Nepal 2010: First Pics Up!

Travel journal updates will be up shortly after returning from Nepal. The trip was very successful, as we visited over 7 schools in the Khumbu region.

In the meantime, I've uploaded a few pictures from the trip, up onto Flickr. If you'd like a very limited sneak peek of the trek, click here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/behrphoto/sets/72157623651268637/

An expanded photo album is coming soon!

Nepal 2010: The Itinerary

This is the rough itinerary prior to actually arriving and finalizing. There may be some adjustments as we squeeze more time here, less time there, hey what's that cool place over there, etc...

Sunday, March 21, 2:00am. Seattle (elev: sea level) to Taipei to Hong Kong to Kathmandu.


Day 1. Monday, March 22, 10:00pm. Arrive Kathmandu (elev: 4600 ft).

Day 2. Tuesday, March 23. Kathmandu rest, last-minute shopping, packing.

Day 3. Wednesday, March 24. Fly Kathmandu to Lukla airstrip (elev: 9380 ft). Typically it's a twin-prop plane, but if they plane's broken (like last time), backup can be helicopter.


At Lukla, this is where the trekking actually begins! No roads, rails, or wings from here on out!

After landing, meet support team, get food & supplies. Distribute equipment & goods to porters. Start trekking to Phakding (elev: 8600 ft).


Day 4. Thursday, March 25. Phakding to Namche Bazaar (elev: 11280 ft).

Day 5. Friday, March 26. Rest in Namche Bazaar.

Day 6. Saturday, March 27. Namche Bazaar to Thame. (off the map!) May be a potential school site here, further off the Everest Trail.

Day 7. Sunday, March 28. Rest in Thame.

Day 8. Monday, March 29. Thame to Khunde (elev: 12130 ft).

Day 9. Tuesday, March 30. Khunde to Tengboche (elev: 12680 ft).

Day 10. Wednesday, March 31. Tengboche to Namche Bazaar.

Day 11. Thursday, April 1. Namche to Phakding.

Day 12. Friday, April 2. Phakding to Lukla. Rest.

Day 13. Saturday, April 3. Fly Lukla to Kathmandu.

Day 14. Sunday, April 4. Kathmandu rest, unpack.

Day 15. Monday, April 5. Kathmandu rest, repack.

Day 16. Tuesday, April 6, 11:30am. Kathmandu to Hong Kong to Taipei to Seattle. Arrive back in Seattle 6:30pm Tuesday night!

Nepal 2010: A Snapshot

A landlocked south Asian country, Nepal is sandwiched between the high Tibetan plateau to the north, falling into the hot plains of India to the south. A slice of the rugged Himalayas, one of its most valuable natural resources is listed as "scenic beauty" (source: CIA World Factbook), of which it has a rich supply.

View Larger Map

The diverse landscapes are home to an equally diverse collection of ethnicities, languages, religions, and traditions. As one journeys from the lower foothills' majority-Hindu communities, and higher upwards into the remote mountain regions, the demographics slowly transition into smaller Buddhist villages of Tibetan (and similar) descent, like the famed Sherpa people living under the watchful eyes of Mt. Everest.

While most visitors are drawn to the allure of epic adventure and awe-inspiring views from the ceiling of the world, Nepal's poverty is inescapable along the journey. Although it is possible to remain sheltered in the relative comforts offered in the capital, Kathmandu, inevitably one's eyes open to reveal a country struggling with economic and political instability.

Indeed, a quick stroll off the beaten path to Kathmandu's international "NGO neighborhoods" reveals an impressive network of foreign agencies entrenched in an effort to support Nepal's fragile situation... many of the logos emblazoned on rows of offices and fenced compounds are immediately familiar: the United Nations, Unicef, World Bank, Peace Corps, Save The Children, and hundreds of others, large and small... are all there, hard at work.

Many of the efforts are aimed at primary education, attempting to boost the population's estimated 48% literacy rate. Other programs find creative solutions to widespread poverty and an estimated 46% unemployment rate. Examples of success and entrepreneurship are everywhere, from the Kathmandu valley's universities and factories, to the porters and guides leading the way for Himalayan explorers... but the vast majority fights for access to education, skills training, and even basic utilities others may often take for granted.

And that's where our little group comes in. Even if our efforts are a small drop in the bucket, the age-old mantra of "leave it a better place than you found it" is the sentiment driving us forward, with hopes of a sustainable, measurable impact.

Nepal 2010: Answering the Call

January 7th, 2010. BCS National Championship Game, Alabama vs Texas. 4th Quarter. My 'Horns were looking like they could stage an improbable comeback. Tension filled the living room as we huddled around the television, the clock ticking down...

... and my phone rang. With some hesitation and a last glance at the scoreboard, I retreated to a quiet place to see who was calling.

Boy, am I glad I picked up the phone.

Back in the summer of 2006, I took a break from my day job for a year of travel photography, where I found myself trekking through Nepal to Mt. Everest Base Camp and beyond (with help from Mountain Madness guides).

I admired the oldest member of our group, Hans, a 70-year-old retired German radiologist, for his energy, determination, and a shared love of the people and landscapes we were discovering. In the years since our adventure, we've kept in touch from time to time... although his unexpected overseas call was a complete surprise.

(Pictured: Hans. For more photos from the trek, check my Nepal Collection on Flickr)

As it turned out, Hans had been planning something special... a return trip to the Solukhumbu region of Nepal with some philanthropic ideas in mind. The mission? To plan and deliver a contribution to youth education in the small mountain villages we had encountered in the Khumbu region.

As I listened with growing excitement, I realized that not a day had gone by since leaving Nepal in 2006, that I hadn't daydreamed about returning.

When the question finally came... "Would you be able to join me in Nepal?" ... I knew what the answer would be. After making sure things were in order (and some begging for my wife's permission), I was in.

March 22nd, 2010... Nepal, here I come.

You have a Voice!

When I was younger, griping about politics or taxes or whatever was easy, but being able to do something about it? Didn't have a clue... the two options of "write your congressman" and "vote" didn't sound appealing enough to me.

Move forward a few years to present time, and the information age has caught up with government. It's now so much easier to research topics of interest, current issues, and find out who can make a difference. Curious about recycling programs? Email your local waste management program. Wondering what's going on with highway repairs or green transportation? Look up the local and state plans online. Have an opinion on how the country should be run? Let the President know at http://www.whitehouse.org/! Etc, etc... the list goes on.

The information is out there, and the ability to make your voice heard is too. If you have an opinion, you've got all the tools at your disposal to be heard! Next time you're surfing, in between checking mail, watching youtube videos, and catching up on box scores, make sure to spend a few clicks to learn about what's happening in the community around you. Neighborhood, city, state, country, even global communities... what's happening and why? How does it affect you, and vice versa? Don't take anything for granted that major news networks, political ads, radical radio hosts, or the rumor mill has to say. Educate yourself on the details of what's happening, consider opposing perspectives on the issue, challenge yourself to find a constructive solution, and pass that suggestion on to those that can make a difference.

In the past few months, I've asked car manufacturers about future hybrid models, written the White House on health care, green technology, bailout plans and environment, inquired local mayors and councils on alternative transportation and pedestrian commute planning, and more! The more people that exercise their voices, the more likely we can create beneficial change. Be smart, be civil, be active, be persistant, and be heard.

You have a Voice, now go and use it!