Merry Christmas!

We are about to leave this wonderful country of Nepal, back to Hong Kong and then to the Philippines.

But lets back up a bit since it has been a while. Our blogging has been stopped a number of times due to power outages and just technology problems (three times). But enough excuses we will be updated more in the future but with less pictures since that seems to be the real crux of this blog.

Since we last typed we have explored the Kathmandu valley. We visited the monkey temple with of course has adorable, monkeys running around (they have red butts). Then we headed to Chitwan National Park and took a jungle hike looking for Rhinos (we found three, one charged us and we had to climb a tree to keep from getting trampled to death!, While in the tree Leah got attacked by ants and the bites are just now going away)! During this hike we must have a guide in front and behind us to keep the poor helpless tourists from dying (bad for public relations).

After the forest we headed to the "monastery." Leah and I took a Vispasana course on meditation. This thing is hard core! 4-wake up, 4:30-6:30 meditate (wake your body up with some pain), 6:30-8 rest/eat, 8-9 meditate( easy one), 9-11 meditate (like running 10 miles without shoes) , 11-1 rest/eat, 1-2:30 meditate (you start shaking while you sit), 2:30-3:30 (easy because it is short) meditate, 3:30-5 meditate( OH GOD the pain !!!!, you want to run and hide but you can't even shift your weight, your butt begs you to stop), 5-6 tea (fruit and crisp rice, you do not get full), 6-7 meditate, 7-8:30 class on meditation, 8:30-9 meditate, 9-9:30 (talk to the teacher if you can stand to look at his comfortable painless face) 9:30 sleep like a dead man/woman, wake up and do it again... oh by the way, during all this, no eating meat, no talking to anyone, no looking at any one, no drinking, boy/girls segregated with no contact.

So now that you are all ready to take the course, it is FREE after all, the meals are all you can eat but only twice a day. You can not leave the course for ANY reason ( one guy had to due to visa problems, another person had to leave with massive stomach cramping and fever). But this is a life changing course, like running a marathon twice a day for a week with no training. Plus after obtaining full enlightenment you can start your own cult/sect and make good money writing books.

Christmas, we woke up and left the "monastery," Leah and I had not even talked for 10 days. It is hard to put into words the 10 days and returning the "the real world" of Nepal. But dinner was at a french restaurant, drinking Chilean wine, and wild boar, with fellow meditators, then heading home (the hotel) for our first group meditation session without teachers. Talk about a great Christmas gift!

Out of the Mountians

Everest is just past my back foot. We are up in Gokyo Ri.

Happy Thanksgiving, we celebrated by walking over Cho la a high pass connected Everest Base Camp with the Goyko region.

Base camp at last. (To see the image bigger you can always double click)

Our first view of the big mountains!

We have arrived safely back in Kathmandu after a wonderful, but hard 24 days of Himalayan hiking. I had totally underestimated the effects of altitude on my body. When we were up at Everest base camp we were getting 50% oxygen compared to sea level. Tiny inclines (well there really wasn't anything that tiny) would drop me to the ground sucking in gulps of air. Rob and I have been reading Gone with the Wind out loud during our resting times and occasionally we will have to stop reading just to catch our breath. It was actually really funny at times. Rob also noticed my breathing while I was sleeping was different. All of a sudden I would take many fast breaths before returning to normal sleeping rhythm. To say the least we are happy to be back a bit lower and breathing easy. However, it was all worth the effort to see such amazing peaks. The landscape has just been amazing and our pictures don't do it any justice. It is the feeling the mountains give you of being so small and insignificant. We always joke and tell each other to look "big" before we take the picture. Defiantly a great accomplishment for us both.

Here's Rob.

Awards:

Longest go without shower (Over 15 days, both of us)

Max height reached ( Kala Platter, around 5400 or so meters, Leah only, Rob slept)

Longest go with one pair of underwear ( 6-7 days, Rob)

Worst smelling shirt (Me again, yuck, sorry Leah)

Coldest night sleep (2 hours outside of base camp, over negative 25 below Celsius)

Biggest blister (Leah, right on the heel)

Worst food experience (Leah got food poisoning twice, it was like sleeping next to the exorcist girl)

Most often eaten food (rice, we are in Asia after all)

Biggest let down in food (Pasta with tomato sauce, WRONG, pasta covered in Katsup)

Cheapest night sleep (less then 10 cents)

Worst smelling socks ( Tie )

Dirtiest clothing (Tie again, except for underwear and you know who won that)

Total elevation gained ( over 10000 meters)

Most likely to get altitude sickness ( me by a ton, Leah has no problems )

People we miss ( our German buddy Thomas, and Matt, and Sophi "the aussies")

Namche

We have now hiked more than either of us have before in our lives and we are only at the starting point! So far we are loving it. Great people and beautiful views. We love how simple our life has become. Everyday we hike (normally in the same outfit) so our only decision is what to eat and when. With the food choices being slim that is even an easy decision.

First of all the 10 hour bus ride from Kathmandu to Shivalya was amazing. Blaring Nepali music while we twist and turn on the narrow roads honking the horn to let oncoming traffic know we are coming. School kids riding on the roof. The bus driver getting mad and parking the bus to have some tea while we all sit on the bus. Then the flat tire and arriving in the dark. All amazing. Then we had our fist night at the Hilton. But it only cost us 10 bucks for dinner sleeping and breakfast. Then we set off... Full of tea and oatmeal.

I will let Rob type now.

Lets break it down by numbers: 75 local dollar for 1 US dollar (yea). Average night cost less then 100-200 local dollar, average meal is 120 local to 250 (but is getting more expensive as we climb). 8 days hiking over 45 hours. 2 showers in that time (I jumped in a river so I get 3). Meals and lodging less then 20 US dollars a day. We hike with 2 Aussies, and 1 German most days (met on the bus). 1 case of altitude sickness at under 3000 meter (me sorry to say). Climbing 7080 meters up, and 5470 meters down, Everest is only 8850 meters high so we have almost reached the top! (yea right) Rob has not shaved for 10 days and looks... hot I must say (it is me after all) Cups of tea drank, at least 50 or so. 1 pound of peanut butter eaten. Hanky's full of snot (TMI alert) ... (we won't say but I am winning)

Sorry no pictures, the connection is slow, and expensive

Kah Kah Kah Kah Kathmandu

Shopping for a trekking skirt from a lovely lady in Town.

Getting there: 6 hours to Delhi (flying), 14 hour layover (sleeping on the floor, in a room with 30 people talking, snoring, bright lights) don't worry your travelers had earplugs and eye covers and air mats. Then 2 hour flight to Kathmandu

The city: like driving in rush hour, with no stop lights, dirt roads, yaks in the roads, and no traffic rules (by the way the car had no seat belts)

By bike rickshaw: magical, slower, and far less protecting you from the buses going the wrong way in traffic

The people: very nice, beautiful, and kind, but always trying to rip you off or sell you something

Being ripped off: always, we haven't once gotten "the local price" in fact I doubt it is possible.

Stomach check: Leah woke with "problems" last night. Rob got them after breakfast this morning.

The plan: get permits and get hiking

Above is Rob's quick analysis of the city. However I feel that you need a little more. This is a fascinating, overwhelming, crazy, dirty place. We have never been anywhere like this before. It is like a movie, fairytale world. Everyone honking their horns as if they are possessed but one look at their face and you see a beautiful smiling face. Our bike rickshaw ride was fascinating. I was sneezing all day with the amazing amount of dust in the air. Everyone has face masks to protect themselves. The face masks also have a sort of style like a cell phone holder.

We love Nepal so far and are very excited for our trekking to start. It all starts with a 10 hour bus ride...

Here is a little glimpse of our rickshaw ride!

Happy Halloween from Lamma

As Rob and I were running this morning we met a small Chinese man who said "good morning ladies and gentlemen, happy Halloween." A very fun start to the day. He hardly got our all of his salutations before we had passed him.

We are loving our little Island of Lamma. It is actually the third largest island of Hong Kong. The only motorized cars are called village vehicles or VVs. So it is very peaceful except for the constant bike bell ringing in you ear. We run and swim every morning. Trying to get in shape for our big hike in Nepal. But I think we will still be very unprepared. We are training at sea level and everything will change with altitude. We tried to get India visas since we have a 14 hour layover in Delhi. But we needed our plane ticket and more time so we have decided to just hang out in the airport in Delhi. We will pull out our camping air mattresses, books, chess board, and anything else we can think of.

Two days ago we visited the Big Buddha. Inside the Buddha is a bone relic of Buddha himself. It was very hard to see the actual bone but it was in a beautiful crystal glass. Several Chinese women were praying in front of the relic. And lots of incense was burned (outside). We had lunch in the monistery and then took a cable car back down over beautiful hillsides.

Right now we are in a coffee shop in Lamma. We just finnished a game of chess and Rob has found his first patient of the trip. A nice man from Argentina who helped me win the chess game, who happens to have an ankle problem. We shall see how this turns out.

One of the many lookout points on Lamma.

Drying fish (yes flys are all over it!)

Is it Rob or is it Buddha?

Our view from the Apartment in Lamma. We swim at that beach.

Macau at last

Kim Wilhelm (our wonderful host and friend) and me in Macau

I have finally kicked the jet lag and am on Macau time. Rob seemed to adjust much faster than I. (thanks to the chicken feet he consumed on the 3rd day here) I on the other hand slept the first two evenings away while Rob went out and lost 9 straight games of pool to players from Brazil, China, and Hong Kong. One of these guys is a rigger for the Cirque show here in town.

Now a moment about food. Wow! We have had Dim Sum 2 times and yes at the same place. The first time we enjoyed this amazing feast we had 15 people at our table and a huge lazy susan in the middle so everyone can reach the 15 different types of food. (Rob unaware of the cultural edict put his hands in the peanuts and was scolded.) Dragaon fruit, guava, noodles, of course rice, and various meats of questionable consistency.

In order to get a good idea of the city we thought we should ride the local bus the whole route through. Great a cheap way to do it. However, the route stopped and we were thrown off. Well not the fist time our plan didn't work out. We did make it back on the bus after finding more change and the bus stop.

As of 10 minutes ago we are proud owners of 2 one-way tickets to Kathmandu!!!! Nov. 3rd. Till then we will be enjoying Macau and Hong Kong.

Rob with the birds. Owners bring their birds to the park and hang them on this tree. Good socializing for the birds and thier owners.

"Feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight"

Looks like they found a way to make sure the chickens don't run away once they cut their throats. The markets here are FRESH.

San Francisco Day 2

Golden Gate Bridge time. We went on a fabulous bike ride all over the city. Starting at the best coffee shop (blue bottle) and ending at the best Ice-cream shop (bi-rite) in the city. Then we finished off the day at the Karaoke bar.







Biking over the Golden Gate Bridge. (Rob somehow stayed on his bike while taking this video, but just barely)

San Francisco Day 1

Golden Gate Park

Rob and I arrived safely in San Francisco but we had a little problem leaving! After our wonderful time seeing the city and spending the evening with Paula we slept soundly in our bed, little did we know that the rest of the passengers on our flight to China were boarding our plane. The flight was for 1:30. So we arrived at the airport with time to spare (11:00)but we soon encountered problems checking in. Shortly after we realized our 12 hour blunder and quickly called the airline to get another flight. $200 later we have our flight scheduled for 1:30 IN THE MORNING on monday.

So till then we are seeing the lovely city of San Fran with our wonderful friend, guide, and landlord PAULA!!!

Rob freezing and running back to dry land!

Paula and me on Haight Street

Ocean Beach, San Francisco
Now to fully enjoy this video you must know that this water is FREEZING (even by Northern Michigan standards).