October 1, 2011
Feature photo by mckaysavage.
Well, the time has come – finally! What was a seed of an idea over two years ago became more of a reality when we booked our tickets back in the winter. And now, the trip is imminent and last minute preparations are being made. The team consists of me and my husband, Paul, and three other friends with whom we have done a good amount of trekking in the past six years. And we leave for Nepal via Vancouver and Seoul in just two days!
Let the packing begin...
The plan is to start in the former Himalayan kingdom of Mustang, a restricted area known to be one of the final remnants of traditional Tibetan culture. Many sources say, “get there while you can,” as the area is quickly changing, particularly because of a new road that carves its way through the kingdom, bringing with it modernization and all that that entails. We’ve made arrangements through a trekking agency and so far this portion is the only stretch we’ll be on with a guide.
From there we begin the Dhaulagiri trek from Marpha – or at least we’ll give it a go. Our plan is to venture into this area independently, and while we’ve packed light glacier travel gear, we’ll have to make the call when we have a better idea of what the terrain involves. From there we head to the Annapurna trek, followed by the Manaslu trek, and then back through Kathmandu and up to Mt. Everest Base Camp. Our itinerary is flexible, so we may make some changes along the way. The return ticket is for December 12, 2011, so we will come back to Canada at some point!
Photo courtesy flickr.com/photos/gudi3101/.
In addition to trekking, I’ll be conducting some hands-on research into the garbage removal and accumulation at Mt. Everest, the tug-of-war between tourism and tradition for the Sherpa people, and the ongoing environmental issues in Nepal, such as deforestation and over-grazing. No doubt, more stories will emerge as we trek along!
I’m not sure how connected I’ll be while I’m away, but my plan is to post an update from time-to-time. Stay tuned, and follow me on my Facebook page, as well as The Campsite on Facebook, where I hope to post smaller updates more frequently.
Til next time!
Namaste,
Meghan
Safe travels Meghan! I hope you and Paul have joyful trip!
Hoping your travels are safe, productive, and enriching for all- have a great trip!
Thank you James and Andrew! I do hope to be able to post from time to time while I’m over there! I appreciate your support.
megs! how amazing! have such a great time. will be sending you good vibes from victoria.
Best of luck, Meghan! Excited about your investigations, but don’t forget to have FUN. Safe journey!