Some of you know Liz and I (with another couple we've traveled with) are trekking across Nepal for most of this month.
We've been planning this trip for 2 1/2 years (and saving for it too). This is my 18th country and by far the most complicated and expensive trip. We're VERY excited it's finally here.
It's the reason I did not make the Gap this year - always comes down to time and money and I've run out of both with this trip.
We're all packed and ready, lots of special gear like a MilSpec solar charger for the cameras, several 64Gig SD cards, special poles, boots, socks, weather gear (hot and cold) man this list goes on. Tight weight constraints and such but after all this time we're off to the airport at 0900 local. It's 35 total travel time from Colorado Springs to Chicago to Doha (Qatar). The a 16 hour layover in Doha (Luxury 4 star suite - my wife has (had) a lot of points with the Intercontinental Hotels) so it was almost free, I plan a swim in the Persian Gulf) then off the next morning to Kathmandu.
I know the gig about Backpacking and training -- I've done a lot of hard-core backpacking in the past but I've done almost none. Liz has been walking 5 miles a day up some nasty hills here, in open space parks and such for months. However we're not carrying any substantial gear other than personal stuff like camera's, rain gear, water etc (although I have a BIG first aid kit I'm carrying and more).
The Sherpa's will carry most everything else - tents, food etc. They'll go ahead of us - set up lunch, we'll eat, vibe out with some Buddhist's and Hindu's for a few hours and take off to the camp site where the Sherpa's went ahead and set up camp and dinner. More teaching and general vibing out.
Pretty luxurious for us, our guide who is a old and dear friend from Nepal says they love Americans. Passang pays them a good wage and he's told us what the "tip" is for porters. Not extravagant by our standards but not cheap either. For them this one trip is what the average person makes in a year and Passang does a couple of these a year usually.
Passang (our guide) does not make any money doing this. His fee covers his expenses to get there and see his family. All proceeds after expenses go to orphanages and other Nepal charities (we've seen his work and what he does). He runs some stores here in Colorado Springs and a restaurant. When we first met him 13 years ago he welcomed us into his store with a bow and then a hug with Hello My Friends - I've been waiting for you. We've been very close since. This man exudes calmness and light - hard to explain, some of you reading this might get it. 3 years ago Liz had 3 girlfriends visiting, they all walked into his store and two of the visiting girlfriends immediately walked past him leaving Liz and Suzanna (our friend we've traveled with before - She lives in Tennessee). Anyway he greeted them, looked into their eyes and said "let me take you to my country". We did not even know he did this stuff back then. So the girls got a vibe and so did I when they told me - and so did Lawrence (Suzanna's husband).
The trek is very flexible since it's just the 4 of use we can change things around and do what we want but right now the route is way off the beaten path of most trekking groups. Only a couple of small villages in 3 1/2 weeks of hiking. It's supposed to be very moderate with a few "uppies" along the way but gradual. We're starting out low - around 4K Feet (Kathmandu is on the same meridian as Miami)...
Gradually working to higher elevations. At one point we'll be at 18,000 feet where it gets down to -15F (more new gear -20 rated sleeping bags). But depending on how we all feel we can change this. Only cure for altitude sickness is to get lower.
Since I'll be off the grid (no internet or cell service where we're going) I'll be in withdrawals with no Kawi2strokes.com - you guys see me freak out when I check and there's no new posts
So pictures and video's when I get back. I'll spin some prayer wheels for Jerry!
See ya when I get back.
bb
PS - Here's Lawerence and I in Peru (he's a paleoanthropologist)
Here's a picture I took of Suzanna and Lawrence (on the right) inside the Kings burial chamber - "The Great Pyramid" of Khufu.
.....Nepal 
