tulips and the begınnıng of cıvılızatıon

Fırstö I would lıke to apolıgıze for the typos of thıs entry ahead of tıme as I am usıng a Turkısh keyboard whıch I Am fındıng has some dıstınct dıfferences than the Englısh keyboard. That saıd.
Somehow, Turkey has gıven us the bıggest culture shock of the trıp. I thınk ıt ıs because everythıng ıs fınally ın the same alphabetö but sounds and looks barely understandable to our eyes and ears, topped wıth the fact that we knew very lıttle about Turkey before steppıng off of the aırplane. I dıd spend a few hours tryıng to tackle the Turkey Lonely Planet the afternoon before ın Bangkok, whıch was good because ıt gave us a few helpful socıal no nos to avoıd, and a better understasndıng of the crazy and wonderful food here, but also left much to be ımagıned and dıscovered. We spent a portıon of the day rıdıng the beautıfully clean, but unbelıuevably crowded subway (Mıchael was lıterally smushed between two large men gaspıng for breath as I trıed to hıde near the wındow whıle beıng pushed on all sıdes.) The more excıtıngö and comfrotable part of the day was spent ın some of the most amazıng hıstorıcal buıldıngs I have ever seen. The Aya Sofıa, also known as Hagıa Sofıa, took our breath away as we stepped ınto the maın hall. A buıldıng that was constructed as a church, then turned ınto a Mosque, and then turned ınto a museumö, ıt captures the heart and art of both Chrıstıanıty and Islam. Mıchael and I were both quıte enchanted wıth the Basılıca Cıstern, whıch ıs an underground water source for the cıty that was buılt ın 542AD. As we roamed ın the cool and dımly lıt expanse we both commented that ıt felt lıke we were ın a movıe, and that ıt mıght be the coolest human made thıng we have ever seen. (asıde from each other). We spent the later afternoon ın Topakı palace, whıch ıs a huge palace that was buılt by those who brought Islam to Turkey and housed many ınterestıng people ıncludıng one ruler who had over 300 conqubınes and 112 chıldren.
The food here ıs amazıng (more so for Mıchael than for me as ıt ıs meat heaven). Kebabs, doanrs, cucumbers, yogurt, olıves, tea, eggplant and hummus - we are just learnıng as we are tryıng to sample lots, but so far ıt ıs provıng quıte yummy. The people are also super frıendly and helpful. Alsoö we have gone back ın tıme and are now ın sprıng! The aır ıs cool and dry and we are even chılly! Tulıps are everywhere as well! Tulıps come from Turkeyö whıch we dıdnit knowö and they are so beautıful here ın the cıty as ıt ıs the tulıp festıval ın aprıl.
We are headed out ın a few mınutes to take an overnıght bus to the South near the Medıterranean Sea to do a portıon of the Lycıan Way whıch ıs a traıl that skırts about 500km of the coast and mountaıns ın the south. More updates to come. Hope all ıs well!

Head High Waves

Right now we are killing time in Ranong, a small border town, waiting for our overnight bus to Bangkok. This morning was a definite highlight of the trip. We woke up before sunrise, hopped on the back of our motorbike, and drove slowly and carefully (dad: thought you'd appreciate the adverbs) to the east side of the island. This took all of 15 minutes. We walked out on the temple pier (called this because there is a temple at the end) and watched the sunrise. Then, upon returning to our side of the island, we took a nice long run on the beach. Much to my surprise and satisfaction, the beach waves were pumping easily head high waves. I have no idea where the swell came from because it is usually supposed to be flat until the monsoon season (july-august.) I saw Kelsey get into a pretty thick right, which she totally nailed. A little later, I found myself on a juicy overhead right with a big long face. I was hooting down the line, getting in a bunch of fun turns. By 9 am we were out of the water, drinking fruit shakes in the shade. It was a fabulous end to our short island getaway.

We just bought some cheap running shoes for the next part of our adventure. In a couple of days we'll be walking through Turkey on the Lycian Trek. I feel spoiled. I guess we are spoiled. This adventure has been fulfilling on so many levels. That being said, we are both excited to get home and see friends and family. We are also eager to settle into our lives next year in New Hampshire.

A bit of rest on a small little island

Greetings friends and families! I write to you from a small internet room - I think this is someone's living room - with a fan luckily blowing at my back. We have spent the last four days at the small and intimate island of Koh Phayam in Thailand. This has been a mixed blessing. We have started each day with an early morning run on the beautiful white sand beach in front of our bungalow. The food is amazing - the best Thai food I have ever had with fresh curries and fresh fruit shakes every few hours (mango, orange, or banana are the best!). The rest time after two months of moving around a bunch in Nepal has also been quite nice. I just finished my 14th book of our trip and am well into the next one. Michael is also reading a ton which he is loving as well. We don't make enough time for reading at home. We have spent most of the last four days reading in the shade while the hot sun time passes over us with a warm tropical breeze. We also got a couple of surf mornings and afternoons in while the sun was weak and the waves were good. This was a welcome surprise because we didn't know there was good surf here.

The "bad" part of all of it is that it is just too soon for us to be in the sun. Or, maybe never again will we be the sun showered people we used to be. We have hunkered in the shade for most of the day reading - 9am until about 4pm, but the reminders of feeling stuck in the shade have re-opened my skin cancer feelings, but have also sparked some good conversation between us both. We have made it work for sure, but I think there is still some processing to be done on my part about the whole melanoma thing and changing our relationship with the sun. But, good to have some time to process it, and wonderful to get so many yummy fruit shakes and hammock sessions! I have also gotten to put my new SPF gear to the test - it holds up well even in the tropics!

Well we are off to Bangkok tomorrow on an overnight bus for two more days in the city. We have a few more temples we want to see, and we are treating ourselves to some Thai massage therapy before we head off to Turkey.

Sending love to all of you at home! Hugs and kisses!

Kelsey and Michael

Khao San Road

After 3 days resting in Pokhara, we tied things up in Nepal. Leaving Nepal felt good. Our time was amazing and exciting. That said, we're eager for a more sabaii sabaii atmosphere where we don't need to be always concerned with pollution and intestinal parasites.

This morning we left for Thailand and are currently parked in the infamous Khao San Road.
While it conjures up for me some silly memories of earlier visits to Thailand, Kelsey has been stoked looking for cute new clothes. The Thai New Years, Songkran, begins in a couple of days, so we are gearing up for some nutty water fights.

We are eager to head out afterward for some proper solitude. We're heading to a tiny island for some hammock time slung up between, and in the shade of, the palms.

20 Days trekking in the Annapurnas

A sunrise at 17,800 feet. An amphitheater of towering peaks. A quiet pine grove. A rhodedendron forest, in full bloom. Hot springs. Stairs stairs and more stairs. Hot tea for a tired cold body. Yak steak. Prayer flags and mountain gompas. Prayer wheels and mani stones. A friend and former colleague, Ellie Dwight, used to ask students about "Kodak Moments." The last 20 days were a prolonged Kodak experience. Great writers and artists have attempted to describe being in the Himalayas. I have read some of the books and see some of the art, but nothing and no one can capture it. Ever since my high school religion teacher, Jason Berv, cried in class when describing the his experience in Nepal, I knew I had to come. My high expectations were exceeded. Hightlight #1: Thorong Phedi to Muktinath We were staying at the base of the Thorong La Pass in a Bohemian-run guest house. We were at 4600m and the next day would get to over 5400m in crossing the pass (roughly 17,800 ft.) We awoke at 3:30 am and started walking in the dark. A light snow blanketed the packed snow trail. My headlampp quickly died, so I stayed close behind Kels. We walked slowly, for the path was slippery and steep. In front and behind us, you could see the headlamps of other groups. We did not stop because it was to cold to do so. We had been nervous about altitude sickness, but the cold weather trumped those fears. The pre-dawn light came slowly, and eventually we could see outlines of the mountains. I no longer depended on Kels' head lamp so I finally could relax and enjoy the walk. Then, in front of us, the first light hit Thorong Peak. The early morning light was soft and yellow. It dripped slowly down. I stopped and looked behind me to see the sunrise. We then pushed on a little more. We rounded a bend and the pass was just 50 m in front. The group in front of us was leaving so we hasa little bit of time aone at the top. Tons of prayer flags were draped from the sign. We put up a flag. In putting up the flag, we hoped for our families to be healthy- in particular, we thought of aby Stella and for Wesley having a successful kidney transplant. The moment was powerful, and while we wanted to linger, the cold pushed us on, so we dropped down 1600m to the town of Muktinath. For dinner that night, I had the most amazing meal: Yak steak. Delicious! Highlight #2: Annapurna Base Camp (A.B.C.) After finishing the Annapurna Circuit, we headed into the Annapurna Sanctuary. As we walked from Chomrom to Deurali, the flora changed. Everything was more mossy, there was bamboo everywhere, and there were tropical ferns. The air was damp; the ground moist. Clearly we had entred a different ecosystem. It came as little surprise when the rains came. Kelsey was somehow inspired by the cold rain and started charging. I started asking myself why we decided to keep hiking. Arriving in Deurali, we were just a day from Anapurna Base Camp. While it was supposed to be gorgeous, the clouds and mist totally blocked the views of the mountains. The next day we got up at 6. I ran outside, hoping for blue sky. Instead, there were just more clouds. We proceeded up regardless. Onthe way, wecaught a ouples glimpses of Machupuchre ("Fishtail Mnt") and of Annapurna South. However, by the time we reached A.B.C., the cloud were back in full force. Hours later, a snowstorm whipped in. We had been lucky with the weather so far, but it appeared that our luck had run out. Around 4 am, I was up, so I went outside for a peek at the weather. The stars were pulsing brighter than I had ever seen. The Milky Way looked likea creamy blanket. The lightfrom the stars illumanted the mountains, andfor the first time I understood why it was described as an amphitheater. All around me, huge mountains pierced the night sky. At 5:15am, Kels and I put on every article of clothing we had and walked out to a shelf where we watched the sun rise. It was a perfect blue-bird day, not a cloud in the sky. While cold, the wind had died. The light first hit Annapurna South and Annapurna I. Then it hit the sides of Machupuchre. The soft yellow turned to a brilliant white as the sun peaked over the mountains. We looked at our guest house, covered in snow. We turned in circles, mountains everywhere. Huge. Beautiful. Magical. Highlight #3: Ghorapani to Chomrom via Poon Hill. We left at 5am, heading up Poon Hill in a herd of other trekkers to watch the sunrise. While I did't like being surrounded by so many others, Poon Hill serves up a pretty wicked start to the morning. Perche up on the Hill, we saw a full panoramic view of the Annapurna range, including the holy Machupuchre and Dhaligiri (the 7th highest mountain in the world). I have seen the sunrise almost every single day this academic year (mostly in the water in Costa Rica) and this was one of the best. We then headed back to our guest house, packed up, and headed off. The walk was spectacular. The path led through rhodedendron forests in full bloom. For the first couple of hours, every turn gave another spectacular view of the mountains. We then dipped down a valley, following a creek for a while. When we got to our planned stop, both Kels and I were having too much fun walking, so we pressed on for another 3 hours. Up. Up. Into the clouds. Walking on a path etched ino a steep mountain. And when we finally arrived in Chomrong, our guet house had a piping hot shower. The first hot shower in weeks. Heaven! There were many other amazing days, like my birthday treat when we hiked a high ridge and got our first views of the mountains. Or soaking in the tatopani hot springs. We took tons and tons of pictures and hopefully soon we'll be ale to upload some of them and share them with you.

Bigu Gompa- from Kels

Three Weeks at Bigu Gompa
Michael and I set off from KAthmandu three weeks ago feelingoptimistic and excited. We took a twelve hour bus ride, that includedgoats both inside and on top of the bus, the aisles and all spacespacked with people, a few naps, two packages of coconut cookies, 623switchbacks, and two stops for dahl baht (the staple Nepali food thatis eaten once, twice, or three times daily and is a combination ofrice, baht, and lentil soupy stuff, dahl, and a vegetable on theside). We climbed from the river, up and over a few mountain ranges,and descended in Singati, a small river village at the end of thebusline and at the start of our day hike up to Bigu. We spent a lovelynight in a guesthouse in Singati marking the last time we would sleepin a double bed for a long time, as well as the last night we would bethat low in elevation for quite some time. After rising early, bothexcited and trying to beat the heat, we set off up the trail along theriver that headed up the valley and into the mountains. The walkingwas beautiful. We felt strong with our packs, and enjoyed the earlymorning cool and calm as we climbed to our first stop for tea. I havehad more tea since being in Nepal than I have ever had in my wholelife. I love it. We actually had tea time every day at the Gompa.Amazing. Anyway, after our stop for delicious black and very sweettea, we started a fiercly uphill trudge for about two hours. The twoplaces we were supposed to stop for lunch, little shops along thetrail, were closed due to the coming holiday. So, finally afteranother few hours, we found a shop that would at least sell uscookies. The milk cream cookies are delicious. And they have smileyfaces on them! Mike went for the coconut. Feeling refueled, or atleast energized from the sugar rush, we took off again under theafternoon clouds. As we climbed higher and higher, the clouds filledin and, just as we were commenting on the nice break from the morningheat, the clouds opened up and started spitting rain on us. This wouldhave been fine if either A. we had put our raingear at the top of ourbags, B. we were not about to go straight down to cross a river, onlyto head straight back up hill again, or C. it did not turn very coldand turn to freezing rain. After about an hour of rain and frozenfingers, we found another little shop that served us tea and made usnoodles. We were only an hour from the Gompa, so we rested for a whileand then set out, this time in the most direct route possible,straight up the hill. Reaching the Gompa as wonderful. We went rightinto the kitchen and sat by the fire and they served us tea and hadwarm faces.The next three weeks consisted of much daily ritual, but so manysurprises at the same time. The nuns there practice Tibetan Buddhism,about which we learned a great deal in our time there. Michael and Ioften rose with the horns blown between 4:30 and 5am, then to followthe gong into the Gompa for Puja (prayer). We sat, mentally entraced,but physically uncomfortably, marveling at how these women satcross-legged for so many hours a day while our hips could only standabout ten minutes before needing to shift. The time in Puja wasamazing. We could sit there for almost two hours and either let ourminds wander, practice Om mani padme hum, the prayer for compassionfor all living beings that we would say as we moved through our prayerbeads, or try to meditate. Most often the nuns were chanting, whichwas calming and thought provoking. After puja each day we would eatbreakfast, and then we would teach an English/math class to a group ofeight nuns. We had the class that was thirteen to sixteen years old,mixed ability, and all very eager and curious. After class we wouldhave a break where we would either help out in the kitchen peelingpotatoes or cutting veggies (much less efficiently than the nunsthemselves), and then would take some time to read. I read five bookswhile at the Gompa, three of which were about Tibet, the Dalai Lama,and Tibetan Buddhism. It was such a treat to have so much time toread, but also to learn so much about Tibet and Buddhism while livingwith nuns. Learning about Tibet was horrifying for a few reasons.Partly understanding that I was completely ignorant about the subject,but mostly because of the genocide that has taken place in Tibetbecause of the Chinese leadership and that it continues today. TheTibetan people are beautiful and rich with culture. They live simplyand efficiently, growing and cultivating all that they need for theirfamilies.After an early lunch, Michael and I would then head down the hill tothe Sherpa school (while many people think of “sherpa” as someone whomight carry your bag, Sherpa is actually a group of people who oftenserve as guides and porters in the Nepal mountains because of theirexpertise and unique genetic make up that allows them to carry moreoxygen in their blood and therefore function better at highaltitudes.) The children were adorable! The first day we arrived atthe school we were greeted by each child saying “good morning sir,good morning miss” and each shook our hand. We went right intoteaching with little instruction of what to do, what they knew, orwhat had been done before. It took us a couple days to figure it allout, but then started on a role with each class. The most successfulwas the oldest class, I think about a second grade US classroom. Weconnected with that group and were able to do some good grammar workand practice speaking English. The youngest class essentially stagedmutiny, covered in snot and dirt, and started marching around the roomone day. Michael started filming it all, and I, both crying andlaughing so hard I wasn’t sure which I was doing, decided to just joinin the with the marching. For a teacher it was very humbling tocompletely lose any sense of control in the classroom. There is avideo that will follow of this event. Besides working with theincredibly motivated and grateful kids, it was also cool to teach withMichael. It did take us a couple of days to lose our egos and sense ofcontrol and really work together, but when we did it felt special tobe able to work together in our “profession” but in such a unique wayhalfway across the world.When we would return to the Monastary after school we were rushedright into tea time which was always lovely. We would then do variousactivities for the nuns before crowding into the kitchen for dinner.At first I ate slowly and small portions, but eventually I gave intoTenZing (the head kitchen nun) who liked giving big portions, andknew, better than I, that days and nights at the Gompa were cold, andI needed more food. The food was delicious – all vegetarian as ispracticed by many Buddhist nuns, and consisting mostly of potatoes,rice, and flour products. It was like the anti-atkins diet. It lackedthe many vegetables and protein I would normally like, but we drank aton of tea each day (made with the cows milk) to try and get someprotein.The other part I forgot to mention is that almost each day Michael andI would head up”the hill” which was a steep hill behind the Gompa. This hill wasabout an hour trek to get up to a place where you could see even thehills of Tibet in the distance, as well as the beautiful Rolwalingrange that lit up the sky. We needed to get our fitness back after amonth of not much fitness in the states, and it also helped us getused to the altitude. Mostly it was just beautiful, and was the onlyreally private time that Michael and I shared while at the Gompa.The nuns did let us share a room, which meant three weeks in a singlebed (college!) while both of us were sniffling and coughing because ofthe cold much of the time. This might seem like a private place exceptthat “grandpa” the old man that takes care of the electricity at theGompa, had to go through our room to get to his room. This meant thata few times each night we would exchange some awkward time with himwhen he would wander into our room and fumble with the lock on hisdoor, often standing for moments at a time just looking at us, andthen finally retiring into his room. I managed to never let him see menaked, but it was close a couple of times. We had to create a look-outsystem for changing.There are many more things for me to say about the Gompa – it was anincredible three weeks. The most life-changing parts of the experiencefor me were two-fold. One, I found that through my reading, and dailypuja, I felt reconnected to my spiritual self than I have felt inyears. I feel that I have found some aspects of Buddhism to be a goodfoundation for the faith that I want to practice, really building myown “religion” but through the guidance of the basic belief in “ommani padme hum” which is compassion for all living things. While Ifound that Michael and I were not as “close” while at the Gompa inmany ways (much because we lacked privacy and could not be publiclyaffectionate like we normally would be), I felt closer to him in aspiritual sense. We had some very powerful conversations aboutcommunication and our fundamental beliefs and how we want to see themin our daily lives. The other most powerful part of the experience wasliving amongst an incredible, powerful group of women everyday. Thesewomen carry hundreds of pounds of wood on their back up and downmountains. They grow their own food, they live life fully and totallyself-sustained, while also taking many hours a day to devote to theirlearning and spirituality. Needless to say, it was inspiring.I think this is enough for now. There is much I haven’t said, likecelebrating the Tibetan New Year on March 5-7, but there will be morestories to come.
Love and best wishes to all, Kelsey

Bigu Gompa- from Mike

Early morning chanting. Prayer flags flapping in the wind. Daily hiking. Mountain views into Tibet. Teaching english to nuns. Reading about Tibetan Buddhism, their oppression, and the Dalai Lama's approach to non-violence. Celebrating the death of a nun's mom as well as the Tibetan New Year, Losar. Bigu Gompa was everything that we hoped it would be and more.

Getting their was tough. A bouncy 10 hr ride on roads cutting up a mountain. Piled in a bus that had to be from the the 60's. When goats were hoisted up top and led in the bus, I knew it was getting real. Needless to say, we were thrilled to start hiking the next day.
The hike to BIgu next day began at 7 am and it started easy enough, following a dirt road, meandering up a canyon. But after our first tea break, we left the road and headed up, up, up. We felt strong at first, but as the hours past, and all the lunch spots were closed, we continued on hungry and progressively more tired. Around 2pm, with Bigu in sight, the rain came, quicly switching to slush. Our wonderful guide Tashi, in trying to get us their quicker, took us down terraced farms, crossing a river on a suspension bridge, and then steeply up. Kelsey seemed to be fine but my legs were cramping every step. And every step seemed to be huge. Hands were numb. Stomach grumbling. Spirits low. But we eventually made it. It was obviously worth the effort. And after the hike, we had almost three weeks to dive into the life up their.

At the gompa, we had our own room, sort of. An old man lived through our room, so he continuously would be walking in. We shared no common language, so there was a lot of smiling and laughter. We also shared the room with a mouse that would keep me up at night. On the last night, the mouse tore through Kelsey's poncho-- some good-bye.

Mornings started early at the nunnery. Deep horns would blow at 5 am to wake you. Drums would start at 5:15 am. And puja began around 5:30. Puja is chanting and meditation. The nuns gather in the main gompa and chant together for 2+ hours every day. Kelsey and I would go most days. It was beautiful, though not easy for me to sit on the floor for that long. After a couple of days, our neighbor nun Nowang, taught us about the "Om mani pad me hum" chant with the meditation beads. As you push each bead through your finger, you quietly say: om mani pad me hum. This is a compassion meditation that literally means: embrace compassion for all living things. After learning this, Kelsey and I would sit together in Puja, both meditating on compassion. This daily experience fulfilled many of my motivations to come to Nepal. It was beautiful.

Teaching. Kelsey and I "team taught" all the classes. It was fun to see her in action and to share the expeience that way. The nuns we taught were a group of 8 early teens. While they were always laughing and chatting, they really wanted to learn. We worked on situational diaglogue- "Excuse me, can you show me where the toilet is?"- which, whenever we would see them out of class, they would practice. They shared insight into their Dharma lessons from their Rinpoche. It was clear that despite their age (early high school equivalent), they were on a deep spiritual path. Kelsey and I were both inspired by this. When they described the teachings by the Rinpoche, they mentioned that while he never laughs, his smile is bigger than words could decribe.

We also would walk down the hill to spend our afternoons teaching at the local Sherpa school. Walking onto the school yard, we'd be greeting by twenty young kids, often snot dripping and pooling down their face. "Good afternoon si-ir!" I'd be greeted as we shook hands officially. There would be a line of kids who were waiting for the handshake. Often, kids would get back in line 3 or 4 times for multiple shakes. Our classes with the oldest group were wonderful. The kids (9-11 yrs old)spoke Nepali, Sherpa, Tibetan and English all proficiently. They LOVED copying things down. So whenever we had to switch gears, we'd have them copy some long paragraph so that we could of what to do next. Teaching the youngest group was a different story. Lots of yelling. Bouncing. Jumping. Extra snot. One time, the class got so out of control that Kelsey just cracked up- uncontrollably- and started jumping along with them. When the Nepali teacher peeked in to see what was happening- well- it wasn't a shining moment for education but it was hysterical.

Our teachings were interrupted by the 4-day Puja. A nun's mom passed and the nuns would spend 4 full days in Puja. The chanting was different. It sounded celestial. It provoked calm and giving-in. We learned that the purpose of the chants was both to help the spirit leave the body as well as giving an offering to Buddha. I thought of the first time I was in Thailand when I stumbled into a cremation, which was a total celebration. It was then that I realized how differently BUddhists treated death. On that trip, I had thought a lot about the death of my mom. Once again, during the chantings, I thought of her intensely. I could feel her smiling, and I could see her.
I shared this with Kelsey. And on our next hike up the hill behind the nunnery (which we hiked almost every day), Kelsey presented me with a set of prayer flags. (These all have the "Om" prayer written on them, and when the wind blows, the prayer is let out into the air.) Kels said that since the place had been so powerful for me, as well as for her, that we should hang a flag at the top of the hill- where we have read, and napped, and thought.We found two nice trees to hang the flags between. Immediately the wind picked up and the flags began flapping.

Our teachings resumed only briefly after the 4-day puja ended because it was time to party! It was Losar, the Tibetan New Year. And for three days, the nuns went wild. Well not quite. But for only these three days they were allowed to listen to music, dance, and play games. And so we joined in- dancing, playing, singing. Some of the games were totally insane and impossible to figure out (like a rendiion of "kill the person with the ball"), and others were old throw backs, like Chute-n-ladders and Go Fish. The dancing was genrerationally segrargated. The teens somehow knew all the latest moves, while the older nuns were, not surprisingly, more conservative in their jiggy. We were excited to learn the traditional song and dance of Losar, which consisted of moving your right foot in and out like a slow version of hokey pokey without ever shaking it all about. Kels and I frequently would say "NGW" (Nuns gone wild) as we looked out at them playing and dancing mildly.

We left Bigu and returned to K'du shortly after the end of Losar. To summarize the experience in a few words, I'd choose the meditation mantra we learned: Om mani pad me hum. Compassion for all living things.