Happy Nice Trek

So upon my arrival in Nepal I was instantly panicked about the trek I had signed up for. It was the only part of my travels that I had planned ahead of time, I had done very little research and selected it because it fit my two criteria: 1. it was within the time frame that I was here in Nepal and 2. it didn't go to elevations where my wussy self would freeze (you'd think I was raised in Hawaii, not Wyoming). I was panicked because I thought I'd spent too much for it and was weary of my fellow trekkers (I don't know why). It only took the 1hour introduction meeting to settle my fears, the trek was AMAZING!!!!!

It was the perfect introduction not just to trekking, but to the country, culture and people of Nepal as well. It was a mix of everything from tree toilets to flushing toilets, tent camping to luxury hotels, dirty dirt roads to beautiful rhododendron jungle, bumpy rides in the back of a pickup to comfy tourist buses, steep steep climbs to flats the steep steep descents and crowded cities to tiny tea house towns.

The first part was a short 3 day tea house trek around the Kathmandu Valley, the mountain views were more amazing than I had anticipated and only got better as the days went on. Yes, I'm taking loads of photos, but I have to tell you now they just don't do the scenery justice. We got to see some beautiful landscapes and visited cozy, welcoming little towns and villages along the way with knowledgeable guides telling us the history and livelihoods of the local people.

We got to rest our legs a couple days and take a fun two day rafting trip. It was a lot of fun, though the Trisuli River didn't quite compare to the white water of Idaho... which was fine by me, I was welcoming these rest days because I started feeling quite ill.

The illness lasted well into the third part of the trek, the real 5 day trek complete with porters and sherpas. However, the trip was so catered and we were so spoiled and there were enough drugs available I was able to survive and still thoroughly enjoy it all. My meds were taken each morning as morning tea was brought our tents and we sipped on it while taking in a breathtaking view of the mountains while we packed up our things and seated ourselves at a fully set breakfast table. I couldn't believe the accomadations! The food was always great everything from traditional Nepali rice and dal bhat, to burritos, to pizza and even hot apple pie... high up on a mountain top! Guilt always settled in as I watched the porters pack up our tents, mattresses, backpacks, tables, chairs, cooking supplies, pretty much anything you could think of really, load it all up and hike on up ahead with 30+kg of gear carried "doho" style where there is a strap that the put over thier forehead and carry it that way, apparantly thats how they carry heavy loads on the farms which is where most porters work in the off season. These guys (probably all in their 20's) were really incredible!

Our last feast and farewell to the porters and guides (12 porters, 1 chef and 3 guides, for 5 trekkers) was topped off with a delish chocolate cake stating: Happy Nepal Trek. Indeed it was. While it was well worth everything I think the next time I trek in Nepal (hopefully there is a next time) I will definitely save some dollars doing something less catetered and more adventuresome.

With my remaining few days here in Nepal I was really excited to go to Chitwan National Park and do a jungle safari in hopes of seeing wild elephants, rhinos and tigers. I went to book my trip only to find out they aren't letting anyone go because there are riots and strikes going on there... I couldn't believe it. So I asked for suggestions on what else I could do and everything they named I had already done on the trek. There is one town I found in my faithful Lonely Planet which hopefully will afford me some fun in the next couple days though and get me out of the congestion of Kathmandu before I head off to the farm in Austria, I'm so excited for it!