tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-261706792011-04-21T15:52:25.805-04:00Ida Becker's trip to Nepal in March and April of 2006. Images appearing on this blog are property of Ida Becker and may not be reproduced without permission.Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.comBlogger281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1150386633090626682006-06-15T11:48:00.000-04:002006-06-26T12:11:40.176-04:00

There has never been a better time to offer hope to the next generation of Nepali women. As you may be aware, the people of Nepal recently sparked a revolution against despot King Gyanendra. I was traveling in Nepal when the movement began, and I spent the last five days of my adventure under house arrest due to the violent skirmishes happening in the streets of Kathmandu. Bearing witness to the

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583643538792922006-04-25T14:02:00.000-04:002006-06-25T13:51:32.396-04:00

This narrative incorporates excerpts from Moleskine journals, emails and general recollections of my time leading up to and while in Nepal during March and April of 2006.At least once in your life, do something that takes your own breath away.

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583622260030582006-04-23T21:40:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:24:03.394-04:00

Am I crazy?RECOLLECTION:As I stare at my computer screen, which alternates between an online airfare search and my money market statement, the want of material items, like Michelle Kaufmann’s Sunset® Breezehouse and a sailboat, taunts me. Once I permit myself to muddle my desire to adventure with the estimated cost of this trip I’ve been musing about, the floodgates open and an endless string of

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583454769737772006-04-23T21:38:00.000-04:002006-06-25T14:13:19.946-04:00

A report of a bus bombing that killed 12 in Nepal came on NPR as we were driving to the airport, and I saw mother stiffen. She turned down the volume and drove in silence for a few minutes. She then switched the radio to broadways tunes. When we arrived at the airport, I asked if she was worried. She laughed, hugged me tight and exclaimed, "Nope! You are the golden child. Go have an adventure!"

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583407006440812006-04-23T21:36:00.000-04:002006-07-10T19:47:38.903-04:00

My Nepali adventure has begun in earnest! Where to start? Hopefully the power will stay on a bit longer so I may record some of the zillion thoughts-{The power goes out.}9:07 p.m. after rustling around in search of a flashlightAfter sailing through customs, I emerged from the airport to be faced with a mob of taxi drivers. I was completely unprepared for the city and its endless tangle of bumpy,

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583339258285142006-04-23T21:35:00.000-04:002006-07-10T19:48:37.163-04:00

I went to the ghats this morning to watch the ceremonial burning of dead bodies. As I was walking past a large Hindu temple, a creepy man who had been following me pulled out his wee and starting whipping it around like a helicopter. A split second later, I heard an ear-shattering sound as eight to ten screaming monkeys appeared from out of nowhere and rushed past me toward the pervert. I quickly

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583295978124372006-04-23T21:34:00.000-04:002006-06-25T14:13:55.350-04:00

The Limestones, the band at the Lhasa Hotel down the street, are playing their nightly set of cover songs. The sounds of Fleetwood Mac, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Beatles, Chris Issak, and AC/DC-- an unexpected bit of home-- are coming through the open window. The band’s ability to mimic the real thing is stupendous! (A day later, I discovered the band is comprised of Nepalese men.)I’m writing quickly

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583139395878032006-04-23T21:33:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:10:31.046-04:00

I departed the guesthouse at 7 a.m. and walked ten minutes to catch the bus for Pokhara—how quickly I had forgotten my pledge to not travel by bus due to the earlier bombings. After creeping through the morning traffic, the lumbering bus, with luggage strapped to the roof, cleared the city and wound up on a mountain switchback that yielded barely enough room for one vehicle. The bus lurched

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583161838132832006-04-23T21:32:00.000-04:002006-07-10T20:07:31.540-04:00

I woke before daybreak and climbed to the roof of the guesthouse where I watched the sun rise and illuminate the surrounding snow-capped mountains, which had otherwise been shrouded in a veil of haze and dust. Below me, the village slowly came to life as women carried baskets of food or laundry and greeted one another with "namaste."9:25 a.m.Pokhara is a much smaller town than Kathmandu although

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583114647959542006-04-23T21:31:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:14:10.447-04:00

A bomb detonated at precisely 2 a.m. and shocked me out of peaceful slumber. I sat up in bed and listened to scores of barking dogs that had also been startled by the explosion. 11:30 a.m.After breakfast, a tin can on wheels that looked perfectly appointed for the flea circus pulled into the driveway of the guesthouse. Yesterday, a car accident killed six people on the road to Pokhara. Five

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583066930790512006-04-23T21:30:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:26:17.627-04:00

A 2 a.m. trip to the toilet is a far cry from home; it entails emerging from the cozy cocoon of my sleeping bag, finding and lacing boots in the dark, feeling around for my flashlight, unlocking the tea house door from the inside and then relocking it from the outside with my personal lock (so no one takes the opportunity to help themselves to my belongings), navigating across the rickety porch

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145583026287670672006-04-23T21:29:00.000-04:002006-07-10T20:13:46.876-04:00

I’ve been walking straight up for the last two hours, and I’m exhausted. The blistering sun is impossible to escape, and I’ve already consumed half of my iodine-treated water. A short time ago, I looked at the snow-capped mountains off in the distance and a shadow circled overhead. It was an eagle! Within minutes, a dozen eagles were soaring above my head.This is how far I climbed in one hour:

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582998955040752006-04-23T21:28:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:26:59.717-04:00

The arduous physical trekking invites hours of introspection as I turn over thoughts and ideas to match the cadence of my steps. I am climbing mountains in Nepal and surrounded by unending views not duplicated anywhere else on Earth. I am accompanied by my breath, my bottles of water, my journal, my camera, and Toot the traveling wonder pig.11:30 a.m. in Bamboo (7,579 feet above sea level)It’s

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582897849895352006-04-23T21:27:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:18:29.805-04:00

Wow! What a spectacular morning. Traversing ice flows is tricky, and I am once again amazed by the possible near missteps that could easily carry me off the mountain. I heard the unmistakable crack of an avalanche around 11 a.m., and I looked up to see a cloud of snow and rocks tumbling down a nearby rock ledge. 7:00 p.m. 2nd Annapurana Base Camp I’m writing fast and furious to capture as much as

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582746291247902006-04-23T21:25:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:29:17.419-04:00

I awoke long before the sun and climbed higher still. After an hour, I stopped and started snapping photos in attempt to capture the majesty of nature surrounding me. I am in the small minority of the global population who will experience this place of awe, and I feel so alive. I also feel like a sausage because I’m wearing almost every article of clothing that I brought on this trip: two of my

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582647106515242006-04-23T21:24:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:29:41.626-04:00

Stupendous morning so far! We got an early start to make up for the ground we lost due to yesterday’s never-ending rainstorm. The trail is slippery, but everything is starting to bloom in this vegetation zone and the plants are exploding in color. I crossed paths with my first Americans of the trip: a father and two sons from Michigan. At the top of a steep climb, I spotted dozens of monkeys!Note

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582618903632012006-04-23T21:23:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:30:22.760-04:00

The landscape reminds me of the terrain depicted in the film, “Lord of the Rings.” A green moss carpet covers the lush forest and the tree canopy obscures the sun. The mist and clouds rolled in late in the day, and it became an enchanted forest. I expected Gandalf, Frodo and Arwen to emerge from behind a massive tree trunk.Note the snowcapped peak in the backgroundMarijuana grows wild along the

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582593620411832006-04-23T21:22:00.000-04:002007-11-02T08:30:56.569-04:00

Two nights ago, bandits struck this guesthouse and attempted to rob a German man traveling alone. The family that lives here and tends the needs of trekkers appears visibly disturbed. While waiting for lunch, the temperature turned cold, and I was invited to sit near the cooking fire in the kitchen. It was with much trepidation I entered the dark cooking area for fear my stomach would revolt the

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582235176174512006-04-23T21:18:00.000-04:002006-06-24T21:10:39.280-04:00

I awoke at 5 a.m. to make the climb to Poon Hill, the reputed best view in all of Nepal. Stumbling through the dark, deep in the heart of Maoist territory, it was difficult not to worry about being thumped on the head with a rock and subsequently robbed, but I was too consumed with the fierce ascent to give it much thought. It took a solid hour to reach the top, and we arrived shortly before

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582155561726212006-04-23T21:16:00.000-04:002007-04-10T23:58:35.933-04:00

At breakfast, the guide told us we could catch a taxi back to Pokhara in order to expedite the trip back to Kathmandu ahead of the strike. According to the guide, the highway was only 30 minutes away and upon hearing the news, I decided to not take my intense vitamin cocktail-- for the first time on the trip. Well, the "30 minutes to the highway" was more like two hours through Maoist territory

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582129661193572006-04-23T21:15:00.000-04:002006-06-24T21:03:13.876-04:00

I just walked two miles to the airport with my 40-liter pack and my rucksack. I felt invigorated, as though I could conquer the world. I attribute that to the endorphins released by yesterday’s marathon! I had to cross through several army checkpoints to get to and into the airport. The streets are empty save for a UN Landrover that drove past and a bus, which barreled down on me even though I

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582101470916232006-04-23T21:14:00.000-04:002006-07-11T06:48:04.913-04:00

I set out early this morning with plans to visit various stupas and temples, but I first made a quick stop at the internet spot down the block since I had not connected with anyone at home by the time last night's curfew began. It was there I learned a daytime curfew has been implemented. Had I not stopped to check for word from home, I’d likely be wandering around the city and wondering why

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582062865707892006-04-23T21:13:00.000-04:002006-07-11T06:40:59.693-04:00

Awoke to discover both the day and nighttime curfews are in effect, and Thamel is buttoned-up pretty tight. I scooted down to the nearby bakery, but only scraps from yesterday’s lot remained. Loaves of dried bread that have a light dusting of sand are far better than the gnarly selection of indistinguishable dishes being served at the guesthouse. Haven't cooks overcompensated with spice to

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145582019441693462006-04-23T21:12:00.000-04:002006-07-15T14:54:21.703-04:00

I was unsuccessful in my attempt to confirm my departure flight. Again. Loads of people are experiencing the same thing as foreigners mysteriously disappear from the passenger manifests in lieu of Nepalese or Indian nationals. Once the daytime curfew begins, the airline offices close and no one is available to help. I was able to go out and get bottled water during the hour between the night and

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145581945732200932006-04-23T21:11:00.000-04:002006-07-10T15:16:16.363-04:00

I became acutely ill 14 hours prior to departure. I managed to confirm my flight, as did my (frantic) mother in the States who spent the entire day on the phone with India because I had in fact disappeared from the passenger manifest. Thank goodness for my travel insurance company and its agent Rose, who helped my mother retain her sanity while negotiating with the Indian airline officials. I

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145801972385836112006-04-23T10:18:00.000-04:002006-07-10T15:19:23.880-04:00

A hearty bit of gratitude is owed to my mother who literally jumped with joy when I told her about the trip. She helped me shop and steered me through the "two pair of socks or three?" quagmire I'd fallen prey to as it was the only tangible hook I had to grasp when the trip itself was too much to wrap my mind around. And she sent me off with a resounding cheer, "You are the golden child. Go have

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145412212688948962006-04-23T09:30:00.000-04:002006-07-10T15:18:48.053-04:00

The editor of moleskinerie.com emailed a request for permission to reprint a specific passage and image from my travelogue. Thanks to the link on his site, visitors from around the world have discovered my site and emailed with questions regarding travel in Nepal.---I was completely surprised to read the following post on the personal blog of my friend Kelly Love Johnson, associate editor of

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26170679.post-1145140067000182702006-04-15T18:27:00.000-04:002006-07-10T15:12:35.860-04:00

Several people who know me well, and know my wardrobe consists almost entirely of fancy party dresses (two closets worth) thanks to my social column in the The Charleston City Paper, have inquired about what I packed for three weeks in Nepal. Here's the list:one 40 liter backpackone small daypackone pair of GoreTex bootsthree pair of Ingenius hiking socksflip flopsthree pair of convertible hiking

Ida Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799587328549159809noreply@blogger.com1