Out and About

Gallery: Album 17: thailland

leanne — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:27:00 GMT

krabbi beach and phuket

Gallery: Album 16: shazza arrives!

leanne — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:19:00 GMT

travelling kl and penang with shaz

Gallery: Album 13: Xian, China

leanne — Fri, 8 Aug 2008 12:16:00 GMT

Gallery: Album 12: Kunming, China

leanne — Fri, 8 Aug 2008 11:26:00 GMT

Gallery: Album 15: nanjing and hangzhou, china

leanne — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:02:00 GMT

Gallery: Album 14: Shanghai, China

leanne — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:17:00 GMT

Gallery: Album 11: Guilin, China

leanne — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:43:00 GMT

Gallery: Album 10: Guangzhou, China

leanne — Sun, 8 Jun 2008 14:24:00 GMT

We Reached Everest Base Camp!!!!!!!!!!!!

leanne — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 18:53:00 GMT

For a while on this trek, it did not look like we might make it. I had recovered and was fairly fit, but Stef was not so good. Its pretty amazing we got there in the end! After Gokyo Ri, we were supposed to attempt the Chola Pass - which is apparently the hardest part of the trek. It is basically walking on pure ice and going upwards for about five hours. You have to continue walking without stopping as it is too cold (especially with our not-so-ready-for-snow shoes). As Stef basically had no food in her for over 9 days now, the guides and both of us thought perhaps not. Especially as it is difficult to get help during this section of the trek.

So sadly, we had to turn around and do a bit of a backtrack. Our guides told us we would still make base camp, but it'd be a few days later than scheduled, and we'd have to head down before heading up a different way. So thats what we did. These days tended to drag a bit for me, as I felt like we were going backwards and undoing all the hard trekking we'd done the days before. The good thing though, was that Stef started to get a bit better, especially with the easier trekking we were doing compared to the previous days. We stopped off at villages which were good and not so good. At one of them, we attempted washing our hair and this proved very difficult and hilarious as all we were given was a bucket of water. Plus it was FREEZING! Yeah - showers become rare during the trek. I think we went close to ten days without a shower as it was too cold. Luckily you don't sweat in the snow!

The coldest and worst place by far was Lobuche. This was one stop before the Everest Base Camp village (Gorak Shep), and it was freezing! Plus the facilities were horrible (check out the toilet pic in the gallery), and it was just plain bloody cold! Everything became hard. The toilet was so disgusting i refused to sit on it. But there was nowhere else. Plus the stupid thing had a low window behind it and looking out i could see people in the next building having their dinner in the dining hall! Hopefully they did not glance over to where i was :) cause they woulda seen everything! Stupid window!

So anyway, we kept climbing. I was getting weaker and weaker and stef seemed to be getting stronger and stronger. I did not know if i would suffer from altitude sickness, but i did. not badly, but badly enough so it made the last few days difficult. Headaches, weak all over and dizziness. Still - we got to Everest base camp!! It really wasn't as amazing as i thought it'd be. It was beautiful, but a bit dull. Just a bunch of tents, and as it was cloudy we couldn't really see Everest. From the Nepal side, Everest base camp is in front of another mountain that the climbers have to climb first before attempting Everest. Seemed a bit of a let down as i thought i'd get to base camp and be staring up at the actual mountain. Still - we set a goal and we made it!

Getting down was more interesting. I woke up the next morning in Gorak SHep feeling very ill and nautious. Stef and the two guides went up to the Kalapathar peak, but I was the one who stayed behind this time. It is a similar height to Gokyo Ri peak, and the views are similar apparently. It is just closer to Everest. Stef did well - making it there and back in about 3 hrs and once back it was time for us all to head down. THis is where it got interesting. Walking along, i started to feel at my worst - close to throwing up again like i did on the fourth day. Both the guides knew it would be ten times worse if this were to happen as I would have to get carried down or stay behind. So they both grabbed an arm and started dragging me down really quickly. As we got lower after an hour or so I definately started to feel better. They forced me to drink garlic soup which was feral, but I was slowly getting better.

Stef was feeling fine, and by the next day both of us were happy and healthy again (for the time being lol), and so happy to have reached the top. Our third last place on the way, we opted out of a hike to a nearby site, and got into the whisky instead! It was great to sit there for the afternoon doing nothing but eating, drinking and being idiots. The next place we stayed at, Tengboche, was near a buddhist monastery where we sat in on a meditation session. It was quite interesting - lots of monks all dressed the same walking around and chanting. Again, the monastery was pretty amazing to look at. On our last night, the guides bought us some more whisky and we had the best pizza ever! We then went to a buddhist festival and joined in on the dancing! It was lots of fun! Sad to leave, but I was ready to head back to a normal shower and different food.

Gallery: Album 9: Our first week in China and Hong Kong!

leanne — Mon, 2 Jun 2008 19:29:00 GMT

Guangzhou and Hong Kong + Disneyland woot woot

Gallery: Album 8: A not so peaceful time in india

leanne — Mon, 2 Jun 2008 18:42:00 GMT

Getting lost in Delhi

Reaching Gokyo and Gokyo Peak

leanne — Mon, 2 Jun 2008 17:10:00 GMT

Reaching Gokyo Ri for me was one of the highlights of the entire trek. During these days I was feeling very strong and healthy and was skipping up the tracks to the beat of some crazy ipod tunes sharon had put on my ipod. Tip for anyone trekking - take music! You'll find yourself walking to the beat and forgetting about how many hills you have to climb up. Unfortunately, Stef was not so great. She still had diarhea pretty bad, and by about the seventh day we were both extrememly worried as she was not keeping anything down and was walking constantly during the days.

The guides were helpful, but I don't think they realised just how seriously ill she was as she didn't always speak out when she wasn't doing so well. We reached Gokyo Ri by afternoon on about the seventh day and it was georgeous! There are five main lakes, and the village we stayed at was on the biggest lake. It was stunning!

Our guides were preparing us for the next morning, in which we walk up to the Gokyo Ri Peak - 5300m. It was a big climb and difficult. They told us to wake up and ready to go at 4 am so to see the sunrise. I was definately keen to go, but we were still unsure about Stef. Both the guides were saying she should go and she will get to the top, but we were not so sure. Unfortunately that night, Stef got even worse - throwing up everything she'd had the day before, and just a few hrs before we could go. It was clear she would be unable to go.

So at 4 am i headed off with just one of the guides, JB, while the other guide/porter stayed behind to look after Stef. It was a really hard climb! The whole way was steep and the higher we got the harder it was. I felt incredibly weak and was amazed at how it only took a few steps for me to feel out of breath. It was dark, and cold but I soon heated up (as I always do when walking uphill), but the views were spectacular! When I reached the top I could see 360 degree views of five of the ten highest mountains in the world - including everest! It was stunning!

I asked the guide, JB how long it had taken for me to get to the top. He said about 3.5 hrs. I was very embarassed about this as the day before he had estimated it would take Stef and me about 3 hrs to get up - and that was with Stef being sick! I thought on my own it would be a lot quicker. THe way down was much easier and I was soon back at the lodge. When I looked at the time I realised my guide was hopeless at estimating time. We had left at 5am and I was back by 8.30 am - so getting up and down I was apparently a lot quicker than most. And thats with a half hour break at the top! So whoever says I"m lazy - think again ha ha!

Gallery: Album 7: Pokhara

leanne — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:15:00 GMT

A more peaceful town on a lake

Gallery: Album 6: End of Trek and back in Kathmandu

leanne — Thu, 22 May 2008 21:18:00 GMT

Um...End of Trek

Just another walk in the park

leanne — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:53:00 GMT

Walking to Everest base camp was easy. Could've done it with my eyes closed. And the cold - bah - nothing! Honestly, snow is not that cold. I could've ran there. Basically did. A walk in the park.........NOT!!!

ha ha - so it was an awesome climb which involved me and stef acting like twits for about the first three days. We were high on the mountain air or something - cos we could not stop laughing and giggling at everything! We met our guide and porter at the airport (the scariest little airport and airplane in the world - i pretty much closed my eyes and hoped for the best!)and liked them both straight away. Altho we were forced to fit both our bags into one, as it was too much for the porter. That took a good hour and a half! still we managed, and by early morning we were off trekking.

The first day was easy. Only trekked for about 3 hrs, and most of it downhill. Our guides seemed a bit concerned that we kept laughing all the time. I guess they weren't used to such silliness. They liked it tho - said it was a nice change to some of the moody pushy tourists they get. I guess some people look for luxury which is quite stupid.

The second day was quite different tho - uphill and hard! But we made it, still happy and still excited to be away from the busy city. Namche Bazaar was a pretty town, which was set on a hill so you had to walk upwards to get anywhere. Unfortunately, the second night I had my first bad night of diarhea which the whole hotel seemed to know about. The next day was a day for acclimitizing, but I spent most of it in bed. I tried to make it to a lookout, but that wasn't gonna happen as I had verylittle food in me, and no energy at all.

Stef was still doing well, and she made it to the top and had a much better day than me. THe next day I felt better, and was able to eat my breakfast which was a good sign. We set off for the next town, THame, and within an hour I had thrown up along the track about four times and could barely move. I was still sick:( The guides looked after me well, and took me to a small hostel where they tried to force me to drink soup, but nothing was staying down. Everyone looked a bit scared by this stage, as it was only the fourth day and we had a long way to go! Luckily my immune system was in top shape, and by the next day I was fine again - and eating quite a bit. Time for Stef to be sick lol. She arrived back from thame looking not very healthy, and we realised it was now time for her to go through the pain and suffering.

With our sicknesses, lying in bed with diarhea or stomach bug is one thing, trekking for 6 hrs/day, a lot of it uphill is another. Every step becomes difficult and breathing sometimes feels impossible. Looking back, it does seem amazing we made it at all considering how sick we both got within the first days of trekking!

Gallery: Album 5: We Made It!

leanne — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:50:00 GMT

Trek to Everest Base Camp!!

Gallery: Album 1: Kuala Lumpur and Singapore

leanne — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:05:00 GMT

Our Stopover nights

Gallery: Album 4: Oh So Pretty! (Himalayas)

leanne — Sun, 18 May 2008 20:07:00 GMT

Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Peak

Gallery: Album 3: The Big Climb Begins

leanne — Sun, 18 May 2008 18:34:00 GMT

The first days of trekking throughout Himalayas

Our first few days in Kathmandu

leanne — Sat, 17 May 2008 21:03:00 GMT

This city is crazy! When first arriving here, we could not get over the pollution! The city feels like it is shut out from the world as you can't see very far. Then there's the driving lol. Crazy driving - in which I held my seat the entire way and could not get over how different it is here. There are all sorts of animals on the streets - cows, chickens, stray dogs, monkeys, you name it. Non-stop beeping, no road rules (from what I could tell), everyone shared the small streets - cars, trucks, bikes, motorbikes, walkers, kids, animals. It was great!!!

Unfortunately there's also the harder part of being in such a place. At the lights, we had a few young homeless kids beggings for money through our window. They were so young, and so dirty. Throughout the next few days, we discovered how hard it is to handle the poverty here. If you give a kid some money they want more, or other homeless people see and quickly you can be surrounded. Unlike Brisbane where you don't see much of this, you see quite a bit of it here. And its very hard and quite sad.

As for the streets - crazy! We got lost everywhere. Lost our hotel, where we took our washing, where the grocery store is - everything. Half the fun is just finding our way back! Oh - and the spitting! Everyone spits lol. And not little spitting. BIG spitting! They sound like their trying to spit out their tonsils as they hawk everything they have in their throat and wham! out it comes! so classy lol.

Yes - an eye opener. Everything is so interesting as its all so different. The people can be friendly, but not as friendly as other places. Desperation has led to greediness and most of the locals look at us with disgust if we don't buy everything, as they assume we must have a lot of money if we can afford to visit in the first place. Bargaining can turn nasty and they always seem annoyed that they couldn't get more out of us. Takes some getting used to. Still - love experiencing new things!