Nepal Post #2: Hiking In The Himalayas--A Lesson On Life

 

Mother Nature is a BEAST!! We knew going into this trek that it was going to be hard. Nobody that says "let's trek to Everest" does it with the illusion that it is going to be easy. We were attempting to do something that many adults would not, and/or could not do! And we decided to do it with two little Muggles, 8 and 5! 

It was a test of mental and physical strength. It was magical and breathtakingly beautiful (pun intended), but it did come at a cost. We pushed our bodies to the limits. It was also some great time to be together as a family. 

The airport in Lukla is at an elevation of 2800 meters in elevation. (just over 9000feet). The airport is built on the side of a cliff that drops the whole 9000 feet straight down. Because of the steep cliffs and dense valleys, radar and technical navigation do not work. Pilots rely on their sight to land. It is a short runway and they have to hit it at the exact angle and exact speed or disaster happens. Due to all of this, it is deemed the most dangerous airport in the world. So knowing all of this, what did we decide to do?! Let's go! The clouds were so thick that planes would not travel to Lukla. Luckily, there was a helicopter going up with supplies and coming down with some other trekkers. So we jumped in. Again, not a trip for the faint of heart. The high mountains and steep winds tossed the helicopter into lurches. Once we arrived at the top of the mountain I saw the pilot tense as we flew into the clouds and vision was handicapped. All I could think about was the chorus to the song by the Chain Smokers that goes, "If we go down, we go down together..." That became the unsolicited mantra in my head the rest of the week! 

But like anything in life, this trip showed us that with a little bit of adversity, faith and some action, the rewards are stunning and sometimes completely unexpected! 

Flying into the abyss. 

The very short runway at Lukla airport. I am not sure who was daring enough to build at the end of the runway...but they are brave to have planes coming at their home all day! 

Weighing all of the supplies going up the mountain. It felt like we were at a wrestling tournament and we all had to weigh in with the judges watching. 

This is about the time when I realized that sometimes we put our faith and trust in other people that know something more than we do. Like this pilot...and the engineers that built the helicopter. I trusted that they know what they are doing. 

We stood at the airport for a few minutes watching the helicopter take off and leave us with nature. Then we started our trek! 

Koala Bear found her first dog within minutes of landing. Then throughout the entire hike she found more. At one point we had 5 or 6 dogs making the climb with us. Lucky Dragon named them all as they joined our party. It gave them both something to focus on besides the 28 steep, very steep, miles we were walking straight up the mountain! It tried to use this as a reason to get a dog...Lady Hiva still says no! (lame)

As we walk we passed several versions of prayer rocks to give us luck and peace along our way. 

The Sherpas that were carrying our stuff. We got to know these guys really well over the next several days. They are kind men full of humility and strength. We are better people because we walked beside  them. 

Photos really do not do it justice. This looks like a leisurely stroll in nature. But we were either walking straight down or straight up most of the trek. We would have to stop and rest here and there as our lungs adjusted to the altitude and our bodies languished with the steep inclines. We climbed from 2800 meters high to 3,750 meter high (just over 12,000feet).  The oxygen saturation at that level is around 82% (normal is 96-100%). As we were huffing and puffing up the inclines, we used the thin oxygen as an excuse! HAHA. 

Because of the rain, the trail was muddy. To make it worse, the donkeys and cattle that pack up items churn the mud and leave manure along the way.  At first we tried to stay out of the mud and avoid the manure. But the harder the climb became, the less we cared. Which meant we were covered in mud, sweat and manure for a weak straight. I am sure we smelled so bad! (more on that later). 

This girl found dogs wherever we went. 

We spun every prayer bell we passed. It was a fun activity for the kids. It gave us a chance to talk about the different ways that people worship God and how all people have an innate desire to do good. 

As you can see, much of the trail went from about 6 feet wide to some portions being 2 feet wide. With cliffs straight up and cliffs straight down. Koala Bear and I held hands for much of the journey. I told her we were a good team. If I slipped she would keep me steady. If she slipped, I would keep her steady. It also allowed me to help pull her up some of the steep steps that were nearly half the size of her body.  Lucky Dragon was bouncing along as fast as we would allow him to go. I kept repeating to him all week, "Stay close to the cliff and away from the edge." Actually, as I think about it, much of this trek was like lessons for life. We walked as a family--together. We saw beauty and relished in each other's successes. We recognized each other's weaknesses, but did not point them out as faults, instead we found ways to overcome those weaknesses together. Or to cheer each other along as we faced our challenges. We held hands to steady each other and hold each other up in support as we walked through crap and slipped up in the mud. We constantly communicated about how we were doing and what we needed.  When one person was struggling and weak, we rallied or rested--together. 

Again, these photos do not do things justice. These cable bridges are intense. They span across chasms thousands of feet in the air. They sway and wobble, but they are strong. I again reflected on my trust of the engineers that built them. If you are afraid of heights, this is NOT the place for you. If you look down halfway across it could be paralyzing. Watching my family cross each of these bridges in a slow line is when I usually doubted my choices as a parent and husband. There was everything that mattered to me teetering above a raging river thousands of feet below all supported by 4 relatively small cables. 

As we went along the trip, we say many Sherpas. Other than donkeys and oxen, there are only people to carry items up to their villages. It was astounding to us to see how much theses people carried on their bodies. We were struggling to just get ourselves up the mountain, let alone weights far above our own! 

We loved seeing all of the flowers as we went. Many of them made  us miss Utah. There were hydrangeas, gladiolas, marigolds, foxgloves, and dahlias--all flowers we had in our garden. We would point them out to ourselves as we went. 

We paid for one of the Sherpas to carry a basket. That way if the kids got tired along the trek, they could ride for a bit. However, both of them refused to get in. They both, at the ages of 8 and 5, climbed all the way to 12,000ft in elevation nearly 27 miles up and back. To say that I was proud of them is an understatement. Another lesson in life...being happy when you see others conquer feats that are tough and seem impossible. 

All the dogs waiting for us when we stopped for the night. 

We were the only ones in the place. You have to check in at intervals so the government knows who is on the mountain at any given point. At one of the check-ins, they told Lady Hiva that there were only two groups on the mountain (other than those that lived there)--us and one other group!  

We ate some amazing food the whole time we were on the mountain. It was all fresh vegetables--much of which they grow themselves. 

We were so happy to find a deck of cards in Lady Hiva's bag. We played cards for hours during the week. It was a sanity saver for sure!

Looking how far we have come...but knowing that there is still more to go. But we are together and know we can make it (another lesson of life, perhaps). 

Sherpa people love to offer tea. Since we do not drink tea, it was confusing to them. Then I discovered that they make a lemon, ginger, honey tea. It was hot water with those three ingredients. It was amazing! So if they asked if I wanted tea, I would always ask for that. 

We took a photo with the photo of a birthday cake...thinking that may be the only cake he gets! 

One of the many  parades of oxen we passed. The Sherpa have interbred cows and yaks. Becuase the cows cannot go as high as needed and yaks cannot come as low as needed, a hybrid was created to haul parcels in the 'in between' space. 

We would stand aside and they trudged slowly by in a single-file line. Their soft lowing and their bells around their necks tinkling as they went. 

The higher we climb, the more steep it gets. Straight up...literally. 

Stay to the wall...stay to the wall. Those rocks can be deceivingly slippery, stay to the wall and hold onto each other for strength and protection. 

Look that this Sherpa carrying a REFRIDGERATOR! 

Still smiling even with wet, muddy feet, tired lungs and sore legs...

Checking in at another check point. It was sobering because the higher we went, the more "missing" photos were posted on the check-point walls for people that have never come back out.