October 25, 2007
Hello family and friends!!! Laurie and I are in safely in Kathmandu and loving life. We've been in Nepal for over three weeks now, so I'll try to catch you up. Sorry its the long version.
We arrived on October 2nd- although I miss all of you already, it was nice to not only be in a part of the world I've never seen, but to also leave the part I know (we dealt with countless of horrible people in Denver and LAX alone that were part of some organized effort to ruin our travel plans, but we don't need to discuss that).
Kathmandu is crazy. It took a couple of days to get into the flow of the city. At first it seems quite chaotic- the streets have so much activity. They are so narrow and just packed with people. Cars and taxis drive at absurd speeds, and motos dodge rickshaws and pedestrians as if there were no consequences.
The people here are so kind. It didn't take long to feel like I could greet people with genuine compassion, and it's generally reciprocated immediately. It is a very safe country.
Just under a week later we left for the mountains. We were part of a team of eleven (including five healthcare providers, with Laurie being the medical director) that was to establish a health clinic in the sherpa village of Beding in the Rolwaling Valley, one of the most remote parts of Nepal. Many of the men in the village are guides in the Khumbu region, so they can all receive healthcare in Kathmandu, but the women, children, and lamas are left without the same benefits.
The rest of us were to work on various other projects, most importantly the assessment of the water quality and supply, in conjunction with the people of the village.
It was a great group of volunteers that was sensitive to what we were involved in. It was important that we went there to provide the people of Beding with what they think they need and want, and not with what we think they need and might want.
The bus ride up to Singhati was quite the ride! At first it was great coming into the mountains- Kathmandu was a little too much after a week. There were magnificent terraces of rice- the smell was so powerful, like it was fresh in the rice cooker at home with my family. And brick-making factories were scattered throughout the rural lowlands.
We averted head-on collisions with other buses on several different occasions. When we arrived in Dolokha, we reached a Maoist checkpoint. It was interesting how business-like it was being robbed (aka giving donations). I imagined it would have been in a more threatening manner if we were to be confronted by Maoists. We were given receipts, thanked, and sent on our way.
The bus on the "road" from Dolokha to Singhati was one of the more terrifying experiences I have had in a motorized vehicle. I only felt we were in grave danger a couple of times, but the road lasted for about four hours, pouring rain in the dark. We drove through a river at one point,and the water was coming up the steps onto the bus!!! I couldn't believe we didn't get swept away by the current. We made it to Singhati alive, though.
We left in the morning to start day one of the trek to Beding. Before we left I experienced yet another cultural enlightenment. When I was taking pictures of the children of the village and revealing each one to them, they were so astounded. It made me wonder whether or not some of these younger children, especially on the very remote parts of the trail, have ever seen themselves. Maybe a mirror has never been in their presence.
The trek overall was quite challenging, but the views were spectacular. The focus along the way to Beding became the needs of a little girl that was being carried by her father and mother from a two-days walk from Singhati. The thought was that our team could provide more care for her with the knowledge and medicine that we had than what was to offer in Singhati. She had a systemic bacterial infection, and after two days of treatment there was a 180 degree turnaround. It was incredible to see Laurie and the medical team save this girl's life.
In Beding we stayed with a lama and his wife. Their only son was Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, who was killed in an Everest expedition (in Into Thin Air) and was one of the rising Sherpa guides of his time. They were incredibly sweet and welcoming.
Within days of being there, the medical clinic was almost finished (the building was already established), the solar panel was up, and the layout of the water distribution was figured out. After finding the bacteria levels in the water to be negative, we found a great source in the waterfall above the village, which would not be contaminated by nak, sheep, and goat.
Views of majestic Gauri Shankar, a sacred mountain that is not to be climbed, were visible on a clear day from every part of the village. Chekego could be seen as well.
We hiked to the village of Na and stayed for a couple of days. On our way up it snowed on us and reminded us of Colorado. Definitely one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. A day hike from Na brought us to Tsho Rolpa, a glacial lake above 15,000 feet, brought us views of Tibet to the north.
When we returned to Beding, it was the start of a festival (the name I can't recall at the moment). There is a Hindu festival called Dashain at the same time in other parts of Nepal where they sacrifice animals to the gods. This Buddhist festival that was occuring in Beding was to pray for the souls of those slaughtered animals. It was quite the eye-opening experience.
After the lamas finished praying, there was dinner and laughter and Sherpa dance. The joy in the Sherpa people is what I have found most fascinating in this country. The lamas, however, have too much chang to drink, which is unfortunate (there is a history of hard drinking in the sherpa culture). We ended up carrying a couple of them home!!!
We got back to Kathmandu a couple of days ago. Thankfully, 'cause we can't eat any more daal bhaat (rice with lentils and curried vegtables). It sounds good on paper, but around the ninth or tenth time you have it within a four-day stretch, it gets to be a little much.
We will travel around Nepal for another week, so we'll update. Sorry this was so long but it was the first entry. Hope all is well with everyone! Take good care!
Much love,
Eddie
