Adventures With Nachel

Don't worry faithful followers! We did not forget our promise to post before leaving for Everest Base Camp. You may have been wondering after our last post mentioned our trek starting this weekend.

We were scheduled to fly to Lukla this morning to start our trek. However, things again didn't go according to plan. Somewhere in the Gulf of Thailand, Rachel unknowingly contracted an infection that eventually manifested itself in her skin (thankfully it didn't spread to her blood which would've been more serious). It took several weeks before getting bad, but in a matter of 36 hours the infection metaphorically exploded and we realized something was wrong. The good news is with some antibiotics and daily visits to the clinic for cleaning and redressing of the wounds, Rachel's leg will be totally okay (aside from possibly some scarring). The bad news is the doctor would not medically clear her to leave the area due to a lack of appropriate sanitary medical facilities in Lukla or on the trail. Today (Saturday), we got the test results to confirm Rachel is indeed on the right antibiotics. Wahoo! However, the wounds are stilll open, and the infection not gone yet. If things got worse while trekking, Rachel risked being airlifted off the mountain (which is dependent on the weather). Obviously, this was not a time to ignore doctor's orders.

After much discussion and consideration, we settled on a Plan B. Nick realized that doing the trek without Rachel would not optimize his experience. We found out we could change our flights for a very small amount and still arrive in South Africa at the same time if we skipped our three day layover in Delhi. Within even a day of starting the antibiotics, Rachel's condition had shown improvement. A possible future emerged where maybe Rachel would be well with enough time for us to still do the trek together. So, Plan B is to have Rachel on near bedrest to optimize leg healing while Nick works on preparations for our trek without a guide. We anxiously await the day when the doctor gives her approval and Rachel feels well enough to hike.

We know many of you have expressed your concern about us taking this particular trek and are probably disheartened to hear we're not doing it as part of a tour anymore. However, upon our arrival in Kathmandu we discovered that most people, especially at this time of the year, do this trek without a guide. We've met several people who just returned and shared just how well populated this trek is right now. Every single person has assured us we'll make friends at the tea houses and end up trekking as a group anyway. Also, please do not worry about Rachel's health: she absolutely will not go if she is not well enough to do so, and though she has pain she is mostly feeling pretty good. We now have four extra days to work with so we're optimistic.

While we're certainly sad about missing out on Delhi and the Taj Mahal, trekking to Everest Base Camp is one of the big six for the trip, so it's a top priority. Kathmandu is not a bad place to hang out, either. We found a little hostel, Zen Bed and Breakfast, with a great community (and Internet!) where we have been made to feel at home. There hasn't been a lot of photojournalism so to speak since our arrival but we snapped a few shots on the way back from the clinic today (attached below). Pictures cannot really replace the experience of being here though. We are in the Thamel area of Kathmandu, popular with backpackers. It consists of a maze of alleys and "streets" (larger alleys) filed with pedestrians, motorcycles, tiny taxis, and bicycle rickshaws. Almost all of the streets are lined with trekking supply stores, travel companies, small crafts shops, and restaurants. The other areas outside Thamel where we have been (where the clinic is and where the American Embassy is) are not completely different, though the roads are bigger and there are fewer shops. Traffic here has been interesting. The rules for right of way range from whomever is bigger (the taxi), to whomever is faster (motorcycles), to whomever honks the most, to whomever just forces their way into the space, to...? It's unclear exactly how the roads work here. However, we haven't seen any vehicle accidents or pedestrians get injured. We continue to be shocked at the tiny spaces the taxis can maneuver though. The most impressive yet was when two taxis passed each other in the opposite directions with a parked motorcycle on one side and an electric pole infringing on the other. Keep in mind, most of Thamel consists of roads that are narrower than most pedestrian malls in the United States.

While Kathmandu is not exactly the most exciting place, we are happy to be spending more time here. Our co-residents gather on the roof every night to socialize and in the living room every morning to plan lunch and other activities for the day. Sometimes our host (Drupa) shares his dal bhat dinner (traditional Nepali meal) with us. We are close to everything via some twisting alleys, but the busy-ness of the main roads is far enough away that it isn't loud outside our windows. Of all the places we have been, it's definitely not the worst one in which to be stuck a little longer.

Send healthy vibes our way as we try again to do this Base Camp trek. We promise to write again before we leave!Read more