Namaste from Kathmandu Nepal!

Hi guys...or rather Namaste! Thanks so much for your posts! I am doing well (but extremely tired...I never slept a wink last night in anticipation/worry of missing my flight to Nepal which ended up being delayed due to weather in Kathmandu by 3 hours). If only I would have known!

So I spent all my time at or close to Shimla, India. I absolutely loved this town, so much character and very safe. My treatment (and nearly everything) in India has been very random and unpredictable. I get curious stares from some, seemingly evilish stares from the odd few, but from most...help when I need it, answers to questions, and more friends and contacts! I also love how I have become somewhat of a mini celebrity in Shimla...I get asked to have my photos taken with the Indians...Shimla being a very very big tourist town (for Honeymooners in particular...not so much white folks... the 2 couples sitting around me on the train ride back got married Nov 23 and Nov 24!). I think I will start charging for photos!

I trekked with Mushy to Tattapani...not sure exactly how far this is but man, we had amazing views of the Himalayas in the distance, and of the surrounding mountains. We make it most of the way but decide for the last descent into Tattapani to take the local bus since it's getting to be dusk. Again, this region doesn't see so many tourists...Shimla does but mainly not white folk...and even fewer venture into the smaller villages from there. The bus pulls over and I am not kidding you, the ENTIRE bus full of Indians just stares at me wide eyed. It's hilarious!! At Tattapani there are hot natural sulfur springs...relieves the muscle tension of all the trekking. At over 2000 meters ASL the trekking is tough in spots, I'm short of breath. I ask Mushy whether he thinks I can make base camp and he thinks I can...provided the weather holds. He has more faith in me than I do...I am somewhat nervous for this...unchartered territory for me.

A few gripes about India:
- Garbage. It's everywhere. You are travelling on a UNESCO world heritage site railway...full of history and charm and stunning scenery. And everybody is eating their bags of chips and biscuits, whatever and just chucks the wrappers freely and easily out the side of the train. It irritates me when the locals do this, it irks me even more when foreigners do it because it's what everybody else does. I don't get it - why don't they have pride in the beauty of their country?? I feel like starting an ad campaign.
- Spitting. There are signposts around train stations etc. not to spit. But this is not enforced - everybody does it. And not only do they spit, they make terrible gutteral sounds getting whatever flem up from their stomach lining that they can. Sorry for the details, I just want you to feel my pain for a moment. I have gagged more than a few times because of people's "manners."
- Driving. Oh man...actually I have to note one important thing! No matter how crazy the roads, how unstructured, unsafe, or chatotic they are. Bus drivers STOP THE BUS when their cell phone rings! So there's one plus. Glad that Ontario is recognizing the hazard in this too. But I don't get it: some places there are no lines on the roads so people make as many lanes fit. But even where there ARE lane markers...little white dotted lines...people drive wherever they please and wherever they fit! Ahhhh, whenever I'm in a vehicle in India it is an extremely stressful white knuckle ride. I will be sticking to trains, they seem to run on time and are much much safer.

Lots more stories to tell, but I've had a sleepless night and gotta go to bed. Got into New Delhi Train station at 10 pm, decide to go directly to airport and forego the ~4 hours of restless sleep I'd get by staying at a hotel since I have to catch a 6:45 am flight to Nepal. Flight ends up being delayed til 9:30 or so due to bad weather (fogginess) in Kathmandu. Aaah, wish I had have known. But on checking in (I was one of the first) I get asked where I'd like to sit. I say "window seat." The guy assigns me my seat then asks "First time to Nepal?" "Yes." "You need a different ticket then." He assigns me one on the side of the plane with the best Himilaya views. Honestly on the flight it takes me awhile to notice. It is a bit cloudy and I'm lamenting over the fact that I can't see below me. Then I peer out at eye level....and.....wow....there they are....peaking way over the cloud line...the Himalayas. They stretch for miles and miles...what looks like a solid line of them. They don't look so big from the plane, but then again, what does? But on decent into Kathmandu, and realization of just how far above the cloud line they really are....I start getting nervous. I meet my trekking group tomorrow and the following day we fly to Lukla to begin the 2 week trek to Everest Base Camp at 5400 m ASL. I will therefore be out of touch completely for 2 weeks but will update you when I get back Dec 20 or 21.

Hope to get on here tomorrow though. Kathmandu is CRAZY (but love it!)! Took me almost all day today to get my bearings, steets are narrow but buildings tall, many shops look the same. Must keep an eye open for cars, bikes, walkers, autorickshaws, cyclerickshaws, motorcycles, the works.... :)

Enjoy all the Christmas festivities and speak soon.
Erin