By tierneybb
For the next two and a half weeks I will be trekking through the Tsum Valley, along the Northern Border of Nepal. Featuring the famed Mt. Manaslu, we are headed into this remote valley in order to do research on the Tibetan(iod) peoples there. Only recently made accessible to a group of our size by the government, there are no "proper roads" (as in motorable) into Tsum from Nepal, and only one from China. Instead, after a ten hour car ride to the bordering state, we will have a six day trek into the valley, three days of homestays in remote villages, and a five day hike out. That's seventeen days, eleven of which will be spent hiking, some for an estimated six hours a day, which for me, means more. I would say I'm more outdoorsy than most of my D.C. friends, but that mostly just requires having pitched a tent at any time in your life. Compared to my Colorado friends... well I have other interests. In vague preparation I camped out a night with friends before hiking a 14'nr (Mt. Bierstadt, elevation 14,065 ft, and named after a painter, so I could tell art history stories the whole way up). But I'm concerned. I've already asked our house manager Rinzi to bring an extra donkey along to carry me up the mountain, and despite his laughed agreement, I think I will be alone on this one. Well, alone with twenty other students, nine program staff, and a large group of sherpas doing the actual heavy lifting and camp setting. So, alone like the Tim Curry (King Arthur) song in Spamalot, mostly just in self despair.
In preparation for this arduous journey it was recommended we visit Shonas' trekking store in Thamel, the tourist district of Kathmandu. Three of us devoted Saturday to the task, and while about 50% of the shops here are closed for the holiday we knew Shonas' would be open, and maybe Thamel would be less busy. As we had the whole day we figured we would take the opportunity to learn the public transit system. I love the public transit here. Sure, it's chaotic, unmarked, "unsafe," slow, and crowded, but amazing nonetheless. Most of the vans are white from the outside, but they're bright blue inside, and sometimes out as well, covered in hand painted signs to not smoke and stars and other random designs. People give new meaning to the word squeeze, but are surprisingly relaxed and unencroaching for such physical intimacy, people may sit on your lap, but we've been promised they'll be the same gender, or a baby. After a 20 Rs ride (~$0.25, take that D.C. metro), we arrived at the transit hub of Ratna Park, a short walk from Thamel.
Thamel itself is nice, like day trip nice, not stay there always nice. while it's been built up with nice accommodations around the omnipresent historic temples of Kathmandu, it's a bit of a facade, and one of the few places in this violent crime free city that you might get pickpocketed. On a more amusing note, it also has the largest density of what I think of as Ameri-can't named stores, an odd trend where a small storefront assumes the name of a giant American chain or concept, without any affiliation, or often understanding of the name. We passed an Urban Outfitters, but more interesting was the "Cholos" store, with updated trendy saris. After the typical period of getting lost and wandering we found Shonas' down a trekking dominated alley. The owners have to be some of my favorite people I've met here so far, an aging but tough Aussie and (wife? business partner? badass friend?) Tibetan woman who speaks english with the most amazing Tibetan-Australian accent as she tells you what a fool you are, you don't need that, what do you think you're climbing? Everest? You just need this, it's way better, and cheaper. Apparently Shonas' is a bit of a local institution, and etiquette dictates that there is no bargaining here: they give you a fair price and you pay and say thanks, and I can see why, they must be the most helpful, honest, and hilarious people I've ever bought moisture-wicking-travel-towels from.