It's Good Friday, the first Holy Week and Easter Sunday that I have missed and will be missing for the 1st time.
I was talking to a friend who works overseas online yesterday that I might not be even able to do my fast and abstinence here. There's always a saying in church that if you're on a holiday or overseas, don't let these little things bug/bog you and do what you were supposed to do there.
True enough for a consolation. By right, I'm supposed to be on my return journey from Phakding to Lukla, the last day of trek back from EBC. Here I am, stuck in Kathmandu, waiting for the rest to return. I'm supposed to be enjoying, having fun, eating and merrying. I was actually asking myself the whole week, would I be able to make it through on Friday? So far I have. I've started it and I'm going to see it through till it ends. I've had enough luxury this week, eating whenever I want, shopping... I don't think it's difficult for me to follow through this Good Friday tradition today.
Then again, my friend brought up the issue that it's not all about fasting. It's also about the sacrifices that you put yourself through. Well, to tell the truth, this week has been really hard. It's been patience-testing and learning how to care and 'love' somebody who is a pain in the neck. Pardon my un-Christian comment. Seriously, it has been almost 2 frustrating weeks. Maybe that's my trial for this Lent. All bottled into 10 days. Truthfully, I've not been preparing myself for Easter this Lent. First was CNY, then work and the trip here... I can't believe that Lent just whisked through and it's Easter! Where have I placed Him during these 40 days? The answer would be disappointing. I'm sorry...
It's also a holy day here in Kathmandu, a time of celebration. It's public holiday, shops are closed and people are walking all over on the streets pouring water and colouring each other on the road. Me? I prefer to keep myself as an observer and took pictures of the festival instead. People are shouting 'Happy Holy' as they walked through the streets in Thamel. If you don't know what's happening, you might just think the city has gone berzerked! The people starting celebrating the festival 2 days earlier where they started to throw water bags at tourists and yesterday was the big built up to today. Tourist who didn't like it were cursing and swearing at the locals who threw water bags at them. Grouchy and angry faces were reciprocated. Of course, there are also tourists who happily join in the fun.
The team will be back tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing them. Maybe they are also throwing water and colours at each other in Lukla.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Nepal
I'm here, at last and leaving in 5 days time. All the talking and planning... and this post recorded really late... so sorry everyone. I know some of you might have been wondering what has happened to me the last 2 weeks. Here's a brief one.
I left home at about 5.45am with Aunty Jo who offer to send me to airport and have breakfast there. Well, it was supposed to be 5.30am leave house la but it's ok... Nice enough of her to wake up so early for the transport.
The team was supposed to meet at the airport at 7am and people came late. Really late. Fortunately, we had requested for excess baggage kilos in advanced or we'll be paying so much excess big time with a late check-in. And the adventure began. At the final boarding room, we passed through the last security check. Ta-da, one of them carried a pair of scissors as it was in his 1st aid kit. We were stopped and finally was allowed through as the end of it was round. It was one of the most boring flight I've ever had. No personal inflight entertainment. Anyway, most of us slept really late even after reminders to sleep early. I was packing till 2am. Arrived in Kathmandu finally and we were whisked to the hotel.
We had a good and late lunch - western food - steak - at Everest Steak Restaurant. The portion was so big and some of it overcooked that a few of them had problem finishing it. hahaha...quite a sight. Strolled back to hotel with intermittent stops for last minute gear shopping and recce for post trek makan places.
Back to the hotel, we re-packed all our stuffs, adding in the comm service items that we brought along for to accomplish during the trek. It was too much that we had to leave 3 boxes behind at the hotel for a post trek comm service work.
Day 2 started at 5.30am with hotel breakfast and we were soon off to the domestic airport. I knew for sure our baggage were too heavy but we had really good help from the agency to talk through with the airline staffs without needing to pay for excess baggage there. How blessed are we. Then it was the waiting game... waiting for the sky to clear to fly to Lukhla. Wanted to catch some forty winks on the flight though it was only about 45mins but was constantly woken by Uncle Gordon to see the snowy mountains. Then the landing part came and it was an eye opener on how the plane lands and how it can stop and park itself on the right spot. Truly amazing and I give it to the pilots who did a great job!
After re-packing, we had lunch and started off to Phakding. Our first and second last stop for the trek. The downhill start was easy till somewhere mid way, I knew my stomach is in some kind of trouble. For before that at the lunch place, I had already run to the toilet a few times with unusual stools. My stomach felt like it was churning and pulling each other at times... it was a horrible feeling and what's more on the 1st day of the trek. I thought to myself, why on the 1st day I'm having problems already? It was quite bad at some part of it that I actually teared. Thankfully, after some medicine from Richard - Uncle Gordon's friend, there was some relief. I tried charcoal pills, it didn't work out at all.
Climbing from Phakding to Namche was one of the toughest day I had during the trek. Very memorable day. It was downhill and then we climb almost 600m upwards all the way to Namche. At 3000m asl, I got hit by AMS. For every few steps that I try to exert or move faster brings a hard pound in my head. The group got ahead of me by 2 hours, this didn't bother me at all as I was more cautious over my life than some timing to compete. When I finally reached the guest house, I was relieved but probably becaus of the faster movement, the moment I sat and rested, my head felt worse. But I was blessed. My student offered to give me a good shoulder and neck massage and it relieved off the stress quite a bit. 3 other were also down. 1 have headache, 1 vomitted and 1 is almost disorientated. I was quite concern over the last one, didn't want to create a chance for HACE to set in. We had a discussion and it was decided that all those who had symptoms of AMS have to be medicated on Diamox from now till they are acclimatized. It may seemed a little late to consume but it surely helped as there are tougher days ahead. Those who were still strong, didn't want to be medicated and I left it as their choice.
The next 2 days were spent in Namche with 1 morning doing comm service at a school, mixing around with the students and sitting in their classes. The third half day was spent acclimatizing climbing to 3800m. We were supposed to climb to Everest View Hotel to catch a glimpse of Everest and some other peaks but the clouds came down very low and we walking among the clouds. I lost the group and turned back with the guide behind by noon time. I was quite worried about climbing high and fast so took my time to ascend. I could still feel some slight headache but was not as bad as the previous day. The last I want is that I will be down on AMS at such that altitude.
Just as we thought we had acclimatized well for Tengboche, an unfortunate incident happened and it really dampened our mood. Some overtly smart person lost his travel documents and in the end, provisional plans had to be made for him as the priority is for him to be able to leave the country together with the group. I did group debrief that night and warned the group for the last time that they need to take care of their own valuables. I didn't want to further stress the kid who lost his passport but I had no choice. I needed him to get the message for the 'cause and effect' he had created through his own actions. There were more to it before this incident so it's a built up of agony.
The walk to Tengboche was half a breeze and half tough. Moving off from Namche was not difficult. We saw Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam within the 1st 30 mins of the trek. It was very motivating to keep wanting to move forward to keep wanting to see the mountain get bigger in front of us. Just before lunch, we had to descend about 200m or more down to the foot of Tengboche hill. That descend was terrible for my legs. I soon strained the back of my left knee and moving up Tengboche was a real challenge with this injury. During my slow climb, many thoughts ran through my mind. Could I go as high as my legs would take me? What if I had to turn back the very next day to KTM to settle the passport thingy? Would my knees be able to take it? I felt frustrated. Very. By the sheer thought that I can't complete this journey together with the team. This is my 2nd Himalayan trip and uncompleted.
Tengboche was a quiet place probably because of religious reasons. The sun in the day gave it a nice serenity feeling. The night really sends the creeps. I was not the only person who felt it. Another boy felt it too. It was also at this place that I realised I almost died while sleeping. For don't know what reasons, I actually stopped breathing. Really. And I was conscious that it happened in my sleep. I had to struggle to wake up or I know I'll be sleeping to eternal rest. The same thing happened to me at Namche the following night. Both nights, I had to jolt myself out of sleep to keep myself alive and each time, I'll be panting real hard. At Namche, my final dream just scared me out of it and I know I had to do something about it. I prop myself sleeping higher, allowing better airway flow of breath.
Then the truth came. I had to turn back from Tengboche and return to KTM asap. On our way down, we had to go to the police post to make a police report. Got it faxed to KTM to settle some paper work while we get back to Lukhla.
The journey back to Lukhla set me thinking and appreciating what we have in Singapore. Imagine if anything had gone wrong, it is a bus or taxi away to sort out our problems. Here, this is kind of an emergency but yet not serious enough to warrant a faster way to get back to KTM. If you want fast, how about running back to Lukhla? Oh by the way, there was this caucasian who managed to reach Lukhla in a day from Tengboche. Power!
The rest is just about getting the passport done. So yup, here I am, waiting for the rest to be re-joined in KTM for our final activities back here. Can't wait to reunite with the team.
I left home at about 5.45am with Aunty Jo who offer to send me to airport and have breakfast there. Well, it was supposed to be 5.30am leave house la but it's ok... Nice enough of her to wake up so early for the transport.
The team was supposed to meet at the airport at 7am and people came late. Really late. Fortunately, we had requested for excess baggage kilos in advanced or we'll be paying so much excess big time with a late check-in. And the adventure began. At the final boarding room, we passed through the last security check. Ta-da, one of them carried a pair of scissors as it was in his 1st aid kit. We were stopped and finally was allowed through as the end of it was round. It was one of the most boring flight I've ever had. No personal inflight entertainment. Anyway, most of us slept really late even after reminders to sleep early. I was packing till 2am. Arrived in Kathmandu finally and we were whisked to the hotel.
We had a good and late lunch - western food - steak - at Everest Steak Restaurant. The portion was so big and some of it overcooked that a few of them had problem finishing it. hahaha...quite a sight. Strolled back to hotel with intermittent stops for last minute gear shopping and recce for post trek makan places.
Back to the hotel, we re-packed all our stuffs, adding in the comm service items that we brought along for to accomplish during the trek. It was too much that we had to leave 3 boxes behind at the hotel for a post trek comm service work.
Day 2 started at 5.30am with hotel breakfast and we were soon off to the domestic airport. I knew for sure our baggage were too heavy but we had really good help from the agency to talk through with the airline staffs without needing to pay for excess baggage there. How blessed are we. Then it was the waiting game... waiting for the sky to clear to fly to Lukhla. Wanted to catch some forty winks on the flight though it was only about 45mins but was constantly woken by Uncle Gordon to see the snowy mountains. Then the landing part came and it was an eye opener on how the plane lands and how it can stop and park itself on the right spot. Truly amazing and I give it to the pilots who did a great job!
After re-packing, we had lunch and started off to Phakding. Our first and second last stop for the trek. The downhill start was easy till somewhere mid way, I knew my stomach is in some kind of trouble. For before that at the lunch place, I had already run to the toilet a few times with unusual stools. My stomach felt like it was churning and pulling each other at times... it was a horrible feeling and what's more on the 1st day of the trek. I thought to myself, why on the 1st day I'm having problems already? It was quite bad at some part of it that I actually teared. Thankfully, after some medicine from Richard - Uncle Gordon's friend, there was some relief. I tried charcoal pills, it didn't work out at all.
Climbing from Phakding to Namche was one of the toughest day I had during the trek. Very memorable day. It was downhill and then we climb almost 600m upwards all the way to Namche. At 3000m asl, I got hit by AMS. For every few steps that I try to exert or move faster brings a hard pound in my head. The group got ahead of me by 2 hours, this didn't bother me at all as I was more cautious over my life than some timing to compete. When I finally reached the guest house, I was relieved but probably becaus of the faster movement, the moment I sat and rested, my head felt worse. But I was blessed. My student offered to give me a good shoulder and neck massage and it relieved off the stress quite a bit. 3 other were also down. 1 have headache, 1 vomitted and 1 is almost disorientated. I was quite concern over the last one, didn't want to create a chance for HACE to set in. We had a discussion and it was decided that all those who had symptoms of AMS have to be medicated on Diamox from now till they are acclimatized. It may seemed a little late to consume but it surely helped as there are tougher days ahead. Those who were still strong, didn't want to be medicated and I left it as their choice.
The next 2 days were spent in Namche with 1 morning doing comm service at a school, mixing around with the students and sitting in their classes. The third half day was spent acclimatizing climbing to 3800m. We were supposed to climb to Everest View Hotel to catch a glimpse of Everest and some other peaks but the clouds came down very low and we walking among the clouds. I lost the group and turned back with the guide behind by noon time. I was quite worried about climbing high and fast so took my time to ascend. I could still feel some slight headache but was not as bad as the previous day. The last I want is that I will be down on AMS at such that altitude.
Just as we thought we had acclimatized well for Tengboche, an unfortunate incident happened and it really dampened our mood. Some overtly smart person lost his travel documents and in the end, provisional plans had to be made for him as the priority is for him to be able to leave the country together with the group. I did group debrief that night and warned the group for the last time that they need to take care of their own valuables. I didn't want to further stress the kid who lost his passport but I had no choice. I needed him to get the message for the 'cause and effect' he had created through his own actions. There were more to it before this incident so it's a built up of agony.
The walk to Tengboche was half a breeze and half tough. Moving off from Namche was not difficult. We saw Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam within the 1st 30 mins of the trek. It was very motivating to keep wanting to move forward to keep wanting to see the mountain get bigger in front of us. Just before lunch, we had to descend about 200m or more down to the foot of Tengboche hill. That descend was terrible for my legs. I soon strained the back of my left knee and moving up Tengboche was a real challenge with this injury. During my slow climb, many thoughts ran through my mind. Could I go as high as my legs would take me? What if I had to turn back the very next day to KTM to settle the passport thingy? Would my knees be able to take it? I felt frustrated. Very. By the sheer thought that I can't complete this journey together with the team. This is my 2nd Himalayan trip and uncompleted.
Tengboche was a quiet place probably because of religious reasons. The sun in the day gave it a nice serenity feeling. The night really sends the creeps. I was not the only person who felt it. Another boy felt it too. It was also at this place that I realised I almost died while sleeping. For don't know what reasons, I actually stopped breathing. Really. And I was conscious that it happened in my sleep. I had to struggle to wake up or I know I'll be sleeping to eternal rest. The same thing happened to me at Namche the following night. Both nights, I had to jolt myself out of sleep to keep myself alive and each time, I'll be panting real hard. At Namche, my final dream just scared me out of it and I know I had to do something about it. I prop myself sleeping higher, allowing better airway flow of breath.
Then the truth came. I had to turn back from Tengboche and return to KTM asap. On our way down, we had to go to the police post to make a police report. Got it faxed to KTM to settle some paper work while we get back to Lukhla.
The journey back to Lukhla set me thinking and appreciating what we have in Singapore. Imagine if anything had gone wrong, it is a bus or taxi away to sort out our problems. Here, this is kind of an emergency but yet not serious enough to warrant a faster way to get back to KTM. If you want fast, how about running back to Lukhla? Oh by the way, there was this caucasian who managed to reach Lukhla in a day from Tengboche. Power!
The rest is just about getting the passport done. So yup, here I am, waiting for the rest to be re-joined in KTM for our final activities back here. Can't wait to reunite with the team.
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