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Epic Trip to Nepal
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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Tengboche to Dingboche

    25 апреля 2017 г., Непал ⛅ 14 °C

    Elevation - 4410 m

    It was a beautiful, sunny, clear morning and we got great pictures of the surrounding mountains including the little bit of Everest.

    Our walk started downhill through a lovely Rododendron forest. They grow wild here and are in bloom everywhere. We climbed gradually up and after a town called Pangboche, we were above the tree line. Only scrubby junipers were growing and there is a considerable amount of environmental damage here. No one really follows a trail so large areas are trampled. Vegetation here is very fragile and takes a long time to regrow.

    We had another good tea house and we have discovered that we really lucked out when we got Bijay as our guide. He has been to Everest Base Camp 108 times and knows all the good tea houses, the names of all the mountains and every few minutes he runs into someone who seems really happy to see him. We love him. He has a great sense of humour and could walk these trails blind-folded.

    Our room has its own western toilet. This is a mixed blessing. Because of all the water you need to drink in a day, 4 to 5 litres, you end up peeing all night long. This means crawling out of a warm bed and baring your backside to the below freezong temps. Sitting on a cold toilet seat makes it that much worse and by the time your business is done, your teeth are chattering. And, to flush these things you dip a jug into an ice-cold bucket of water and pour it into the toilet. After, that you have to sanitize your hands with that gel stuff which results in frozen sausages for fingers. All in all, you usually wait till you're about to pee the bed before you venture out. But at least we didn't have to leave our room. In many tea houses you have to walk down a hall or even outside. This was luxury by comparison.

    We stayed here two nights to acclimatize to the altitude. There was a big dining room and we met lots of nice people. On the morning of the second day we climbed a big hill behind our tea house. This climb took us to the elevation that we would be sleeping at the next day. Doing this kind of thing is another way of helping acclimatization.

    Unfortunately my infection has moved into my lungs and I really wasn't feeling well. I had some antibiotics with me so I was wondering if they would help. I paid for wi-fi and texted our son Eric who has a good friend who is a pharmacist. His friend said the antibiotic I had was not really for my type of illness but that it would not react with the altitude meds I was already taking. I decided to start taking it anyway as I was desperate. In the afternoon Jon found a pharmacy and bought me a different kind of antibiotic which the clerk said would work better for the type of infection I had. The rules about drugs are very different here! I started with the new antibiotic and had a nap in the afternoon. I am really starting to worry about being able to make it to base camp as I feel like crap. And to make matters worse our guide has a fever and is also not feeling well. He told us that in all the trips he's done he has never been sick! Go figure!    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Dingboche to Thukla via Pheriche

    27 апреля 2017 г., Непал ⛅ 18 °C

    Elevation - 4620 m

    Our destination today was Thukla but I had a very bad night of coughing so we decided to stop in at Pheriche where there is a medical clinic. Depending on what the doctor advised I would either go on, stay in Pheriche or go down while the others carried on.

    We got our usual start at about 7:45 am and got to the clinic about an hour later, a few minutes before they opened. This clinic is really cool. Younger doctors volunteer for two months at a time. Westerners pay to be seen and for any medications, etc. This pays for the locals to receive medical treatment for only 50 rupees which is about 50 cents! The doctor told us about a local man who had appendicitis and needed IV drugs and to be airlifted to Kathmandu. All this only cost him 50 rupees.

    I met with the doctor and he listened to my chest and heart and checked my oxygen levels and pulse and they were all good. He said I was doing everything right and gave me some cough syrup to help me sleep. He said I would be at a way greater risk of developing altitude problems so I'd have to watch for that. I felt so relieved that I could go on and that I wasn't developing pneumonia. After paying the $80 US for the visit we carried on to Thukla.

    It was going to be a short trek today. From now on the days are short as we climb to higher elevations. We walked through a beautiful valley surrounded by sharp jagged cliffs. The last hour we climbed up to Thukla. This is a very small collection of buildings. It seemed that there was really only one tea house there. We ate lunch in a sun room, organized our gear and then had a whole afternoon to kill. We collected in the dining room were we visited with two very interesting British fellows. They had saved for a couple of years and then had sold up everything and had commenced travelling around the world. We had some interesting conversations, and finally at about 4:00 pm the stove was lit. We were relieved as we were all cold but then commenced the toxic brew of yak poo and cooking smoke. The toxic brew won out because the elevation made it very cold and we stayed in the dining room.

    Eventually they stopped adding fuel to the fire so we wandered off to our cold, cold rooms. This was one of the dirtiest, coldest and most miserable places yet. I'll be glad to get out of here.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Thukla back to Pheriche

    28 апреля 2017 г., Непал ☁️ 28 °C

    Elevation - 4240 m

    Unfortunately, the toxic air brew wreaked havoc on my lungs and I spent most of the night coughing. Between the coughing and the trips to the toilet, I got very little sleep. I developed a headache and it hurt to take a breath. I was out of breath just getting dressed and tying my boots.

    I only had one more night to get through before I saw base camp but I just didn't think I could do it. I was worried about getting really sick in the middle of the night when nothing could be done. I had read information on altitude sickness and you can get sick really quickly. When I weighed it all out, I decided to give up on making it to base camp, go back to Pheriche and see the doctor again.

    It was a very difficult decision and I cried when I said goodbye. This has been a dream of mine since I was in my 20s and it was very hard to let it go but I didn't think it was fair to let myself get so sick that I would now be a problem for the rest of the group. I had said to myself before the trip that I would try not to pin the success of the trip solely on making it to base camp. I wanted to appreciate all the experiences along the way so that if I didn't make it, the trip wouldn't be a total loss. I was trying to channel my inner monk but was finding that very difficult and to tell truth I was totally pissed off at the world.

    After my teary goodbyes, Santos, one our porters, carried my bag and helped me down to Pheriche. Jon had left his bag at Thukla and the plan was that Santos would take me down then go back up to Thukla, get Jon's bag and join them in Lobuche. As we descended, I started to feel marginally better. My breathing was easier and I wasn't having so much trouble getting my breath.

    Bijay had sent a note with Santos which he gave to the proprietor of the Himalayan Hotel. It was too early to check in so I left my bag at the hotel and went to the medical centre. Santos explained my situation and then I sent him on his way back to Thukla. I saw a young Australian doctor who checked me out. I wasn't sick enough to be helicoptered out but he did think I would feel a lot better if I went down another 500 metres. Unfortunately, there was no way I could manage all my crap in my condition and I no way of letting the group know where I was. I decided to stay.

    A few days earlier, we had discussed the possibility of hiring a helicopter to take us from base camp to Lukla instead of walking down. After some discussion, we all agreed that we would do this. With the air at Everest base camp being so thin, our group would have to be shuttled two or three at a time to Pheriche (a happy coincidence) where we would then all climb aboard for the rest of the trip to Lukla. So the new plan was that I would stay in Pheriche for two nights and they would pick me up on the way down.

    After seeing the doctor, I checked in. I asked for a room with a toilet and got a queen size bed and a bathroom with a functioning (mostly) western toilet and, luxury of luxuries, a sink and mirror!!!

    The manager led me up to a lovely warm sunroom and brought me some hot lemon and toast and peanut butter. I then took advantage of the hot showers, put on some clean clothes and went back to the sunroom so my hair could dry. I had an afternoon nap and later in the dining room was able to take a call from Jon. I ate supper and visited with a young woman we had met earlier on the trail and then spent the evening sitting around the dining room stove chatting with some lovely young travellers.

    The next day after breakfast I had a walk around the village, watched helicopters coming and going and then spent the afternoon reading and catching up on this blog. I'm bored but feeling much better and ready to be moving on. I just hope the weather cooperates and I can get out of Pheriche tomorrow.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Pheriche to Lukla via helicopter!

    30 апреля 2017 г., Непал ☁️ 27 °C

    I was up early, packed and ready for breakfast by about 6:30 am. I didn't sleep very well as I think I was anxious to to be moving on.

    I finished my breakfast then settled my bill and was outside with my bag at 7:30 am. I knew the heli would be there in the morning but I hadn't heard when. The locals were quite interested in this crazy white woman standing around on the main trail as though I was waiting for a bus!

    I waited there for an hour but eventually needed to pee. I dragged my bag back to the hotel, did my business, and continued waiting.

    As I was standing by the side of the trail and old woman and an old man ambled past prodding a small yak train. I knew instantly that the old man had been a porter. Although he was not carrying anything, he walked stooped over from the waist with a flat back and with his knees bent. Out of respect , I didn't take a picture and I realized that while I had seen quite a few old Sherpa women, the old Sherpa men were not as plentiful. It made me sad to think that the lovely young boys who were our porters might some day end up all crippled up like this old man. It's a very tough place to live.

    The owner of the hotel eventually helped me carry my bag down to the heli pad. The heli pad is just large rocks of a similar size piled in a round shape. The spaces between the large rocks were filled in with small rocks. I waited while another team was shuttled from base camp and then finally Elizabeth and Reig showed up.

    Neither of them looked particularly well, both were shivering and Elizabeth had developed a fever and a nasty cold. The heli dumped out their bags and took off back to base camp to pick up Jon and Bijay. A few minutes later, the heli was back and we piled the bags back in the heli and all climbed in.

    I called shot gun as I felt my consolation prize for not having been to base camp would be to sit up front. No one objected. I think they were all too exhausted to argue. The pilot, Andrew, a New Zealander, gave me a head set and we all buckled up. It was the coolest 15 minutes of the whole trip and such a rush to see the mountains flying by underneath us. I held the Go pro and filmed everything but the actual experience was way cooler than it looked on the video. I've decided that in my next life I'm going to be a heli pilot!!

    The flight was over way too quickly. We landed on the Lukla heli pad which is right beside the airport and runway and really close to a building. It's a really dangerous heli pad. Helicopters are being fuelled up while people, and chickens, run around. There are no signs and passengers getting off are kind of shooed to the side to get them out of the way.

    We found a porter to help us get our bags to our hotel. We dumped our stuff and met on a roof top patio for lunch. We eventually moved inside when it started to rain. Elizabeth was really not looking well and only had juice to drink.

    We spent a few hours resting then had a look around Lukla, ate supper and then had an early night. As the day wore on, Elizabeth got worse and worse and I was quite worried about her. I was hoping that after a good night's sleep she would be feeling better.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Lukla to Kathmandu

    1 мая 2017 г., Непал ⛅ 25 °C

    During the night Jon developed a very bad case of food poisoning. He'd had tuna cheese pizza because he thought he was safe eating canned meat. Only afterwards did it occur to us that the can must have been opened a long time before it was used for his pizza! So here the poor man was with terrible stomach issues and facing a 30 minute plane ride in a small plane with no bathroom. Also during the night, Elizabeth's condition worsened so only Reig and I made in down to breakfast.

    We packed up and dragged our bags to the airport just after 7:00 am. The usual third-world airport chaos ensued and eventually we made it to the waiting room. By this time Elizabeth and Jon could barely stand. They sat on the most comfortable place we could find and we commenced waiting.

    If you Google Lukla airport, you'll find it's one of the most dangerous airports in the world. The reason is that the the runway is ultra short and ends in a brick wall. When taking off, the other end of the runway drops sharply off a mountain. While we waited for our flight I watched other planes coming and going. The lack of safety standards had me cringing every few minutes. At one point a young man walked so closely to the prop that I was sure he would lose his head. I actually flinched and looked away.

    Planes came and went and still we sat there waiting. Elizabeth and Jon were getting steadily worse. It was freezing in the waiting area and they were both shivering. We filled water bottles with hot water for them to hold to help them get warm. We had dressed fairly lightly because we thought we would be in Kathmandu where it was warm. After five, yes five, hours of waiting we decided to go back to the hotel to wait. We got a room for Elizabeth and Jon and they wrapped up in blankets and slept. Reig and I had something to eat and we carried on waiting.

    The delays were due to heavy rain in Kathmandu, then rain in Lukla and then wind problems in Lukla. Because of the crazy runway, conditions have to be perfect in Lukla or they close the airport. We went back to the airport at about 3:00 pm. Elizabeth could barely walk and Jon wasn't a lot better. We were told to line up outside where we waited another 30 minutes or so and then they cancelled the flight altogether. Apparently this happens quite frequently and we've heard stories of people being stuck here for three days waiting for flights out!

    We grabbed our bags, dragged our asses back to the hotel, and settled the two sick ones into their beds to sleep. We needed to be at the airport by 6:00 am the next morning so it was an early night.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Lukla to Kathmandu - Part Deux

    2 мая 2017 г., Непал ☀️ 23 °C

    We were up at 5:00 am to pack up and make the one minute walk to the airport. Thankfully, Jon had improved and was no longer shaking with chills. And luckily, Elizabeth had also improved but neither of them were 100%.

    We repeated the chaotic checking in process and, once again, found ourselves in the cold Lukla Airport waiting room. We were certain that we would be the first passengers out but, with dismay, we again watched several planes come and go. It was explained to us that in Nepal, if your flight is cancelled, you go to the bottom of the list and have to kind of take what you can get. We were offered no compensation and no special effort was made to get us out. It's a very different mentality to every other airline in the world but apparently the norm here.

    We were booked on a different airline than the day before. We would be flying Nepal Air, a government run airline, and finally at about 8:00 am our plane showed up. All the passengers on this flight had experienced the same cancellation problems we'd had. When the plane showed up we all literally ran out the door onto the tarmac. No way was anyone going to spend another day in Lukla!!

    We boarded the plane, which had seen better days and which seemed to be held together with duct tape, and we were soon on the runway and taking off. I thought I would be happy to finally be leaving but, as arduous as the journey had been, I found It a very bittersweet moment.

    The flight only took about 30 minutes and in no time we were back in Kathmandu in the warmth, chaos and smog. A driver was waiting to take us back to the Dalai La Hotel.

    We had one last meal with Bijay, a delicious breakfast at our hotel, and then said our goodbyes. I think we were all a little sad. He was an excellent guide. He had also been very sick on this trip, first with food poisoning in Namche Bazaar and then with a fever and lung problems for the rest of the trek. He said that in all the treks he'd been on he had never been sick like he had on this trip. In spite of his issues, he continued to look after us. Even though we urged him to rest, he wouldn't leave us until he had looked after our needs. Tomorrow we were to meet with the owner of the trekking company and we were going to give Bijay's boss a glowing report.

    Once in our rooms, and being the spoiled white people we are, we luxuriated in hot showers, clean clothes and naps on super comfy beds!    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Kathmandu - May 3

    3 мая 2017 г., Непал ⛅ 23 °C

    It's been an easy relaxing day. After breakfast we walked over to the trekking company to drop off the borrowed equipment and to settle up. Because we cut our trek short and came back to Kathmandu early, it ended up that we had paid for more days than we actually used. We had signed a no-return policy so we weren't hopeful we'd get a refund. Jon worked his usual magic and finangled us not only a refund but a car, driver and guide for a day trip tomorrow to some points of interest outside of Kathmandu

    After lunch we took a walk to a lovely walled garden nestled in a busy area of Thamel. It was a beautuful oasis of trees, fountains, paths and flower beds. Apparently it was built in the 1920s and recently restored with help from the Austrian government. We spent about an hour there and wandered back to our hotel.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Kathmandu - May 4

    4 мая 2017 г., Непал ⛅ 18 °C

    Today we took the day tour Jon had organized yesterday. We visited two old cities, Bhaktapur and Patan. It was a real eye-opener.

    We have had a few drives around Kathmandu going back and forth to the airport but this was our first time getting a good look at the area. I had thought that when we left Kathmandu we would go into the countryside on our way to the other cities. This was not the case. The whole of the Kathmandu valley seems to be an urban area. The population of Nepal is 28 million, a little less than Canada, but the area of Nepal is tiny compared to the area of Canada. Three Nepals would fit into Saskatchewan! It makes sense then, that this is a crowded, congested place.

    Bhaktapur and Patan were very interesting. These areas are UNESCO world heritage sites so they are working to repair the damage from the earthquakes. We got a very superficial glimpse into the history of the area. It's a bit hard to follow all the details. It's complicated by all the Hindi, Buddhist, and Nepalese names of things which I find hard to remember.

    As the day wore on, Jon's health started to deteriorate so we had an early night.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Kathmandu - May 5

    5 мая 2017 г., Непал 🌙 21 °C

    Just when we thought we were over the worst, Jon has now become extremely sick. Just after his bout of food poisoning, his throat started to get a little sore. It has now developed into a full blown throat infection.

    We arranged to have a doctor come to our hotel room. He has prescribed 7 different medications including two different antibiotics, pain meds, something to gargle with and and something for an upset stomach from all the antibiotics!!

    Needless to say, it has been a very quiet day, with Jon spending most of it in our room sleeping. I did a little shopping but mostly just hung around the hotel checking on Jon.

    A new water system is being installed in the whole of the Kathmandu valley. A big culvert was being installed in the very narrow road right outside our hotel. The road was completely torn up and muddy but the Nepalese seem to take it all in stride. No one seems to get mad or frustrated. They are amazing people.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Kathmandu - May 7

    7 мая 2017 г., Непал ⛅ 24 °C

    Yesterday morning Jon turned a corner and was feeling much better. I was relieved because I wasn't sure how I was going to manage two suitcases, two backpacks and a delirious husband. We spent most of the day resting.

    We were up at 6:00 am to finish packing, to eat breakfast and to check out. Shree, the main driver for our trekking company, arrived promptly at 9:00 am to take us to the airport. We were there with lots of time to spare and spent about two hours waiting with Elizabeth and Reig. Our flight was first so we checked in, went through security and spent two more hours waiting in In a hot, sticky, smelly waiting area.

    Our flight was delayed by about half an hour but finally we were walking out onto the tarmac to climb the stairs to the pristine Thai Air Boeing 777. As I climbed the stairs I paused to have one last look at Kathamandu. The city was shrouded in a layer of dust and smog, obliterating any mountains in the distance. I found that I was experiencing a strange mix of emotions as I looked out on this city I may never see again.

    On the way to the airport Shree had said to us, "You guys are really lucky that you get to visit other countries. We never get to leave." His comments were on my mind as I climbed the stairs. I was feeling relieved to be leaving behind the dirt and squalor. I was feeling ashamed that I was feeling relieved. I was feeling guilty that I had been born into a life of comfort and privilege while so many millions of people have to make do with so little. I was feeling sad for the lovely Nepali people who work so hard to eek out a living in a very difficult place but who do it with such grace and calmness.

    After one last look I boarded the plane and began the journey back to my privileged life. Nepal had kicked the shit out of this spoiled white woman. I was forced to admit that I don't have the physical or mental toughness to survive for long in Nepal. I really hope I make it back here some day.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Tokyo - May 8

    8 мая 2017 г., Япония ⛅ 25 °C

    It's like a weird time warp has occurred! We left a very poor, dirty, dusty, 3rd world country and have woken up in, well, the exact opposite!

    We left Kathmandu yesterday at about 2:00 pm and stopped in Bangkok for a 5 hour layover. We boarded another Thai Air plane for an overnight flight to Tokyo and found ourselves in a very clean, tidy, lush place.

    I feel guilty admitting that it was a relief to be in such a clean place. It took a while to get through the entry process but our bags were waiting for us once we were done.

    We were a bit worried about negotiating our way through the Tokyo train system but we easily found the train we needed and were on our way to Shinjuku, Tokyo.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Tokyo - May 9

    9 мая 2017 г., Япония 🌙 18 °C

    Yep, this is the cleanest place I've ever been! And after the sanitation, or lack thereof, in Nepal, this is a very pleasant surprise. The Japanese have taken visiting the toilet to a level of comfort and cleanliness unparalleled in any other country I've been to. Some of the features include heated seats, toilet seat sanitizer, choice of bidet options and you can even listen to music while you do your business. I'm wondering where I can get one of these things for my home!!!

    We took a cab to the Imperial Palace and wandered around the grounds for a bit. We struck up a conversation with Amanda and Adam, two travellers from the US and they invited us to go with them to check out the Kabukiza theatre. We bought a standing ticket and watched for a bit. We didn't understand anything, of course, but I'm glad I saw it. After we finished at the theatre, Amanda and Adam left us to go check into their hotel at Tokyo Disney. We took a cab back to Shinjuku, the area in which we are staying, and had coffee at a nearby Starbucks.

    We wandered around the area some more because it's a happenin' place, did some people watching and then made our way to the "Tappen Baby" restaurant. This restaurant was highly rated on Trip Advisor but very difficult to find. The Japanese don't really cater to English tourists so most of the signs are in Japanese. We eventually found the place tucked away in a basement and settled ourselves on chairs in front of the cooking surface. (See the pictures below.) It was probably the best meal we have eaten on this trip and it was so much fun to watch them prepare everything in front of us. Each dish they prepare was a work of art.

    After supper we wandered back to our hotel. Jon seemed to be sleeping well but I am a bit messed up and couldn't get to sleep for a long time.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Heading Home

    10 мая 2017 г., Япония 🌧 15 °C

    Our journey home takes us from Tokyo to Vancouver at 5:00 pm. After a few hours of waiting our final flight to Saskatoon will get us home at 5:30 pm local time.

    We arranged to take a bus to the airport but had a couple of hours to kill till it was time to leave. It was a cloudy, drizzly day but we decided to visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings before we had to leave. These are tall, twin towers that you can go to the top of for a great view of the city. There were some great views from up there and it would have been spectacular on a clear day.

    On our way to the government buildings we walked under an and overpass. The sidewalk was quite wide and there was a railing at the edge of the sidewalk. Along this railing were about 6 to 8 cardboard shelters that people were clearly living in. What struck me right away was how clean and tidy these things were. There was no garbage lying around, nothing smelled, and I noticed that at one shelter the owner had taken off his shoes and place them neatly outside on a piece of cardboard. Owners of several of these shelters had bicycles propped up outside. I marvelled that even the homeless in Japan are clean and tidy!

    The bus to the airport took us by the waterfront and through some agricultural areas, all clean and well maintained. Japan is a beautiful country and I would definitely love to come back to this place.    Читать далее

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  • Janet TaylorEpic Trip to NepalJanet Taylor

    Final Thoughts

    10 мая 2017 г., Канада ⛅ 15 °C

    If you look at the map of the places we've been on this trip you'll notice that we completely circumnavigated the planet. It's been a wonderful experience and I'm so glad to have shared it with Jon. And having our very good friends, Reig and Elizabeth, with us made it even better.

    When you come home after being away for a while, home seems slightly different. I think its because you see it from a traveler's point of view. And home is beautiful. Canada isn't perfect but I think it's one of the best places on earth to live. I'm so lucky to have been born here and I am always proud to say I am a Canadian.

    I will never again take basic sanitation for granted. A clean toilet is worth it's weight in gold!

    People around the world are mostly awesome. You hear about the bad things people do from the media but I believe there are way more good people than bad.

    No matter whether two human beings speak the same language it's always possible to communicate. Just smile.

    I'm tired and rambling so I'm going to my very comfy bed to fall asleep to the sounds of coyotes howling. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog and for sharing this journey with us.

    And so ends the "Epic Trip to Nepal"!    Читать далее

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    Окончание поездки
    11 мая 2017 г.