Moonset over Florida Lake (go west young woman)

The west is calling my name again, this time with more clarity.  Why I left that part of the United States, I don't know.  I do know that I really wanted to get a shot like this before I left Florida.  Winter is the only time of year I can see the moon over this lake I call home.  It's also the only time to not get eaten alive by biting bugs anytime I dare walk out of my home.  The winter is tolerable but the mountains are where my soul longs to live.  I am still here.  The blog lives.  Stay tuned.

Better late than never

As I prepare to embark on another journey across the Pacific Ocean, I realize how overdue I am in posting last year's trip.  Beginning this massive editing process just furthers my joy at the thought of returning to beloved Nepal.

In 2010, I spent a month in Nepal and Tibet.  From Nepal, we flew to Lhasa where we spent several days touring the city.  Following Lhasa, our group traveled by trucks, while acclimating to the high Tibetan plateau. Along the way, we visited visiting many Tibetan holy sites.  Our 10-day trek took us to the Kangshung Face (East Everest Base Camp).  After the trek, we were back in trucks & headed to the North Everest Base Camp (Tibet).  We returned to Nepal via the Friendship Bridge, then traveled by van, about 8 hours back to Kathmandu.  It was an amazing trip and I hope you'll enjoy my photographs.  This is the first of many posts from the trip.

The best airport food ever! Hong Kong airport.

The plane to Kathmandu

YAY!

Nirvana Gardens, our hotel in Thamel.

                                              

A street in Thamel, the tourist district of Kathmandu.

I love Nepali food!!

Kathmandu Valley seen from Swayambhunath.

Swayambhanath is a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site and also revered by Hindus. Each morning before dawn, hundreds of Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims ascend the steps from the eastern side,  passing the gilded Vajra and two lions guarding the entrance, and begin a series of clockwise circumambulations of the stupa.

I'm always drawn to the details within the architecture of the Nepali sites. Even the locks are interesting!

Great stuff to buy!

Preparing candles near the Stupa.

                                     

                                     

A man prays near the Stupa.

A plate used in prayer rituals.

Swayambhunath is also known as the monkey temple.  The monkeys are considered holy.

Fellow trekkers Geoff, Kevin & Shakeel during monkey photo session.

As my friend Jon always says, kids are kids no matter where you are.  The oldest of these boys asked me to take their picture. They loved being able to see themselves on the camera display!

Woman climbing the 365 stairs leading to Swayambhunath.

Always watching...

Please stay tuned!  Thanks for stopping by!

Downward Facing Dog

Just a quick note to say that I haven't disappeared. I am just beginning the editing process for my upcoming additions to the blog. Last April, I traveled back to the Himalayas on a very special trip.

During my month in mostly Tibet, with a few days in Nepal, I traveled through Tibet and again visited Mount Everest--this time the east and north basecamps.   It was an amazing journey and I promise, pictures are on the way! Stay tuned....

Jill

On my way!!

 An amazing journey awaits!!
(Click here)

Debbie's Dream

As I mentioned in my last post, I'll soon be embarking on an awesome journey through Tibet.  While I'm traveling through Tibet (with an amazing group of photographers!) and trekking to the Kanjung Face of Mount Everest, my good friend and amazing Sherpa from my last trek,  Roshan (Dipen) Bhattarai will be preparing to summit the mountain.

Dipen at summit of Mount Everest

As part of my trip, I'll be visiting North Base Camp, where I hope to visit with Dipen before his summit bid.  Dipen has generously offered to carry something for me to the top of the mountain.  It's tough deciding what to give someone to take to the top of the world for you!!!  For me, it was a pretty easy decision.  If you've been following my blog from the start, you'll know that on my last trek, which I named Trekking for Debbie,  I raised $15,000 to help fight cancer.  My fundraising project was dedicated to my sister-in-law, Debbie, who is fighting stage 4 gastric cancer.  My efforts evolved into something much more than I had ever imagined.  Debbie's Dream is Debbie's foundation to raise money and awareness specifically for gastric cancer.

 Climbing to the top of the world is never predictable.  If all goes as planned, you'll see Dipen wearing these bracelets and holding this banner as he summits the mountain.   Debbie and I are very excited about this project.  If you are able, please show your support by donating to Debbie's Dream.  Thanks!

New Adventure in the Himalayas

In about two months, I'll be embarking on another exciting journey! My destination for this trip will be Tibet. I'll be joining my friend, Jon Miller and his friends, Chris Marquardt and Monika Andrae, who are taking a group of photographers on a unique journey through Tibet. We will be trekking to the East Base Camp of Mount Everest and will also be visiting North Base Camp.

This is very exciting in so many ways! During our group's expedition in Tibet, my good friend, Roshan (Dipen) Bhattarai, (as part of another expedition), will be climbing to the summit of Mount Everest. You might remember that Dipen was my personal Sherpa on my last trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. I'm hoping to visit with him while at North Base Camp. When our group arrives there, Dipen will be into the acclimatization phase of his summit bid. Our group will spend one day there.

Dipen has generously offered to carry something to the summit for me. I've decided to use this amazing opportunity to help my sister-in-law, Debbie, who is fighting for her life with stage 4 gastric cancer. On my first trek I raised approximately $15,000 to help battle cancer with a site I created, Trekking for Debbie.  (Thanks to all of your generous donations!!)

Debbie took the idea of fundraising to fight cancer and literally ran with it. Out of Trekking for Debbie, she's created Debbie's Dream Foundation, which is dedicated to fighting and finding the cure for gastric cancer.  Her nonprofit foundation has its own bracelets and Dipen will be wearing several of them as he summits Mount Everest!!  The bracelets will be used to raise awareness and money for Debbie's Dream.  I'm very excited to be doing another project like this!

Please stay posted!
Thank you for stopping by. Namaste

End of trek party

Back in Lukla, the night before we returned to Kathmandu, we celebrated the trek with our Nepali staff who now felt like family. It was tough to get these guys to eat dinner with us! Because of their strong work ethic, they usually wait until all clients have eaten before they will eat their meal. During the trek we would beg them to sit down with us at dinner, but they insisted on serving us first.



We celebrated Tracey's birthday...



and presented katas to each member of the Nepali staff.



These are truly amazing guys!!



The day after we returned to Kathmandu, political demonstrations had shut down much of the commerce in the city. Luckily, the next day things returned to normal.



Durbar Square is the religious and social heart of Kathmandu's old city. A complex of palaces, temples, shrines, statues and courtyards built between the 12th and 18th centuries, it is important to both Hindus and Buddhists. Until the 20th century Durbar Square was the King's residence.



A woman in front of the Jagannath Temple




Jagannath Temple provides a resting place for many people



This guy followed me around and seemed to be fascinated by my camera.



This image of Kal Bhairav on Durbar Square shows Shiva in his most fearsome aspect. The image was originally cut from a single stone and it is said that telling a lie while standing before it will bring instant death. This is the most famous Bhairav, and was used by the government as a place for people to swear the truth.



Masks for sale. There are numerous market areas in in and around Durbar Square including famous Freak Street.



Spices and beans for sale



Durbar Square market



A boy and his father walk through one of the many courtyards in Durbar Square



Nun with prayer beads in front of Shiva-Parbati Temple



Hindu god Mahadev and wife goddess Parvati keep watch at the Shiva-Parbati Temple in Durbar Square.



End of expedition party in Kathmandu

It's hard to believe that I'm done posting my 2008 expedition pictures. It's been an amazing journey and I hope you have enjoyed following along. Thank you to everyone who took the time to visit my blog. Although it's the end of this trip, I'll be posting many more pictures from hopefully, many more trips to come. Namaste

Back to Lukla

During our final two days on the trail, the change in scenery was quite dramatic. This was my final, high-altitude glimpse of Everest. I really miss those views!

I'm thrilled that I'll be returning to the region early next year, joining my friend Jon Miller and many others on Everest Trek 2010--can't wait!!



As we entered the town of Phortse, it was great to be at tree level again!



Children on their way home from school stop to take in a view. I have no idea what they were looking at.



These siblings were thrilled to see their picture on my viewing screen.



The next morning we walked through a huge construction site on our way out of Phortse.



In the high Himalayan region, power tools are not an option. If something here is not hand-built, it must be carried in on the back of a human or yak.



The man is using an adz to square up a post.




Shaping stones by hand to be used on homes, stairways and walls.



I was fascinated by these guys. It's unbelievable to think about all the stairs and walls and buildings made from these hand-shaped stones!!



Cutting a mortise using a hand-built mallet and chisel.



The carpenter's hands in the previous picture belong to the man on the left. The man on the right is his brother and was one of our expedition's yak drivers, Laurel Frame Brandt.



Danika, followed by Dipendra, cross a primative bridge over a vein of the Dudh Kosi.



Always a welcome site along our trek route!



Only a few more suspension bridges left...



Oblivious to the traffic on the road in front of his home, a young boy washes his hands.



The dust kicked up by yaks and trekkers is quite remarkable.



Kaia is well-equipped for dust trekking.



The average weight of a sheet of plywood is 25 pounds per 1/4 inch of thickness. This plywood is at least 1/2 if not 3/4 inches and he is carrying five according to my eyes! Unbelievable!!



Sign on the outskirts of Lukla



From the high glacial peaks to low, rolling green hills in just one day!

Thanks for stopping by! See you next post...