Trekking in the Everest regions means sleeping in "Tea Houses."

 Because flat ground is hard to come by, there are few places to pitch a tent; thus local tea houses  accomodate trekkers and generate revenue. Though they may differ in size and location, they are similar in structure and camaraderie. Small rooms have bunks, views, solar lights and extra covers. Dinning areas have long tables with benches covered in Tibetan carpets. Children play/sleep, trekkers exchange stories around the  pot bellied stove standing in the middle waiting for darkness to invade the room. The stove is finally lit with a few sticks of wood,  plenty of Yak dung (dried for 6 days) and  a splash or two of kerosine. When the stove goes out: "party's over" and everyone heads to their sleeping bags.                                                        
                                                                                    It's all a part of the "rythm of the trail."

Some of my Favorite Women on the Trail…

 Sherpa women sprinkle life with enthusiasm, spirit and laughter. Knowledgeable beyond words, and caring past expections, there eagerness to share with others touched me at every turn; their smiles were contagious and the rythm of their voices will forever echo in my mind.       

   

I can't move on without talking about electricity and the increased importance of solar

 Electricty seems to be everywhere, but continually, I heard the phrase: "Not working today." In small shops, shop owners offer candles to shop by or step outside to show merchandise customers seem interested in. I've enjoyed meals by candlelight because of: "Electricity not working tonight." Most businesses and homes are allowed four hours of eletricity which comes and goes randomly at all hours of the day and/or night. Hotels with steady electricity are those with generators.  Thus, solar panels are spreading  across the country, heating up water for "hot"showers and laundry and lighting up the night with solar streetlights,  living room lamps and  power source plug-ins. In the trekking regions, porters are carrying solar panels up steep mountainsides in order to attract trekkers who embrace the idea of hot showers and cell phone/tablet plug-ins. In the city of Kathnandu and in the highest regions of the Himalayas, solar power has made great strides in improving the lives of people.

Continued Progress Will Restore the Sacred Structures at Swayambhunath, The Monkey Temple

The beauty of this national heritage site will eventually be restored; meanwhile, it is a peaceful place to contemplate the meaning of the last picture…a memorial to…"a world of peace."

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The Devestation of the Earthquake Rippled across the Mountains and Hung Heavy Around the City of One Million People

Taking the short flight from Lukla–across the mountains–to Kathmandu resembled a scene from "Back to the Future" as the tiny plane linked two different worlds struggling to recover from the devistation of the earthquake. Kathmandu has the look of "business as usual" with some highlights of improvement that came through "an influx of cash" helping to "speed the recovery" of this poor country and its people in their "search for survival."

Along with construction workers rebuilding these  centuries old heritage sites, there are many volunteers working at sorting the sacred bricks and soil that will be used in part of the reconstruction process.

              

                                           

  

Friends on trail–some traveling during gap years–others negotiating time off to reassess; all richer for the experience

The opportunity to–trek with, talk with, laugh with–people from all over the world was stimulating and inspiring on many levels. They admired my tenacity at the age of seventy while I applauded their their determination to make the world a better place.