I have just done a bit of maths and find out it is April 8th, my 6th day trekking and I have arrived at a very important point in my journey! Two days in Manage to ACCLIMITIZE before, what we have heard, is the big one; what I or we have been doing during the past days is warm ups. Yeah! right!! It has been and is the most fantastic journey ...
The real electricity is flashing on and off and the computer still seems to work!
The wind is whirling around outside. The sun is shining. It is an exsquisite day. The po;ular 'acclimitizing' village, Manange is 3,500m/ 11,482ft. I am staying in a tiny hut beside my new French friend Jiesling (sp?) in a large tea house with views of flat roofed houses and encircling us, Annapurna II, Annapurna III (7,555 meters), Gangapurna (7,454 meters) to the south, Tilicho (7,132 m) and the Grand Barrier to the west, Chulu West (6,583 m) and Chulu East 6,059 m) to the north.
This morning in Pisang, after my first rough night when the folks next to me talked for hours and a dog barked NON STOP until about 5 am!!!! we had breakfast (Pisang is 3,500 m/11,482 ft) at 7 am we started with a pleasant walk through pine forests and had scenic views in the Manang valley of the Pisang peak to the north and the Chulu peak above. Once again we came across Tibetan houses. Jisling (sp) and I climbed up hundreds of steps yesterday to visit a monastery and quietly participated in a v e r y ancient part of Nepal.
Those are some facts written fast, always conscious of $$$ time and the expense of internetting in this remote and high part of the world. You may want to know how I feel. Well the images that come at you once you step out of your tea house until you enter the next are many, are ancient, are absolutely breathtaking... from looking at the scenery to the many encounters of the Nepalese folks and seeing them go about their every day business. Totally unspoiled they are... really like pages taken from ancient days... I am reminded of the west of Ireland and how it must have been all those years ago. I have not seen a tire mark for days now.
I have so many more things to talk about and I just cannot relax enough to do it now. Sufficith it to say that it is a journey of a lifetime. The prayer wheels, the flags blowing in the wind the earnest smiles of welcome, the hard hard loads carried by men, women and children alike. The whiteness of the clothes they wash in the streams or by a tap, the shining bowls and wonderful colours and style of dress. The children love playing with sticks, they dig for their family in between the stones, I have seen ancient type of ploughing, and n'er a look of self consciousness! You slowly make your way up yet another mountain and at the top, under some trees there is an ancient man with a table of Nepalese jewellry and animals heads.. all the while he is chanting Ommm name name name.
I saw a school this morning and I peered over the tall fence. There were kids playing with one ball and a group talking in a corner and a group of older men conversing with a group of boys ....
I have had good days and tough days... but the tough does not last long. Its all about managing your free time, managing your mind and when you are PRESENT you feel a peace and love that knows no bounds. I have time to think of family, of friends, of folks here and across the line and lovely thoughts come to mind. Rosemary gave me a scarf (good for the wind and blowing sand), and I feel it is like a prayer flag flapping gently around my neck, reminding me of the support I feel!
I must go, I see that I have a load of e-mails to read and this will cost a fortune. This will be the last blog before I am truly challenged in a couple of days.
Hugs to all who read.
Dyane
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