(no subject)
i arrived in kathmandu refreshed from southern india. after doing yoga for a week at a nutty ashram, i lounged for a bit in varkala and got to know some of the local people. i read some books, drank some chai and daydreamed of my hikes up the himalayas. i got to kathmandu and immediately loved it. the chaos of the city is tempered by the calm, warm nature of the people. and there's an excitement in the air that seems to be fed by people anticipating, or recovering from, a beautiful hike through the mountains.
it's highly recommended you do not hike alone in nepal, so i was signed up with a good company here for a 10 day trek. my nepalese hike leader, asok, couldn't have been nicer, and my group was an international bunch, many of whom i hit it off with. no one seemed like a hardcore trekker and i knew i'd be able to keep up with everyone, despite the fact that the only exercise i've gotten over the past 5 weeks has been a week of sun salutations.
the political climate seemed somewhat OK as well. things have gotten much more peaceful here over the past few years and according to the different sites i visited, it wasn't a big deal to visit, especially if you're a tourist hiking the trails. however, the elections are happening in a couple of weeks and protests are starting in the cities. there are also protests over tibet here.
not much of this is in the international news but i've witnessed the beginnings of the political demonstrations. supposedly 300 people were beaten and arrested here in kathmandu just yesterday! all this said, unless you are violating a curfew or find yourself in a protest, you're pretty safe. on the other hand, the lack of electricity for 8 hours a day and the angry maoists shouting at you with a bullhorn an inch away can be irritating. so while i like kathmandu, i've done my site-seeing, and i wouldn't choose this week to be sitting around the political center of nepal updating my livejournal from "CYBER CAFES." in fact, if things were different i would literally be heading for the hills (mountains!) except that less than 48 hours ago i got an invasive intenstinal infection.
it was all very acute and i'm feeling much better now but yesterday i spent over 7 hours on an IV getting antibiotics and water pumped into my body. after an "alarming" amount of time and medication my fever went down. but my hiking group has left and now i'm left with a conundrum. there's not really a way to catch up with them. do i try and figure out a new group? or do i try and go home early? i feel pretty weak but when will i be back in nepal? the himalayas are a 30 minute flight away ...
whatever i decide, with all honesty i can say i am grateful to have my health. it will be awhile before i take it for granted again. i haven't been this sick since i had a terrible flu in college and lisa, emma and adam nursed me back to health. i believe i was forced to take a cold bath because i had 105. and neil dropped off crackers and ginger ale. interestingly, the insanely nice doctor at the clinic i went also graduated from u of m and he has a practice in ann arbor! luckily he didn't try to talk football with me. we mostly talked about my blood counts and mosquito born illnesses.
it's highly recommended you do not hike alone in nepal, so i was signed up with a good company here for a 10 day trek. my nepalese hike leader, asok, couldn't have been nicer, and my group was an international bunch, many of whom i hit it off with. no one seemed like a hardcore trekker and i knew i'd be able to keep up with everyone, despite the fact that the only exercise i've gotten over the past 5 weeks has been a week of sun salutations.
the political climate seemed somewhat OK as well. things have gotten much more peaceful here over the past few years and according to the different sites i visited, it wasn't a big deal to visit, especially if you're a tourist hiking the trails. however, the elections are happening in a couple of weeks and protests are starting in the cities. there are also protests over tibet here.
not much of this is in the international news but i've witnessed the beginnings of the political demonstrations. supposedly 300 people were beaten and arrested here in kathmandu just yesterday! all this said, unless you are violating a curfew or find yourself in a protest, you're pretty safe. on the other hand, the lack of electricity for 8 hours a day and the angry maoists shouting at you with a bullhorn an inch away can be irritating. so while i like kathmandu, i've done my site-seeing, and i wouldn't choose this week to be sitting around the political center of nepal updating my livejournal from "CYBER CAFES." in fact, if things were different i would literally be heading for the hills (mountains!) except that less than 48 hours ago i got an invasive intenstinal infection.
it was all very acute and i'm feeling much better now but yesterday i spent over 7 hours on an IV getting antibiotics and water pumped into my body. after an "alarming" amount of time and medication my fever went down. but my hiking group has left and now i'm left with a conundrum. there's not really a way to catch up with them. do i try and figure out a new group? or do i try and go home early? i feel pretty weak but when will i be back in nepal? the himalayas are a 30 minute flight away ...
whatever i decide, with all honesty i can say i am grateful to have my health. it will be awhile before i take it for granted again. i haven't been this sick since i had a terrible flu in college and lisa, emma and adam nursed me back to health. i believe i was forced to take a cold bath because i had 105. and neil dropped off crackers and ginger ale. interestingly, the insanely nice doctor at the clinic i went also graduated from u of m and he has a practice in ann arbor! luckily he didn't try to talk football with me. we mostly talked about my blood counts and mosquito born illnesses.