Nepal 22-25 May 2008

I can't remember which one is Everest - obviously it would be the tallest one, so I'm thinking the bottom photo.

Our first trip out of India! We went to Nepal, mainly so James could bring back some change and use the line from Something About Mary (you'll have to remember for yourselves!). That and to see Mt. Everest since we have friends that too the Buddha Air flight around the mountain. Our flight wasn't as fantastic since we went in the low season and it was overcast, but we did see the peak and got photos and came closer than many of you will get :)

Stayed at the lovely Le Meridien Gorka Forest hotel that was very tranquil and had fresh air and lots of rheseus monkies around the property. The kids had a kick out of seeing them close up and pointing out monkey poo on the steps. Training them young. We also took a day tour of Kathmandu and saw the various temples and whatnot and then a 1/2 day tour of Bhaktapur which is a well-preserved medievel city.


Finally the last day we took a guided nature walk through the Gorka trail behind the hotel. We proved that we're out of shape for starters and b) we don't have a clue about nature. The guide had us put salt over our shoes before we set off - James said this was to mask our human scent so animals wouldn't be frightened off. I thought that made sense since I hated Girl Scout Camp and our camping growing up consisted of our lake house in Vermont. We'll about 30 minutes into the walk we stopped because I thought I had a pebble in my Keen (sport outdoor type shoes - see I was prepared) and took my shoe off because I couldn't dislodge it. Then I noticed blood all over my toes and it turned out I was being attached by LEECHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was at this moment of yelling at James to get the buggers off that I felt like I was in some Indiana Jones movie (coming to Hyderabad on the 30th - so no spoilers please) and realized that I don't "do" nature for a reason. That or I'm ordering the family hiking boots for our next trip.


More photos to come...