Guys. The Himalayas. For real. Go.
End of blog post.
Just kidding. You know I can't shut up that fast, especially about something THIS GODDAMN AMAZING. We booked a 10 day adventure through the Langtang Valley intentionally. We knew that Everest Base Camp and Annapurna are both just madhouses this time of year, and we wanted the views without all of the tourists. Also, Langtang is the main village that was destroyed in the 2015 earthquake that (literally) shook Nepal to it's core. They've been working to rebuild Langtang Village to regain some of the trekking popularity that it lost following the natural disaster.
We were absolutely floored with our off-the-beaten-path choice. These were the friendliest people, the best views, and the most delicious lentils (dal) on the planet. We learned of some very harrowing tales of the conditions the earthquake brought, and walked past, through, and over many memorials dedicated to those lost.
We had a total of 6 days of trekking, staying at unheated tea houses along the way. It was just the two of us on our tour, along with Purna, our guide, and Suke, our porter. We had 3 days of consistent uphill, and on the 4th day we climbed to the top of Tserko Ri. It was intense, and incredible, and empowering. So amazing. The last 2 days were our longest days (13 and 9 miles respectively), and all downhill.
While there was pretty good variety in the vegetarian food on trail, we learned that 97% of Nepali people eat dal bhat (lentils and rice) for 2 meals each day. Purna regularly reminded us about "dal bhat power 24 hour," to make sure we got enough to eat so we could "jam jam" the next day (see below the pictures for jam jam deets).
Important words we learned in Nepalese (spelled phonetically):
After our trek, we had about 4 days in Nepal, which was just enough for me to recuperate from a sassy case of eye shingles (which I do not recommend). Quick note: if you're ever in Nepal and in need of medical care, I HIGHLY recommend CIWEC. My doctor was so kind, and very good. After 2 false diagnoses, I was able to get exactly what I needed (triage, a full assessment, and many medications) for about $100 USD. We stayed in Thamel, the tourist district, and were SO happy we did, mostly because we wanted to keep our feet in tact. They restrict car access in those streets, so the 1 way streets only hold people rather than 5 lanes of traffic. We drank coffee, ate delicious food [including #dalbhatpower], attended a cooking class, checked out the Dream Gardens and one of the Bazaars, and booked out the next 4 weeks of our trip.
Also, insider tip, bring your own toilet paper EVERYWHERE. #yourewelcome
End of blog post.
Just kidding. You know I can't shut up that fast, especially about something THIS GODDAMN AMAZING. We booked a 10 day adventure through the Langtang Valley intentionally. We knew that Everest Base Camp and Annapurna are both just madhouses this time of year, and we wanted the views without all of the tourists. Also, Langtang is the main village that was destroyed in the 2015 earthquake that (literally) shook Nepal to it's core. They've been working to rebuild Langtang Village to regain some of the trekking popularity that it lost following the natural disaster.
We were absolutely floored with our off-the-beaten-path choice. These were the friendliest people, the best views, and the most delicious lentils (dal) on the planet. We learned of some very harrowing tales of the conditions the earthquake brought, and walked past, through, and over many memorials dedicated to those lost.
We had a total of 6 days of trekking, staying at unheated tea houses along the way. It was just the two of us on our tour, along with Purna, our guide, and Suke, our porter. We had 3 days of consistent uphill, and on the 4th day we climbed to the top of Tserko Ri. It was intense, and incredible, and empowering. So amazing. The last 2 days were our longest days (13 and 9 miles respectively), and all downhill.
While there was pretty good variety in the vegetarian food on trail, we learned that 97% of Nepali people eat dal bhat (lentils and rice) for 2 meals each day. Purna regularly reminded us about "dal bhat power 24 hour," to make sure we got enough to eat so we could "jam jam" the next day (see below the pictures for jam jam deets).
Important words we learned in Nepalese (spelled phonetically):
- Namaste: Hello
- Dah-nay-bhat: Thank you
- Rambroosa: Beautiful scenery
- Me-toes-sah: Delicious
- Soon-dar: Handsome
- Soon-dar-ee: Beautiful
- Cree-pye-ah: Please
- Jam jam: hurry your ass up
- Teek-sah: good (Not to be confused with CHEEK-SAH, which means f*ck you. Learned that one the hard way-- much to the entertainment of our porter and guide.)
After our trek, we had about 4 days in Nepal, which was just enough for me to recuperate from a sassy case of eye shingles (which I do not recommend). Quick note: if you're ever in Nepal and in need of medical care, I HIGHLY recommend CIWEC. My doctor was so kind, and very good. After 2 false diagnoses, I was able to get exactly what I needed (triage, a full assessment, and many medications) for about $100 USD. We stayed in Thamel, the tourist district, and were SO happy we did, mostly because we wanted to keep our feet in tact. They restrict car access in those streets, so the 1 way streets only hold people rather than 5 lanes of traffic. We drank coffee, ate delicious food [including #dalbhatpower], attended a cooking class, checked out the Dream Gardens and one of the Bazaars, and booked out the next 4 weeks of our trip.
Also, insider tip, bring your own toilet paper EVERYWHERE. #yourewelcome
WOW! You two are amazing. What a beautiful place! I was teaching about spiritual forests in Nepal in Plants & People one day while you were walking and I told my class that my son and his new bride were there. I got the AWW! from my class. Love you, Mom
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