Nepal According to the Internet

You may have heard of the "Everything I Learned About *Subject*,  I Learned on the Internet" articles that have become popular in major fandom posts on the Internet. Well here is what I expect going to Nepal based off of what I learned from the Internet.

It's Got Some Tall Mountains

Apparently this super tall mountain called Mount Everest calls Nepal home.

Source: theodysseyonline.com

It is this gathering of earth that peaks at 29,029 feet which claims to be one of the seven wonders of the world. By looking at a few photos and watching some videos, I must say I agree. We will be staying approximately 20 miles from this majestic yet deadly titan of a mountain, and I cannot wait to say hi (from afar).

Goddesses Live There

Young girls, typically between the age of six and thirteen are believed to be the reincarnation of the living goddess, Gurda. Gurda lives in the bodies of these young girls, found through a thorough selection process, until puberty.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

These goddesses are revered by many Buddhists in Nepal and worshipped in their temples. Not being allowed to touch their feet to the ground, they are carried everywhere they go and can only speak to family and close friends.

Yaks, Snow Leopards and Yetis?.... OH MY!!

Nepal is home to many amazing and rare species including the snow leopard, Tibetan fox, Bengal monitor, and, apparently, yetis. It is commonly believed amongst the Himalayan people that a giant, furry ape-human creature lives in the mountains. According to some it can fly, kidnaps women to have children, throws stones at people, kills villages livestock, and makes you snow cones when sent into exile by the large spider-director of Monsters, Inc.

If I get lost in the Himalayas, please send Sully, Mike and the Yeti to find me. (I would love some fruit punch snow cones too)

Squatters (The Asian Toilet)

You know when hear the name of something and it turns out to be just creative naming to peak your interest such as the Spirit of Boston, which is not the actual spirit of Boston, it is a fun booze cruise. The squatter is in no means a creative name. They are literally a hole in the ground in an outhouse that you squat over to use. I will spare you the actual imagery...

Falling Leeches, Cliff side Airports, and Death (Suspension) Bridges

I have heard of it raining cats and dogs, but leeches? Well Nepal likes to be unique, terrifying, and mystifying, so why not have leeches that fall from trees and suck your blood? However, that is the least of your worries.

To get to these mini vampires, you must first land on the world's most dangerous landing strip known as Lukla airport then cross death defying suspension foot bridges.

Why is this airport so dangerous? Its landing strip is built on a steep cliff that bottoms out in a deep valley and ends with a wall formed from the rest of the thousands of feet of mountain reaching to the sky. So if you miss the runway you either fly into the cliff or into the mountain face. Let's hope the pilot doesn't sneeze at the wrong time.

So your pilot is allergy free and landed the plane. Now you get to trek over 30 miles including suspension bridges that, like even the best of us, love to go for a swing in the wind. Imagine a very rocky boat but floating hundreds of feet above land instead of on water.

The Best Milkyway Ever! (Chocolate Not Included)

Think you have seen the night sky before? Think again! We are so far away from other humans and 24 hour power that there is only natural light. Thus, the universe provides. I think the image below (yes it is real) will describe this better than chocolate, gathering of stars better than I can.

My Takeaway

Simply put: Call me crazy but I am more excited than that time I rode a broom.

It's About That Time

We are only days away from getting on a plane and flying out to Nepal to start the three-week adventure through the Himalayas.

NOTE TO FAMILY- IF YOU WANT TO SEE CONFIRMATIONS THAT I AND THE REST OF THE TEAM ARE ALIVE, OBSERVE THIS BLOG.

To be honest, I don't really know what to expect for this trip! I also think that is a good thing, since I will be able to keep an open mind on the experiences we will encounter. This will be the longest I have been out of the country, and also the furthest I have been from home. I think that both of those concern my parents (especially Momma) more than they concern me. I love the adventure, and the opportunity to use what I know to help people in need. Trips like these are why I got into engineering to begin with- the things I have learned are completely universal and can be applied to any place in the world.

The summer has gone by faster with this being the big finale, and I really couldn't be more excited. I am very thankful to be a part of an engineering program that makes these opportunities available to its students. I would like to thank my family for their support, especially my great-grandmother who still thinks she can keep me from getting on that plane. The next update will probably happen when we start the travel!

Love you all and thanks again.

-Brad

The Plan...

Less than one week!  We are all excited, nervous, packing, and training for our upcoming trip to the Nepal Himalayas!

The general plan is:

- Monday, 25 July - Fly Boston to Kathmandu.

- Spend an unspecified amount of time (2 days more or less) in Kathmandu waiting for the weather to be good enough to fly up to Lukla.

- Fly to Tenzing-Hillary Aiport in Lukla (the airport used for Everest climbs!)

- Walk north to Namche Bazar, take a left and walk up past Thame to the village of Hilajung.  This should take us about 3 days total.  I'm pleased to see from the map that there is a view of Everest before getting to Namche Bazar.  I hope that there is a break in the clouds enough for us to see it!  Folks planning to hike Everest would turn right at Namche Bazar.

-The bridge shown in the map below across the Bhote Koshi River just west of the village of Hilajung, northeast corner of the map, was partially destroyed in the earthquake of April 2015.  We will spend about 10 days in this area, surveying this bridge and others, and making plans and recommendations for repair of local bridges.  The damage from the earthquake overwhelmed the local group that usually maintains the bridges - so we hope to help.

-Then do it all in reverse!  Hike back to Lukla, fly back to Kathmandu, and fly back to Boston.

 (Maps below borrowed from https://frankiesfootprints.com/2015/06/23/everest-region-trek/