So we have been in Nepal now for around 50 days and it is time to leave for India, out of those 50 days we have spent 37 trekking up, down, around and up again the biggest mountains in the world (of the 14 8,000m plus peaks in the world we have now seen 7 of them!), think that must make us part sherpa! It has been fantastic but we are now bloody knackered…even Shona wants a rest! Although think I’ll book the bus tickets to the border sharpish before she thinks we can walk there! There is so much else to see and do in Nepal but we just haven’t got the time (or energy) but it does give us a very good reason to come back. Our last few days here were actually spent relaxing in Pokhara whilst sorting out a few chores, catching up with people (Si & Ed properly and a couple we’d met from Canada), taking a days motorbike lesson: well you never know when these things might come in handy! They taught you how to avoid cows and water buffalo plus the most important thing of all, the horn, use it at least once every other second!!! Problem is now instead of walking to the border I’m worried Shona will want to buy bikes and ride there! Although I did look pretty cool in my biker gear – well ok more Mark Fowler than Steve McQueen! Oooh and we were trying to plan what we do and where we go in India. Having spent more time in Nepal than we’d originally allowed for we have cut short India to just over 3 weeks and only exploring some of the North – India still scares me, the sheer number of people and the hassle you get doesn’t appeal but seeing the country and sights does! Hopefully I can deal with the former and it doesn’t ruin the later – perhaps thats why most of the travellers you meet who have come through India are so spaced out and in their own little world as it is the only way to deal with it….just on a different note, if anyone is having any difficulties with their local high street bank or phone company let us know and while we are in India we’ll see if we can help by talking directly to the people who will be dealing with it for you!!
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Jamie Southwell
Hi you two.Very impressed with all this website malarky. Photos are shit though. You should have got a better camera if you was gonna take so many photos. Just not the same without a blur, people with red eye & lack of clarity in the colour. Would have lent our camera if I’d thought.
Anyway, after reading your latest trecking adventure, I’m not so sure your’e bigging it up more than you should be. I say this as I walked the girls up Kingshill this morning. The burst water pipe created with some frost, a quite hazardous journey on the slope. Ropes were not used, though we did hold hands. I was struggling with my load, so passed all the bags back onto the girls who carried them on their heads for sherpa effect. The views from the top were quite impressive. You could see way off into Ware town one side, Kingshill flats another and off into Tower Road region which is far too dangerous an area to trek. Despite the difficult grade of trek, we completed in around 15 minutes which wasn’t bad considering I felt quite sick. We thought it was the altitude, but soon realised it was definately a syptom of having to listen to the girls whinge most of the way.
When we got home, I reserched possible routes of the rest of the Lea Valley region. The upper region we are quite familiar with, but as you head further south, the flora and fauna change. The landscape becomes more cluttered and the air thinner. It’s said to become more challenging the further south you head. We’ll trek Kingshill a few more times from a
Jamie Southwell
variety of directions (not Tower Road) and use this as a guide to see if we might venture into the southern sections of the Lea Valley. So with these experiences, I fear you have gone to the other side of the world for a bit of treking that maybe is not quite what its made up to be. I will upload the photos we took to your site. I hope you won’t be disappointed. If you head home soon, I don’t mind showing you the routes. Anyway, obviously I had to start a new blog as you havn’t allowed for enough text in one go. Nevermind. Just hope you got enough space for my blogs. Another good trek local to these areas is Barclay park. One side of the hill is almost a sheer face of grass! The gradient on it is only for experienced climbers. During winter when it snows for days at a time, it is the place where those looking for some exhilarating and challenging treking head to. What is quite good is after the exhaustion of the uphill climb, having to face going down is made easier by being able to slide down. Obviously space in your rucksack is precious, so people often use what looks like a in bag, but its actually the waterproof liner of the rucksack. You are then able to slide down, saving lots of energy for the next uphill.
The one other place, but I havn’t been to, is mentioned in the guide book as Nazing common. But I won’t make you more jealous with further description. Though the guidebook mentoins the locals being a bit funny. I think it didn’t mean they have additional digits, just the local customs are strange.
This weekend we are planning to head to Hertford, but the trains are fully booked, so are looking into other ways of getting there. Flights are too expensive and the coach journey can be uncomfortable as there are no bars and your’e not allowed to take your own booze onboard.
Wer’e looking forward to seeing some of the main sights, but I hope we don’t
Jamie Southwell
struggle with having to deal with too many Hertford types. Those four wheel vehicles and buggies they ride around in are ridiculous. It seems they are just worried about looking like other poncey Hertford middle class types. But I’m sure this won’t take away from the enjoyment of seeing the Lea flow past the castle and past those quiant houses on folly island. If it all gets too much, then apparently there are a number of public houses one can forget about the woes of travelling life in. Might catch up with other visitors from Waltham Abbey or Welwyn if we’re lucky. The only down side to meeting new people is you have to get past the initial conversations about what countries, treks, places each has visited, which can be a bit boring. When we was on the Kingshill trek, we met many other trekkers who had all done the same route. Theres not much originality. At least we had done some of the other upper Lea Valley regions.
The other thing I want to mention, is that there is a lot of simular mountain photos. By simular, I mean it looks as if you are really in the same place, just taken photos from different angles. Same peaks with snow on etc. I am by no means suggesting you are trying to fool us all by saying youv’e been here and there when you have really only been to one mountain range and sunning it up somewhere. The diary blogs are far too detailed to have been made up.
I will save some space and leave it there for today. I’m glad I have now a working computer and can contribute to the ongoing feedback for you whilst you are away.
All the best. Watch out for those pesky Indians selling you shit you don’t need. Only stupid people would get caught up in such scams.
Take care – J
Nathan
Wow – comments longer than the blog! You must have needed a rest after that effort. Thanks for the advice on India, as you say though who would be stupid enough to get caught up in such scams – who needs carpets, over priced travel tickets, trips to Kashmere etc
Anyway, welcome on board.
Chris S
You must have expected big brothers nonsense at some point.
Glad you decided to see some of India.
Tel
Jamies computer is back up and working. Be afraid !