Nepal: Part 2: Kathmandu to Namche Bazaar (11,290')

Intro
Since I couldn't remember the day by day details, I tried to fit the whole 21 days in one post but it takes too long so there will be a part 3. I'll try to minimize the writing and highlight notable photos with short commentaries :) If you do have any specific questions, please feel free to email me at miniglobetrekker@gmail.com

If you do want day by day details from another trekker's perspective, check out my friend's blog who was the other winner in the REI contest.
http://tsouzaadventures.blogspot.com/

Kathmandu - Densely Populated

Kathmandu has INSANE driving conditions. I have been to Brazil and Peru so I wasn't too phased by the crazy driving conditions of Kathmandu. But I was not happy about not being able to breathe the air freely. All the vehicles spew out terrible exhaust fumes.

Did I tell you that I won this trip from REI? Along with that and 5 other contest winners, they sent the coolest film producer, Paul to film us. We are going to be famous! :D

We took a tour around the city for a couple of days. It was busy with residents, vendors, and tourists. The picture below is of Thamel, a popular city before trekking off to the Himalayan mountains.We ate the restaurants here. You can get "western" food in popular restaurants.

We also visited a thangka school/shop. I bought one (medium intricacy) :-O Wasn't cheap but I love it. I think it's common for tours to include these schools/shops (we also visited a rug making that held refugees from Tibet). I always the slight pressure to purchase something but remember you don't have to. BUT if you wanted souvenirs or gifts to bring back, why not buy something handmade before your eyes, that helps out the local community.

The basic infrastructure in Kathmandu is not the best. This is common  scene with most third world countries though. It's just amazing how they make it all work.

We also visited some other various popular parts of Kathmandu but the pics were boring. I know you're more interested in the actual trek.
Here we are at Monkey temple. Monkeys just "monkeying" around the temple :P

Flight to Lukla
We met Thupten, our guide the day before and went over logistics. We woke up SUPER early the next day to catch our domestic flight from KTM to Lukla. It must have been 4am or something ridiculous like that. There wasn't even any sun by the time we got to the airport. Feel my coffee-less pain?

Wonder how we eat on the trail? Here's all our food for the next 15 days! thankfully, the REI Nepalese guides/cooks don't resort to local game (except for yak) when they run out of food.

No Pictures allowed inside the airport - I risked my life to take this photo! :P

You will have to get on the tiniest plane in the world. I flew on a Dornier Do 228. The planes aren't dangerous themselves. The runway is super short, at high altitude, and surrounded by mountains.
There is a flight attendant to greet you but it was really funny because she while she's handing you the mint and cotton to stuff in your ear, she has to tilt her head totally sideways to not hit the roof of the plane.


Taking from Lukla Airport (take off doesn't take very long)

Lukla - 9,383' (2,860 m)
Once you arrive at Lukla, you'll stay at a hotel/hostel (if this is an REI trip, not sure what other outfitters provide).

You can see right off the bat these amazing porters carrying 100+lb packs on their backs

It's the first night you meet you will meet the porters and cooks. And your first cooked meal :)
Get some rest on the nice beds because it'll be the last for the next 15 days! :P

We had some fun watching the planes and helicopter land and take-off. Our hotel was literally right next to the airport landing strip.

Not to worry if you are feigning some Starbucks coffee ;)

Official Start of the Trek - Very cool spot to take your photo

The Mt. Everest Welcome Arch :)

The first suspension bridge (and not your last!)

What an amazing view from the bridge of the river and prayer flags.

Here is our camp setup. Since nobody came together, girls stayed with girls and the boys stayed with boys. There are 2 people max in each tent. I got really lucky being the odd number of girls. I didn't have to share my tent with anybody else. One of the boys got lucky too. He was supposed to tent with the Film/Photographer but since he had so much video/camera gear to store in the tent, the other guy got his own. Future trekkers, please don't sing your own tunes. Nobody else wants to listen.

Next Day - Another bridge crossing

We've reached the visitor's center, Sagarmantha National Park. You'll see miniature versions of all the mountains you will be crossing. In Nepal, Mount Everest is called Sagarmatha. The Tibetans call Mount Everest, Chomolungma. You can use the bathrooms here too! They are still squatty potties.

Yet another bridge to cross

and the Yaks have to cross too - same bridge :)

Here was our first cooked lunch of the day! It was a sandwich toast (can't remember what it was filled with), some potatoes and veggies. The sauce you see over the rice is dal bhat (cooked lentils) which is the staple of Nepalese food. You can have it on every meal if you'd like because the cooks will cook it for themselves and the rest of the team. But you can also politely refuse it if you start to get sick of it.

Here we cross the world famous Sir Edmund Hillary Bridge! It's the HIGHEST bridge. But check out this amazing sherpa carrying probably the weight of his body in hay.

.

He catches up so quickly to the hikers that are in full gear and light packs. I swear these sherpas are some hard working amazing people. They are so humble.

This guy is catching up quick! It's like the hikers haven't even moved!

Here is proof that we are being filmed! You might be able to catch this clip on REI.

and then go to REI.com/adventures
http://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/asia/mount-everest-base-camp-trek.html#sec4

Namche Bazaar - what a beautiful sight! This is your primary stop check out the internet cafe/check email/facebook, drink a beer, buy some souvenirs or gifts. I don't recommend buying gifts just yet because you'd either have to lug it with you or store it some place. You will come back to this city after you're finished so no worries.

Some of the internet cafes provide a wifi access with computer time. So you can "Check in" in Namche Bazaar. I did. So cool :)

Our very yummy dinner. Pasta with sauce, cole slaw and some fried chicken. I always got 2nds so if this looks small, don't worry. You may end up consuming 5000 calories but you will probably burn as much, if not more. YES it is an EXCELLENT way to lose inches off your tummy without even trying. I ate EVERYTHING and everything twice but I still lost weight that I could not shed for the life of me. Base camp to the tallest peak in the world, beautiful sights, amazing culture, and some weight loss? WIN for all!

Here is our first group trail photo. As you can see, some people are dressed very warmly and some are dressed for summer. At this "lower altitude" of 12k feet, the temperature is warmer. But the sun beats down on you. I wore long sleeves the entire trip for that reason.

Speaking of clothing... (I will need to go back to post one and revise with this info)
Nepal is a Buddhist religious country. They are very conservative. We were warned not to wear bare shoulder clothing or shorts above the knee. Look - I'm not in America. I'm in someone else's country and I really want to respect their culture and their ways. Please respect your guide's hike attire wishes. If they ask you do not wear spaghetti tank tops and short shorts, please don't. you will save your skin from the sun actually!

For the first time in my life, here I am looking at the tallest peak in the world

Everest 101

These volleyballers are hardcore. Doing this at 12,730 (or 3880 meters) is not easy!
This was taken at the Mount Everest Hotel.

On this particular day, we didn't go anywhere but got ourselves acclimatized. You will have a few days of going up thousands of feet to get your body acclimated and then come back down. You will other days of just going up and up.

The descents can be brutal so bring your trekking poles!

I wanted to complete my Mt. Everest Base Camp trip in one post but it's taken forever just to get this up. My work schedule is crazy!
Stay Tuned for the final chapter of Mount Everest!

Nepal: Part 1: The lucky REI winner to Mt. Everest Base Camp is... ME!

An Introduction (Training, Gear, Hygiene, Money Matters)

This is how it all started...

don't judge my FB likes :P

I entered a contest with REI. I didn't expect to win because who do you know that ever wins contests or the lotto? I gave it a try anyway. One week later, Friday afternoon, I got a phone call from a Seattle based area code I did not recognize. I actually let it to go to voice-mail because they tend to be telemarketers or recruiters.

Well when I did call back, I found out the most amazing news in my life. It was pretty sad though because instead of a direct yes, I had to ask him if it was ok to let him know on Monday so I can find out from my employer if I can leave. If my employer said no, I might have given my resignation letter.

If I live my life so that it's all about work and earning a paycheck, what kind of life is that?

Thankfully I did not have to make that hard decision. They said yes. I've been at my firm 8+ years so suddenly resigning would've been a huge change in my life... one that I was not ready to make thanks to some other major personal changes that were happening.

One month later, I was in Kathmandu thanks to #1 REI and #2 my employer for letting me go on one month's notice for 3 weeks to let me live my dream.


Training
I had exactly one month to prepare. After Machu Picchu, I did not hike much. I went on some occasional SoCal hikes with friends but nothing that could really prepare me for the biggest international trek of my life. Unfortunately, I got sick the last two weeks before departure day! That didn't leave me much for training.
I was pretty nervous. I saw some pictures of the other REI winners (there were a total of 6 winners, 3 female, 3 male) and they looked like they did this kind of stuff all the time.

This was my itinerary that I couldn't prepare for:

Gear
I had no serious trekking gear. I was not going to wear my blister causing boots after trekking for 3 days in Peru. I rented the rest of the gear in Peru because I thought I may not do something like this again.

What I ended up doing was purchasing A LOT of gear at REI. Almost the value of what my trip would've been worth! I am normally a bargain hunter and would not buy anything that's not on sale but I had no problem this time paying full price at REI. You know what that means if you shop at REI.

one days worth of online shopping delivered :|

I wish I wrote down my exact gear list because I remember searching google many times to find out what people bring for the ultimate trip like this! I will for the Kilimanjaro trip though.

Well REI provides you a gear list (most outfitters should). I know REI made it mandatory for me to have the following (so I had to go buy this stuff):

• Zero degree sleeping bag
• Down jacket
• Sturdy boots
• Backpack to carry day stuff and Nalgene water bottle (it can handle hot just boiled water)
• Baby wipes!

Here is what I do remember needing for every day clothing

• One down jacket
• Water repellant medium/thin jacket
• Couple of hiking pants
• Couple of long sleeve base layers
• Long underwear
• Several pairs of easily washable underwear

You want several days worth of clothes. There will be an opportunity to do laundry in the first few days but I don't recommend it. The clothes will get dirty again. You get used to it. For some weird reason, nobody smelled after 15 day. Maybe my sense of smell is really screwed up but I thought that was the consensus.

There are many places in Kathmandu, Lukla, and Namche Bazaar to buy "The North Face" and "Mountain Hardware" clothes for cheap. I place quotes because they are not necessarily the original but the Nepalese versions. Regardless, something "fake" made out of polyester is the same as people in India/China making a polyester top, exporting it to the US and marking it up 500%. I still have my Namche Bazaar "North Face" purple thermal that's VERY warm :)

Don't skimp on the shoes. When you are on the trail, there are very rare moments where the ground is nicely paved and even. Most of the time, you're walking over small and big rocks. It gets tiring. You want sturdy shoes that will support you.

Bring liner socks and wool socks. Bring beanies for your head. Be able to layer up clothing.
The weather in March was not hot but the sun beats down on you and you sweat it up. It's good to be able to take a layer off. The higher up you go, the colder it becomes so it's good to be able to put your layer on.

Hygiene
This will go down in the history books. I could not take a shower for 10 days. I did not wash my hair for 5 days. My max days without a shower was 3 and that was because of Peru!
Our guide very highly suggested that we do not wash our hair or take showers while we are ascending. It gets colder the higher up you go and it will take longer for everything to dry. You don't want to risk getting a cold.

Baby wipes will be your best friend. Our porters brought us warm water at the end of the day everyday to wash up so bring a small wash cloth towel that you can dip in the water to wash yourself.

Female matters - I got extremely lucky. That's all I'll say. I hope for the same for Kilimanjaro.

Bathroom
Get ready to strengthen your thighs because you are not going to sit on a toilet for at least 2 weeks! (unless you get lucky and placed in a nicer hotel)
Guys, this is no problem. Just aim correctly. Girls, it's not so bad. It's a lil weird at first but you get used to it. Crap - guys and girls. hm... you just get used to it. Don't forget to bring toilet paper and baby wipes for a more cleaner feel.

Money
The banks at the airport are a rip off but you may need to exchange some money for transportation if your outfitter does not provide that. We exchanged money at a local exchange store next to our hotel for the best rate. Hotels will also exchange money.
Credit cards are not used regularly so bring enough. One member had to borrow from our guide because that person ran out of money.
Make sure you get good crisp Nepalese rupees. One vendor in Namche Bazaar had her money rejected by the bank because it had a tear in it. When we returned from our trek, back to Namche Bazaar, she tracked us down. We felt terrible for her. Our trekker, the buyer was able to give the vendor a clean bill after money exchange. Don't forget Nepal is a 3rd world country. A dollar to me is not much but it could be the world for the hard working Nepalese.

Shots/Immunizations/Prescriptions
I didn't need any special immunizations. It so happened to be my time that I needed an updated tetanus shot so I got a TDAP but nothing else.
I did get a prescription of (1) Diamox - High altitude sickness; and (2) Antibiotics - in case you get sick with diarrhea, as recommended by REI Travel.

Off to the Airport
My flight went from LAX to Houston to Qatar to Kathmandu.
My total flight time was 46 hours. Boy was that a LONG flight.
I had a 12 hour lay over in Qatar. Invest in the airport lounges. I didn't and regretted it. I tried to sleep but could not. I did chair dips for fun. I read but had a very short attention span. It was hell.
You will have to pay for a visitors visa when you enter Nepal. I think it cost $30 for a tourist visa.

"Male" mosque at Qatar airport - Females not allowed :|

Next Post: Kathmandu and Mount Everest Base Camp

In the meantime, my fellow trekker journalized his day by day adventures. Check it out!
http://tsouzaadventures.blogspot.com/

Peru: Part 3 of 3 - Machu Picchu - Final Peru Reflections

I'm excited to share my Machu Picchu experience! Especially for those that are interested in going. The first thing I tell all my friends are... If you're going to go to Machu Picchu, do the hike! The reason is, by the time you get to the preservation site, there's 8,6742,34 other people there with you. You spend maybe a couple of hours at the site before starting to get bored. It becomes just another crowded touristy attraction. But when you walk the trails as the Incas did, it's a whole another experience and appreciation. You won't believe how the Incas brought up all those boulders of rocks while walking all those miles.

My Top 3 Tips

1. Get there as early as you can
2. Hire a guide
3. Don't forget to get your passport stamped/Bring money for the restroom

Arrival Date - Get there EARLY!
We took the bus that drives you all the way up. We arrived at the top at 7am.
Note: if you go through Inca Trail, you enter the sanctuary by Gate of the Sun by foot. Yeah I missed out on that.

Once you are past the ticket/security area, there will be a spot to take a photo of the world-famous Machu Picchu picture such as the one displayed here of our group.

We made it!!!

I will spare you the 300 photos I took inside Machu Picchu -- they start to look the same -- perfectly chiseled rocks that make up a fortress. Instead, I encourage you to go and take photos of your own :) But I will say, there are MANY MANY cool things to learn once you're inside. That leads to Tip #2 - Hire a guide.

Intrepid Travel hired a guide for us. I kind of felt sorry for the tourists walking around aimlessly just staring at the buildings, rocks, taking selfies, not realizing they were missing out on the historical and sometimes secret information about Machu Picchu - of course, unless they were archaeological students

Here's a sample clip - it may not be the MOST interesting fact to share but when you're there to see it in person, everything is über amazing :)

Finally - Here are some photos :)

This photo was taken probably just after 7am. Two hours later, this place was as packed as Disneyland on a Saturday.

My favorite spot in Machu Picchu

Here is a mini mountain/rock formation

Can you see the mama mountain and the baby rock?

Our guide is showing us how the Incas brought up all the boulders/rocks... it took 100 years and they only lived in it for 100 years.

No, it was not aliens that helped the Incas

There is a great spot to lounge around and soak in the awe

There are also llamas to pet - they are just chillin' in the terraced areas.

There are some stairs to climb. Those Incas were in great shape!

Can you spot the chillin llama? :)

I had some free time and this might seem anti-social but I choose not to walk to the sun gate with the rest of the group. Rather, I found a quiet shaded spot and meditated. Personally, there was a lot going on in my life and this was the perfect place to just sit and meditate. I say - Walk to the beat of your own drum.

I took a semi-selfie to remember my meditative view :)

Tip #3 - Get a passport stamp and don't forget to bring $ to use the toilet!

That marks the end of my trip to Machu Picchu... leaving on a happy note with our Aussie mates having fun playing cards

NEXT ADVENTURE TO COME...

Mount Everest Base Camp - Nepal, 5,364 metres (17,598 ft) - 15 day trek (vs. 3 days in Peru)

If you have any questions I didn't cover, please feel free to contact me! FYI - I am no experienced trekker. I'm usually the most city girl whenever I go on these things. You can do it!!! :D

miniglobetrekker@gmail.com

Peru: Part 2 of 3 - The Way to Machu Picchu - Lares Trek Reflections

I went through the Lares Trek route. I signed up for Inca Trail but all the permits were sold out. I was initially bummed but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because the Lares Trek was so beautiful and off the beaten path. There were hardly any other trekkers.


The good or bad, however you want to look at it is, you only trek for 3 days and on the 4th night, you stay in Aguas Caliente, the city that everybody else who just flew/railed in from Cusco. With Lares Trek, you get to experience both sides but you are still getting the full experience.

First Stop

Our first stop was at a traditional Inca family/village. We farmed with them, participated in their traditional blessing of the crops, they danced for us and cooked cuy for us. I can now say I ate a guinea pig! :P

What happy village people! :)

Here is a short video of the traditional dance the children put for us. It is a dance of driving out the evil spirits by the powerful Inca children! :)

I would've added some other videos but they were so shaky. I didn't want to make you guys nauseous.

Ollantaytambo

Our next stop was the city of Ollantaytambo. I don't remember the historical or cultural importance of it. What I do remember is being scared the CRAP out of my mind because we were casually hiking up a steep cliff/hill to get to the top. I couldn't stop being scared because there wasn't much floor space once we stopped for the view. I have a terrible case of acrophobia!

But it was beautiful.

I remember while I was in relatively new hiking shoes and worrying about slipping, our guide was in worn out Sketcher mule sneakers (the kind that doesn't have a back heel support) and kicking our asses.

We stayed in hotel/hostels to start our trek the next day.

Beginning the trek... off to a rough start

We almost didn't make it. The roads were closed and one person got majorly sick. We left really early in the morning because our guide knew that the main road to drop us off at the starting point closed at 6am or some ridiculously early time like that. Well, we made it on time but they closed the road ANYWAY! The reason they closed the road? they were going to explode parts of the mountain with dynamite!!! I was conflicted.

After waiting maybe 4-5 hours for our guide and driver to negotiate with the government, we were allowed to pass. The roads were crazy to drive through, especially hearing the explosions go off in a distance.

Additionally, one of our funniest guys got very sick. Unfortunately, it could've been prevented by heeding our guide's warning. Don't drink TOO much of the Chicha. It was to the point that he was drunk during the crop blessing ceremony at the village. I was bummed because he was the funnest and funniest guy in our group.

Mineral Spa

Our guides began our trek with a day at the mineral hot springs. We had to pay for our entrance fee to the mineral springs. It was ok. It was already hot outside and the waters were hot. I wouldn't do it again but the group camaraderie was good.

Trail

So we started our journey. The trails were pretty clean (as you can see the picture with our mules carrying our tents and sleeping bags). There were parts of the road that got rockier but the roads are still very clean and manageable.

Tip: Don't bring too much crap

I'm an overpacker. I think of the littlest thing and feel the need to bring it. I purchased a huge 60 liter backpack and paid lots of money because it only weighed 3lbs for the size. Didn't need it.

I could've brought a small jansport backpack from high school because all you need is sunscreen, maybe a light jacket, headlamps, camera, and water.
I was carrying extra batteries, solar charging devices, and so many other things that I did not need. I paid for it because 20 lbs feels like 60 lbs when you're in high altitude and doing something like this for the first time.

Tip: Pay for photos with the locals

Be prepared to pay for photos with kids and ladies dressed up in the traditional dresses. This one cost me $1. It's nothing for me but goes a long way for them. But don't be shocked when they ask for money after you snapped your pic.

Lomo Saltado at 12/13,000 ft above sea level: AMAZING

The porters and cooks are amazing people. They strap massive packs and run past you in$3 sandals. They set up your tents, chop up all the food, cook the food, serve to you food, clean-up and wash all the dishes! SERVICE!

Technically I guess you're paying for it but it's nice not to have to pack your food, cook it yourself in the dark, etc.

Dining in the tents

Here is a picture of what it's like to eat in the tent with our guide and assistant guidette :)

Suggestion/Tip: Bring small toys/gifts/pencils

The kids are going to ask for hands out anyway. Might as well bring something useful like pencils and small toys.
Message relayed: Please don't bring candy. They don't have healthcare/ dental care. If they get cavities, who knows what they have to do.

High Altitude Hiking/Walking
Unless you live in Colorado, next to the 14'ers, walking might be hard. I remember checking my heart beat and it was probably over 200 bpm. I walked super snail's pace slow but it was seriously the fast I could walk. But remember the most important thing: It's not a race. The assistant guide stays with the slowest person in the group. Even if it means you reach the tents hours later than everybody else, they won't leave you or rush you. Enjoy the experience and the scenery!

People recommend Diamox (need a prescription from your doctor). I didn't use it for Peru and I was fine.

We made it to the top. Pachacutec Lake. 4,500m/ 14,763 ft above sea level

Sleeping Arrangements

If you came on your own, you were paired with someone of the same gender. If you were an odd number, you got lucky and a tent all to yourself!


Descending Downhill

If there is any take-away from this blog, it's that you should bring trekking poles (or rent them). You're ascending thousands of feet. You also need to descend back. Going up may be hard on your thighs and butt but going down will kill your knees. I rented one trekking pole. Saved my knees!

 Another amazing dish by they cooks on our third night

On our way back down, we visited a school and gave them pencils and school supplies. There are ample opportunities for charity :)

This dog followed us for miles and miles. I was so unbelievably sad to hear and see so many stray dogs. I asked our guide why and the country can't afford to neuter/spay dogs/cats so they multiply and fend for themselves. The people don't really care for stray animals :(




It was the end for our guide, porters, and cooks. They cooked us an amazing farewell lunch. I can't remember how much we tipped but they were happy. It's customary to tip. I was surely grateful to the porters and cooks who did all the heavy lifting so I could enjoy the trip.

Inca Rail

On the last day, we were provided tickets to the Inca Rail to head to Aguas Caliente. I believe this might be the same train route non-trekkers take.

We got to see beautiful terraces while riding by. I think you might pass by more scenery like this on the actual Inca Trail.

Here's what it looks like inside the train. COMFY!

Aguas Caliente

It's actually a busy little town. There are many shops, places to eat and drink, internet cafes.

All I remember is being in the shower for 2 hours! 3 days was the longest I had gone without showering. It was glorious.

I developed this massive water blister from my boots.
I didn't know what to do at the time. I never had a blister before. Apparently you need to pop it. Sterilize it of course and then make sure you have a bandage to minimize infection. I brought a small hotel sewing kit that had a pin. It worked out well.

I would recommend sock liners. They are supposed to help prevent blisters but I think my shoes were the right size. I'm sure if I didn't have liners, my feet would have been more screwed up.

Well, I went to sleep and woke up the next day for Machu Picchu! In fact, I'm going to sleep now. Good night everybody!