Writers Block

August 21, 2019August 21, 2019 / keeks927 / Leave a comment

I have not written in a while mainly because life got in the way…

New jobs (2 to be exact), a trip home, a trip to Ireland, friends got married and one visitor from home. Its been a crazy half a year. I am finally settled into my role at work and slowly gaining my me time back.

I worked hard at developing some great habits of self care and being present (mindfulness). I have let them all go the last couple of months. I am slowly building it all back up. Over the next few months I really want to put my time back into my exercise and mindfulness. A lot of my energy goes into work and will continue to but I need to make sure I take that step back so I do perform well at my day job.

Do you ever feel sometimes life takes a hold of you ?

Goals for September:

Keep writing, even if no one is reading it it really helps me unwind after a long day
Exercise more often, I have already signed up for a PT session once a week
Get back out more in the outdoors and take the camera
No phone before bed, try reading instead
Get into work earlier, usually can get a bit more done if I am in earlier
To not stress the small stuff and just work on focus

Gooooooal!

May 15, 2019May 10, 2019 / keeks927 / Leave a comment

Reflecting on the last few months going through a rough patch at work I have realized I am a goal oriented person. Winter is just about here and I decided to set myself some winter goals. I am a person who just seems to focus better when I have some aims in mind. I usually have a good think and talk to MK about what I am thinking about then I write them down and stick them up on my notice board as a visual reminder.

Winter swimming – My fitness will be through swimming this winter in the outdoor pool near Central station….going to be chilly but a good achievement.
Really focus on eating well and healthy – I lost 22KG last year and I have put 10KG back on so really want to focus on getting that extra 10 off this winter.
Meditation, reading and writing – These 3 things I find really help me personally take care of myself. They make me calm and remain focused. I have bought a few books from charity shops and have my journal and blog for writing.
Working as hard as I did in Nepal at my new job – Read the ‘Werk It’ blog for my update on my job. I just want to really put 110% into this new opportunity and see what happens these next 6 months.
Putting my energy into the great friends (near and far) around me and enjoying life – Basically just be there for friends through the good the bad the ugly and try not to take life to seriously and enjoy it with them.

Your turn…Do you guys set goals?

If so and you want to share let me know on my Instagram what your winter goals / summer goals are!

Werk It

May 9, 2019May 9, 2019 / keeks927 / 1 Comment

Earlier this year I decided to move on from a company I loved to work for. The ladies on my team were a extended part of my Australian family. I felt like I had exhausted my role and it was time to leave. It was a scary and tough decision to make. Over the last two months I have really learnt a lot about myself and how brutal the working world can be.

I took a job in a smaller company as I wanted to experience a smaller working environment. I did feel confident and took charge of my role straight away which was really reassuring. What I was not prepared for was the office politics in this business. The stories I was hearing were unbelievable and I don’t know if everything was true as I know there are always two sides to every story. It was clear to me though the management in my department was just non existent. You felt completely unsupported in a very messy business and just more and more mess was always developing.

I started to watch the clock on Sunday and count down the hours until I had to go to bed and then the hours until I had to get up. I stopped exercising, getting out of bed was the hardest thing to do and my mediation just went out the window. I didn’t realize how lucky I had been in my old company for 3 years. I never ever had a awful dread in the pit of my stomach every night before bed, but I did now. I did have a lot of tears but MK gave me some tough love saying if I am that miserable you have to sort it out….so I did.

The week before we went home for our 3 week holiday I updated my CV, contacted every recruiter in my area of work I knew and started to apply for jobs online. This week was crazy I had two job interviews during the week then I had 3 rounds with one company the morning I left to go home. I literally got back from my morning of interviews came home got changed gave MK a kiss and grabbed my suit case and was straight to the airport, it was such a blur. I was feeling better though cos I was working on changing my future. I landed in Doha to a email saying I had got the job I wanted. I could not be happier to start my holiday knowing I was not going back to such a toxic office.

Lessons I learnt from the past few months:

Do research (lots of it) on the company you are going to interview for
Make sure the person leading the interview will be the manager you report into
Don’t feel pressure from recruiters and use ones you know and trust
Be confident in what you know – I realized I know more then what I thought
Believe in yourself and take control of your future
Personally I am more suited to Global structures

Annapurna Base Camp Part One

February 7, 2019February 8, 2019 / keeks927 / Leave a comment

Day 11 (continued)

We were on a flight and in Pokhara in the blink of a eye.
MK was very quiet, our guide was still smiling and I was trying to keep conversation going. It was just soul destroying after a year of dedication that we were not even going to attempt the Everest Base Camp Trek. After a short taxi ride we arrived at our hotel. In the space of our 20 min flight the travel company had changed all our arrangements. We were now doing a 10-day trek to Annapurna Base Camp.

In the hotel room we called home and checked in. We freshened up before meeting Raju in the lobby. Raju took us down to Lake Pokhara. It was very over cast and the mountains were hidden behind the clouds. The lake had lots of colourful wooden boats waiting to take people out on the water or transport them to the temple in the lake. It was a quick trip to the lake before Raju took us out to dinner. We asked a few questions about the hike and if he thought we made the right choice. After dinner we headed back to the room for our last night of comfort because the next day we would be finally putting our walking boots to the test!

Day 12

After a lovely breakfast in the hotel we packed our duffel bags and headed back down to the lobby. We met our Sherpa who had caught a bus from Kathmandu overnight (8-hour bus ride) to be here this morning. He was a young lad wearing trendy clothes, skinny black jeans and a purple v-neck T-shirt. It was his first hike as a Sherpa. We all got into a mini bus and headed to the police station to collect our permits for the trek. Once all the paper work was done, we began our 2-hour car ride to the start of the trek. By this point we were not fazed by the road works, busses backing up along the edge of cliffs and cows in the middle of the road. We climbed all the way up to the top of a valley then began going down on a incredibly bumpy road. At one point there had been a landslide and a huge bolder was blocking the way. One car at a time had to slowly and carefully drive around it. We finally reached the start of the hike. We bought rope and a plastic sheet to cover our duffel bags. Our Sherpa tied up the duffel bags with the help of some more experienced Sherpa and carried them with the weight on his head. It is a sight to be scene. Raju explained to be a mountain guide you have to have at least 2 years’ experience as a Sherpa beforehand.

With all our bags secure we began. It was not long until the heavens open. Quick pit stop to put on our water proofs and collect our passes for the national park. We walked through a small village then on to a windy road which went up and down. We crossed a river and stopped for lunch. We were so used to eating big meals we had a sandwich each and a can of soda. Such a big mistake for me. I was so full after lunch I struggled to get going again. My day pack was also to heavy for me to carry. The next two hours were long and hot. It was incredibly humid and raining, it was very sweaty with the rain coats on. It was a slow incline all the way up to our first tea room. The scenery was rolling valleys rich green fields with small villages set in to the valley side. We had to climb up through the village we were staying in. It felt like it was never ending steps, but little did I know that tomorrow I would be climbing 1500 steps. Finally, I saw Mike and Raju sat outside a tea house, day one was complete. I sat down MK was laughing as I had steam coming off my head. I was so hot but as soon as I had sat for a few minutes the cold set in. Raju got us some water and a local tea. The tea was delicious and really warmed us up. The tea house was in our first stop of the trek Tikhedhunga. We went to our room which was a dark room with two single beds either side of the room. There were posters on the wall of places around the world. The beds have thin foam strips as a mattress and the bedding is dropped off in your room later. We both had a shower and got ready for the night. It wasn’t as cold as I thought it would be. We didn’t need thermals on. When we came out of our room the clouds had rolled in and the beautiful view had disappeared. We sat on the balcony with other guests. Raju came up to take our order for dinner and our order for breakfast the next morning. The choices for dinner are the same in every tea room. It is a choice between the local Nepalese food and western. MK chose the Nepalese food every night and I was not as brave and ate pizza every single night. I didn’t have to worry about any issues in the toilet area. Raju came back after dinner and gave MK and me a plate of apple and pomegranates. Whilst we tucked into the fruit Raju explained the plan for the next day. The next day was one of the toughest out of the 10 days. We would be walking uphill for 7 hours and conquering 1500 steps. At the top we were told we would have a fancy tea room. The owner of the tea room loved to share his jokes and stories with us about his guests. Once he had finished, we headed to bed. I was a bit worried about bugs so I had a bug proof bed outfit on in bed which consisted of sweat pants tucked into socks, t-shirt tucked into sweat pants and ear plugs. MK was not so fussed just sleeping in his undies!!

Day 13

It was a early start. I was a bit anxious about the challenge that lay ahead on this day. It would really test my training. Breakfast was great and with a full belly we packed up our bags and set off. There were a few groups walking the same way as us and the whole day we just kept passing them. We soon realized that a few of the groups were like us an had changed their plans as they could not get to Lukla for the base camp Everest trip. The morning was spent slowly making our way up the never-ending steps. They were very uneven which made it hard for me to get into a rhythm. I was super slow but Raju kept saying ‘ slowly, slowly’ ‘bistarai, bistarai’ to us which did keep me going. MK was fine and walked a lot faster then me. We would take breaks as the sun in the morning was incredibility hot. Raju provided us with a cucumber at one of our stops, freshly picked from a farm we were walking through….so fresh and delicious! We passed through marijuana farms as we carried on climbing up through the valley. After lunch we only had 2 hours of walking left. I could not believe it we were nearly there. After lunch I pushed on and kept up with MK and Raju I just wanted to get to the tea room. The village came in view and just like the night before we had to walk up the entire village as our tea room was right on top of the village. I had exerted all my energy on the last stretch of the walk which meant it took me 30 mins to get up to the tea room. It was a big building and it looked more like a hotel. There was lots of construction going on in the village getting all the accommodation ready for peak season. This village seemed like it was built for tourists. This village was popular because of the trek we were doing and because this was the last stop before Poon Hill. Poon Hill is a popular shorter hike. MK was already checked into the room and chilling. I did some stretches as my legs had begun to ache slightly. It was so cold in the room we took off our wet clothes as we waited for the Sherpa to catch up with us. Obviously, this day was so tough for every one and it took our Sherpa another hour to reach our tea room. By this point i was wrapped up in the spare bed keeping warm. We had an ensuite in the room which was very fancy. There was a pair of little shoes in the bathroom for us to wear. We soon realised why when we flushed the toilet and it flooded the bathroom. After a warm shower (my last shower of the hike) we went downstairs. The dining area had a huge fire pit in the middle of it. It was lovely and warm in there and people had all there walking gear hung around it. I began to journal and MK was on his phone. We just relaxed and reflected after a long day of uphill walking. Same routine for dinner, we would eat then the fruit came out and a cup of tea. Raju explained about the next day and taught us how to play a local card game. This card game became very important to us all throughout the rest of the trip.

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Day 14

We were up at 5AM in the pitch black. We would be using our head torches this morning as we did a short hike up to Poon Hill to watch sunrise. We had to bring our big down jackets as it would be cold at the top. It was also our first taste of walking at high altitude. Torches on we started to walk up to the top. It was very busy with lots of other groups going up hoping to catch a glimpse of the mountain range. I again was back to a slow pace and focused on my breathing. We saw a peak for the first time walking up and MK got excited and rushed up to the top which did leave him short of breather due to the high altitude. Everyone was gathered at the top looking around at all the clouds. I didn’t really know what to expect. Then for about two minutes the clouds parted and a entire mountain range of peaks appeared. I have never witnessed anything like it in all the traveling I have done. Raju was as excited as we were. He had my camera and was snapping away while explaining to us all the different mountains. We took lots of pictures and soaked up the view. In a blink of an eye the clouds rolled back across and it was gone. We had so much adrenaline from the morning we quickly descended back to the tea room talking about what we just saw. We learnt later on we were very lucky to see the whole mountain range as the weather is very temperamental. A couple of hours later after a feed we were back in the walking boots and heading off for our next 7-hour day. The day began with a steep incline up out of the village and then we walked downhill until lunch time. We walked next to a river the whole way down the valley. Along the way we came across a section of the path covered in small rock formations which from first glance looked like grave stones. Raju explained that hikers staked the rocks on top of each other as a symbol of luck. We walked across a very old looking wooden bridge to our lunch stop. The heavens opened and we did feel a little smug being inside while we watched other hikers get caught in the rain. Well as you probably guessed we started to walk after lunch and the rain retuned in full force. This part of the day we had to climb up a step path which was now slippery and in some small areas had a waterfall hitting your face from the rain bouncing off the rocks. I had a break with some of the Sherpa’s, one of them told me it was his first and last trek. He did not like the walk at all and was exhausted. I noticed he had blood on his clothes, he had been bitten by a few leeches along the way. The rain got heavier and the path got steeper. I decided that not looking down or behind me was my best option for getting to the top. I trekked on until I saw the tea room. Raju as always was waiting for me and as always MK was already in the room. MK did have his first leach on him which we got off and out of our bedroom. We spent the whole night in the dinning hall as the rain continued. There was a huge fire pit covered in clothes drying from the days wet walk. The room kept us nice and warm until bed. I did not shower as MK had spilled my shampoo in the last tea room which meant my hair for the next 8 days took on a life of its own.

Day 15

In the morning at this tea room we woke up to the clouds parting and an incredible view of the valleys and one mountain peaks called ‘Fish Tail’.

It was still raining when we left the tea room. It was a slow decent as there was lots of mud and slippery surfaces to contend with. We walked through a forest then across a farm until we reached a steep part of the valley and walked down a windy path. The best bit about this walk is you can see where you are walking down to and then the steep climb up waiting for you on the other side. Once at the bottom of the valley we started to climb up again. We had lunch at the top in a tea room and we even saw a line of horses carrying goods up to the villages ahead of us. It was either by person or animal that anything and everything would be transported up to the villages from this point on. We passed a primary school and some children hanging around outside the school. Raju asked them why there were not in school…they just giggled and asked MK and I for chocolate. On this day there was a section of the path which split into two levels I went on the lower level and Raju yelled for me to go back on to the higher one as the ground was weak and it would slide from beneath me. It did scare me a little but also made me thankful to have such a experienced guide looking after us.We were so high at this point all you could see was clouds. Our tea room came into view at the top of the village. It was the best tea room we stayed in. We were told we got the honeymoon suite, which I think meant double bed. They also had a barista machine so for the first time in the trip I had a great coffee half way up a mountain! When we arrived in the tea room there was a bit of panic from people. We later found out a hiker had fallen down a waterfall and died. The mountain police where searching the river for her body. The thought of what happened to this hiker stuck with me the rest of the trip. I also could not work out how she fell and at this point no one knew any more information. It was a terrible tragedy that happens a lot on these mountain tracks. Raju walked us down into the village. Along the way the dogs of the village decided to join us which made my day. Raju told us to wake up early in case the clouds moved over night as at this point in time there was no view.

Getting to Lukla

January 6, 2019 / keeks927 / Leave a comment

Day 8

The day was finally here. We were up early at 5AM. I had actually been awake since 3AM with nerves about our adventure ahead and the flight . The flight to Lukla ( the start of the hike to Base Camp Everest) takes off from Kathmandu and in a short 20 minuets you are approaching the worlds most dangerous runway. Due to the length of the runway and height it is rated as one of the most difficult landings and has caused a few crashes over the years. The weather needs to be crystal clear at both ends of the journey for the small 14 people plane to take off. We were told the earlier the flight the better the chance you have of taking off that day. With all the information running through my head we grabbed our duffel bags and met Raju in the lobby. Our driver picked us up and drove us through the creepily quiet streets to the airport. This side of Kathmandu airport was very different to were we flew in. There were monkey’s all over the terminal. It was chaotic trying to get through security which was pretty relaxed compared to security at home. Each flight company had a stand with a flip sign of what destination they were currently checking in. We checked in our bags and stepped over some weighing scales to go through to the boarding area. The security machine for bags was not working so we walked straight through and grabbed a seat. Our hotel had packed us a to go breakfast which I didn’t really touch as I was full of nerves. The hours slowly went by and they started to push all the Lukla flights back. As we were on the first flight we had first dibs if any would leave that morning. On the plus side the airport had great WiFi, so I got to speak to my family and friends which was great. Our tour guides smile never faded. Then at 2PM they made the call that no flights would be leaving due to the clouds covering the runway. Raju grabbed our bags and before we knew it we were hustled into a taxi and on route back to the hotel. The craziest bit was our Sherpa had flown out on a late flight the day before and was up there waiting for us.

Back in the hotel we laid on the bed a bit heart broken and extremely disappointed our adventure was on hold. Raju said he would go back to the airport tomorrow and try get us on a early flight. That night we had dinner and discussed how crap it felt about us not being able to fly and how hopefully the day after tomorrow we would get to go. We also reached out to friends who had already done this trip and they had to wait a few days to before they got a helicopter up to Lukla. They gave us some great advice and kept our spirits up. After a few pep talks we headed to the Irish pub in Kathmandu for a few pints.

Day 9

The next morning we got back into the same hiking gear and laid on the bed watching movies waiting for Raju to call. He had been at the airport to try get us on a flight that day but was unsuccessful. He had us on a flight for the next late on in the morning so our chances again would be slim. MK and I spent the day watching movies and napping we were both quiet just thinking about what a long two days it was and after all this hard work would we make it to Everest? After a day of day dreaming and napping we dragged ourselves out for dinner before having another early night.

Day 10

Before we knew it we were back at the airport in the same set of clothes with the same people from two days prior. We were on a later flight that morning. While we waited Raju offered us a option of going in a car and hiking up to Lukla. A group was leaving in 20 minuets and we could jump in with them. My gut instinct was no…so I did a quick bit of research about the journey and it sounded horrible. It was around 14 hours cramped off roading in a jeep then a 3 extra days of hiking 20KM a day. MK was ready to jump in the jeep and begin the journey. I felt lots of pressure to say yes and go but I knew fitness wise I would not be able to complete the extra bit of trekking. I did have a moment and a cry. MK realized maybe this was not the route to go. Sitting in the terminal we noticed a long line of people outside a helicopter stand. Raju explained they had booked to go on a helicopter which would cost us $500 USD each. Being on our third day stuck in the airport we asked Raju if he could get us on a helicopter. He explained that none had actually left in 3 days either and they were being very careful as one had crashed only last week. The rest of the day was spent in silence at the airport just waiting. We saw some people leave from the helicopter line and heard 2 helicopters would fly. Next thing we know Raju said when the helicopters return he had got us on one, but the catch was it would just be MK and I and Raju would follow up after. Again my gut instinct was not good but I did want to go and get up there. We agreed to go on the next helicopter and Raju took us through to the office to pay. The card machine would not work, I was thinking is this a sign we should not be getting on the helicopter? After 4 attempts they got the card machine to work and we sat back in the terminal. We sat down and the electric cut in the airport. I must have looked terrified. MK asked me if I was okay and all I could say was I was trying to find one positive sign we should be getting on this helicopter. Another 45 mins went past and Raju came up to let us know the first lot of helicopters could not reach the airport and had dropped off the passenger in a rural village half way to Lukla. They did not want to return the tourist as they did not want to refund anyone any money. Once the helicopters had returned they would not be flying again and we would go on them first thing tomorrow. Honestly I was so happy we were not getting on the helicopter. We met a couple who also had been at the airport for 3 days and had booked to be on the helicopter with us tomorrow. It was great to talk to them and the many others we met in the airport. It just made us realize we were not alone and everyone in this terminal had come so far and trained so hard for this experience and were feeling exactly like we were. Back at the hotel I did bring up to MK maybe we need a plan B because we couldn’t just wait in the airport and not enjoy our trip. I brought up a hike called Annapurna Base Camp as alternate trek. MK was not in the mind frame yet to really plan a alternative trek so I left it.

Day 11

We had discussed if we did not fly out today we would move on. Off we went back to the airport in our terminal outfits for the past 4 days. We said goodbye to the hotel for the 4th morning hoping we would not be going back for a few weeks. At the airport we checked in and got weighed with our bags for the helicopter. I had all the stuff from yesterday whirling around my head and I was nervous. I did not feel safe and I did not want to get on the helicopter. I sat quietly with my headphones in. The morning passed and we were still waiting. I was stressed at the thought of the helicopter dropping us off and leaving us stranded. I was phoned my mum letting her know how stressed I was feeling. MK and I had been sat in a airport for 4 days stressed, confused and disappointed. As I was letting my mum know what was happening MK walked up and said they cancelled the helicopter flights for the day and he had told Raju we would go to Annapurna base camp. That was that, our Everest dream was put on hold. Completely heart broken we stood in line as Raju talked to the airline agents to try get us on a flight to Phokara. The flight was a blur. It was a small plane and we were all sat separately. The captain came running through the plane swung open the door to the cockpit turned on the engine and we were off. The flight was 20 minuets of flying through pure cloud until we reached Phokara, one hard right around the mountains and we were back on the ground.

Morning Routines

November 28, 2018November 30, 2018 / keeks927 / Leave a comment

I have always been a tornado in the morning for as long as I can remember. When I returned from Nepal I wanted to keep my zen and calm outlook as much as possibly. I decided I needed to develop a morning routine.

Before I would wake up with not enough time to get ready and would be rushing around the apartment, flying out the door and running for the train. I would also be on my phone and get distracted by messages or any social media apps. It has taken a few weeks to find what works for me in the morning but I now have a routine.

The first rule of my routine is I do not look at my phone until I am ready and leaving the apartment. This little change has made the biggest impact in time. I get ready so much faster and leave the house earlier then before, even though I still get up at the same time. Once I am ready for work and I have my bag packed I sit on the sofa and do 10 minutes of guided mediation via the Head Space app. The mediation helps me get into a good head space for the day. The app only costs 20 bucks a month. The app tracks how many time you mediate in a row and how many minutes in total you have done. Once I have finished my mediation I stand on my Shakti mat for 5 minutes. Then I make a cup of tea and head to work. By just doing these three easy steps in a morning has really helped me keep calm at work and keep a level head. It is our busy season at work and it can be intense a lot of the day. I feel more in control and not overwhelmed. I strongly believe mediation helps me keep in control of my stress.

Do you guys have any morning routines? I would love to hear them.

Little video of one of my most favourite mornings ever!

Kathmandu Take Two

November 24, 2018 / keeks927 / Leave a comment

Day 6

We had a very lazy day. We just chilled out watched some movies in the hotel room. Late morning we ventured out to Thamel for a coffee and some postcards to send home. In just two days we would be starting our hike so we were just trying to relax.

In the evening we met Raju for dinner. Raju led us through Thamel to a restaurant. We were served local Nepalese food and watched a traditional dance show. It was great to get to know our guide Raju. We discussed the hike and he answered any questions we had. Raju has been a guide for 10 years so his knowledge on hiking in the mountains was endless.

Day 7

Today we had a day tour around Kathmandu. We met our guide at the hotel and then she lead us to our driver. Our first stop of the day was The Monkey Temple. The temple was the oldest temple in Kathmandu. It was actually built before Kathmandu existed. As you can imagine there were monkeys everywhere. We walked up to the top where our guide explained the concept behind the Buddhist Temples. She also told us in the earthquake the original temple was the only bit which survived and everything else had to be re built. This temple gave us a great birds eye view of Kathamandu. Our next stop was to visit a real living goddess called a Kumari.

The Kumari is selected at birth and she lives in a building on the second floor as she is not allowed to touch the ground. People come from all over to see her. A few times a day she will come to the window to give people blessings. Unfortunately when we showed up she was having a nap…she is only 3 years old after all. We did see a photo of her. They are a goddess until they get their first period then they return to the local village and a new Kumari would be selected. Just around the corner from the Kumari was the Royal Palace. There is no longer a royal family in Nepal but the palace is still there and is currently being rebuilt after the earth quake. There was a Hindu festival going through the area we were in. It was a long line of women all dressed in orange and chanting whilst carrying small vase on their head. They were walking on the pavement in bare feet whilst passers by would throw water on there feet to keep them from burning from the red hot pavement. We followed the parade back to our car and ventured on for our last Buddhist Temple of the day.

Before we had lunch we walked around Boudhanath Stupa. The Temple was surrounded by shops. The first shop we visited sold medicine bowls. The owner of the shop gave us a demonstration on how they work. I sat on a chair and he placed the bowl on my head up side down and began to hit the bowl. The vibrations from the bowl worked there way down through my body giving me a relaxing feeling. He then moved the bowl to my knee and did the same thing the vibrations felt amazing. MK had his turn and the man put the bowl on his chest and back. The next shop we went into sold paintings of the circle of life. Each painting was so detailed and you had to be trained to a certain level to be able to paint the circle of life. Monks would draw them in the sand and it could take weeks to create and at the end of the process they would just destroy it. The detail of the pictures was incredible. The circle of life is about life always changing and how nothing in life remains the same. After checking out the gallery we headed to lunch. At lunch our guide chatted to us about our lives in Australia and she told us about her two children. She then asked us if we would like to visit the Hindu temple and see them do the cremation of the bodies. I immediately was not keen on the idea but MK said we should go as this is why we were here to experience new cultures.

The last stop of the day was to visit a Hindu Temple. You can not go inside the temple unless you are Hindu. We had a walk around the grounds of the temple then went around to the back. At the back of the temple is where they cremate bodies and bath them in the river which leads to the Ganges river. It was extremely emotional to watch families say good bye to there loved ones. I did notice other tourists taking photos which I did find very strange. For me it was a moment to take in for yourself and not through a lens. We were watching someones funeral and watching people at their saddest moment. The guide took us back to the hotel for us to enjoy our last night before flying up to Lukla (the start of the Everest Base Camp Trek).

This night we went out for a big carb dinner and then came back to the room to pack our duffel bags. Our day packs had to be 5KG and our duffel bags had to be 15KG and no heavier. It was pretty hard to fit all our essentials in and keep it under 15KG. There was a weighing scale in the lobby of our hotel, we did a few trips to the lobby weighing the bags. We had to get up at 4AM. I was pretty nervous about the flight to Lukla and it took me a while to get to sleep my brain just wouldn’t shut off. Our big adventure was about to begin.

Yorkshire Rambler

Aye Up From Down Under

Author: keeks927