from the mountains which take place in a day.
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