October - November, 1995 :: 3 weeks of trek in Solu-Khumbu :: Norbu, Julie, Arthur, Jacques, Daisy, Fanny, Michèle Reunion and discoveries I join my Swiss friends - Julie, Arthur, Jacques, and Daisy and his daughter - to Catmandou for the departure of a trek of 3 weeks in Solu-Khumbu. Arrived at Tribhuvan Airport where Norbu, friend drives(guides) of Jacques came to welcome me. It(he) leads(drives) me in taxi until the hotel named(appointed) Thamel aptement because there is little in suburb of... Thamel, Catmandou's tourist district. Reunion with my friends... It is my first journey in Nepal. Coming any right of Tokyo where I lived for 5 years, my impression(printing) of disorientation is total, even after Bangkok where I made stopover during about days just the time to find a cheap flight(theft) for Nepal (thank you to Charlie Connection, nice mini-travel agency and super-untangles on Khao-san Road in Bangkok). Catmandou, so anarchy, jumble of cars, " tempu " (sort of motorized tricycle), cycles, people, and animals mixed in this swarming city of life! I appreciate at once Nepalese, adventurous and cunning spirit, by necessity opened to all the possibilities, curious, privately negotiated but without preciousness because rarely deprived of a derisive humor. We leave for Lukla after 1 or 2 days to Catmandou. Flight(theft) makes in helicopter, what was not foreseen but in Nepal the best planned programs are made just to be upset. One does not necessarily realize it because the know-how of the Nepalese guides made very often to cross(spend) setback and changes of programme for events foreseen of long date. We fly away so aboard an old Russian military device: ceremonial distribution of chewing gum in the takeoff against the narrow-minded ears. We glance through vertiginous valleys sculptured with green terrace fields. It is magnificent! To Lukla, we join the team of the bearers, sherpas, cooks who are going to take charge of us during the trek, as well as the crowd of Norbu's she-mules which will carry(wear) a part of our luggage. Most made route until Lukla on foot, since their respective villages. Some coming from Catmandou, had taken a plane some days before us, just to finish the last preparations before the departure of the trek. | :: 1995 1996 1997 2000 2001 2002 the tribe photos links news home |