GoBackpackingGoBackpackingJoin me on a solo trip around the world! I will write about the planning and saving process, logistics, and my personal hopes and fears. Once the trip begins, I'll be posting updates and photos from New Zealand to Brazil. Articles
My 3-Day Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Course
2008-05-01 07:09:00 A week to the day after completing my trek, I walked to the Ganden Yiga Chozin Buddhist Meditation Center in the northern section of Pokhara’s Lakeside district. I wanted to find out about the 3-day meditation course they offered. My timing couldn’t have been better, as it was a weekend course set ... More About: Nepal , Tibetan
Morning Hike To The World Peace Pagoda
2008-04-30 07:21:00 When I first arrived in Pokhara, I distinctly remember looking up at the World Peace Pagoda and thinking that it would be a strenuous hike to get up to it (despite the guide book stating it only takes an hour). I decided to put the climb off until after my trek. What a difference ... More About: Nepal , World Peace , Morning
I Want To Fly Like An Eagle
2008-04-29 07:15:00 I allowed myself a few days to recover from the trek, despite having felt far more sore the day after a dodgeball tournament then tramping around in the mountains. I gave up my Super Deluxe room at the Snowland Hotel ($25/night, complete with balcony overlooking the lake), for a more affordable room with ... More About: Nepal , Eagle
Final Thoughts - Annapurna Sanctuary Trek
2008-04-28 07:05:00 Never…Ending…Peace…And& #8230;Love Perspectives from a first-time trekker in the Himalaya of Nepal . The Scenery Hopefully the photos I’ve posted speak volumes about the scenery. Words hardly do it justice so I’m not going to try too hard. Green forest valleys gave way to snow-covered mountains of the highest caliber. Waking each morning to new and stunning ... More About: Thoughts , Final , Trek
Day 10 - When The Night Feels My Song
2008-04-27 20:51:00 I’m on the rocky road, Heading down off the mountain slope, And as my steps echo louder than before. Another day is done, Say goodbye to the setting sun, See what I found, turn back to the ground just like before. And hey hey hey, hey hey hey (hey!), Hey beautiful day. When the night ... More About: Nepal , Song , Night
Day 9 - Learning To Fly
2008-04-27 07:42:00 Well I started out down a dirty road. Started out all alone. And the sun went down, as I cross the hill. And the town lit up, the world got still. I’m learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings. Coming down is the hardest thing. — Tom ... More About: Nepal , Learning
Day 8 - Waiting For The Sun
2008-04-26 20:33:00 At first flash of eden, we race down to the sea. Standing there on freedom’s shore. Waiting for the sun. Can you feel it now that spring has come. And it’s time to live in the scattered sun. Waiting for the sun. Waiting… …This is the strangest life I’ve ever known. ... More About: Nepal
Day 7 - Living For Today
2008-04-26 07:09:00 And if life is going by too fast…it’s time for you to slow down…time for you to make it last…before you trip and slip…and you will miss this happy little stepping stone just before eternal bliss. — Pennywise Tuesday, April 8, 2008 4:28 pm - Tadapani - Elev. 2,630 meters Around 5:45pm yesterday, Nima spotted Mohan ... More About: Living , Nepal , Today
Day 6 - The 59th Street Bridge Song
2008-04-25 20:55:00 Got no deeds to do, No promises to keep. I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep. Let the morning time drop all it’s petals on me. Life, I love you. All is groovy. — Simon & Garfunkel Monday, April 7, 2008 12:33 pm - Chomrong - Elev. 2,155 meters I slept pretty well last night, though I ... More About: Nepal , Song , Street , Bridge
Day 5 - Beautiful Day
2008-04-25 07:30:00 It’s a beautiful day…The sky falls…And you feel like it’s a beautiful day…Don’t let it get away. — U2 Sunday, April 6, 2008 8:18 am - Chomrong - Elev. 2,155 meters I awoke around 1am last night, slightly chilly. I added my thin fleece and donned the warm wool mittens I had bought in Jhinu danda. ... More About: Nepal , Beautiful
Day 4 - Silent In The Morning
2008-04-24 20:12:00 Silent in the morning…Suspended in the trees…Lunchtime comes you’ve found your voice…It brings me to my knees…The volume just increases…The resounding echoes grow…Till once again I bask in morning stillness, I love so. — Phish Saturday, April 5, 2008 1:33 pm - Chomrong - Elev. 2,155 meters Storm clouds are rolling in even earlier today. ... More About: Nepal , Morning , Silent , In The Morning
Day 3 - Snow (Hey Oh)
2008-04-24 07:15:00 The more I see the less I know…The more I like to let it go…hey oh…whoaaa. Deep beneath the cover of another perfect wonder…Where it’s so white as snow. Privately divided by a world so undecided…And there’s nowhere to go. — Red Hot Chili Peppers Friday, April 4, 2008 2:09 pm - ... More About: Nepal , Snow
Day 3 - Wasn?t Born To Follow
2008-04-23 20:59:00 Oh I’d rather go and journey…Where the diamond crescent’s glowing and…Run across the valley…Beneath the sacred mountain…And wander through the forest…Where the trees have leaves of prisms…And break the light in colors…That no-one knows the names of. — The Byrds Friday, April 4, 2008 2:09 pm - Sinuwa - Elev. 2,360 meters At 1 am I ... More About: Nepal
Day 2 - Ballad Of Easy Rider
2008-04-23 07:37:00 The river flows…It flows to the sea…Wherever that river goes…That’s where I want to be…Flow river flow…Let your waters wash down…Take me from this road…To some other town. — Roger McGuinn Thursday, April 3, 2008 2:44 pm - Jhinu danda - Elev. 1, 745 meters We awoke around 6 am to beautiful, clear views of Annapurna ... More About: Nepal , Ballad , Easy , Rider
Day 1 - Shelter From The Storm
2008-04-22 20:03:00 ‘Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood…When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud…I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form. “Come in,” she said, “I’ll give you shelter from the storm.” — Bob Dylan Wednesday, April 2, 2008 9:43 am We were dropped off ... More About: Nepal , Storm , Shelter
Ready, Steady, Abort
2008-04-22 07:57:00 Tuesday, April 1, 2008 6:43 am We depart on our trek at 8am. For the fourth morning, I awoke at dawn to birds chirping, a cow or ox moo’ing, and other charming sounds outside my windows. Pokhara is lovely, peaceful, and laid back - at least in Lakeside. I feel excited. My stomach cramps ... More About: Nepal , Ready
Final Trekking Preparations
2008-04-21 20:31:00 The morning after deciding on which guide/porter to hire, Gela informed the manager at her guest house, and we met up for lunch at Boomerang, a restaurant with an idyllic outdoor patio overlooking the lake. The warm sun was beaming down on us, birds were chirping, prayer flags were fluttering, and the locals ... More About: Nepal , Final , Trekking
Meeting Gela
2008-04-21 07:24:00 Around the time I was in Hong Kong, I had updated my TravBuddy.com profile to reflect my plans to trek in Nepal in April. It was the first time I’ve tried to arrange to meet up with someone for the purpose of traveling together. I didn’t have to try too hard because I ... More About: Meeting
Holding Pattern
2008-04-20 20:03:00 7:38 am I went to Moondance Restaurant with Rob and Rosie and two other kayakers joined us - Mike (France, 36) and Vasiili (Siberia, Russia, 32). I was surprised to hear Rosie is only 23 - she’s kayaked since 11 or 12. Quite adventurous! She was cute - and I got a ... More About: Nepal , Pattern , Holding
The Road To Pokhara
2008-04-20 08:15:00 7:55 am Stuck in traffic on the bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara. I’m 1 of 4 Westerners (all notably in the back seats except one old large white guy). Local music playing at a low background volume. We have not gone far. Dirt, rock, and trash line road. I feel like ... More About: Nepal , Road , The Road
Cultural Acclimatization
2008-04-19 08:11:00 Finished reading “The Beach” this morning after not being able to fall asleep until 2am last night. Power was out when I awoke - I can tell by the hum of a nearby generator. I still can’t get a charge on my laptop - very bothering. I was about to get ... More About: Nepal , Cultural
Trekking Stores And Permits
2008-04-19 01:28:00 Thamel is the tourist neighborhood of Kathmandu, meaning there are a plethora of outdoor stores selling fake supplies most notably North Face (err, “North Fake”) and Mountain Hard Wear clothing and sleeping bags. Just about everyone says they are a guide, and it feels very hard to get a straight answer when you try ... More About: Nepal , Stores , Trekking , Permits
Touchdown In Kathmandu
2008-04-18 20:38:00 Touchdown was perfect. Kathmandu is big and sprawling - colorful buildings surrounded by mountains. I wrote up the Visa application, got two passport photos taken, changed my Chinese yuen and paid the $35 fee in US dollars. Got my pack and was picked out by a few guys. My ATM card ... More About: Nepal , Touchdown
Come Fly With Me (Over The Himalaya)
2008-04-18 08:00:00 The flight from Chengdu to Lhasa was cool - crossing over the Tibet an Plateau - the snow-capped, glacier-ridden mountains slowly coming into view through the cloud cover. Getting to the airport early had paid off - I was able to secure a window seat (13A) for both legs. Next to me were ... More About: China
Final Thoughts: China
2008-04-17 20:43:00 In planning my trip around the world, I always thought of China as my gateway to Tibet, rather than a destination unto itself. The language barrier concerned me, it was a huge country, and I didn’t feel too curious about it. Since I couldn’t travel to Tibet, it allowed me a second week ... More About: Thoughts , Final
A Late Last Night In China
2008-04-17 08:06:00 I called Charlie after the opera and made my way across town to his apartment. Wu, his roommate, wanted to check out a popular bar/club called 88, and while being in a loud club was not high on my preferred activities, I was more interested in spending a little more time with a friend ... More About: China , Night , Late
The Sichuan Opera
2008-04-16 19:13:00 Among the many activities Charlie was excited to share with me, the Sichuan Opera always seemed to be at the top of the list. It therefore seemed fitting that I would attend a performance on my last night in China. I had decided to stay at Sim’s Cozy Guest House my last two nights as ...
Little Tibet Revisited
2008-04-16 08:00:00 On the afternoon of March 22, I decided to revisit the Tibet an neighborhood in Chengdu. I was overdue for a Tibetan meal with butter tea, and was wondering what the scene was like in that area given the escalation of violent protests which had occurred in Tibet and western China. I was immediately struck by ...
Hot Pot Adventures
2008-04-16 01:25:00 After a fun day at People’s Park, I returned back to Charlie’s apartment. In the evening, I joined him and his girlfriend for some errands. We went to Nanuna again. One of the owners was at a table and invited us to join him for vodka with chocolate-flavored tea. It was ... More About: Adventures
The People?s Park
More articles from this author:2008-04-15 13:18:00 I picked up my e-ticket to Kathmandu at Sim’s Guest House travel desk and grabbed a taxi to the People ’s Park in central Chengdu. The Lonely Planet spoke highly of it, and I was surprised by what I found. For a Thursday afternoon, the park seemed quite crowded. As I started to take photos ... More About: The People 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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