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Day 3 - Yumthang - Valley Of The Flowers
2008-06-07 09:22:00
I couldn’t sleep well the second night, so at 4:45am I got out of bed to check for mountain peaks like a kid checks for presents on Christmas morning. My insomnia was rewarded with views of snow-covered mountains in almost all directions. Perhaps not as much snow as I had hoped, however ...
More About: Flowers , Valley

Day 2 - The Tsopta Valley And Jeep Drama
2008-06-06 09:08:00
The next morning, we could see patches of snow on some of the mountains around us, however the cloud cover was low enough to temper my excitement about the potential for clear views higher up the valley. Our day’s highlight came early when we arrived at an Indian army base in Tsopta Valley , elevation ...
More About: Drama , Jeep

Day 1 ? Big Waterfalls, Long Drive
2008-06-05 08:07:00
There was a delay in getting the necessary permits for the jeep tour north so we ended up leaving an hour late. Then, a little ways outside of Gangtok, we stopped at a scenic outlook for 30 minutes though clouds hid the mountains of interest. We left a stop at Phodong Monastery ...
More About: Drive , Long , Waterfalls

Yak Rides At Tsomgo Lake
2008-06-04 07:56:00
  The jeep ride to Tsomgo Lake took a little less than two hours thanks to our fast driver who thought nothing of overtaking other jeeps along the precipitous mountain roads. As we gained altitude, we began to literally drive through clouds. The air temperature became noticeably colder. We passed landslide zones, stopped ...
More About: India

Good Time Gangtok
2008-06-03 07:43:00
After breakfast, Natalie and I stepped outside of our hotel’s restaurant to a procession of monks and lay people descending Tibet Road in celebration of Buddha’s birthday. We made our way to Mahatma Gandhi Marg, the pedestrian-only road which marks the center of city life (at least as far as tourists are concerned). ...
More About: India , Time , Good

Sikkim Bound
2008-06-02 07:27:00
Sarah is traveling around the world as I am, and her time in Asia was wrapping up in Darjeeling while I was ready to bust up to Sikkim for closer Himalayan views. Cameron would stay with Sarah through her last night, while Natalie joined me in a share jeep a day earlier for ...
More About: Bound

Himalayan Sunrise And Buddhist Monasteries
2008-06-01 07:12:00
Tiger Hill is a thirty minute jeep ride south of Darjeeling, at a higher altitude of about 2,600 meters. It is a popular place to watch the sun rise over the Indian Himalaya, and specifically, Mt. Kanchenjunga. As it was the pre-monsoon season, clear views of the mountains were hard to come ...
More About: Sunrise , Buddhist

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
2008-05-31 07:34:00
The day after visiting the zoo I set my sights on a joyride on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. I was up at 5:30am, out of bed by 7am, queued for a train ticket at the rail station around 7:30am, and enjoying breakfast at the popular cafe Glenary’s by 8:30am. I received an email from ...
More About: India

Regular Updates To Resume Soon!
2008-05-29 10:17:00
Good news…I’m alive and well in the sweltering heat of India .  Since leaving Darjeeling, and a great little internet cafe with lightning fast broadband, I’ve been left adrift from quality internet connections and computers from which to upload my latest photos and stories. I hope to get back on track in the next few days, ...
More About: Blogging , Updates , Resume , Regular

Mt. Kanchenjunga, A Tea Plantation, And The Snow Leopard
2008-05-22 07:03:00
At 8,586 meters, Mt. Kanchenjunga is the world’s third highest mountain, and only 10-20 meters behind K2 in Pakistan for second place. Spending additional time in the shadow of the Himalaya was a big reason for my decision to enter India via Darjeeling. On my second morning, I awoke around 5:30am, saw blue skies ...
More About: Snow , Leopard

Getting To Know D-town
2008-05-21 07:16:00
I spent my first full day walking around Darjeeling. Thankfully, the city center turned out to be smaller than I expected, however you’re often either walking up or down hill given the city is on the ridge of a mountain. While I was trying to find Observatory Hill, a lookout point topped with Hindu ...
More About: Town

The Rocky Road To Darjeeling
2008-05-20 08:50:00
Fully loaded, my share jeep held 12 people and 1 baby. I occupied a seat in the far back, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it allowed me to take in the beautiful valley views as we wound our way up the rough and narrow roads. The experience ...
More About: India , Rocky , Road , Darjeeling

Nepal-India Border Crossing
2008-05-19 07:29:00
As much as I enjoyed playing chicken with oncoming traffic in Kathmandu’s little white taxis, I was happy to have a seat on Yeti Airline’s 11:40am flight to a small border town in southeastern Nepal . The 30 seat twin prop plane had a nice green and yellow paint job and I felt at ease boarding it for the short 45-minute trip. I noticed I was the only white guy, which surprised me given I was on the preferred morning flight for those heading to Darjeeling, India . Seating was first come, first serve and I nabbed a single window seat in the front left, hoping to catch a glimpse of Mt. Everest on my way out of the country. A pleasant stewardess kept us hydrated and the plane took off and landed exactly as scheduled. We flew at 15,000 feet however the clouds hid any potential mountain views. As we disembarked at a tiny airport, I was immediately struck by the heat and humidity of the lower elevation. I went to use the men’s room and after a few seconds at the uri...
More About: Border Crossing , Crossing

Final Thoughts: 7 Weeks In Nepal
2008-05-18 07:48:00
Nepal had always represented world class trekking for me, yet I found the country to offer so much more. Beyond the beautiful snow-capped mountains, green valleys, peaceful lakes, raging rivers, colorful flowers, and wide array of birds were incredibly kind people, a lively Tibetan community, delicious food, and a rich cultural history. Highlights ...
More About: Nepal , Thoughts , Final , Weeks

More Images From Boudhnath Stupa
2008-05-17 20:43:00
  A marching band accompanies a wedding procession around Boudhnath Stupa one afternoon. Butter lamps. A Tibetan woman spins prayer wheels. A rooftop view of the stupa…well worth the extra dollar or two per meal. A monk tries to ignore a begging child….but later relents and offers a donation. Pigeons being fed at sunrise. My room at ...
More About: Nepal , Images

Inspire Yourself at HotelClub?s Travel Blog
2008-05-16 20:44:00
The following is a sponsored post. One’s desire to travel abroad is often born from stories of adventure and photographs of exotic locales. In the years leading up to my current journey, I sought inspiration from television shows, magazines, and travel blogs. Halfway around the world, I still find myself seeking the next cool ...
More About: Reviews , Travel , Blogging , Blog , Inspire

Daily Life In Boudha
2008-05-16 08:46:00
The second morning I awoke in Boudha, I satisfied my curiosity about the ringing bells at 5:30am. I put on some warm clothes and stepped outside of the guest house to see people walking down the alleys toward the stupa, counting their prostrations on malas (prayer beads) hanging from their hands. I joined ...
More About: Life , Daily

How To Obtain An Indian Visa In Kathmandu
2008-05-15 08:45:00
Sunday - Receive advice to get to the India n Embassy early. Monday - 8:45am - Arrive at Indian Embassy 45 minutes prior to opening. Take a number - 79 to be specific. Realize you may not be able to drop off your Telex form today (cutoff is 12pm). Security guy suggests I return at 8pm to get a lower number for ...
More About: Nepal , Kathmandu , Visa

First Hand Account Of China?s Earthquake
2008-05-15 06:14:00
?The mountain blew up right in front of us. There were tremors every few minutes. I will never forget the thunderous echo of those boulders ? as big as two-story buildings ? crashing down the mountain and into the gorge. We saw a small bridge that crossed the gorge and led to a small hotel ...
More About: China , Earthquake , Hand , Account

Hinduism?s Holy Pashupatinath Temple
2008-05-14 08:15:00
After my first peaceful night in Boudha (the area with the stupa), I awoke early to the the sounds of the nearby monastery’s morning puja (prayers). I put my curiosity on hold and stayed in bed. Later in the morning, I caught a cab south to my 5th World Heritage Site in the Kathmandu ...
More About: Temple , Hinduism , Holy

Blissful Boudhnath Stupa
2008-05-13 13:23:00
After a few nights at the historic Kathmandu Guest House in the heart of Thamel (Kathmandu), I was ready to escape the live cover bands and honking taxis for some peace and quiet. I put my main pack in storage and grabbed a taxi east toward Boudhnath Stupa, an important site for both ...

Patan?s Durbar Square Sans Camera
2008-05-11 07:35:00
My first digital camera was a Christmas gift from my parents in 2006. I had been receiving compliments on the Canon PowerShot SD700 IS Digital Elph all along my trip, and had been very happy with the photo quality. I was a quick draw as Gela and others who spent any length of ...
More About: Camera , Square , Patan

Touring Swayambhunath Stupa
2008-05-10 07:37:00
From the restaurant rooftop in Durbar Square, I could see Swayambhunath Stupa as it was up on a hill to the west. I grabbed a taxi for yet another kamikaze ride through narrow streets filled with buzzing motorcycles and pedestrians. For most of my taxi rides around the city and valley, I’ve paid about ...
More About: Touring

Kathmandu?s Durbar Square
2008-05-09 07:57:00
Rarely am I keen to follow the city walking tours in the Lonely Planet guides, however I had a feeling the one from Thamel to Durbar Square in Kathmandu would be interesting. As I left the tourist area, I soon found myself passing Buddhist monasteries, stupas, and Hindu temples left and right. Walking through the ...
More About: Nepal

Thangka Shopping
2008-05-08 07:51:00
Upon my return to Kathmandu, I dedicated a full day to thangka shopping. Thangkas are traditional Tibetan Buddhist paintings made on cloth. They are often framed with a brocade and depict one of five different topics: Deities (like Buddha, Tara, etc.), Life of Buddha, Wheel of Life, and two types of ...
More About: Shopping

Dares, Polls, And India
2008-05-06 07:56:00
Dares I know it has been awhile since I completed a dare, however they are always in the back of my mind. To recap what is outstanding: For $100, my friend Bob wants me to get a photo with a topless girl. For $50, get my photo taken with a ladyboy in Thailand. For $30, Tim wants me ...
More About: India , Nepal , Blogging , Polls , Dares

Leaving Pokhara For Kathmandu
2008-05-05 07:17:00
Two days after returning from the rafting trip, I boarded a tourist bus back to Kathmandu . After 3.5 weeks, and countless adventures, it felt right to leave. The mountain views I once enjoyed each morning had disappeared in a thick haze which had descended on the valley in mid-April. I felt ...
More About: Nepal , Leaving

Rafting Nepal?s Kali Gandaki River
2008-05-04 09:15:00
I was still having trouble bringing myself to leave Pokhara so I signed up for a 3-day/2-night rafting trip through Paddle Nepal /Ultimate Descents. I chose a trip on one of Nepal’s holiest rivers, the Kali Gandaki. It offered class III and IV rapids, so I knew it’d be exciting without scaring the ...
More About: River , Rafting

Saying Goodbye?Again
2008-05-03 07:50:00
New relationships seem to break apart as quickly as they form. Lately, it feels like I’ve been saying goodbye a lot. Luckily, quite a few of the people are headed toward northern India at the same time as me so there’s a possibility we’ll meet up again. However small the chances, ...
More About: Nepal , Goodbye

Paddling Phewa Lake
2008-05-02 07:31:00
One of the luxuries of traveling alone for an extended time is your ability to do whatever you want, whenever. It is the feeling of absolute freedom I worked so hard to enjoy. So once the meditation course wrapped up, I decided to stick around Pokhara a little longer to spend time ...
More About: Nepal , Lake , Paddling