For those of you on the West team who are interested in our trekking statistics, here they are as my app recorded them. (Although I believe the mileages, I suspect the elevations gained and lost might be overstated.)
- Day 1 (April 26): 10.03 miles, +4820 ft, -5580 ft
- Day 2 (April 27): 7.98 miles, +3375 ft, -4200 ft
- Day 3 (April 28): 12.34 miles, +4560 ft, -4660 ft
- Day 4 (April 29): 3 miles (approximately)
- Day 5 (April 30): 2.94 miles. +1820 ft, -777 ft
- Total: 36 miles
In case you can relate to it, here is my description of what the experience was like (although YMMV, especially for the East team):
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Like living inside a National Geographic magazine
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This is way outside my comfort zone
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Of course I sleep well on airplanes
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How hard could a bus ride be?
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I’m not tall
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Threshing
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Terraces everywhere
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People, children, clothing
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Fellowship of teams (Grace group, interpreters)
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Mountains, steep, trails, views
- Aren’t there any flat trails?
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Food: Mystery Meat, Potatoes and eggs, Spicy hot items, Rice with curry or lentils
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Eating in the dark while standing up
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Gastrointestinal issues
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Domestic animals: goats, chickens, cows, oxen, buffalo, dogs
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Houses: Solid, open, no glass, various roofs, small solar panels, lights at night
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Noises all night: Dogs, children, adults, animals, birds, roosters
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Houses lighting up the hills at night
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People living on amazingly steep slopes and as part of their fields
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Sqatty potties
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Time is slow paced
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Step back into time
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Dust on the ground and in the air
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Infrastructure can be minimal
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Remote: No businesses for 5 days
- Although common mills, temples, etc
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We were like Martians
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Sharing the Gospel with people who wanted to hear
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Praying more than usual
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Kathmandu: Air, facemasks, crazy driving, chaotic streets, no speed limits, no traffic lights, little litter
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The people
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Life: simplicity, manual labor, handmade tools, contentment
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Povery is overrated
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Outdoor existence e.g. open doorways and windows without glass
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Litter everywhere
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I’m having too much fun
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Risks and rewards
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Learning to trust your translator for directions
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Constipation
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Down time
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Being humbled on a routine basis
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Complaints are few and small
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Our translators are an inspiration
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Group conversions
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Frustrations:
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Not knowing vital info e.g. weather until very late
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Not knowing what will happen today
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Sleepy after a long day of hiking or bus riding, and dinner is after 9PM
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Near perfect weather
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Enlarge your world vision
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Challenge some of your own notions
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Camaraderie
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Need to depend on hosts
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Houses scattered throughout the mountainside
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Steep trails. Steeper trails. Killer steep trail (just one).
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Completely cutoff from the outside world
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Wakeup time is determined by the outside noise: Roosters, people
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Will I be arrested? Imprisoned?
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Wise as serpents. Innocent as doves.
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“If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.” Prov 27:14
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No bugs
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Is the water on yet?
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Imitating the 70
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Living Luke 9-10
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Reading the Bible with new eyes
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Did I bring enough ______?
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Did I bring too much _______?
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Living without ______
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Freedom from normalcy
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Wishing for normalcy
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What is normal?
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They’re watching you
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Can lightning strike me if I’m inside a tent?
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Rehydrating
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Finding your limits
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Lower standard of cleanliness
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Higher standard of behavior
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What do you mean there’s no bathroom?
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This too shall pass
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Who needs to know where you are?
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The memory card in my brain is full
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It’s way, way too early to hear praying and singing
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Showers again!
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Getting home safe and mostly sound
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Never the same again
If you want to see my photos of the trip, they begin here.
Adventure After 60 