Trekking Nepal

Ok, the title may seem formidable and intimidating, but the actual trekking that took place never went over 10 kilometers. Altitude-wise, maybe some difficulty was encountered considering that the site of this story is in the heart of the Himalayas.

What makes this story quite intriguing is the naivety-bordering-on-ignorance of this writer and the hilarious unseen and unplanned consequences that unwittingly became the ingredients of a memorable stew that is this story.

Medical camp in Jungu was underway in the first day and we were swamped by a horde of patients. The second day ended at 4 pm and I eagerly changed into my jogging attire and ventured over the hill behind the camp just to get a closer look at the majestic Gauri Shankar.

This is what I saw (photo below)... another mountain between me and the Guari Shankar - of course. I was now imagining myself as the "bear that went over the mountain."

That night I spent most of my time trying to figure out a plan. I reckoned that if I could leave the camp at exactly 4 pm, I might be able to trek to the other mountain across the deep valley... camp there for the night and get up early enough to go over the other mountain (like the bear). I recalled seeing a school building on the other side that would make a good shelter for the night.

The next day at lunch time I started deflating and rolling up my air cushion, mat, sleeping bag, warm clothes, power bars and 2 bottles of water and stuffing them into my back pack. Someone managed to get a stolen photo of me preparing to leave (below)

I was intending to push through with my plan as soon as clinic was off at 4. I interviewed some locals and they said that it was very safe for me to camp out as there were no bad elements in the area. 

With my stuff on my back I approached my boss - Rasmira, asking her permission. I explained to her my plan and luckily she nodded her approval, obviously unaware of the distance I was wanting to go. On instinct she asked a local guy to accompany me and to keep an eye on me. In a few minutes another guy and lady joined us and that made us a foursome climbing up the mountain.

We got to the top of the mountain and the first guy points to an empty house (obviously damaged by the earthquake but still usable) and tells me that it belonged to a cousin and that I could bed down there for the night. I tell him that there was still enough daylight to go further and I pointed to the other mountain telling him that if possible that was how far I intended to go.

He looks at me in disbelief and the three of them argue in Nepali. I imagine that they were saying that I was crazy and that I had become a liability to them. They explained to me that it would take 5 hours to get to the point where I wanted to go - which I realize there and then that it was true, and that my only option now was to sleep at the house of his mother-in-law somewhere down the valley behind the forest (in the middle of the photo below) if I really intended to go farther. 

I now realized that my foolhardy plans were dashed and that I had to give in to their wisdom. I also eagerly anticipated experiencing the hospitality of the Nepali people firsthandedly. 

Darkness fell fast as we rounded the bend and Suraj - the eldest of the three, pointed to a makeshift GI sheet hut were his mother-in-law stayed. It was beside a 2-storey house that was damaged by the quake. (photo below was taken the following morning)

In my mind I knew that this was going to be epic. I would now experience the life of the Nepali people post-quake and this stint would be priceless. 

I was introduced to the old lady who immediately proceeded to put our dinner together by first milking the buffalo behind the house. While she was at it, Smriti, Benjamin and Suraj got busy on keeping me abreast with their culture and the effects of the earthquake.

In about 2 hours dinner was served and it consisted of steamed spinach, wheat meal, potatoes and pickled sauce. I was also treated to homemade yogurt and fermented milk - a la yakult.

After dinner we have a selfie with a real smoke-screen because cooking was done inside.

Then Suraj says that we had to go to another makeshift tin house which will serve as our bedroom. It is there where some fun would take place.

While we were preparing our sleeping stuff there was a knock on the door and 2 dudes enter. They give my companions hugs - obviously so happy to see each other, and after some talk one guy disappears into the night only to reappear with 2 bottles of beer. Benjamin goes on to point out that it is "Commando" extra strong beer and he asks me if I wanted to try it. I take a look at the label and it says 6.5% alcohol. 

"yeah... pour it out bro and let's see if it hits the right spot." I say. I take one gulp and tell them that it doesn't seem to be extra strong. They look at each other and then one guy leaves only to return with a pitcher. He says that it is the local wine made from millet. 

I take a swig from the pitcher and shake my head. "It's water" I tell them. Now they're really baffled. I explain to them that the Lambanog in the Philippines slices like a knife from the throat to the stomach when you swallow it and this stuff in the pitcher is like water in comparison. They look at me in disbelief and one guy says that he has a bottle of strong stuff from the town. He leaves and in a while returns with a small bottle of vodka, which made the night more memorable.

The temperature that night plunged down to about 8 degrees Celsius, but we all slept in the warmth of the brew.

The following morning I was up a bit late and so I hurriedly retraced my steps back to camp with this awesome view looming over me.

After that night, trekking in Nepal would never be the same again.