The team has finally made it into the Namche Bazar, the last stop before reaching our final destination of Thame. It was a pretty intense uphill trek, taking about 7 hours. Everyone is absolutely exhausted and ready for bed after eating a big dinner. I am currently falling asleep as I type this, so I think it is time to for me to fall asleep. Tomorrow breakfast is at 8 AM, and then we are off to our final destination!
Thanks for reading,
Brad
Friday, July 29, 2016
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
KTM
Hello! Just a quick note to let you know we made it safely to Nepal!
We did actually get to experience the outside in Doha, Qatar. It was a bit like breathing in quick sand - thick, humid, sandy air. Really wild. We got bused out to the plane and flew from there to Kathmandu without a hitch. Gorgeous views! But I'm sure that was just a teaser!
Dr. Veletzos and two of his girls met us at the airport. All of our bags got in safely as well.
We are now safely ensconced in the Hotel Tibet, up on the fourth (top) floor. Unfortunately there is construction on the third floor, but I doubt that that is disrupting anyone from napping.
http://www.hotel-tibet.com.np/
We have some "free" time to take a nap, take a shower, repack, etc. Our next appointment is with Joe Latorre - the Merrimack grad who is living in Nepal. We will have tea with him this afternoon, and I get to deliver his birthday present from his mom!
Tomorrow bright and early (4am local time!) we will be heading to the domestic terminal of the airport to try to get a flight up to Lukla. If the weather isn't good, we will come back home to Hotel Tibet and try again on Friday! Fingers crossed for good weather!
[PS:
** HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY to ADDISON!! I hope it is amazing... and, in your honor:
- Why are mountains so funny? Because they are Hill- arious!
- How do mountains hear? With mountaineers!
Let the laughing ensue!! Looking forward to celebrating when I get back!]
We did actually get to experience the outside in Doha, Qatar. It was a bit like breathing in quick sand - thick, humid, sandy air. Really wild. We got bused out to the plane and flew from there to Kathmandu without a hitch. Gorgeous views! But I'm sure that was just a teaser!
Dr. Veletzos and two of his girls met us at the airport. All of our bags got in safely as well.
We are now safely ensconced in the Hotel Tibet, up on the fourth (top) floor. Unfortunately there is construction on the third floor, but I doubt that that is disrupting anyone from napping.
http://www.hotel-tibet.com.np/
We have some "free" time to take a nap, take a shower, repack, etc. Our next appointment is with Joe Latorre - the Merrimack grad who is living in Nepal. We will have tea with him this afternoon, and I get to deliver his birthday present from his mom!
Tomorrow bright and early (4am local time!) we will be heading to the domestic terminal of the airport to try to get a flight up to Lukla. If the weather isn't good, we will come back home to Hotel Tibet and try again on Friday! Fingers crossed for good weather!
[PS:
** HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY to ADDISON!! I hope it is amazing... and, in your honor:
- Why are mountains so funny? Because they are Hill- arious!
- How do mountains hear? With mountaineers!
Let the laughing ensue!! Looking forward to celebrating when I get back!]
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Qatar Airport
An extra hour on the tarmac in Boston, and 12 hours in the air... and we made it to Qatar!
Most agreed that it was a fairly pleasant flight, really nice plane, not too bumpy, plenty of movies, pretty good food...(Although my "breakfast" this morning was a bit unrecognizable... The steward didn't even know what it was, but I finally settled on calling it blueberry pancakes. I didn't finish.), punctuated by Leyna's repeated refrain of "the bridge is going to be repaired by the time we get there."
We arrived in Qatar just before 7pm. Everyone is in good spirits. From the window in the airport, it seems dusty, smoggy, poor visibility, but we likely won't go outside. Quickly through security, and after a bit of walking, we set up camp at a table near the food court. This way we can explore the airport in groups, so we don't have to carry computers, auto-level (bringing for our surveying project!), etc. We will leave Qatar at about 2am local time, and arrive in Kathmandu before 10am. Almost there!
 |
| The famous "Lamp Bear" in Hamad Airport, Doha, Qatar. Ya, I don't get it either. |
We arrived in Qatar just before 7pm. Everyone is in good spirits. From the window in the airport, it seems dusty, smoggy, poor visibility, but we likely won't go outside. Quickly through security, and after a bit of walking, we set up camp at a table near the food court. This way we can explore the airport in groups, so we don't have to carry computers, auto-level (bringing for our surveying project!), etc. We will leave Qatar at about 2am local time, and arrive in Kathmandu before 10am. Almost there!
Sunday, July 24, 2016
It's just days now till our departure. Although I can't speak to the feelings of my traveling companions, I am filled with apprehension and exhilaration in equal measure. I am embarking on an expedition into a world which I have no real knowledge; seemingly a journey into the great unknown. I have some inkling of what to expect, a brief idea of what lies before me. But there are many questions still bouncing around in my head.
As I sit here typing I am reminded of many great adventurers who braved the unknown in search of some greater meaning. Although these trails are well established, for myself and I'm sure most of my peers, they are strikingly new. We set off to make a difference in the lives of people we have not yet met, that we cannot communicate with easily, and have no great knowledge of. I do not know if we do this because of some greater sense of selflessness or in some capacity to enlighten our view of the world. For each member of our expedition I'm sure there is a different reason, none less or more worthy than another. But by the end of this trip I believe each and everyone of us will be irrevocably changed.
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that goes: “When the wind of change blows, some people build walls, others build windmills.” I believe we are building the windmill.
As I sit here typing I am reminded of many great adventurers who braved the unknown in search of some greater meaning. Although these trails are well established, for myself and I'm sure most of my peers, they are strikingly new. We set off to make a difference in the lives of people we have not yet met, that we cannot communicate with easily, and have no great knowledge of. I do not know if we do this because of some greater sense of selflessness or in some capacity to enlighten our view of the world. For each member of our expedition I'm sure there is a different reason, none less or more worthy than another. But by the end of this trip I believe each and everyone of us will be irrevocably changed.
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that goes: “When the wind of change blows, some people build walls, others build windmills.” I believe we are building the windmill.
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