Finally with my sis!

After three great days in Himalaya, I'm back down on the Earth. It's good to be back in Pokhara. But it's even better to meet Kami - my sis, who just arrived to Nepal :)

MOUNTAINS...

Mountains as the sea are a measure of the greatness from which mankind feels inspired, relieved.
That same greatness is in each and every one of us, but we can't recognize it. That is why we are attracted by mountains. That is why through centuries, so many men and women came to Himalaya, hoping that these heights could provide the answers they missed by staying in the flat lands. And they keep coming.
(Tiziano Terzani "Letters against the war" - quote translated by Dani)

My dream came true! I'm in Himalaya!

I dreamt of Himalaya, and finally the dream is about to come true - I'm going for a trek! Unfortunately the winter season, combined with Christmas and New Year's Eve (which I want to spend together with friends in Pokhara) do not leave me much time and much choice. I hesitate between the nearby Panchase (2 days trek and apparently beautiful view of Himalaya) and Poon Hill (3-4 days), but after a small research, I decide to go to Poon Hill.

Initially I was planning to go there with a guide (which costs between 15-25$ per day), but in every tourist agency I'm visiting I hear that is is impossible to get to the Poon Hill in 3 days, as this trek lasts 4 days. I almost decide to give up, and go then to Panchase, but a friend is absolutely convinced that I could do it in 3 days, so through a local travel agency (Yabadu Nepal) I quickly organize Entry permit and TIMS (Trekkers' Information Management System) and I'm ready!

I ordered a taxi for 6 AM, and I arrived to Naya Pul at 7:30 AM. There are jeep drivers proposing me a ride to Ghandruk, but I decide to reach the Poon Hill without any help. I'm drinking a tea, and at 8AM, without a map, and only with a list of villages I have to go through, I start my ascent :)

At the checkpoint in Birethanti, my permit and TIMS are being checked. Locals propose me a tea break, but I'm very motivated to go higher. When I tell them that I'm in hurry because I'm heading to Ghorepani, they laugh, saying it is impossible to get there in one day, and that I will arrive only to Ulleri. A bit surprised and confused I decide to go faster, because I have to get to Ghorepani before the sunset! When I see jeeps full of people passing by, I start to regret I did not take one. When I start to feel the weight of my 10kg backpack, I also start to regret I did not take a porter...

I arrive to Hille, where I meet a few groups and... stairs! I'm super motivated, climbing really fast, I overtake many groups (and porters!) and at 11AM I arrive to Ulleri, which is halfway to Ghorepani! Wasn't I supposed to get here only in the afternoon? ;-) A bit more relaxed, I eat Dhal Bat and I admire Annapurna South somewhere not that far away :)

After the lunch, I continue the ascent, sometimes I'm super strong and I go faster than everybody else (including porters), sometimes I'm becoming weak. I'm the only person without a company, a guide or a porter. People start to recognize me and support me :)

At around 4:30 PM I arrive to Ghorepani. I make the last effort, go through the entire village, and almost at the very end, I find a room in hostel Dhaulagiri, from where I can observe the summit of Dhaulagiri :) I pay 200 rupias for a double bed (and more importantly two blankets! night will be very cold). I spend the evening in the common area, and I'm warming up myself with litres of ginger-lemon-honey tea. I'm the local hero of all the guides, who explain me how to reach the Poon Hill in the morning, and how to go down the next day.

Jerzy Kukuczka - the best Polish and one of the best in the World high-altitude climbers - being my inspiration in difficult moments :)

 The next morning I wake up at 5:20 AM, in order to get to the Poon Hill for the sunrise. It's easy to find the way, as there are many tourists. On the top it turns out that there are far too many people, and it's hard to enjoy this place with these crowds. Luckily most of them leaves just after sunrise and after one hour, I have almost entire place for myself. The view is just amazing, not to say spectacular - definitly one of the most beautiful views I've ever seen with the sun slowly lighting the muntains, peace, silence, magic.

I take photos with young Nepali, and at 9:30 AM, I'm the last person leaving the Poon Hill.

I come back to the hostel, take my luggage and start a descent. I'm lost a few times, but finally I always manage to find the way. The path is not very easy, as sometimes I need to go down, but sometimes I go again up. I'm definitly not as strong as the previous day. At least throughout most of the day I can admire beautiful views of Himalays, but when I see another wall, I want to cry, but when I learn that the village Tadapani (where I'm heading to) is just behind, I'm doing last effort. When I arrive, I learn that there are no more free rooms. Well, it was certainly a disadvantage of trekking without a guide... I had no choice, but to continue further (luckily there was still one group going down, otherwise it could have been dangerous as it was already 4PM, and it started to get dark), and after 45 minutes I arrived to a lonely guesthouse, where I decided to spend the night. Me and a group of five people from India were the only guests, and we spent our evening on watching the Indian "Got to dance" ;-) My room was mega basic, with the door that I couldn't lock, so I was freaking out that someone (or something! ;-)) will enter inside!

I woke up very early in the morning, and at 7AM, I started the final descent. After 15 minutes I very much regretted this decision, and that I did not wait for other groups, as I realized that... I'm all alone in the jungle!!! And that actually there are tigers in Nepal! Totally freaking out, I was almost running down. Every noise was making my heart beat faster and my mind to imagine a tiger jumping on me.

After 1,5h I arrived to Ghandruk, where I could finally rest, relax and eat breakfast. I also found a jeep going to Pokhara where I arrived at 1PM (700 or 800 rupiah).

This journey was definitly one of the highlights of my stay in Pokhara, though later on a friend told me that every year, tigers kill 50 people in Nepal...

Christmas in Pokhara

Very special Christmas, first one outside Poland and without my Family. Together with all the Polish community of Pokhara and friends (all together about 15 people) we decide to spend it the restaurant Lemon Grass. Although far away from our country, we want to make it according to the Polish tradition. The owner of the restaurant tried to help us in serving dishes which we usually eat in Poland on Christmas' Eve - beetroot cream, fish, mushroom momos, as well as oplatek and gingerbreads which I brought from Europe.

Merry Christmas from Nepal!

The best birthday I could possibly imagine :)

I had absolutely amazing, dream and unforgettable birthday! My beloved Asia, spectacular Himalayas, beautiful landscapes, and a big dose of adrenaline rush while paragliding :)

Together with Pablo - a friend and a paragliding pilot, who offered me a flight for my birthday - we take a taxi to the Sarangkot hill. From here we will jump off the cliff, and will fly all over Pokhara, and its lake. A-MA-ZING experience :)

In the evening I celebrate my birthday together with Pablo, Lina and Marcin in Busy Bee bar. 

First meeting with THE Mountains!

I was supposed to leave to Pokhara by bus, but I don't feel very well in the morning, so I decide to fly. Guys from the hotel help me to buy a cheap ticket, which turns out to be super cheap! 50$ for a flight with EU black-listed Buddha Air, turns out though to be lucky. And the most importantly, throughout the flight, I could finally see Himalayas! Don't forget to ask for a place on the right side of the plane if you fly to Pokhara from Kathmandu :)

All the ways lead to Nepal!

Today, very unexpectedly I met my good friend Monika, who was circulating the Bodnath Stupa 107 times. At 67th, our paths have crossed.. ;-)

Ok ok, I made up a little bit this story ;-)) But for real, this meeting was not really planned! I knew Monika was somewhere in Asia, and possibly in Nepal, but we were not in touch since some time. And on that morning - my last morning in Kathmandu - I received a message from her proposing a meeting in Kathmandu. Really great to meet good friends on another side of the World :)

Bodhnath Stupa was one of the most amazing and spectacular sites I've ever seen in my life. Asia's largest stupa and a place where thousands of Tibetan pilgrims ritually suround the Stupa 107 times.

Enlightened at Swayambhunath :)

Last night I slept really a lot, and I wake up only at noon! It does not allow me to do a longer excursion, thus I decide to go to Swayambhunath - Buddhist temple and Unesco World Heritage Site.

But before I go there, I try the famous Momos - Nepali dumplings.

The temple is placed on the top of the hill, from where we can admire the city of Kathmandu.

The central point of the temple is a big white stupa, with the eyes of the Buddha looking at you from four angles of the stupa. Later on I will see those eyes all over Kathmandu and Nepal. Also there for the first time I hear the famous Tibetan mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, which you can hear all the time in Nepal. 

Along with other people, I also try my luck and throw the coins to the jar :)

In love with Kathmandu! So happy to be back in Asia!!

As usually my trip is completely spontaneous and unplanned. After arriving to Kathmandu, I have no clue where to head next. I did not book any hotel yet, I know only I want to stay in Thamel - the backpacker area of Kathmandu. 

When I leave the airport, there are plent of taxi drivers who want me to go with them. Slightly tired my flight was 5h delayed), I'm going with some young boy who wants to show me the hotel, where he is working. As I don't have anyway any other option, I decide to see the hotel which he was recommending. The Heritage Hotel turns out to be very ok, located in Thamel, but in its more quiet part, and is within my budget (1000 rupiah).

After a quick shower, I decide to go to Durban Square - the historic centre of old Kathmandu, and I immediately fall in love with this place, with the wonderful buildings and with the atmosphere.

I'm sooooooo happy to be back in Asia! :)

Packing for my next trip!!!

Today is a big day!! After a long break of one year, I'm coming back to my beloved Asia!

I posted this photo on facebook, and asked my friends to guess where was I going. Trekking shoes and bikini were a bit misleading, and in the end nobody guessed the two countries where I was about to spend the next month. These countries were Nepal and Thailand :)

Comfortably numb in Budapest

A short weekend in one of the most beautiful cities - Budapest - was a great occasion to combine my big passion for art, as well as to meet two of my big "cultural loves": Egon Schiele - whose 70 masterpieces coming from Leopold Museum in Vienna, were presented in the Museum of Fine Arts of Budapest, and the legendary Roger Waters from Pink Floyd playing in Hungary in the framework of the Wall Tour.