9 days of daal bhat

Day 1

10 hours ride by local bus. Our bags on its roof. A Nepali woman sitting in front of us opens a window and spits. Sometimes she puts her baby out through the window to pick louse out of its hair. The old and crowded bus is going up the mountains and the view around us is magnificent. It feels like we are in a documentary while the radio plays traditionnal dohori. As we drive close to the edge I think to myself - maybe one has to be buddhist to take this road with a peaceful mind. If we fall...

 

Day 2

We have arrived in Langtang National Park and can start our trek. A rocky path leads us through the autumn coloured forest, through green bushes of hemp, along cold and fast mountain river. Donkeys carrying heavy bags full of mineral water, beer and snickers for tourist lodges slow us down as we have to walk behind them for some time.

 

Day 3

As a child I used to imagine that a cloud could come inside the house. It would then fill up all the rooms and something maybe terrible, but definately mysterious would happen. It might be a weird fantasy for a Latvian flat land's child, but here in Langtang base camp it actually seems possible. A small cloud floats through the yard, passing by our window.

Day 4

The higher we get the more familiar plants I see. Smiltsērkšķi, mežrozītes, dadži and pelašķi as well as few others I can't name enclose our path leading to Kanjin Gompa. From there we will climb up to the peak, 4'300 metres high, covered only by rare snow and praying flags.

 

Day 5

Climbing down.  At the evening we meet a group of eighteen French. They are travelling with their rosé wine, huge piece of tomme de montagne and they believe that all the world should speak French. As usual, Nicolas pretends to be Latvian.

Day 6

Last and the most exhausting day of trekking. Our guide knows what to do and we stop at some hemp plants growing on our way. Rolling his palms on the plants he gathers the black, sticky oil and we have a 100% fresh and ecological smoke that cheers us up for the rest of the trek.

Day 7

A day spent mostly in a jeep. This time 90s hits are played out loud. Make some noise for Vengaboys! Did I say already that Nepal feels like stuck in time? At the evening we arrive at a small market place near the road where we spend a night in the most miserable and dirty room we have ever had here or anywhere else. Nicolas tries to cheer me up calling it "experiencing the real rural Nepal".

 

Day 8

A day of rafting. We share our raft with four old Indian men. After peace there are always troubles coming, one of them says, as we are slowly floating in silent river towards rapids.

Day 9

Chitwan National Park. We have changed the dirty shed of yesterday's night for a fancy jungle lodge. Today we explore the Terai in different ways - on dugout canoe, on feet and on elephants back.