Cat Man Doo

I made it!

So far here is a partial list of things I’ve seen:
497 Monkeys
4 Monks
1 Yak
3 Temples
A shitload of rain
Numerous clouds
Lots of touts – but not the super persistent variety
More trash burning in the streets than you can imagine
More Gore-Tex clad “trekkers” than you can imagine

Things I’ve done:
Rode in a rickshaw
Listened to amazing live Blues
Drank 7 litres of Masala Tea (Chiya)
Drank 1 litre of “Nepal Ice” beer (it was “delicious” Davo)
Bumped into an old friend
Looked for goats
Avoided tourists – most difficult thing to do here
Tried to get my email to work – no luck

Things I’ve heard:
4,987,673 Car and Motorcycle horns
3 non-stop barking dogs
“Namaste!”
Rain
Amazing birds – heard, but not seen – yet.

More soon.

Le Schedule

Oct 1-10 Chillout in Kathmandu/Pokara Valley chasing monks around
Oct 11-12 – Hotel Yak & Yeti Kathmandu, Nepal
Oct 13 – Monjo 2,840m 9,317ft
Oct 14 – Namche Bazaar 3,445m 11,302 ft
Oct 15 – Trek to Khunde 3,840m 12,598ft & return to Namche Bazaar
Oct 16 – Tashinga 3,450m 11,318ft
Oct 17 – Pangboche 3,875m 12,713ft
Oct 18-19 – Dingboche 4,350m 14,271ft
Oct 20 – Lobuche 4.931m 16,177ft
Oct 21 – Gorakshep 5,160m 16,929ft
Oct 22 – Base Camp 5,364m 17,600ft
Oct 23 – Pheriche
Oct 24 – Tashinga 3,450m 11,318ft
Oct 25 – Namche Bazaar 3,445m 11,302 ft
Oct 26 – Lukla 2,840m 9,317ft
Oct 27-29 – Kathmandu De L’ Annapurna Hotel Nepal
Oct 30 – Head back for Oz – Arrive Sydney Nov. 2

Don’t Worry, I’m Flying on Thai

NEWS HEADLINE: Goats Sacrificed to Fix Nepal Jet.

A goat offering is a holy act for Hindu devotees.

Nepal’s state-run airline has confirmed that it sacrificed two goats to appease a Hindu god, following technical problems with one of its aircraft. Nepal Airlines said the animals were slaughtered in front of the plane – a Boeing 757 – at Kathmandu airport.

The offering was made to Akash Bhairab, the Hindu god of sky protection, whose symbol is seen on the company’s planes.

The airline said that after Sunday’s ceremony the plane successfully completed a flight to Hong Kong. “The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights,” senior airline official Raju KC was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Nepal Airlines has two Boeing aircraft in its fleet. The persistent faults with one of the planes had led to the postponement of a number of flights in recent weeks.

The company has not said what the problem was, but reports in local media have blamed an electrical fault.

I was born in the Year of the Goat, so I’m especially not down with this, but I guess, if it meant, arriving alive (for me) I probably wouldn’t object.
Poor goats.

Knee Update

Knee is stiff, but I’m walking and even took it out for a boogie the other night (brace on of course).

It still hurts, but accupuncture is helping and I know I’m going to make it. Been so busy with work stuff that all training has taken a back seat. I keep reminding myself what that Doctor told me – “slow is the go.”