Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
CooperTroopersTravels
- Blog
-
Location Date Africa 1229126400 Asia 
1222038000 Europe 1211324400 Oceania 1208818800 South America 1178060400 -
-
Location Date Kathmandu 1211583600 Lukla 1211497200 Namche Bazaar 1211410800 Gokyo 1211238000 Machhermo 1211151600 Phortse Thanga 1210978800 Phakding 1210806000 Jomsom 1210374000 Muktinath
1210287600 Kagbeni 1210201200 Marpha 1210114800 Larjung 1210028400 Ghasa 1209942000 Tatopani 1209855600 Ghorapani 1209769200 Tikedungha 1209682800
DAY 8
Kagbeni (2840m) to Muktinath (3710m)
An early start, and we made a steep climb up of around 500m to a dirt track. The altitude here was about 3400m and the lack of oxygen slowed us down. My guide was getting into a little strop over a typing mistake in the guide book. After a 20 minute walk from Kagbeni it advised we would reach another town. After walking for 45 minutes we were still in the middle of the dry dessert and my guide was cursing the books author. It should have read 1 hour 20 mins to the next town. Ha.
The landscape was barren with little life. I think if I lived there I would soon get sick of it. A herd of about 50 goats wandered past. They ate the leaves from the thorny bushes using their front teeth, a delicate operation that they clearly get a lot of practice at.
We walked through a few small villages that grew wheat and apples before a steep climb to our final destination, Muktinath. Muktinath is a pilgrimage site for Hindu's and Buddhists. We picked the Bob Marley hostel and rested for a few hours. In the afternoon we walked to the famous temple at the top of the village to see the pilgrimage site, and discover why poor people would walk all the way from India to here and why rich people helicopter in from India and take a jeep to Muktinath.
Inside the temple is a special natural phenomenon. We removed our boots, leather for obvious reasons gets frowned upon inside. Walked into a dimly lit room, the walls were painted with the God Shiva, candles flickered in the corner of the rooms and we had to knell down. Near the floor was a tiny window covered with a wire mesh. We peered inside and there it was, behind a rock, a blue flame, naturally burning away like the thumb from the man in the old calor gas advert. The sound of water accompanied the blue flame. So like Bethlehem to a Christian we had seen one of the holiest places on earth, the auspicious meeting of three elements of life: earth, water and fire.
Sitting outside we thought about our stomachs, and walked back to the Bob Marley hostel for some bob cake.
Cooper Out
Love Dan & Kat
Kagbeni (2840m) to Muktinath (3710m)
An early start, and we made a steep climb up of around 500m to a dirt track. The altitude here was about 3400m and the lack of oxygen slowed us down. My guide was getting into a little strop over a typing mistake in the guide book. After a 20 minute walk from Kagbeni it advised we would reach another town. After walking for 45 minutes we were still in the middle of the dry dessert and my guide was cursing the books author. It should have read 1 hour 20 mins to the next town. Ha.
The landscape was barren with little life. I think if I lived there I would soon get sick of it. A herd of about 50 goats wandered past. They ate the leaves from the thorny bushes using their front teeth, a delicate operation that they clearly get a lot of practice at.
We walked through a few small villages that grew wheat and apples before a steep climb to our final destination, Muktinath. Muktinath is a pilgrimage site for Hindu's and Buddhists. We picked the Bob Marley hostel and rested for a few hours. In the afternoon we walked to the famous temple at the top of the village to see the pilgrimage site, and discover why poor people would walk all the way from India to here and why rich people helicopter in from India and take a jeep to Muktinath.
Inside the temple is a special natural phenomenon. We removed our boots, leather for obvious reasons gets frowned upon inside. Walked into a dimly lit room, the walls were painted with the God Shiva, candles flickered in the corner of the rooms and we had to knell down. Near the floor was a tiny window covered with a wire mesh. We peered inside and there it was, behind a rock, a blue flame, naturally burning away like the thumb from the man in the old calor gas advert. The sound of water accompanied the blue flame. So like Bethlehem to a Christian we had seen one of the holiest places on earth, the auspicious meeting of three elements of life: earth, water and fire.
Sitting outside we thought about our stomachs, and walked back to the Bob Marley hostel for some bob cake.
Cooper Out
Love Dan & Kat
- comments