Mark & Jen's 'Around the World' Travel & Photography Blog

“So remember that time when we were trapped in a snowstorm for three days in the Himalayas?” We’ve always wanted this line as a conversation starter, and now we have it! Dang it.

We passed three days stuck in a lodge at 15,583 feet while some freak, early snowstorm continued non-stop outside. Warming our fingers and toes next to the stove of burning yak dung, we finished our 1,000 page books (Dostoevsky to the rescue), played endless games of cards, and sipped bottomless cups of hot tea. A group of five gregarious Slovakian adult men played a marathon game of the teenage card game, Uno. Jen dreamed she was a princess. Mark and Dawa (our guide) built a snowman. We bided our time…

Dawa and Mark - The Abominable Snowman? / “Hot Shower” (hmm…)

Mani (Tibetan/Buddhist prayer) stones / Yak dung drying on cottage

On the third day, we had to get out, so we tried to go for a walk around Gokyo lake. On the other side, above the hovering clouds, we heard boom after boom after boom of crashing avalanches from the peaks above…so we went back to the lodge. Crossing Cho La pass for us was out of the question; our itinerary would change to include only the Gokyo region.

On the fourth day, the clouds finally and slowly parted, so at four in the morning we made our way up Gokyo Ri (17,988ft). From there, we saw the sun rise over the stunning Himalayan panorama–from Cho Oyo (26,906ft) to Everest (29,035ft) to Thamserku (21,679ft). As one Israeli father pointed out to his twenty-something son with a wave of his hand encompassing all the view, “How can one NOT believe in God amidst all this beauty?”

Moonlit view at 3am of Gokyo Lake (left) and Cho Oyu (right)

View from Gokyo Ri (left: Cho Oyu, center: Mount Everest)

Gokyo Ri (17,988ft): Mark and Cho Oyu / Everest, Lohtse, Nuptse

The last three weeks have been an a journey of physical, cultural, and spiritual proportions. We had absolutely gorgeous weather the first week. Our alarm went off at 5:45 a.m, when we would roll in our sleeping bags to the window to peer out at a “jaw-dropping” view. Quickly bundling up, we clamored outside where we would watch the sun slowly light up the surrounding peaks. A mug of steaming hot tea in our hands and the promise of a pancake and omelette on the way, waking up each day in such a surreal world grew more and more unbelievable.

The clouds would roll in around 10 a.m., obscuring most of the peaks. We would hike for a few hours, stop for tea, and then trek a bit more until we arrived at our lodge. We ordered our meal (a rotation of carbs–potatoes, rice, or noodles), and read while the kitchen prepared it. After a rest, we would hike up for an hour or two, acclimatize, and then come back down. Another hour of reading, another meal of carbs, and then to bed by 8 or 9. We had to admit to ourselves that this has been one of the most relaxing “camping” trips we have ever been on. We didn’t have to cook, clean dishes, set up or break down camp, or carry more than our daypack. As a result, we both spent a lot of time in reflection and prayer for what our future might entail.

Our guide, Dawa Sherpa, was outstanding. With a heart of business, and a soul of nature, Dawa quickly became more friend than guide. We learned from him not only about the proper way to acclimatize (”hike high, sleep low,”), the names of the endless incredible peaks surrounding us, and the correct way to eat Dal Bhat (the Nepal staple of lentils and rice), but we also learned about Nepali life and culture. The Sherpa people originally came over the mountains from Tibet, and while modern-day Tibet is experiencing a cultural rape, the Sherpa culture is still flourishing in the villages of the Himalayas. To be a Sherpa IS to be Buddhist…it is so ingrained within everyday life that one cannot separate the religion from the culture. Life itself is a spiritual journey. We find that difficult to argue…

And now, after two days in Kathmandu to launder our stinky clothes and to gorge ourselves on cinnamon rolls, we will meet up with an Australian couple and travel with Dawa to Pokhara and the Annapurna Sanctuary–and do it all over again!

Sunrise at Thame / Yaks!

Sunrise at Thame

FYI - While the mountains are stunning, Nepali Internet leaves something to be desired. We’ll do our best to get our Shanghai and Nepal pictures up once we get to Thailand in November. You can see the most popular photos of all our travels here.