Not so baby steps

I woke up and wanted to eat before I took on the marathon. Unfortunately I didn't want the biscuits in my room. I got ready fast and began the climb. 248 stairs, 248 very steep stairs from my room to the main street. I climbed up, only stopping twice to catch my breath. Then I meandered over to the Peace cafe and crunched on my favorite breakfast of Muesli yogurt with banana and Mango. My newly made friend Phillip from Austria was there, we chatted for a good hour or so. Then down, down, down 302 slug covered steps to the Tips Tse Monastery. There I meditated for 1/2 an hour. Then my friend Nyima, a Monk at the monastery, talked to me some more about the sand mandala upstairs. We have been talking about it a lot, because I am trying to acquire the tools they use to make it. Apparently the one I got in Nepal is nothing like the ones they use here. This sand mandala is like nothing I have imagined as they have managed to stack the sand 3 dimensionally. I said goodbye to Nyima and he double checked that I would be at the ceremony where they blow the mandala away. They only make it once a year so it is a special occasion. I told him I wouldn't miss it for the world then began the ridiculous hike back up, up, up the 302 steps.



I grabbed some 10 rupee momos (20cent dumplings) from the street vendor and turned down the begging mother who uses her child to get money. There is a place right up the street that watches children for free so that women can work, so I have minimal sympathy. After my snack I head to The Tibet Post, where I am volunteering. I spend a good 2 hours working on a grant proposal, which is a rather new experience for me. I read some stories about the Olympics in China and find myself wondering why the Olympic committee picked somewhere so corrupt and evil to hold the Olympics.

Next I get dinner at an Indian restaurant, Matter Paneer and Garlic Naan with Hot Ginger water, yum. It's starting to rain, as it often does here, and I realize that I left my big rainbow umbrella at the Tibet Post. I run down the hill as fast as I can to Gu Chu Sum, where I am volunteering in the evenings. Gu Chu Sum is a safe-place and school for Ex-political prisoners of Tibet. Each night I come and practice conversational English with the sweetest group of people you could imagine. Tonight was especially hard as Panden is explaining to me how China was forcing abortions and sterilizations on the Tibetan women in his community. He took a stand and protested the actions, a brave move that landed him in prison for 13 years. He told me about the torture, and how they tied him up from the ceiling by his thumbs and hit him in the stomach with a stick. 13 years later when he escaped to India they tortured his family for 20 days after. I didn't want to cry in front of him, it was a challenge. There are 20 students at GuChuSum, all with similar stories. On my way out one of the students, Choukyi, lent me her umbrella. Tomorrow I am teaching them all a Yoga class.


I am spending one month here, and this is a pretty typical day here. I am really glad to be here during the Olympics, supporting Tibet. I'd like to ask all of you reading to please keep your television tuned away from the Olympics. I don't support a country that denies the most basic human rights.

This place is amazing. Good people, good food, amazing mountains, and lots of chances to volunteer. It's also very humbling. I'm very blessed to know that my family and friends are safe and sound. I hope you all know how much you mean to me.

ALL my love

Leaperosy

For photos related to this visit:
http://realtravel.com/member-m1765740-katie_the_gnomad.html

I heart Nepal.

It's like India but turned down a notch. I have finally arrived in Kathmandu after many days of traveling. Olly and I didn't last long in Varanasi. The heat there was enough to make even him want to high tail it out, and he's Indian. We stayed one night in a hotel overlooking the ghats. All of the other travelers there were trading stories of weird infections they had picked up in the city where cows are 1 to every 4 people. Apparently 1 night was enough for me to pick one up to. I think I need a shirt that says "I went to Varanasi and all I got was this lousy infection." Seriously, it's like the plague manifested on my neck. Seeing the Ganges was surreal, smelling the smoke from the ghats was even more-so. Our hotel had a great roof top terrace that overlooked the Ganges.

Our plan was to head to Darjeeling, but due to political situations tourists were not allowed to enter. So we curbed our plans and headed into Nepal. I am like a kid at Christmas when I get a new stamp in my passport. Upon entering Nepal I got 2 stamps and a new visa. My excitement was quickly killed by the bus ride to Kathmandu. No shocks, no rules, and a sick stomach. Ask me about this when I get back if you want a good story for now it is to close to re-live.

Kathmandu is a lovely city brimming with Tibetans. I have been to some beautiful temples and met some extremely helpful people. Today dearest Olly and I went to the monkey temple. We had to hike up a huge hill full of stairs as monkeys and dogs played together all around us. Tibetan prayer flags were waving in the breeze. The view and energy was incredible. This place is incredible.

As for the Leaperosy on my neck, it seems to be getting better. Check out the pictures, it was pretty nasty. It hurt me to turn my head.

Anyway needing some good fresh music? Check out "Amit Chaudhuri" Sounded pretty rad.

The adventure of Craig

A Couple of years back when I last frequented India my brother Craig asked me to keep an eye out for a tool that the Buddhist monks use to make the sand mandalas, I was unlucky. upon arrival in Kathmandu I began asking every stand if they had seen this instrument, nobody had a clue what I was talking about. Finally I found a little Tibetan shop brimming with turquoise and good energy. I was sitting discussing the politics of china with the owner when I thought to ask him. next thing I know he was waving in a Buddhist monk and explaining the item to him. The monk proceeded to write out detailed instructions and drawing illustrations of the tool.

The owner of the shop offered to take me to a monastery by his house to request the item. We were off!! We zipped through the streets on his motorcycle until we reached the giant Stupa, a dome shaped temple with a cone and eyes on top. Once in the monastery we showed the item to monks who gave us directions to the local smith who could make an exact replica. We walked around the temple spinning the prayer wheels until we reach a small shack filled with Nepali's banging out designs on copper plates. My friend handed the design to the smithy and he agreed to have it done the following morning for 150 NR (about $2.50 if that)

The next morning the shop owner picked it up for me and met me at his store with it. The tool was then passed between monks who were very happy with the precise design. They took turns mocking how to use it. This tool should have some pretty good energy.

Nepal is amazing, I hope to come back here someday and take the 25 day trek to MT.Everest. Wanna come?