E-mail is a snowflake in an updraft here: it exists, but may quickly disappear toward some faraway infinity. Still, we hope so much that you who are following us, my Tech students, our families, our friends, know that your support (and comments) matter so much to us. At The Dancing Yak Hotel, we have arranged gift piles for our porters and our guide, Narayan. After dinner, we will present these amazing young men with their presents and tips, to thank them for taking us through the roughest territory in our collective experience.
I want to say again that 8-year-old Ella and 12-year-old Mary Hoffman, Reba's girls, were absolute champions on this adventure. Mary now carries the nickname Jenna Junior as an honorific, because she walked nine-hour days at extreme altitudes on rocky, treacherous slopes and cliff edges with NO problem, and Ella is now an accomplished equestrian, having ridden Pema's noble horse Sakpa through most of Upper Mustang (though on the wildest cliffs, Ella walked--without any complaint).
Reba is so happy that the girls are thriving, loving the great people here, and gorging on dhal bhatt meals--rice and lentils and curried vegetables. On the last night in Upper Mustang, Narayan, our lead guide, brought in fried Snicker bars, coated in oily hot dough. As the only team member who would rather eat cardboard than chocolate, I had a view of my team as chocolate-carnivores, absolutely POUNCING on this dessert--and I am NOT just talking about Mary and Ella.
Cross your fingers and squeeze your amulets that the plane flies tomorrow morning, and that it flies safely. It really will be a small miracle if we are able to fly on schedule. The monsoon clouds look like Michelangelo's torsos. Muscular and unprepared to be easily bypassed.
Anyway, we can't wait to share our stories. Out the window, there are teams of pack mules ringing their neck-bells as they head down Main Street. There is also a very occasional motorcycle, weird with its huge noise. Jason and Sherrie will remember the roasted peanut rooftop restaurant down the street--Jenna and I had those hot peanuts as a treat today.
We look forward to having more leisure to write in Kathmandu. Hope all of you are well. Jane
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1 comment:
WOW...wow and wow...I'm so excited for all of you but especially Mary and Ella who will have amazing stories to tell from a child's perspective. I so enjoyed reading their posts and hope they will have time to write more when all arrive SAFELY in Kathmandu...I'm squeezing my amulet! And, here's to deep-fried snickers, I would have pounced on that as well. Sending love to all of you grand travelers. Carol
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