Days 66 to 87: Nepal & the Himalayas, Part IV

Day 15: Lukla (2,830m.) -> Kathmandu (1,400m.)

I woke up bright and early for my 6:30am flight back to Kathmandu. Determined to appreciate my last moments in the mountains, I watched the Sunrise from the airport, as the planes came in, dropping off fresh-faced trekkers eager to begin their journey. I felt a bit of nostalgic as I saw their excited faces – but that faded quickly as I was reminded of the hot showers and plethora of cheap foods waiting for me in Kathmandu.

It was time to go home.

EBC & the 3 Passes: The Numbers (3/15-3/29)

• Gear Carried: 32lbs to 35lbs, depending on the required gear & daily water intake
• Weight: 170lb -> 165lb
• Distance: 124 miles covered (about half up, about half down – but who’s counting)
• Time: 90 hours hiking
• Average Heart rate: 52 (resting), 142 (high)
• Calories Burned: 60,000 (according to Garmin)
• Average Sleep: A solid 8h 30m!
• Food & Drink: 8 Dal Bhats, 6 curry rices, 8 chapatis, 16 eggs, 6 tibetan breads, 8 noodle soups, 6 plates of fried potatoes, 3 plates of chowmein, 12 samosas, 4 batches of momos, 2 cinnamon rolls, 5 snicker rolls, 14 cups of coffee and probably 20 liters of tea. Oh, and one hot toddy.

Days 16-18: Touring Kathmandu

Arriving in Kathmandu, all I could think about was eating. Over the past 2 weeks, I had lost 5lbs, and my body was determined to gain it all back with fried momos, smoothie bowls, pizza, and copious amounts of chocolate.

With a few days in Kathmandu before my flight to Vietnam, I found some time between eating and sleeping to explore some of the city’s sites. I won’t spend too much time on this but here are some photos of Durbar Square and Monkey Temple!

On our last night in Kathmandu, Sophie and I looked back on our 2 week adventure – going through the ~800 photos, reminiscing over our summits, and remembering the bigger-than-life characters we met along the way.

Conclusion

I know I have said several times over the past few months that I wish I had more time in the countries I am visiting – but my time in Nepal, and specifically the Himalayas, was different.

While my trips to places like Patagonia, Buenos Aires, and Tayrona felt like thrilling adventures, the Himalayas felt more like a coming home.

Despite never having spent time in the region (I didn’t even plan on visiting the Himalayas when I initially planned my 5-month trip), an unpronounced sense of serenity and joy came over me from the moment I entered Khumbu. While this may sound hyperbolic, it felt as though I was always meant to come to the Himalayas, and that the region would lure me back many times in the future.

It’s funny because when I first arrived in Nepal, I was actively resistant to the “white guy falls in love with Tibetan culture” stereotype that seemed to engulf the touristy parts of Kathmandu. For whatever reason, I was particularly sensitive to becoming THAT guy – the Western man in his 20’s rediscovering himself through a superficial introduction to Buddhism or a month long yoga retreat/etc.. And yet, while I haven’t become a yogi or a monk, I feel like I found a different type of home in the Himalayan region – with the magnificent peaks and ridges, the teahouse culture, and the inspiring resiliency of human survival in challenging conditions. I recognize that maybe this makes me fall into a different type of stereotype – an aspiring mountaineer? a pass-trekking hippy? an adreneilin junkie? All are possible – but quite frankly, I no longer care. I feel so gifted to have had the opportunity to experience the beauty and power the Himalayas has to offer, and that I could experience it at an age that will allow me decades of opportunity to return.

In my second post, I mentioned Ama Dablam. Sitting at 6,812 meters, the majestically-peaked mountain towers over trekkers through (nearly) the entire Khumbu region. From the moment I heard you could take an expedition to her summit, I wanted to start training – no matter how long it took. And I think this is emblematic of the kind of impact this region has had on me. For much of my life, I’ve struggled to find physical activities that I have a strong affinity towards – While I like to train at the gym, go on runs, etc… it is more to strengthen my body and mind rather than an activity I do for fun. With trekking in the Himalayas, I’ve solidified activities – hiking, climbing, tackling challenging summits – that I have a strong passion for developing skill and expertise in. It brings yet another sense of purpose to my life – something that is very meaningful to me.

And that brings me to my trekking partner, Sophie, and our Himalayan mountaineer-mentor, Pierre, without whom, I don’t think I would have been able to experience & appreciate the Himalayas to the same extent that I did. To quote psychologist Wayne Dyer, “you have to see it to believe it!” (or was it “you’ll see it when you believe it”….). Through both Pierre and Sophie, I feel a unique relationship of shared experience that does not need to be expressed or explained – just felt in the moment.

This is the type of experience I am searching for, and I am sure I will return to the Himalayas many times in my life to find it again.

See you next week in Vietnam, where I will tackle Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An, and Hue. Don’t worry, I’ve left some time for Hanoi and Northern Vietnam too.

Sam