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First impressions of Kathmandu=less surprised, more delighted. So chill. Yes, it’s kind of got that riotous ‘civilized chaos’ thing going, but it’s so friendlylike and folks are really nice. Not that we’d been given reason to expect otherwise, of course. 

It was a long day of gathering gear for the trek, mostly. Amy and I had to get plastic mountaineering boots, sleeping bags and down jackets. On the advice of our lead guide, Dendi, we also bought fleece windstop balaclavas. 

It was amazing the variety of really crappy (but still functional, likely) brand name knockoff stuff that’s to be had here. North Face, Arcteryx, Mammut, Outdoor Research… some of the stuff identical except for the labels. Prices? Reasonable enough given the apparent utility of the gear, but by no means the bargains we’d been prepared for.

We mostly are renting, which for a 20-some day trek is not a tremendous economic advantage, but this is not gear we’re likely to get a lot of use out of in our back-home life. Unless the trip magically transforms us into mountaineers. Could happen I suppose. 

Do they let you get this down and dirty with the sleeping bags like this at REI? 

Today we also 

Met several of the girls: Tripta, Yelissa, Dewa, 

Met Karma Sherpa, another guide and friend of Trevor’s and Phil’s

Went to Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple in honor of the god, Shiva, and watched cremations on pyres. The girls were excellent guides. 

Hung out with a nice 13-year-old boy named Manoj, who lives with his mother at Pashupathi

View out our taxi’s windshield, rolling into the Thamel, Kathmandu’s tourist district, for a trip to the outfitter’s

When we were in the outfitter’s shop, a Maoist May Day march/demonstration passed down the street.

 

It was a pretty big day.  We finally got to meet some of the Little Sisters. Here are Yelissa and Tripta laughing at my attempt at Nepali. I love them. They are super smart and motivated. They blew me way with how interested and interesting they are. 

Pashupatinath Temple

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“Illiterate meditation”

Scott took this picture inside of Manoj’s house located within Pashupatinath Temple.  He told Scott that his mom writes these marks in the notebook as a way to meditate in prayer. It is supposed to be God’s name, but she does not know how to read or write. 

Manoj and his mother at their house inside Pashupatinath Temple

 

Me and Scott reeling from the big day.