Finally we leave Katmandu! + Pics

So, still in Kathmandu. One more week! Take the whole week language lessons and Saturday we leave for Chituwan, probably.
Probably we will volunteer for one month in the 'friendship clinic' over there. But if we get a better offer for working about pregnancy and neonatal care we will take that.

So the story of the shoemaker continues:
So the when he let my shoes shine he told me about his uncle who was beaten during a strike day and after which people stole his shoe box. He told me how importand it was to have one. Now the only had bags whit little material. People an't see they are shoefixers and when they ask the don't look professional. I experienced this together with him. He asked a tourist with really worn off shoes to fix them, he said 'no'. The guy walked further and meets an other shoemaker with a shoefixingbox and he said 'yes'!
I accompanied him to his home. He appeared to me to be a honest boy, not very clever, which is normal there he only enjoyed 6 months of education. So after meeting his parents I gave them 60 euros in rupees. They where of course very glad, made me food and thee to thank me. He showed me his slum and the budha stoepa which is near his home.
He said he would buy the box that afternoon and that he would come the next morning with his shoebox. But he didn't!
He said the shoebox seller asked now 80 euro! They are not even new. The nephew of the shoefixing-box-seller tried to persuade me to buy his box.I said I didn't want to insult him but there was no hair on my head that thought to give so much money for such a crappy box!
So I said Mousafi (traveler in Hindi - he was born in the train) that I would find him one in Kathmandu. So I went out, a bit frustrated. I wondered in the streets where to go. I asked around, I asked shoemakers and then there was a guy comming with the tippical Nepalese introduction: " hi or namaste, where are you from? o, Belgam?" " No Belgium" " Oyae, Belgium" "yes" I said a bit irritated. " what are you doing?" Well I want to buy a shoefixing box." So he joined me on my search.
An other guy joined us. We went on asking, going to small shops, taking the micro bus to other parts of Kathmandu. I was a bit surprised that two guys helped me on a sunday. They said they went to sachool, so I thought they where a bit bored and enjoyed helping a stranger.
Finlay we ended with the same shoebox-seller where Mousafi would buy his box from!
He asked 8500 rupees (85 euro). The guys where convincing this was the best price and the only seller in Kathmandu. (So if you want to make good money, start a shoe-fixing-box-shop in Katnmadnu - off course bad for the other shoemakers)
He showed me wath was included, indeed a lot and the essentials to be a shoemaker. I don't want to do half work so I asked him to come to the family of Mousafi. Togeteher with the boys and the father of Mousafi I bought the box. Apparently the father had borrowed already 2000 rupees to anothes family to buy medicine! i said him to get the money immediately back otherwise I wouldn't buy the box. The guys helped me a great deal in translating. What convinced me also to buy the full box, was that with this box he could get a permission to work as a shoemaker. Apparently without this license they have to be careful for the police and bad people who just can take there stuff. So I supported them also in buying the license. The license would take max one month.
100 euro, a lot of money to give to a stranger, but hopefully it will bring much more to the family.

After this I went back with the 2 guys. When we are about to separate, they ask me to buy food for there family! I was astonished, disappointed and getting very angry.
They said it was the most normal thing of the world, "every western person would do that after the help they had given!" WTF*#%@)***^^^!!! They asked me to pay 12 euro for oil and rice. They looked not very poor, but even this was not important. I told them if they wanted my money, they just had to say it in the beginning, " don't give service without asking and come afterward with the bill" Now they blamed me to call them 'the bad guys'.....i just walked away..."they shouted that I disappointed them deeply" .....Man I was mad! I burned all day, poor and silly me.

Well the day after Mousafi came with his box, glad and thankful. But since then he came every morning to our room! Little annoying. One day he came with us to Patan and the monkey temple. He kept on giving hints about how poor he is, that he has no TV nor radio and apparently he had to be at home around four while we only arrived around six. He kept on saying he would be beaten by his parents, like it was our fault. So next morning we left him outside the restaurant when he came waving at the door. Saarje felt ill that day so we decided not to go to his family as we had promised. But when we explained he didn't get it and was to self occupied.

So now I don't really now what is going on in his head, but he is starting to get on my nerves, although I still think he is not being stupid on purpose.


...


So few days later now, we are friends again. Yesterday I visited his family, ate with them and helped his sister to relieve her fever.

Last sunday we went walking in the Kings forest park in the north of Kathmandu.
A very steep 2 houre walk to have an astonishing vieuw of the Katmandu valley with its smog, but also in the distance we could see the mounainrages from the Anapurna until the Mount Everest!
When walking back down we where talking a one time standing a bid still, when we suddenly heard a sound about five meters from us like 'wrrrraaaaaa wrchaaaa'!!! The image of a tiger flashed instantaneously in my head. Saartje had the same with a wild boar. We looked at each other and without looking back we ran as fast as possible down the hill. We where terrified. Silly, but tru. I was trembling and couldn't go to far as my legs felt gummy. ;) I am a real hero!
Saartje found herself a stick full of thorns.

Van Nepal, 3 weeks Katmandu

Finally down we asked the park guards what it could be. They said it was probably a tiger. We said he was fooling us, but he kept being very seriously. He said that is why people can't walk alone and are not aloud inside the park after four. We still don't really believe it, maybe it was rather a panther, but still. We find it very annoying we didn't see it, but what would have happened then?


Finally we found a project to work in for one month. We will be working in Chitwan, Meghauli, in the jungle. Its a British founded ngo. They have a little clinic, some healthposts, a watersanitation program, an ambulance and a little education project. http://www.clinic-nepal.org.uk/
We are very curious what it will be like. Hopefully we can use our skills to help them a little, although we can't do much in one month.



Pics

Nepal, 3 weeks Katmandu

Nepal, Kathmandu

Finally arrived on the Indian subcontinent. Glad we have passed Tibet safely and not to expensively. The weather was great in Tibet, no snowstorm which could make our way trough very difficult. Actually, the road is very comfortable. This is a plus point for China, their roads are fantastic. I actually had expected something like Mongolia, but we passed it very smoothly with a Fort Sprinter, or something like that.

Now we are already in Kathmandu since 22 December, celebrated Christmas and New year's eve. Christmas was bit of a dumper because I was already hit by a stomach bug. After 14 years I had to vomit finally. Horrible, but once it was out, I felt much better. Although I was exhausted and three hours later we had to get up for a four ours drive to a river for two days rafting. Great fun, very cold, I felt very good in the boat, but once the adrenaline subsided I felt nauseous again. We had a very cosy evening around the campfire on the riverside. Our guide was a great guy, and together with his pupils we had fun. They sung beautiful Nepalese songs and Anette and Gerald sung funny Dutch songs. Belgium was very poor represented.

The second day rafting was also great, but once we arrived in Kathmandu a new or the old but better developed belly bug hit me. It struck me really hard. So severe cramps, I didn't know where to go. Saartje was already looking for the nearest and best hospital, but luckily I calmed down after 90 minutes, thanx to Saartje, who convinced me to take a pain killer. Farts came from both sides out off me. it was horrible. Saartje erased this evening out of her memory, because it was grose.

New years evening was great fun. We had great food and and danced on a roof top together with the Dutch couple and a English couple. Of course we were surrounded by crazy Nepali dancing boys. As they are not allowed to dance with Nepali girls, they dance together, pretty gaylike, but very funny. Or they bother 'western' girls, not so funny.

So now we have been searching for a proper organization for which we can volunteer. It was bit of a deception. Its just a huge mess in this country. There seems not to be a constructive an cooperative ngo community. Everyone does his own thing. Just like the whole country does. Corruption is everywhere and the puss is the never ending trash on the streets, in the nature and in the holy cows there stomach. The rest gets inhalated by the people who burn the trash.

The plan was to stay here for about seven months, from which six months volunteering. But our search for a cool project is a bit of a disappointment.
So for now we learn first three weeks Nepali language in Kathmandu after which we volunteer for one month in a school and little health post, we hope. There we travel a bit around in Nepal direction North of India.

In India I'll start 15 march with a 3 month course of Ayurveda in Bagsunag village.

Saartje has now a belly bug (vliegentschijt)but apart from diarrhea she feels ok.


Today I joined a Indian refugy from Rajastan to his home. He is a shoemaker, without a shoefixing box. He was being silly already five days. Finally I got my shoes polished by him, after which I felt very sorry for him. So I joined him today to his slum. He lives in a tent, constructed from bamboo and plastic bashes. He lives in a slum of about 800 Indian refugees. 'there is no water in Rajastan'. Finally I gave him the money to buy him a shoebox with all the tools so he looks professional, and not just a boy of 17 with a schoolbag. Now, he says, it will be easier to make money.
Probably silly of me, but what the hack, for me it is so easy. I can't help everyone, but this family will have some more food, including vegetables from now on, I hope.

So everyone, I wish you the very best for 2010, good luck, good health, great fun, much love and tranquility.

cheers

Tibet

train to Lhasa

Tibet, the top of the world

overige foto's china

Guilin and Yangshuo

Chengdu

panda resort near Chengdu

nationaal park sichuan

Welcome to Nepal, goodbye beautiful Tibet

Hidiho,

Finally in Nepal. But already stuck in the border town, because of a strike which paralyzes the whole country. No one can use any transport. If they do, their vehicle gets wrecked. So no one wants to bring us to Kathmandu. But its oke. Its relaxing here in the beautiful valley of the Himalayas from which one side is Chinese, and the other is Nepalese.

So only the day after tomorrow we can leave. Tomorrow we'll visit a hot spring, the only thing to see here besides the dirty streets and the dirty hillsides littered with all the rubbish the people can't use.

But before we arrived here, we crossed Tibet, a really magical country. We were so lucky with the weather, which was blue blue and sunny. It was awesome. The people in Tibet are totally different from the Chinese. They laugh much more, are very friendly and are very spiritual. It's like there life is all about there believe, Buddhism.
They are really beautiful, but also very dirty. In the way they seem not to wash them very often. The children are often really black of the dirt. But on the same moment shining from the inside.

It is the kind of people which I had expected to find in Mongolia. But probably communism has killed all this people, or certainly, this kind of spirits.

Also the countryside is very similar to Mongolia. Huge place , few people an enormous beautiful.

Together with the Dutch couple, Gerald and Anette, we had a great time. We had little problems with altitude sickness, but it is really not something to underestimate. Without the medication, we would have had problems. Around the mount Everest we walked for 8 km, but it felt like 20. The icy wind blowing in our face all the time, luckily still sunny, but on the end, Gerald and I where exhausted, with a huge headache. But the woman were oke. So they could take care for us. In the night all the bottles of water were frozen, inside our sleeping room!! Luckily we could use all the blankets we could find.

Also the monasteries are tho most beautiful and authentic I have ever seen. But,....

The Chinese really control everything. There are everywhere spy's disguised as tourists, or monks, or whatever. Our Tibetan guides where really scared to talk in public about there thoughts about politics. All the pictures of the living Dalai Lama are illegal and also the Tibetan flag.
There 'peaceful liberation' is really a cultural genocide. The Tibetans have less rights as Chinese. If they are very kind and sheepish and very rich they can get a passport to leave the country, but it costs a full year wage!! Our guides husband was imprisoned one year for entering the country illegal after going to Nepal, he was only 25 now.
They have a hard time.

On the other hand, our driver and guide weren't the nicest guide and driver we could have. Really not motivated in the contrary with the guides husband who guided us for one day. He was really relaxing, motivated, nice and helpful. It's a pity, but besides that, we had a great time. you'll see on the pics, its unbelievable.

greets,

Simon and Saar

pics: first impression Tibet

Its great over here!!!!

First impressions of Tibet ( Lhasa and Ghanden Monastery)

To Lhasa!!!

So, finally we write from Chengdu, one hour before leaving for Lhasa!!


As we said, Yangzhuo was really a nice time. Riding on our rented tandem (duo bike) between the sugerbread-shaped hills and along the beautiful Li river.
Finally after a lot of snow we could relax in this nice and warm surrounding. Well I slept for two days to get rid of my fever. But after four days I was back the old one, except my lips were still full of herpes vesicles.

One day we visited the local market. Saartje left after entering five meter when she saw a truncated fish head stil moving vividly.
I went on but came out really shocked. We heard the people there sell skinned dogs, so I was curious, but it was much worse then I had expected. The dogs where just treated like actually all animals are treated. They were stacked with so many in such a small cage, but much worse, there fellows got slaughtered just in front of there nose, just like 10 cm!! The prepared ones where hanging on hooks in the front. Just like rabbits, but it felt so much worse. ...

So after This beautiful place we left back to Guilin where we visited some more little beautiful villages after which we took the train for 25 hours direction Chengdu.

Here, in this big and vivid city with 4,4 million people we really slowed down. We were little sick of sight seeing. So in two weeks we only visited the panda 'zoo', the main square, the peoples park, some hours further, the biggest Buddha of the world and many hours further(12) the most beautiful natural reserve we saw up till now.The panda's where so cute, but stil bears and dangerous!
The Buddha was an 'o waw' experience, after we went back. We didn't really visit it, we just took the pont to an island opposite of the Buddha, from which we had a very good view. We saved 9 euro's each!

The natural reserve was just so beautiful, it was a pity we couldn't walk on the walking pads because of fire danger.
Just admire it on there site: www.jiuzhai.com
The way to there was very interesting to see how the earthquake of 2008 did so much damage. It must have been horrifying to have been in that valley. Half mountains just came down! Damaged houses, collapsed bridges, broken roads,...crazy


Normally our plan was to take the bus from the park to another city where we could take the train to Xinnig, but there was no bus going anymore. So we had to go back to Chengdu.

Apparently a good plan of God, because the day after we arrived, we got mail from a Dutch couple who wanted join us!!! www.geraldanette.reismee.nl
Which they do!!!

So tonight we leave with the train to Lhasa for 48 hours.

This is our Itinerary for Tibet:


Day 01 : Arrival in Lhasa by train, will be received and transfer to hotel in Lhasa,
Day 02 : Day in Lhasa / optional visits in Lhasa
Day 03 : Day in Lhasa / optional visits in Lhasa

======================================


Day 04 : Day trip option 01

Drive Lhasa to Ganden monastery, touring the monastery, option to do a 3 to 4 hrs trek crossing Ganden ridge to Trup Shi village where we can visit a local Tibetan family for some local drinks and snacks, then meet our driver and drive back to Lhasa, over night stay in Lhasa



=============================================


Day 05 : Lhasa - Yamdrok lake - Gyangtse 260kms / 7hrs

Leaving Lhasa and the Kyi Chu valley towards the Khampa la pass ( 4730metres ), at the pass we have a short break for stunning views of some major white peaks in the eastern regions of Himalaya to the south and the young Norjing Gang Sang spiritual snow mountain range to the west across the turquise colored waving waters of Yamdrok lake, descending from the pass down close to the lake and driving passing the local nomadic and farming villages as far as to the western edge of Yamdrok lake where we have our lunch break at Nagar Tse, after lunch continue our scenic driving to Karo la pass ( 5050metres ) where we have our first high altitude adventure experience of Norjing Gang Sang glacier peak and visiting the local nomads with the Yaks, we have our arrival in Gyangtse late afternoon , check in hotel in Gyangtse, Jian Zang or similar ( 3850metres )



Day 06 : Gyangtse sightseeing - Shigatse 90kms / 2hrs

After breafkast, we visit the local historical and the cultural centers, The Palkhor Chode monastery including the Kumbum stupa ( the only survival with such distinctive structure and the thousands of art works ) and a climb to the ancient local Gyangtse fort is worthy choice by being in Gyangtse, at noon we drive through Nying Chu valley, passing local farming Tibetan villages with stops at their farm-lands and as well as stops at a few local villages with visits to a few of the local families, arriving in Shigatse afternoon, check in the hotel, same day afternoon touring the Tashi Lunpo monastery and the local tradtional market, hotel stay at Gang Gyen or similar



Day 07 : Shigatse - Sakya monastery - Shekar - Tashi Zong Village 320kms / 6hrs

Leaving Shigatse town, Drive continue west on the friendship high way to Sakya, visit Sakya monastery ( The main seat of Sakya pa sect of Tibetan Buddhism ) a monastery which was once became the political center of majority parts of Tibetan territory and its history dates back to the11th century contemporary to the second diffusion of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet ), It has now still the largest library for ancient Buddhist scriptures although thousands of precious scriptures were destroyed during cultural revolution, after the visit we take our lunch there and late after noon drive to Shekar and then on to Tashi Zong village, over night at a local farmer`s guest house



Day 08 : Tashi Zong village - Rombuk - Everest base camp 60kms / 1 1/2hrs

We have a basic breakfast at the guest served by the family and then we drive to Rombuk, where we make a short stop and then you could start your hike from Rombuk up to Za Rumbuk where we have the locals running camp guest houses, check in the guest house



Day 09 : Everest / Nyalam 220kms / 7hrs

Spend a beautiful morning in Rombuk and Everest base camp, enjoying the sun-rising, late morning driving to Old Tingri where we have our lunch break, taking a walk around the village after lunch is interesting, late afternoon drive to Nyalam. ( 3700m )



Day 10 : Nyalam / Zhangmu Border / cross border

Driving down to border town ( Zhangmu ), clearing the immigration formalities and then cross border ;



End of the trip ;





Love


Simon and Saartje