the long way around :)

Weeeeeeeeeeee... here we are! :) back from the AnnaPurna Circuit (and some more trails we did) that took us about 20 days. It was really beautiful being out in the nature and even if they were constructing roads along the way, there were still many paths to go and incredibly views to enjoy! :) for we haven't taken any notes during that time, but purely enjoyed nature and it's hidden treasures, this will just be a short roundup of the things we've experienced along the way! we took a local bus out of Kathmandu and it took the whole day during through the stunning mountains here in the Himmalaya.. we first were afraid that our backpacks might fall off the roof, but they made it safely with us to Pokarah. We still needed one extra day to sort things, pack our luggage and then move on into the mountains that we still haven't seen for it was cloudy these days. Getting up early, we managed with two buses (the second one you wonder how long it still makes it in these rocky roads ;) to get to Khudi where we took our first steps into the mountaneous landscape! :) ..cheap lodging but more and more expensive getting food as you walk deeper and deeper into the canyon that lies behind the AnnaPurna Range. We met some French guys they even carried a guitar and a plastic didgeridoo (as I did of course!!! :D and we had a nice little jam together. too bad we lost them early.. we had a small and a big backpack and plenty of water as well as a first aid kit that turned out to be very, very useful!! :) we were actually pretty fit, even if Sky had some problems with an inflamed ankle and caught a cough, while I suffered little headaches and pain in my legs after long days with steep climbs. but still.. we got as high as 5500m.a.s.l. and the heavy backpack I carried most of the time gave me some good excercise after all! :D we were blessed with almost just sunny days.. clouds came over the peaks from the South only after two O'Clock in the afternoon and this gave us plenty of time to walk good stretches. Sky is incredibly fit!! :) I'm happy to travel with her because she can really keep up whit what we do! :) it's so much fun to share things together and when I asked myself what will it be that tops any other trip I've ever done in my whole life, then this is it!!! so exept for some days of rest we needed to recover from streneous walking, we walked around 200km during our trek. We were so happy not having any guide or porter, just being on our own.. it can easily be done (just don't generate extra work around here). it was incredibly interesting to see different animals and plants, people doing things here in a different way, having a different culture and getting a bit more in touch with all this! ..after "Namaste" (what means "hello"), they add wether "buy" or "dye" for older and younger brother (similar girls). so the caring about each other starts even in the language in the way they speak. the food was good, exept for a Dahl Baht with a Cricket (looks almost as ugly as cockroach when cooked in your food and accidentely discovered when fishing with the spoon in the soup :P (you survive) otherwise we had a good treat and eat plenty of tasty meals and fell every night into a deep, well earned sleep after having walked a lot. The higher you get, the colder it gets at night and the better build the houses are (it's not we're talking about insulation, but less holes for wind to blow in and thicker blankets at night. we carried quite some stuff with us (18 + 5 kg = clothes, water, backpack) and we used all of it when we were in high altitudes. looking back, I think we made a good choice of what we needed.. as well the yoga mat we used a lot for acro, the didgeridoo almost every day, contact balls, sound equipment a meteor (hey, I'm getting better! :D and well.. some small accidently packed things but all in all packed well. along the trek we met people that heard of us.. the legendery Swiss couple traveling with a didgeridoo ;) yes.. had some good moments playing for the crowd or doing acroyoga or some other fancy kung fu stuff or contact juggling and we were happy to contribute and inspire young and old! :) we made some friends along the way.. an Isreali couple and really good vibes (just terribly slow in packing and walking ;) hehe ;) so we were splitting up every day and eventually they find us here in Pokarah. We already caught up with emails and pictures (glad it doesn't take a lot of time) and tomorrow we get a visa extension and some more ideas what to do here in Nepal.. but so far it has been just AMAZINGLY AWESOME!! :D ..yesterday we drove back from Nayapul on the roof of a bus and if this is not the best way to travel, what is? :D (I thought they wouldn't tourists allow to do this, but for insided it was more packed than in a can of Sardines (no exageration!! :) we were more than happy to be on the top, wrapped in, in our blankets and jackets. ..then.. before the Police control they stop and ask you to come down, so everybody is happy in the end ;) funny to mention that by law only the driver has to wear a helmet on a motor bike, that's where you don't find a single passenger wearing a helmet ;) hmmm.. I think that's if for now. more important than writing all this is living it truely and fully and so far we've done pretty good ;) tomorrow we get some more ideas what to do relax in some beautiful place where we finally have enough time to get better in Acroyoga :) much love! Ocean and Sky

Kathmandu.. One-Way Please :)

finally I can post this entry.. like 4 weeks later :P so here we are.. Kathmandu, somewhere far, far out in the Himmalayan Mountains. I'm writing my first blog in a txt-file, because the internet here isn't working (surprised.. no, not really ;) thanks again to Walti and Therese, who drived us to the airport from where our long trip started. the flight was quite OK. we were waiting all the time for the food served ;) there were no little TVs in the seats and a nasty layover at Delhi airport. But we slept where we could and had even a little nap in our Hotel here in Kathmandu and now we're pretty ready to take it up from here :) the on-arrival-visa was no big deal.. but outside you get in contact with the nepalese (similar indian) culture of taxidrivers assaulting you permanently ;) well.. we never reached the recommomended "Green Peace Lodge" but another 20 dollar hotel where we were hooked up with a travel agancy :P but was a good thing in the end for we have now all the information we need to make plans for the next three weeks! :D once arrived in the city center you feel less pray to the (tourist) hungry predators for there are quite many of us ;) there are zillions of beautiful things I'd like to buy (even just for using in a RolePlayGame ;) but no way we're loading more into our backpacks. ..they're just 13kg each at the moment and because we have so many contact balls with us (around ten ;) there is no extra space in our luggage ;D our plans are to get permits for the AnnaPurna and do the 2-3 weeks round trip on our own. this saves us money, but above all it's the adventurous way I'm known for and it's absolutely possible (we talked to a Swiss guy being guide here :) ..you could even go to the mount everest base camp (there are guesthouses along the way), but I'm opting for AnnaPurna.. as touristy it may be (well.. probably both ;) the view trekking around this mountain has to be stunning!! :D so that's it for now.. arrived and taken off again into the exotic beauty of Asia!