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I hope that I am fortunate when meeting the porter Sunday. My
anxiety level is running rather high over whether we
"connect." So much is dependent on initial feelings.
The money has already been paid and Monday we catch the bus to
Jiri. There will be no time to find someone else. Evidently he
speaks little English. At least we have something nearly in
common.....I speak no Nepalese.
Back at the hotel, I have been wrestling with the prospect of
carrying all my gear. Looking at my backpack sitting like an
over stuffed whale on the floor with gear strewn around and
about, it would seem I have a slight logistics problem. It
weighs close to fifty pounds with what I have already in it. This leaves about 35 pounds in additional equipment for the
guide/porter to carry. I may have to increase my weight
depending on what the guide is willing to carry over and above
what he personally must bring. If I must increase my pack
weight very much it will be a difficult and slow trip. When I
contracted for the guide it was with the understanding that he
would carry additional weight. Many guides are unwilling to do
so, thereby requiring the additional expense of hiring a
porter which I cannot afford.
The agency wanted seven dollars per day for the guide.
Porters would have been an additional $3.00 per day each.
I offered five for the guide and made it clear it was the most
that I could do and they could take it or leave it. He
took it. |
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A
Roaring Nepali River, Prayer Flags Offering
Prayers to Buddha |
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One of many foot bridges that we
will encounter |
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It’s in the 80’s during the days so I have been
wearing cutoffs. It is a little uncomfortable
wearing them because very few Nepalese do, at least in the
city, and I feel out of place. Next time I will
bring along light cotton pants.
It’s appalling the amount of
diesel smoke spewing into the city from assorted
vehicles. And the
garbage - it is piled high, buzzing with activity, the
winged variety, ready to be shoveled into trucks and hauled away.
Everywhere there is litter. And when it is
dry....there is dust, and when rainy....mud. The two
rivers that run through the heart of the city are the
drainage for much of the filth, and yet, they are used
for swimming and washing. One small tributary of
a few feet across was running navy blue with
discharge, probably from a carpet factory.
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Nepal in it’s head long rush to get
it’s share of the economic pie and haul itself out of abject
poverty, has sunk into an environmental quagmire. With much of
its financial resources coming from the international
community, and few natural resources,* Nepal has a long ways
to go to resolve it's many problems.
At night it has been quite cool. Cool enough for a sweater. Perfect weather with no hint of rain.
* Three most important of the natural resources
available are the shear beauty of the Himalayas, it’s peoples,
and the hydro-electric potential, yet untapped. |
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