10/13: Still on Pokhara

I first met Rajen and Lata on the first hour of our trek, walking up the million steps to Dhampus. Over the next 9 days we kept passing each other on the slopes, or meeting at tea houses or guest houses along the route to Annapurna base camp. I ran into them again last night while on a sunset walk on Phewa Lake, and then again this morning on my way in to town for coffee.

So I wondered, are things meant to be? Or, is everything just exactly as it is, and what we do with the opportunities we are given is what brings meaning to an event? Maybe that is the more important question. Things happen, sometimes within our control and often without. But how we interact/react to the situation is in our control. That is what defines who we are.

Noah once mentioned to me that his friends were writing to him how lucky he was to have this opportunity. And he responded to me, "It has nothing to do with luck. My friends and I are all lucky. But each person makes choices." He is a very wise young man (at times).

I know I am going to miss Noah when we separate next week (Noah is flying to Bangkok on Oct 19th, and I am flying to Delhi). I love hearing him talk (which he does all the time), and sharing our different perspectives. I don't know if he appreciates how he has grown and matured over the past two months. I appreciate what I have learned from him, and the closeness we have grown together. Many people along the way have commented to me on what a special opportunity this is for a father and son. I don't think I have always appreciated it. It is reflective moments like this when I do. I will make the most of our next week together.

I opened up my list of quotes and the first one that popped out to me was one by Don Miguel Ruiz. "The word is like a seed, and the human mind is so fertile! The only problem is that too often it is fertile for seeds of fear. . . . What is important is to see what kind of seeds our mind is fertile for, and to prepare it to receive the seeds of love."

Adyashanti also writes on fear and on love, though not necessarily the romantic sort of love, but living with open-heartedness. "Possibly the only fear greater than death is love, real love. . . . It is the love of unity, a love of seeing God wearing all the masks and recognizing itself in them all."

Rajen and Lata Kothari from Mumbai

Oct 11th: Morning bike ride

I rented a mountain bike and went for a ride this morning.

I headed west along Phewa lake.

The lake turned into a rice field.

After an hour the road turned to gravel and then became a river, so I turned around and stopped here for coffee.

I watched the men forking vegetation up from the bottom of the lake.

After 2 hours I was back in Pokhara. I woke up Noah and here is where we ate breakfast.

Trekking Day 9: Final photos

Noah and his porter. Noah's left knee became sore on day 7, and he needed two walking sticks for day 8 and 9. It got worse on day 8, so we rented a porter on day 9 to carry his load.

Trekking Day 9: Walking down

This was one of the most beautiful days of the trek.

Trekking Day 9: Sunrise from Gandruk

I can finally see, as the sky is perfectly clear this morning. Gandruk is the sweetest little town with spectacular Himalayan views. It looks like Tibet, though the people are Gurung. There is a picture of the Dalai Lama hanging in the dining room. The dining room has one large table with a coal burner heating our feet underneath, and blankets attached to the underside of the table to keep the heat in. Last night I spent the evening talking to Anatma and Noelia from Spain. Anatma is an unusual Spanish name. It turns out his father was a hippie and went to Tibet 35 years ago, heard the name, and thus, named his son.

Machhapuchre at sunrise

Gandruk village

Gandruk village

Trekking Day 7 & 8: Walking down in the rain

Sitting around the dining table late into the evening were 2 Australians, a couple from Israel, a German woman, 2 American students studying in China, and myself. It was interesting, exciting and a complete blast.

I have been thinking about the economics of trekking. Tourism brings so much income into Nepal, though the distribution of that wealth is disturbing. There are really nice guest houses along the way. At 14,000 feet one can still get pizza and coke, the food only gets more expensive as you go up. All day long you see porters with their 65 to 70 pound loads. I am told they make between 200 to 500 rupees a day ($2.60 to $6.60). Though that is money they wouldn't otherwise get, the rate seems to be a crime. Trekkers complain about how expensive it gets as you go up, but I would gladly pay more if I knew it went to increased wages for the porters.

We were literally attacked by leeches on day 8. Noah and I each estimate pulling 50 leeches off our clothes or skin. At night I checked my feet, and had 8 blood-red holes where 8 lucky leeches got through my defenses.

Trekking Day 6: More at Annapurna Base Camp

Trekking Day 6: At Annapurna Base Camp

This feeling of "surrender" is really just acceptance of what is. There is no "trying." There is only "being." Maybe in the face of such spectacular scenery, there is a thought emerging from deep in our consciousness, from a place that truly knows that all is One, which reminds us that there really is nothing we have to do - all there is, is "being."

Trekking Day 6: Walk to Annapurna Base Camp

Walking up to Annapurna base camp reminded me of my Everest trek 30 years ago with my old friend Daryl. The altitude is such that you really only can think about the next step. One step at a time. At an elevation of 18,000 feet, it is very cold, so you hold your hands together, take a step, take a breath, then take another step. It felt like being in temple. this base camp is not near so high (only 4130 meters or 13,800 feet), but still I get that same sense of being in temple. One step at a time.

We left Machhepuchre base camp at 5AM, having to walk in the dark to Annapurna base camp to be there before the clouds rolled in. These pictures are Annapurna at sunrise.

Noah had a lot of trouble with the altitude. We had to go down after only abut 2 hours. Once we started heading down, he felt much better.

Trekking Day 5: Walk to Machhapuchre Base Camp

It is time to move forward and say goodbye to the past. It has been a nice journey, but the mystery before me is what I am moving into. Time to stop grasping at interpreting. Let the mind play its game. It's time to move forward. I don't need to know or not know. I am moving forward into the unknown.

It's nicer to focus on good thoughts than negative ones, but it is still an attachment to concepts, ideas, mind constructs. Maybe the whole point of human existence is to find our way back home. Do the whole consciousness circle to find our way back home.

Deurali, the last town


me on a bridge

This valley leading up to Machhepuchare Base Camp is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in the world.

Surrender - that is the feeling I got when walking from Deurali through the valley to Machhepuchre base cap - willing and complete surrender.

Annapurna at sunset

For as long as I can remember, there have been two sides to my personality - the stable, organized math teacher/father/husband, and the irrepressible, irresponsible traveler. The latter side is often repressed, but there is no place where it comes out more than in the mountains.

Today, with the mood I am in, I am reminded of an event that happened more than 30 years ago. On the way from visiting my sister in Fresno during my sophomore year at UC Santa Cruz, my old college friend Ted and I stopped at Yosemite. Seeing Yosemite valley again caused something strange to percolate inside of me. I had spent 10 weeks of my Freshman year backpacking in and around Yosemite. When I saw the valley again I had to stay. The new term was beginning but I didn't care. I gave Ted my car keys and we went searching for a sleeping bag and back pack to rent. Just then it started to snow, and me having no gear at all for the weather, was convinced by Ted to return when I was better prepared. There is a side to me that wishes to drop everything, even all reason, and leap into the unknown, carrying nothing with me. I feel it now.

Trekking Day 4: Chomrong to Bamboo

Machhepuchre at sunrise


Iman, Nadia and Adeline from Malaysia. They gave Noah many travel tips about Malaysia, and got him excited about going there.


This was a day of rain forests and jungle (even at 8000 to 9000 feet). It was full of rivers, waterfalls, and bridges. I even saw a few monkeys with black faced surrounded by white fur.

The trekking trails become the path of least resistance for many of the streams flowing down the mountain.


Noah on a bridge. I have to get my pictures of him when he is not looking.

Trekking Day 3: Landruk to Chomrong

I shall not fear what ever comes next, but embrace it, for that is all there is - the next step.

Every step along the way was essential to get me to this place. They were all necessary, all valuable.

Sunrise from Landruk

This was one of the most difficult days - down to the river, up to the top of the mountain, then down to the next river, and back up, over and over again. Many rivers, many steps.

Mike and Sibani from Washington DC

Noah at one of the many bridges

I found a walking stick to help support my knees on all the steps. At the next village, where we stopped for tea, and old man saw my stick. He took out his machete, and started cutting off the edges and rough spots. As he was stripping off the bark, he noticed something, threw my stick away, and came back with a gift of his own stick, already nicely trimmed.