Leaving Nepal and the Himalayan Mountains and Heading Back to India

We have been in Nepal for a month now and I am very sad to leave. Of the 15 countries I've visited in my life this is one of my favorites. We had a great time trekking in the Himalayan Mountains and we have for the last 10 days been staying next to a lake in Pohkara.

Our trek was not exactlty my idea of fun. We walked all day long and then slept in huts without electricity or running water. While it was very difficult at times it was an experience I will never forget. We left Pohkara and took a bus to Nai Pul. On the bus ride we actually got to ride on the roof of the bus. It was a blast! We aren't allowed to ride on the top of the bus at home and I couldn't believe it when my dad suggested that we ride on the roof with several other people from Nepal. We could see all the snow capped mountains and many waterfalls. It was very cool.

When the bus ride ended we had to hike. It was fun at first, but it never ended. Just when I thought we were almost there we would turn a corner and there would be another trail straight up. The first day it felt like we had hiked for 12 hours, but my parents said it was only 7 hours. We ended up at a small village called Tikedhunga. I got sick that night and wished I was at home in my comfortable bed. I threw up 5 times. I woke up the next morning still feeling sick and couldn't eat any breakfast. My parents told me that I could decide whether we stayed there, went back down or kept on trekking. I decided to keep going up and get it over with. We hiked 8 hours straight up the mountain. The first 4 hours was up stairs made of stones. They never seemed to end. It was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. My parents were very proud of me and that made me feel good. I just kept on trekking and we ended up at a place called Gorepani and I ate my first food of the day. I was sure hungry and my parents let me order anything I wanted. Thank God, I felt good again.

When we woke up the next morning at 4:30 a.m. we hiked up to a place called Poon Hill and we could see a bunch of Himalayan Mountains including Annapurna. It was awesome. We also met people from all over the world. My dad and I started asking everyone we met on the trail where they were from. We met people from many countries including: Australia, England, Czech Republic, New Zealand, China, Ireland, Korea, South Africa, Isreal, Belgium, Denmark, Sweeden, Switzerland, Japan, U.S.A., Canada, Wales, Venezuala, Argentina, Spain, Italy, France, and even a Tibetan refugee living in Nepal. I had never met so many people from so many different places and they were all very friendly.

We hiked and hiked. I made it all the way to Machapuchhre Base Camp. I was tired, cold, wet and exhausted by the time we arrived. We had been trekking in the pouring rain for two days and I was soaked. We hung out at M.B.C. and dried off our clothes and hung out with a group of people from all over the world. I learned 7 new card games. We learned games from Israel, Switzerland, Belgium, Finland and even one from Nepal called "poop-head." The Nepalese porters and guides showed me card tricks. We ate a bunch of good food and two people gave me candy bars. Now this was fun. That trekking is overrated, but hanging out and playing cards and eating candy bars was great. I could not believe it but we had 7 people invite us to stay in their home if we visited the countries where they lived. We did not even know these people and they were inviting us to stay in their homes. That has never happened before.

The next day we started our trek down. I sure like hiking downhill better than uphill. We got to cross a bunch of rivers which was fun. Sometimes we had to walk right through the river because the trail was underwater. We also saw a waterfall that created a snow bridge. One time my dad wanted to take my picture and where he told me to stand was in a pile of leaches. I had about 10 leaches on my shoes. Luckily they did not get a chance to suck out all my blood. We made it all the way to Chomrong that first night and back to Nai Pul the next night. We hiked for two days non-stop so that we could get back to Pohkara. My parents asked if I might want to come back some day and trek through the Himalayan Mountains again. I don't think so. It was a great experience but I was glad it is over.

We got back to Pohkara and ate pizza three days in a row. It was delicious. When trekking all we really ate was noodle soup, potatoes, eggs, Tibetan bread, banana pancakes and some other nasty stuff that I can't remember the name of. I was glad to be back in Pohkara. We have been riding bicylcles, paddling around the lake in a boat we rented, eating good food, playing cards, and doing school work. My parents are making me go back to India which makes no sense to me. Why can't we just stay in Nepal until Christmas? My parents say that we will have a good time in India and have many interesting experiences. I am not so sure. When we were there for a week before coming to Nepal it was a lot of hard work. Before going back to India we are going to a place called Lumbini where Buddha was born. Then crossing back to India and going to Dharamsala where the Dhali Lama lives. I hope we get to meet him.

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