Namaste, from Nepal
This missive was sent on May 10, 2023, to a group of my Nepal Trek followers. I have added it here for my own memory and your enjoyment. I have added photos and links to my Instagram posts throughout my time in Nepal.
(In Nepal, Namaste is hello and sometimes when you walk by a group of school children they’ll all yell “namaste” at you, which is so adorable. )
My time in Nepal is coming to an end, and if you’re receiving this email it’s because you’ve been a supporter of my journey and I'm reaching out to chronicle my 43 days here. So first, THANK YOU. I wouldn’t have survived the snowy Himalayas and the crazy streets of Kathmandu without the immense support and encouragement I’ve received.
Getting into Kathmandu airport felt immediately hectic. After paying for my tourist visa, finding out that my phone didn’t accept Nepal SIM cards, retrieving bags, and finding my taxi, I was on my way through the chaotic streets to meet up with my friend Paisley. The roads in Kathmandu (and most of Nepal, really) are intense- small Tuk-tuks, motorbikes, cars, pedestrians, cows, and dogs weave in and out of each other with no clear directions of who is turning when and lots of honking. There are no lights, street signs, etc. It is constant movement and ‘organized’ chaos, but it takes some getting used to. A month after being in Nepal I learned from a woman at my yoga retreat that it is common for motorbikes to get hit, and many people here have had surgeries from their accidents. She SAW a bus hit a motorbike and the person hopped off of it!
Views from the trail. A friend, Daniel Parish, took this photo.
On April 1, the Nepalese government enforced a law that you are required to have a guide to trek (hike) certain trails in Nepal. This includes the Annapurna circuit, which is the trek we were planning. It takes the cost from ~$20-$30 a day closer to $50-60 with a guide. Paisley and I were ready to accept that this was our fate, but after visiting the permit office on March 30 we were told that as long as we were in Bhulbhule by the next day, we would be able to trek the route without a guide.
With this news, we canceled our guide. I threw a random assortment of things I thought I’d need for a few weeks into my backpacking backpack (AKA way too much and way too little, my guess is that it was about 30lbs), and we headed out early in the morning for a long bus ride to Besisahar, and then to Bhulebule. Bus rides in Nepal are difficult, but this one was memorable. It was pouring rain, and the road disappeared beneath us from all of the water. To add to it we were on a cliffside, and the roads are very bumpy here. One of the times we went over a bump that was so big I flew a foot into the air and knocked my head on the top of the bus! Paisley and I thought our bus was going to go right off the cliff. After we arrived in Bhulebule, we found our first tea house and started to dry off. That night we got our first view of the Himalayas, which was breathtaking and inspiring.
The Annapurna Circuit is one of the most popular treks in Nepal. It circumnavigates the famous Annapurna mountain range, home to 14 peaks above 7000m (22,966 ft). The highest peak is Annapurna 1: the 10th highest mountain in the world and one of the most deadly (it was the most deadly for decades, but now K2 holds the title). The highest point of the circuit is Thorong La Pass, at 17,769 ft.
Dal Bhat- comes with refills which is nice when you’ve walked all day
We started our walk through rice fields and stunning terraced gardens. You’re in the jungle with flowers and crops at lower elevations, and each day you get closer to the mountains and higher up. Trekking in Nepal is a cultural experience, and when you want to stop hiking you just go into a “teahouse” (typically someone’s home) and ask if they have rooms available. Depending on whether you’re eating there or not (usually you are) these rooms might be free- 700 rupees ($5). Rooms are basic with a bed and blanket- Wi-Fi, electricity, hot showers, and flushing toilets are not guaranteed. Nowhere along the circuit provides toilet paper so you have to make sure you have enough and have it on you. Most days we spent about 1000-3000RS or $7-$22 depending on how hungry we were. Some days we walked anywhere from 8-20 miles… so we were really hungry!
While trekking we also met quite a few people from all around the world (but not that many Americans!), and formed a group of ~14 people that all ended up staying in the same/ similar tea houses. This helped us get better deals on rooms since we filled the teahouse.
The people in Nepal are very kind, and eager to help when you need it. One of my favorite things about being here is the hospitality of the people in the villages. It was so beautiful to stay in their homes and eat their cooking. Dal Bhat is the traditional meal in Nepal, and it’s usually rice, cooked lentil soup (dal), some type of curry, pickles, and greens. It includes a free refill, which is nice after hiking all day long. Even though it’s soup and rice the Nepalese eat it with their hands (which I was never brave enough to do). Along the trek, you get to see the different family variations depending on what they have in the garden. There is a lot of squash, potatoes, green beans, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, and lettuce at this time. Depending on the town you might find yak meat, chicken, or buff.
Hiking to Tilicho Lake (16,138ft)
It’s hard to say- because I didn’t track each day’s hiking- but in 15 days I think we ended up walking ~150-180 miles with over 18k of elevation gain including getting lost a couple of times and side trails.
While taking some rest days acclimatizing in Manang (11,545ft) we attended a talk from the local search and rescue about altitude sickness. This was one of the pivotal moments when Paisley and I realized that getting over the pass was not a given and that anyone could get sick and have to go back down. Serious cases can progress to HACE (swelling of the brain) or HAPE (fluids in the lungs). Travelers insurance is required to trek in Nepal, just in case.
To spend a few more days acclimating I got talked into going to Tilicho Lake (16,138 ft), which is one of the highest, biggest lakes in the world. This was a hard sell for me because it meant an extra three days in the cold, but it was an epic snowy hike with glaciers, mountain views in all directions… and a white frozen lake since it snowed the night before.
After Tilicho we backtracked around and continued into the mountains and on the 11th day of our trek we reached Thorong Base Camp. We spent one night here at 14,895ft to acclimatize. The days were typically sunny, but it was usually never above 32º and nights were 5-10º. Rooms to sleep in are not heated- the only heated area in the tea house is the dining area. AKA it was really cold.
We made it up Thorong La pass with beautiful weather, and I could have stayed for hours but we still had a lot of walking downhill ahead of us. My friend Paisley was sick, so we took some extra rest days in the town after the pass and rode mountain bikes 25km to the next town, which was fun until the winds and dust came and wore me down.
Thorong La Pass, 17,769 ft- The High Point of the Annapurna Circut. Friends from New Zealand, Chicago, the UK, Portland, and Germany.
The Boudhanath Stupa I would go to in Kathmandu during my final days. One of the largest in the world.
After 15 days of trekking from village to village, we got a bus to Pokhara, which is another hub for trekkers to begin their hikes. Pokhara has a lot of shopping and dining, and after trekking I was so grateful to find smoothie bowls and lots of healthy dining options. Unfortunately, there were a lot of fires in Nepal, and so we could no longer see the Himalayas. We got a spa package (body scrub, facial, and massage) for only $50 and after quite a few massages in Asia, I will say I’m going to miss them! One of the facials I got even included cucumbers on the eyes I thought that only happened in the movies!
Right now I’m sitting in a beautiful vegan coffee shop in a Buddhist community 15 minutes away from the airport. There are a lot of monks, monasteries, chanting, and vegan restaurants. Today I walked to the Buddha Stupa behind two monks chanting mantras the entire way. It was heaven.
Sound Healing training in Kathmandu, Nepal. We learned how to use different bowls to affect the body.
My last two weeks here were spent in a yoga center in Kathmandu doing a 14-day Panchakarma. Panchakarma is an Ayurveda cleanse, and I wasn’t allowed to eat meat, sugar, or caffeine. My specific dosha (Pitta with Vata imbalance) diet requirement didn't allow tomatoes, tofu, peanuts, and a few other items. I did anywhere from 2-4 hours of yoga a day (mostly Hatha), and 1-2 hours of meditation and chanting. Each day had a different Ayurvedic treatment to balance my dosha. It was so grounding, nourishing, and beautiful to be there after trekking. I didn’t realize how exhausted I was and it was a good reset to return to America!
With so much love and gratitude,
Catherine
PS- I’ve uploaded some photos to Google. Here’s the link if you’re interested in looking through