Thame - Thame

Thame - Thame
Back up to the monastery on the way to the high meadows or somewhere. But at the monastery (Goma) the monks are in prayer so we tiptoe to the door only to be asked in good English - please come in.   We are still respectful of the monks and stand in the background as they are led in prayer - by amplified voice. At the top of the raised platform on the right side sits the young lama incarnate. 
It’s cold in the prayer room and I only have on the merino and and shirt. The monks in prayer sit cocooned in a well insulated wrap.  A young monk (30-40yrs old) moves in and out with hot tea for the ‘monks in prayer’ and then offers us a mat to sit on.
Prayers flow one to another and two monks prepare horns.  The next phase sees horns, symbols, bells and a large drum used but now I’m cold and motion to Brandi that I have to go out into the sun to warm up, and to take a pee.

Our hostess has said go horizontal from the Goma and take the split upwards  - mmmm.   We find a cattle track that divides and go up and follow this. I have seen from below a promontory / prow that would be a good vantage point, but the track leads us below it and this we follow.

One pack only - we are light on clothing - for me shorts, merino, orange Macpac and wind/rain jacket. Brandi much the same

We pass a couple yaks being watched over by an old Sherpani.  In the distance the valley flattens out and some paddocks can be seen - low stone walls form perhaps a dozen paddocks and we discover two stone houses - one with the fresh smell of woodsmoke.

Where to have lunch? - well it’s a bar and drink at least (lunch will come later on  return to the lodge)  We move on with a cold wind at our back seeking shelter - ahead a bunch of large rocks - got to be a spot there somewhere and yes we do find a spot.

All clothes on. Just a couple hundred meters ahead more paddocks and 10 or so summer ‘cottages’ for the year herders - unoccupied at this time.
This summer feeding ground is surrounded by peaks over 6,000meters (19,600ft) but today they are obscured by clouds and lightly falling snow.

Our visit is short and we turn back into the wind.  “Lets descend to the river for a alternative way home - there is bound to be a yak trek or two”. Indeed there is but soon we are pinched out by the rivers as it tightens against a bluff -  a simple hop, skip and jump and we are across - knowing that we will need to re-cross somewhere.

It’s easy riverbed going but eventually we are forced out of the river and up, and then we climb back down again (steeply) for the last kms to home.

It’s been a bird day - 3 big birds on the wing soaring around us riding the wind -  vultures - sorry no meal here.
Large colourful pheasants are spooked from their feeding grounds and fly / soar really to escape. No riding the wind for these ground dwellers. Probably spook a dozen or so during he day.

Back at the Valley View Lodge we spend a pleasant hour playing with Chanidka Rai - a 7 yr old Nepalise girl in the household - skipping rope and drawing.

Namche to Thame Nepal 2018

Namche to Thame

As I look out the window I am not sure where I am - the stone walls dividing track from paddock - paddocks that grow nothing - empty soil. A man urging a cow along a lane - heading home ?

The cloud has settled low on the village - blue roofs, prayer flags, stone walls and little else - but wait in the distance some yaks in a paddock and kids playing - down jackets - North Face maybe  - copies made in China or Nepal.

The wind seeps thru the window behind me - Brandi sleeps under the cover beside me, the socks and underwear on the line - not drying but waving in the dying breeze.

Out the window a lady in blue jacket and long black  .. . .. urges 2 small calves towards their home paddock.

We have come today from Namche - off the main route with few fellow travellers - a group of Brazilians lead by a nomadic guide who claims no fixed abode until pressed - a yacht in Guatemala perhaps that may go to the Bay of Islands next year.. 30yrs a guide to Nepal - and other places  - taking Brazilians to strange exotic places - high mostly, although 3700m does not seem s high right now.

The track today is as flat as one could find in Nepal - descending slowly into the   . . . .. . . .Valley. Of course in the magic kingdom nothing is flat - on either side the mountains  - mostly hidden by clouds rise to 6000meters.

We cross the river by ‘modern’ bridge at a great chasm and climb steeply to emerge in a upper side valley - the famous ‘ sherpa’ village of Thame.
We look for “da dome’s” lodge - not to be found but the Nepalese lady in front of Sunshine Lodge points us to the home of Dr Kami’s - its the Valley View Lodge.

    “Yes a room is available” and the pleasant hostess leads us to a small corridor up half a level.  I ask and tell her that some friends stayed here and she confirms she is the wife of the doctor - plagues on the wall confirm his 30yr contribution to the Hillary Foundation - one of two doctors at Kundi where he resides week in to return home by foot in the weekends.

We get upgraded to the corner room - windows on two sides - and after settling in share a plate of fried rice and veggies for lunch

The afternoon passes with a slow walk unto the Goma (monastery) perched high above town  -no boots just flip flops.   Belgium boys for company we climb into and through the Goma. As we leave the bell sounds for the end of lessons - the young monks (kids) run out of class up the stairs towards us
The youngest rather than clapping his hands together in prayer form grabs Brandi’s hand and shales it vigorously - so she is greeted by the young Lama incarnate and blessed at the same time.

In the beginning - a flat white tour.

We wanted a taxi to go back to the airport - chasing a lost bag. We only checked two bags - a big box full of jackets bound for some hill sherpas via Adventure Consultants and the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and my pack.

Of course the box arrived but not my rucksack - was it anything to do with the battery power pack that i had in the bag, or not . . . .. . . . (no matter when we did get the bag the power bank was gone and in it’s place a note i n Chinese and English saying lithium batteries were not a good thing - thanks Samsung. )

1st trip a waste of time, but  ‘ your bag will be on the 11.30pm arrival  ‘ - no problem then, but I wasn’t going to go out then.

Our taxi driver Lama was very accomodating so we booked him again to go out the following day.
Day 2 - dropped the box and caught up on Suze Kelly and Bronwyn, and then Rene at the Radisson.
Late in the day we got my bag - that was really good. Thanks to Lama we  got a guide tour thru the back streets of Kathmandu as we tried to avoid the 5 o’clock traffic (much quicker the back way)
Dinner was across the road from the hotel and Brandi decided the complimentary rice wine was great and requested a ‘second round please’
Day 3 - early to the airport is the advice - even through for some silly reason I had booked a 0930 flight. Of course the advice had been to - ‘go early young man to avoid the cloud and wind build up’
At the airport it was crazy. I started out at one counter for a minute or two and then -              ‘go inside’ !!  Advice from a local
So I joined a queue at the counter  - now these aren’t neat queues but rather a push gently towards the counter with Nepalese guides cutting through and around the desk to get their clients serviced.
Finally I’m there - had the papers in a plastic folder - glanced at only and told to - ‘go other queue please, we are  only booking 0830 seats now.’
So to the other desk - a couple people there only and wait patiently AGAIN.  At least an hour has passed by now  so it’s getting closer tp our time.   ‘No other desk please’
Now back to where I started but I’m learning the Nepalese technique of getting attention - keep pushing forward and smile.

Our flight is Tara 153 on the  paper - but now I understand that this flight comprised three aircraft who went out early - like 6.00, 6.05 and 6.15   Now a couple might be back but now I’m worried about the wind.
FINALLY - papers please. - bag weighted 10 and 13 kgs (22 and 28lbs) - no problem here is your boarding pass Flight Number 119. Others on the  Tara 153 designation getting Flight number 121

I ask ’What time do you expect the 0930 flight to depart”  -     ‘mmm probably about 10 or 1030’.  OK thanks.  At least we have boarding passes - thru security  ‘girls first please’ - a pat down only and into the airport waiting area.

Waiting area - be patient - it’s only 0940 and we have been at the airport since 6.40. No problem About 100 - our flight is called - perfect - my cappuccino - very good it was too - is finished

Out onto a small bus and to the plane which has just arrived back and is busy unloading passengers and bags. But now we wait on the bus in the heat of the day - for what we don’t know and no one says anything to enlighten us. Finally Brandi goes to sit in the shade of the bus steps with a cool breeze . She is worried about the heat and the up coming flight (with the previous experience of throwing up in small planes.

Time passes slowly and I doze - suddenly without a word that I hear everyone is getting off the bus and into the small plane. A seat- isle - seat configuration, 14 passengers in total plus a hostess who gives a brief (very brief) safety intro.

Flying at last - a easy flight with no real bumps and a nice step descent into Lukla and so to walking.