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I was charged by a water buffalo today. I told Dawa since it
was the fastest I have moved so far on the trail, perhaps we
should keep one behind me. It points out why the locals keep
wide birth of them. The yaks, which I am told, and will see
later at the higher elevations, will move quietly behind a person
and lift him off the trail with their horns. If the trail is
narrow, and the drop-off severe, it would be fatal. To
eliminate this possibility, however, all the animals wear bells
around their necks. The beautiful chimes clang in rich cords
and can be heard a long way off heralding their coming. |
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Thursday Morning 10/15/92
We had a late start today. Part of the reason for this was
my inability to get out of bed without a great deal of
effort. Those pesky calves again tightening up, and the fact
that I needed a day of rest. I decided to relax, but now I
am loosened up and feel better and am ready to go.
Saw my first glimpse of the Himalayas this morning. It was
just enough to tantalize, not enough to satisfy, reminding
me of my dating life back home.
The homes of the Sherpa people and the Tea houses use
open fire pits for cooking and warmth. It seems to me there
must be a better way. I asked why the people cook in open fire pits since the
smoke is so bad for them. Dawa said it stays warmer in the
winter and the smoke helps swell the wood so that the cold
winter winds cannot come in. I cannot argue that, but lung
disease is a major problem and the smoke hangs thick in the
homes as it slowly sifts through the roof of grass or stone.
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Smoke From an Open Pit Fire Rising through the rafters |
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Dawa,
his Sister and kids enjoying the Hearth Fire - (back
to pg 26) |
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| The flowers lining the trail are pretty, but I have been too
busy walking or resting to take pictures. At
this stage of my conditioning there just does not seem to be
enough energy to deal with the camera. Perhaps today, during
a lengthy rest stop.
I noticed Dawa with a new set of flip flops this morning. I
can’t begrudge him the sandals. They are only a few rupees.
Anyway he is saving me money since he knows everyone along
the trail. I have told him to watch the spending, but he is
not convinced that I am poor, and that the quantity of funds
available is limited and, therefore, a potential problem. And I suppose from his perspective he has a point, after
all, I can afford to be there and who hired whom!?
I
gave him my watch to wear because I kept looking at it. One
of the joys of getting away from one’s own culture is to
forget about schedules and times, and get into the same
synch as the locals. Time is measured differently
here, not by the ticking beat of the watch but by the
gradual rhythms of life and death; by the movement of the
seasons and the slow progress of the sun across
the sky. Maybe when I get back to Kathmandu, I should give him the
watch. A fair trade, some of my time induced anxiety for some
local tranquility. It’s something he could never afford to buy and
it’s the amount I would spend on a dinner date. |
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