The awesome power of nature

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds." - Edward Abbey

After a flurry of fabulous Dusshera celebrations and having to decline even more, I set off for Darjeeling to meet up with Ruth and Nat (co-volunteers) with whom I would be trekking part of the Singalila Trail and bearing witness (hopefully) to some of the most spectacular views of the mountain range often referred to as ‘the rooftop to the world’. 

The trek follows the West Bengal (Indian) and Nepali border, through the Singalila National Park and for part of the trek we would be in Nepal and for the other part of it, India.  To start the trek, we needed to drive 1.5 hours out of Darjeeling to Mane Nuanjan, on the Nepali border, where an eventful and spectacular four days would begin.  After a passport check, we were ready to go.  Our passports would not be checked all the time as we would be crossing back and forth between countries several times during our trek, but they were checked a total of three times at three specific checkpoints.  As each of the checks held little more than a visitor’s book with our information written in, it was unclear as to how this would account for us being in Nepal or India after we left the checkpoint.  But, we supposed, at the very least, it formed some sort of historic record at our passing through checkpoints.  Nepali and Indian residents are allowed within a kilometre of each other’s countries without being asked for ID.  

(Steep ascent)

(Me and Nat, relaxed and happy at the start!)

(Ruth, Nat and myself - three Mondo volunteers enjoying Dusshera break)

The beginning of the trek was an uphill ascent starting from 1900m and rising to 2550m in just 7km.  It was pretty steep, part following the ‘road’ and part stone steps or pathways.  As we walked we passed stunning artwork painted on the rocks which reflect, pictorially, the words from the Buddhist chants and prayer flags. 

The blue Nepali prayer flag represents water and is Om.  The white represents sky and is Mani.  The green is vegetation and is Pae, with the red representing fire and being called Mey.  Finally, the yellow flag, which represents earth is Hun.  Om, Mani, Pae, Mey, Hun is the Buddhist chant and just as it is recited in this order, so Nepali prayer flags should be placed in this order.  Prayer flags are used to pray for many different things and will often be placed for a wedding or birth for example.  They may also be placed for specific things like, a good crop.  If this is the case then a person may just hang green flags, representing vegetation, but in most cases of prayer the five colours will hung.  The flags are often hung at the highest point possible so the pray is closer to God and can be carried on the wind. 

(Nepali prayer flags outside a temple)

(Nepali prayer art on rocks)

(Nepali prayer flags along a ridge)

(Nepali prayer art along a boundary wall)

(A flat part just before lunch)

(Part of the trek ahead - you have to go down to come back up!)

                                                 

(Lunch)

At 2550m, Chitrey, we had lunch and it was much needed.  As we had been climbing in the morning I was reminded of my trek to Peru and the ascents in the High Andes.  Where has that level of fitness gone?  I found the uphill parts a real struggle and it was at relatively low altitude.  As the terrain evened out a little or went down hill I was able to keep up a little more, but up hill, I really felt as though I was lagging behind.  To be fair we didn’t carry our own rucksacks in Peru, but here I did.  I had packed light, but perhaps not light enough?  Of course, I am now older than I was then and, all my own fault, am carrying a little more ‘natural’ weight too.  Oh well, I was hungry, so I piled on even more lunch carbs and wondered what the afternoon would bring. 

Seven people made up our little group: Ruth, Nat and myself; John – a solo American traveller and extreme trekker; Francois and Maggie – backpackers from Canada and Milla – a traveller from Sweden.  On our way we would bump into familiar faces that lodged at the same places we did.  A couple from Germany on a year-long trek around the world, a couple from France and a single traveller from Rome.  For the seven of us, our guide was called Dowa and he was a fantastic character who chivvied us along – even though sometimes his suggestions came like orders.  One of our party did not have a good time – stomach bug, sprained ankle and even a tick to finish things off – and it was a relief to know that Dowa (and the other guides) could be relied upon to seek alternatives and help when needed.  It is not the most accessible place in the world!  The route of the trek is close to a narrow, winding road, which is accessible (just) to 4x4 vehicles, which were used to ferry our injured member around.  Jeeps also carry tourists directly to Sandakphu too.  The state of the road left me in no doubt, I would rather walk! 

The food at every place we stopped was delicious.  Which ever part of the trek we were on, we were always in a Nepali environment in terms of home and hospitality.  The food was similar to the food Sunita cooks me and I was reminded of Kashyem a few times during my time away.  I missed it.  I can not tell a lie – village life here is something so incredible that I find myself struggling in places likes Darjeeling and Kalimpong (they can be quite chaotic) but relishing the journey ‘home’.  On a positive note though, as my (very basic) Nepali improves, people in the cities really do appreciate me having a go and it always gives them something to laugh about, which in turn breaks down the barriers. 

As we rose higher up, the weather turned colder.  However, during the day, the sun was out, the sky was blue, and we all wore just t-shirts to trek in.  We were very lucky with clear blue skies.  As soon as the sun went down it turned cold very quickly and we were often in hats and jumpers just after dark.  We spent the first night in Tumling.  It is a tiny village, with exceptional views across valleys and the Himalayan mountain range.  On arrival, the sun was beginning to go down and we were struck by the beauty of what we saw.  A small temple and Nepali flags against a sunset background epitomise the whole breath-taking experience of that first evening.  We sat, mesmorised by the colour changing clouds that shrouded most of Kanchenjunga in mystery before us.  Turning around, despite the absence of mountains, the view was no less dramatic as the sun set and cast beautiful shadows right across the hills and valleys.  The accommodation that night was based around a large building with small out houses.  It was basic, but comfortable.  I was incredibly glad to be carrying my sleeping bag with me though.  The website said to bring or hire one.  On booking we were told not to bother.  I chose to take mine anyway, removed a few clothes from the rucksack and… it was the right decision.  The first night was pretty chilly – nothing compared to the second!

(Sunset through the five colours of the Nepali prayer flags)

(Towards the Himalayan mountains)

(Mount Kanchenjunga just visible through the colour changing cloud)

Day two of our trek would take us up to Sandakphu, which is one of two points which has the best views across such a large part of the Himalayan mountain range in this area.   But, before we had breakfast, at 5.15am we were woken and given ten minutes to get ready before being taken to the top of the hill, back to where we were standing the evening before. 

There are just no words to describe the scene.  My pictures will not do it justice.  Kanchenjunga looked stunning as the sun rose and its light, pinkish in hue, bounced off the white, snow covered peaks.  To the left was the range of the Himalayas that included Everest.  My first glimpse of the highest point of land in the world.  Unsurprisingly, because it is so far away, it looks a little shorter than at least two of its closest neighbours, but this was no matter.  To see so much of the Himalayan range lay before me was, as Leopard class at St John’s were fond of saying, “EPIC”.  Kanchenjunga dominated the eastern end of the range with Everest and its neighbours sitting at the western end of what we could see.  What is more, the hill on which Sandakphu sits blocked our view of the middle of the range, which meant we had yet to see the ‘three sisters’ which rise slightly higher than the average mountains that join Kanchenjunga to Everest.  To think that, as long as the next day was clear, we might be getting something better was hard to believe.  Again, turning around, I watched the sun emerge through low cloud to leave the hills and valleys in different grades of shadow with a multi-coloured backdrop.  Stunning!  Leaving the view as the sun rose and the mountains were bathed in daylight was hard.  We had been there an hour.  I, we, could have stayed there all day.  In fact, as we trekked, catching glimpses of the ranges as we went, we all found stopping and admiring the view easy.  Moving on, less so!  It was addictive.

(Sunrise bounces off Kanchenjunga)

(First glimpse of the Everest family in the West - Sandakphu is at the top of the hill rising to the right in the foreground)

(A view behind towards the rising sun)

(Everest just appearing on the right)

(As the sun rises higher, Kanchenjunga shines - nicknamed 'the Sleeping Buddha'. this angle really shows why - the head to the left, the big belly in the middle and his feet sticking up.)

(Everest becomes clearer - photo taken en-route to Sandakphu)

(Nepali skies)

(Everest is third peak from the right - looking shorter than Makalu, but only because of perspective)

(Baby Yak!)

(Lunch spot)

(Early mornings and late cold nights will give you that slightly crazy look)

(or a hysterical one)

Sandakphu is situated at 3636m and the trek up to it was a slog.  There were quite a few plateaus, which made the climb a little more varied, but it was a challenge – a good one.  As we worked our way up, even the jeeps that passed us struggled.  The steep, narrow and sharply turning roads made driving tough.  One jeep belched out black smoke as it tried to push its way upwards.  Eventually, everyone in the jeep got out and pushed.  The jeep climbed for a little time and then everyone got back in.  We watched from a safe distance, glad that the whole thing didn’t roll back into all of us. 

Shortly after this, Nat and I were walking along when I saw a pawprint in the sand.  I am no expert, but I was pretty sure it was a cat, but far too big to be a domestic one.  I took a photo and then another with a 500 rupee note next to it to gauge size.  That evening, it was fantastic to hear that indeed, I had stumbled upon a leopard print.  It was so fresh and clean.  Sadly, or perhaps not, we did not get to see the real animal, but it wouldn’t have been very far away.  Again, I was reminded about my last Reception class before leaving the UK over three years ago and their fantastic capacity to learn and engage and appreciate.  In Year 4 now, what an exciting adventure this would be for them – seeing a Leopard print.  

(En-route to Sandakphu - the Everest family)

(Views, sunset and cloud formations)

(trek ahead!)

(Keep going...)

(Baby goats)

(Leopard footprint)

(to gauge size)

(My current reflection - or certainly a fairly good likeness for the beard)

(Sandakphu - finally!)

The park here has black bears, leopards, clouded leopards, wild boar, red pandas, monkeys and various other wildlife living in it.  Many of the guides have seen a black bear or a red panda once or twice, but the leopard is exceptionally elusive.  Finding a footprint was enough for me – just to have seen it amongst the rocks and sand of the road.  A wonderful and rare moment.

For lunch we stopped in Bikhey which is at almost 3000m.  The place has a small lake which never empties, although the supply of water is difficult to ascertain.  The spot is very popular to hang Nepali prayer flags and it really makes it a wonderful spot for contemplation – very peaceful and quiet.  Not that we had a lot of time for contemplation.  Lunch was calling!  A delicious soup of pasta and vegetables called ‘Thangduk’, served with rice and vegetables.  Filling and delicious, stocking us up on the energy we would need for the afternoon climb.

Arriving in Sandakphu, was an almost vertical ascent with the small buildings never seeming to get any bigger.  We had passed and then been passed by a group of three Nepali photographers a few times and at a point just before the end, when the climb was at its steepest, we were resting.  One of them said “Who will be first to make it?”  I replied, “I don’t mind who is first, just as long as I make it!”  We laughed, and it was not the first time I had realised how much fun we were having despite the difficulty I seemed to be having in breathing.  Altitude can, apparently, do that: have no effect one time you climb and then some kind of effect the next.  Focusing on the positive and the promise of clear skies the following morning Nat and I made the final ascent.  Due to the gathering cloud (the days start clear and then mist over as the afternoon draws on) not much of the mountain range was visible.  We also arrived a little later in the day and so it was beginning to get dark – and COLD!  That night it dipped to -5 degrees centigrade.  I was in a little wooden room with no heat other than my own body heat.  Even more happy to have taken my sleeping bag.  The blankets used in homestays are huge, thick and warm, but a few were always required for the body to warm up.  As always, the local Nepali people showed us how it was done – a few base layers and flips flops they scaled heights and served dinner with enthusiasm and humour, never seemingly out of breath!  Dowa Lama, our guide, taught me a few more words of Nepali – the villagers in Kashyem keep telling SM they are surprised (in a good way) when I wish them a good day or ask them how they are in Nepali.  Of course, I only have stock responses, so if they say something I don’t recognise then it gets a little tricky.  Then again, it is always an opportunity for a giggle as I get it wrong!  It is just nice to know that, since the lady going to hospital, which is a much talked about story in the village, my efforts are not wasted.  Even the video of me dancing at a Dusshera celebration has now been seen by at least half the village.  I was walking up the road when I got back from the trek and saw three neighbours.  I asked them how they were, and they responded with a much longer phrase – Atit tells me “We saw your dancing at Dusshera – it’s good!”  Well, I guess I have always loved a dance floor, why should halfway up a mountain be any different?!  

Our dinner that night was in a hotel that is being built for the increasing number of tourists that go to Sandakphu.  The village has no natural water supply and no electricity so catering for everyone can be tough.  Despite this, the food was hot and really good, given the basic resources available.  Rice, dahl, curried vegetables, poppadoms, hot tea and water.  There was enough to go around more than once too!  You know, just for the energy.

(Dinner - I think it's obvious how cold it was)

(Wrapped up for bed)

The morning after the cold night before dawned clear with a light mist in the valley.  Again, we were woken at 5.15am to walk out for sunrise.  The views were panoramic.  Incredible colours of pink, red, orange as the sun rose from the depths of the east and began to wake this part of the Earth.  Watching the sun, first a deep, deep red, slowly rising, turning to orange and then lighting up a little every minute as it rose from its slumber somewhere on the horizon.  The three sisters were clearly visible.  Closer to Kanchenjunga than Everest, they are, perhaps, smaller than one might expect, but add so much to the experience as, from Sandakphu, it is possible to see (from East to West) Bhutan’s highest mountain (Gangkhar Puensum at 7570m), which is also the world's tallest unclimbed mountain, India’s tallest mountain, Kanchenjunga (8586m- number 3 in the world), the Three Sisters, then the Everest ‘family’ – Chomolonzo (7815m), Makalu (8481m – number 5 in the world), Everest (8848m – number 1 in the world), Lhotse (8571m – number 4 in the world), Nuptse (7879m), Barauntse (7220m) and Chamlang (7317m) – Chamlang is the longer flatter mountain you can see in the photo.   Four of the five highest peaks in the world laid out before me, the sun rising, the colours bouncing back and forth and a perfect viewing platform – West Bengal’s highest point, just up the hill from Sandakphu (3663m).  Perfection has no better definition.  Sharing this moment with a proud Nepali guide (AJ) and two other European visitors was just perfect.  AJ conducted a short Buddhist prayer and we laid a rock onto a growing pile that had been left in previous prayer.  What a world!  What a show!  What a morning!              

(Sunrise on Saturday 27th October 2018 - Sandakphu, Singalila National Park)

(The Everest family begin to stir)

(Mt Kanchenjunga bathed in morning sunlight)

(Everest - third from right)

(Simply breathtaking)

After a filling breakfast of porridge, pancakes and black tea it was time to head off.  If tearing ourselves away was hard the previous day, it was almost impossible on that day.  Sheer admiration for a natural phenomenon that started life under our oceans and emerged from the depths due solely to the enormous power our revolving planet can wield at any time she likes.

If the trek up was tricky, the trek down was trickier.  We were taking a shorter, more direct route as we were not completing the whole trek across to Falut.  The entire trek follows the Singalila ridge to its completion, but time was not on our side.  I hope to start at the other end of the ridge and walk back to Sandakphu, via Falut, in April when the flowers will all be in bloom – it is the other most popular time to trek.  For now, though, as school beckoned, we were making our way down to Srikhola, via Gurdum for lunch.  It was a steep, difficult walk down over uneven terrain.  The road does not come this way as it goes in the direction of the ridge.  Toes began to burn against the inside of our shoes and our calves and thighs began murmuring their depreciation at our actions.   But, every so often, a glimpse of Kanchenjunga, or a final, distant sight of the Everest family, kept us on track and more importantly on target – for lunch!  How can anyone possibly think about food so much?  The homestay we had lunch at was nestled in the mountainside, a good 30 minute walk from the nearest road.  It was beautiful, with a tended garden and freshly painted décor.  We had huge roti stuffed with potato curry and a bowl of the now famous noodle soup.  The family earn a good living from being on this spot and able to offer food and lodging to trekkers doing the shorter (less inhabited) route to and from Sandakphu.  It was so beautifully quiet and, like so much of the area, spoilt for choice at the number of views, although not of the mountains, which we had left behind on the other side of the hill we had, by then, descended.  The entire day we had been walking down hill and it was a relief to finally find our shelter for the night.

What a night!  We began by learning how to make Momos, whilst drinking the local ‘wine’.  It tasted somewhere between sherry and whiskey and was probably about the strength of a port.  It was good.  The homestay also sold beer (we had abstained for the nights we were at higher altitude).  After a hearty meal and much singing from our Nepali guides, which they got us clapping along to, we sat outside with a campfire until it was time for bed.  No sunrise wake-up call the following morning, a lie in until 06.15am. 

Of course, the following day was my birthday.  At breakfast, Nat and Ruth (the only two people who knew) had arranged a birthday cake, which was walked proudly into the room with a candle.  A white scarf was put around my neck too – as is customary when celebrating, remember the wedding?  Quite the morning. We still haven’t worked out how a cake was cooked without an oven, but it was a very soft, moist cake and was decorated with different ice-cream topping sauces.  It was a great start to celebrating 46, but for the rest of the day it was the memories of the mountain views we had experienced over the weekend that really became the celebration.  

(Apparently altitude can make you appear puffy!?)

(the trek team leaving Sandakphu)

(A hard place to say goodbye to!)

(Final night homestay)

(You never know who you'll meet)

(Traffic congestion)

(Birthday Buddhist prayer)

(Momo making)

(Nepali guides entertaining us with song and dancing)

(Shelling corn)

(More super sized bugs)

As with many of our own personal experiences, words fail to quite paint the right picture.  But, for me, I just hope I will never forget how I felt staring at the scenes before me over the course of the four days.  The in-dominatable power, the incredible beauty and the sheer brilliant diversity of this stunning planet.  Phenomenal!

It was great to get back to Kashyem.  Atit and Reshav had returned from their home in Sikkim and sitting around the dinner table it seemed like life had always been like this.  People talk about the repetitive nature of the food here – rice, dahl, rice, dahl… - but, as I have eluded to before, most of the volunteers miss the home cooking of their homestays when they are away.  Nat and I certainly did.  The four family members were interested to hear my stories and see the pictures from the trek.  I could even tell local people “I have been to Sandakphu” in Nepali.  I don’t have a hope of writing my Nepali in this blog.  The alphabet is too complicated, and I don’t have the first clue as to how to read it.  I am focusing on the speaking and listening with Atit and Reshav acting as my teachers.  They have to repeat things 100 times, but some of it appears to be retained somewhere in my head.  Finding it again is the bigger problem!

The view, now the clouds have disappeared, from where I hang my washing is incredible.  We can see Kanchenjunga!  There is no more inspiration needed as I walk through the village and catch a glimpse of this beautiful mountain.  Knowing she is the third tallest entity on the planet, only adds to the immenseness of it all.

(From just above the washing line)

(Reshav and Atit on the edge of the school playground)

(See, that is my towel on the line!)

(Passion fruit)

(Parents meeting about the upcoming school trip - chairs brought up from the community hall 150m down the hill)

(Atit making pickles for dinner)

(SM chopping dried pork for dinner - yes our chopping board is a tree truck and our knife is a bit like a machete)

(The mobile phone is a great attraction as is the selfie)

(Working on our smiles!)

We only had a week at school, before the Diwali holiday began.  As I hadn’t returned until Monday, it was a short, but profitable week.  I worked with the Upper School History teacher on practical lessons for Year 8.  Mingmai Miss has recently signed up to complete a BEd at Kolkata.  Having sat in on a lesson on the Wednesday, we talked about possible games or interactive ways I thought might engage the children in recapping and revising facts to do with the Decline of the Mughul Empire (I can assure you it is not just the children that are learning!).  We decided on a competition type game – dividing the class into two teams.  Using either side of a board the two teams would have to order the names of the Great Mughuls and then the Later Mughuls.  As an extension, we had the dates of ‘reign’ to hand too.  There are some strong characters in Year 8 and so we encouraged team work and participation.  It went really well, and the children enjoyed it.  It helped that Mingmai Miss was so enthusiastic with introducing the activity and the class fed off this.  We devised one or two other revision games for after the Diwali holiday to see how much has ‘stuck’.

In the same, short week, I worked with the Upper School English teacher across a variety of classes and the pre-school classes to see to what extent phonics is taught.  It is becoming more obvious that there is a danger that I spread myself too thinly and actually end up achieving less because of it.  The more I am here, the more I think teacher training should actually be the main focus of volunteer work in this area.  They are all eager to learn and increasing the tools a teacher has to use creates a more sustainable outcome.  Helping the children is part of it – teaching lessons, supporting children who are struggling etc – but for there to be a lasting effect, the only way, is to empower teachers so they gain confidence in their own abilities.  I still believe that, for many reasons, here, a ‘by rote’ system offers children something.  For example, reading a new text, be that English or History, there are so many words the children are completely new to, that some form of ‘teacher to child’ explanation is necessary.  But, talking and working with the teachers, it is clear the vast majority want help and advice on how to ‘interactivate’ the lessons after the initial input.

And finally, today, I popped down to Ama’s house – literally a 1 minute walk!  She had wanted me to have beer on Monday night in honour of my birthday on Sunday.  I wasn’t in the village on Sunday, but as is customary here, I had bought people closest to me small gifts back on Monday to celebrate the day.  I took a little box of ‘barfi’ (traditional sweets made from almonds or rice flour, sugar and the like) to Ama but I was so full of lunch that I couldn’t accept her offer of a beer.  I promised I would go back.  Both Santos and Bobby were there too.  We sat on the stoop of the smoking hut as Bobby broke up fermenting maize – which will become a corn version of the millet ‘toymba’ I have talked about before.  The sun was still warm, the chickens doing their thing and, of course, the view.  Reshav was there to translate the little bits we couldn’t piece together, but a lot of laughs always happen when Santos and I are trying to communicate.  They offered me rum and gave me a small plate of curried vegetables – the offer of food for a guest being the norm.  As I finished the vegetables Santos began shelling beans for the dinner.  Naturally I joined in.  Bobby was hanging the washing and Reshav had disappeared with Atit and Amit to play football.  Sitting there with Ama and Santos, shelling beans in the quiet of the village, chillier now, but still barefoot, was yet another moment of absolute peace.  Preparing for a dinner had never seemed so much less of a chore.  What’s more, the language barrier just didn’t matter.  Happy to work in silence, with the odd bit of English and broken Nepali seemingly communicating what was needed.  My life in London had never, ever seemed so far away.