Oct 3
The photographs in this series were taken en route to Ghat. Leaving Lukla, we began our journey to the Khumbu. At 'lower' elevations, in the Solukhumbu, the countryside is green and lush. Vegetable can still grow and the main occupation of many families is farming.
High in the Himalayas, the people’s faith is apparent. The majority (approx. 93%) of the Sherpa follow a sect of Tibetan Buddhism and evidence of their religion can be found even in the highest mountain pass. Mani stones litter the trail to Sagarmatha (Everest) and prayer flags are draped on bridges, trees and even mountain peaks.
Prayer wheels and monasteries are also a common sight. Prayer Wheels are found in a range of sizes, some are a giant eight to ten feet high!
The small rural village of Lukla is the central hub for trekkers visiting the Khumbu or Everest Region of Nepal. Set in the mountains at an elevation of 2800m, the only link the people of Lukla have to the outside world is the busy Tenzing-Hillary Airport, which transports goods and supplies to the region.
In the Khumbu region of Nepal, a walking stick and a zopkyok are a high altitude porter's two best friends. What is a zopkyok, you are inevitably asking?
Read on...
This busy airport is the main access point for all treks in the Khumbu/Everest region. It is the only airport in the region and high winds, cloud cover and constantly changing visibility patterns often means flights can be delayed for hours or even days.
Aug 27
This photo was taken in the heart of Thamel on a self-guided walking tour. I took somewhere close to two hundred photos that day and this is one of my favourites. I like it for many reasons. I like the contrast between the two of them in terms of their age, facial features and expressions. The child with her cherubic face looks so innocent and pure, while the older women (who I am assuming is her grandmother) has a face which look both wise and wizened. She is looking at the child with gentle calming gaze, which seems to contrast the child’s exuberance. I love that each line on the grandmothers face could probably tell a different story.
I am currently reading the book Little Princes by Conor Grennan. The book follows Conor's life altering decision to volunteer at an orphanage in civil war torn Nepal, where he discovers the shocking truth about the children's situation. They are not orphans at all! Child traffickers, praying on families in remote villages, promise to protect children from the civil war. For a large sum of money, the traffickers would transport the children to safety in Kathmandu, where they would then abandon them on the streets.
Due to the fact that I do not post a photo every day, I have decided to change the tag Photo of the Day to Photo of the Week. My goal in doing so, is to actually feature a new photo at the beginning of every week... instead of just when ever I feel like it. This is a baby step to improving my blog and finding a consistent rhythm to how often I post.
Anywho... Moving on.
This photo was taken on a 'self-guided' walking tour of the Thamel and Durbar Square area.
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I am an independent Film Producer and freelance Project Manager with a passion for travel, literature, culture and history. As an avid adventurer, I am always looking for my next travel destination!
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