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Van and Roxanne in Nepal, 2004 |
Some photos posted below, more coming when I
get time.
*Click on thumbnails to enlarge
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Kathmandu
#1 - Nov 14, 2004
Hi Everyone!!
We're having a blast.
Everything is well with us and Nepal.
We start flying in one day! Hearing all sorts
of stories, so it should be a wild adventure.
Hiked up 800 metres yesterday to view the Himalayas, but they were hiding from
us, the view was awesome. Paragliders flying overhead and rice fields and valley
far below.
We had to hike down as we missed all the taxis.
Took ages. (We did see the Himalayas from the plane from Qatar though. Flying at 30,000 feet
and they were at eye level in the distance. Yeow!)
Pokhara from Peace Stupa
Germany was fun as well, our friend Frank's parents are
a blast and speak English with a German/Aussie accent. They
lived down there for quite a while.
Hey Sylvie, Frank is doing great and we saw him launch the other
day and fly overhead. He had to dodge the cows on takeoff!
Please tell Manfred to send us his email and we will add him
to our list.
Will write after we start flying but it's pretty intense. All day for 10 days, wish us luck and soft landings.
Love to all,
Roxanne and Van
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Boots Over
Fewa Lake
#2 - Nov 21, 2004
Namaste from Nepal!
Today is our first day off after the first 6 days of our course. Quite grueling so far, physically
and emotionally, but fantastic.
The last 2 days we launched from about 4,800 feet and flew down ridges to land in soggy rice paddies at the
valley bottom (2,400 feet.)
Roxanne has been the star on many days, soaring high and landing softly, although she does seem to have a
tendency to force the local folk to scatter in all directions
as she plummets down upon their peaceful picnics.
I excel at demonstrating what not to do under any circumstances,
keeping the rest of our crew amused and offering moments of
outright hilarity as a result of my cock-ups. (Well, only one
really, but it was a classic!)
Breakfast view from Guru's Lotus
Our day usually starts at about 7am with a good roll with the Stick
and then some yoga to work out the previous day's aches and pains.
It's then a quick hop across the street to "Guru's Lotus" for a couple
masala coffee while we wait for our breakfast. The view out over the lake
and rice paddies in the morning is wonderful, with buffalo's, birds,
farmers, and children offering a continual show.
Loading up Sunrise Jeep
We gather for a morning briefing at somewhere between 7:30 and 9am and then
head off to the launch site in the big jeep. The first day we spent hours
in the hot sun running across a football field, trying to get our "wing"
up in the air while dodging masses of inquisitive children, goal posts,
dogs, buffaloes, and later on, a rather intense cricket match. (Roxanne had
to chuck the ball back to them at one point.)
On the cricket pitch, Day 1
Our audience entertains themselves
Beginner's Bruises from the harness
The very next day, all knackered and bruised, we drove then hiked
up ... and up ... and up to our practice site. We were all certain our instructor Adam had
confused us with another more advanced group as we looked about at the rough,
steep hill we were meant to toss ourselves off of. Perhaps fearing a mutiny,
Adam pulled us out of our chattering huddle and set us up to launch.
Roxanne ready to launch for first
flight
One by one we somehow managed to conquer our fears and run off into the
air for our very first flight.
Roxanne in the air
The beaming smiles on our faces a short while later and our eagerness to
hike back up the hill to have another go were certainly proof that
we all loved it! We train until about 4 pm and then head home to debrief
and shower. An early dinner, sometimes a night theory class, and an
attempt to keep our eyes open while we fill out our log books and read
our text finishes off our days at about 10pm.
So far, each successive day has been another quantum leap in challenge that
we will attempt to fill you in on later, but that seems plenty at the moment
and we are both getting hungry! (Today was our first chance to do
laundry and we still have to catch up on a range of other 'chores'.)
View from 4th floor terrace
Everything here is safe, although today is the first day of a 2-day
strike called by the Maoist guerrillas and there are no vehicles
on the road and most shops are closed. Quite nice to have the quiet
and clean air, actually!
Empty streets on General Strike
days
The Himalayas are stunning from our current launch site although
it has been unseasonably hazy for many days since we arrived. Started clearing
2 days ago and we are told to expect even better views.
That's it for now. Hope you are all safe and happy. We are staying at The Hotel Tropicana in Pokhara lakeside
area should any of you want to send us chocolate cookies.
;-))
Hotel Tropicana
Love and soft landings!
Van and Roxanne
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Panorama from
Thorepani
#3 - NOV 29, 2004
Now seems like a pretty good time to start our 3rd update from Nepal.
I'm sitting alone on top of a ridge called Thorepani ('mustard
water'), having just watched Roxanne and Frank launch and fly down to
the valley bottom about 2400' below.
There are strong thermals today and they both soared above launch
site. The Annapurna Range behind me is also the clearest it's been
since we got here. A great day for a photo, yes?
Well, tell that to the little cretin that made off with 'our' camera
(Bernie and Krista's actually) yesterday at the landing site. And
after I'd given the little buggers treats, too! We're hoping our
posters offering a reward equivalent to 10 days wages will flush out
the thief. If not, we've threatened to tell George Bush and they all
know what that! could mean. (Sorry, couldn't resist. ;-))
Anyways, we both passed our written exams and are now licensed
paraglider pilots. Two days ago we flew for the 1st time without
radio, supervision, or instructor (although having Frank along was
certainly reassuring.) And it was wonderful. Frightening? You bet!
Exhilarating? Absolutely.
Roxanne and Frank fly from Thorepani
Trying to determine when you're safe and when you aren't as you circle
over ridges, forests, and buildings with no landing site nearby keeps
you on your toes. But the scenery is spectacular - 25,000 foot
mountains behind us, Fewa Lake and green fields in the valley below
us, and ridges in front that mark the border with India on the
horizon.
And to actually be flying over it all? Well, it still seems unbelievable.
We are both healthy and intact, quite content in our room at the
Tropicana that costs us $3.30 a night. Breakfast comes in at $2.50 for
4 masala coffee, fruit, yogurt, muesli, eggs, toast and hash browns.
We drink mineral water at 25 cents a litre. A 750 ml bottle of local
beer is just over $3, but rumours suggest it has glycol in it which
may account for the wicked hangovers many report.
Breakfast at Guru's
A 40 min. ride up the mostly rough mountain road to the main launch
site is $8, or $1.10 if there's room in the company jeep. It's then an
hour hike with our 12kg wings on our back to get up here to Thorepani,
where we will fly until we feel more comfortable. The main site,
Sarangkot, is very busy and would be like tossing a beginner driver
onto the L.A. freeway.
And why am I here, surrounded by a horde of kids bellowing out their
greetings, questions and demands at full volume? Because last night we
found out that my wing is needed for the next beginner's group that
starts today. So until we find a replacement, Roxanne and I will be
sharing a wing.
She flew first today and I am waiting for a porter to bring the wing back
up to me - at least 90 minutes and 2400' vertical for $1.50. I'll then
set it up and launch off on my own. At this moment, 2 eagles are
riding up on thermals right in front of me, so if it lasts, I may be
able to get up high and beat my longest flight so far - about 35
min.
.
Roxanne hikes
with her 'wing'
When I land I'll pack up my wing and hitch a ride on top of the
local bus back to 'Lakeside' where we're staying. Riding on top is a great
wobbly, bouncing experience and well worth the 20 cents. Although you
must remember to duck beneath the power lines and low branches.
Heading home on top of bus
Off to my left at the moment there are at least 16 wings circling over
the main site - blue, orange, yellow, white, crimson - they look like
a giant wind mobile. Over here there are none and the kids seem to
have given up on me for entertainment and disappeared. Very quiet.
Serene. Lovely.
I hope the world is being as kind to you!
With every good wish,
Van and Roxanne
ps The reward worked - we got the camera back |
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#3.5 Dec 12, 2004
Hey y'all,
Just a quick note to let you know we're well and thriving.
Have the next update almost finished but leaving tomorrow for a 3 day
visit to Tang Ting - "Happy Village" - so won't be sending it 'til
we're back.
Our plans are changing - won't be in Germany for Xmas - probably here.
Maybe 'til the New Year.
Our flying has been truly amazing. A very addictive sport!
Love to all!
Van and Roxanne
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Maoist
message
#4 - Dec 16, 2004
The contrasts in Nepal can be startling.
Yesterday we returned from 3 days in Tang Ting, a high mountain
village so quiet and serene you'd think you've entered another age.
And in a way you have.
As you wander the narrow stone paths with Annapurna dominating half
the horizon, you come across people weaving baskets in their tiny but
immaculately swept front yards, hand carding and spinning wool,
grinding rice to flour, making lumpy woolen comforters, or laying thin
slices of radishes and buffalo meat in the sun to dry.
There are no machines, no motors, no phones. In fact the quiet can be
disorienting. The tiny power plant on the waterfall does provide hydro-electricity,
but only enough to power a smattering of low-watt bulbs in the
evening.
The Gurung-caste people of this village are amazingly self-sufficient
and industrious and there is a gracious joy in the way they welcome us
- the only 2 foreigners lucky enough to be invited to visit and stay a
few nights.
But to get to the serenity of Tang Ting you must first get to Lamkhet.
And getting to Lamkhet involves a drive through the business centre of
Pokhara, a place without the slightest hint of serenity.
The blue haze of pollution is so thick it burns your eyes and throat
as your taxi hurtles through the crowded streets. Your driver grinds
the gears, blasts his horn at anything that moves, and swerves
violently to the right and left in an obsessive effort to pass
anything, anywhere, in any situation, sending pedestrians
leaping across ditches to avoid death, while buffalos and cows ignore him and
continue their leisurely stroll down the middle of the road.
Asia is always an adventure, and our (first?) month in Nepal has been
no different. Although the flying has certainly ramped things up to a
new level.
We now have over 40 flights in and the veteran pilots assure us that
the dry-mouth anxiety on take-off, adrenaline rush of concentration in
the air, and chattering excitement after landing will only slightly
diminish with time. Sounds good to us! ;-))
We are sore today after our descent from Tang Ting yesterday (4 hours
turned into 7 hours ... a story for another time) but I had my longest
flight today - an hour and a half - and for the last 30 minutes was
alone in the sky with the buzzards and eagles, so the soreness is just
not an issue.
We remain very healthy and ecstatically happy. We were really looking
forward to joining Frank's friends and parents in Germany
for Christmas, but there is nothing we can do about the change in plans,
so today we changed our flight out of Kathmandu to January 4th.
Yippee! See you in the air!
Love to all,
Van and Roxanne
ps We saw the biggest spider this side of the Amazon in Tang Ting - a
lumbering beast so huge you could see it shift its weight before it
lifted a leg! Not what you want to spy on the ceiling just before you
turn out the lights at night.
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#5- Dec 23,
2004
Tomorrow is Christmas eve. It's 20 Celsius (68 F) during the day and
down to 8C (46F) at night. It has rained twice since we arrived a month
and a half ago. Tomorrow, as always, the weather forecast for Nepal is
" Partly cloudy throughout the Kingdom".
We had dinner last night at Mamma Mia's restaurant with 4 Swiss pilots
(2 of them top acrobatic competitors), a stunningly beautiful
Brazilian pilot, and a French pilot who is near impossible to
understand but a riot nonetheless.
This morning after teaching yoga to a Brit, a Canadian and an Indian,
we rode up to the launch site in a taxi with a Russian couple,
discussing satellite education, Montreal and Moscow.
Roxanne and I took off early and had the sky to ourselves. On our
second launch 2 hours later we flew with Serge, a veteran French
pilot, and 15 huge buzzards and eagles, circling, circling, circling
as we were all lifted in thermal air.
After landing we hiked the 30 minutes back to our hotel for the second
time that day , hung a hand laundry on the roof, and went for a meal
at Sweet Memories, an open-air restaurant where the only waiter is a
frenetic ball of energy called " Number One".
The streets are decorated with lights and banners for Xmas and an
upcoming street festival, and the air is filled with a brain-scrambling blend of Hindi music, Xmas carols, Bob Dylan, and
'70's heavy metal, all of it played at maximum volume.
If this place could get any more eclectic, I'm not sure how.
We are well, obviously, and wish all of you a magical holiday time!
With every good wish!
Van and Roxanne.
ps It is now Xmas day as I send this. For those of you who read about
a shootout here yesterday and were perhaps worried, we are both fine.
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#6- Jan 10, 2005
There's not much give in the side of a hill. No bounce. No sag. No
softness. Just a big mound of dirt and rocks that's been compressing
for a few million years. Ask Roxanne, she'll tell you all about it.
On Christmas Eve day she overshot the landing site for a number of
reasons and flew into just such a hill at about 20 km an hour. X-rays
say nothing is broken or compressed. But her back muscles proceeded to
spasm for days afterwards, keeping her pretty much bed-bound, every
move slow and cautious, reflecting the fact that the slightest wrong
shift would cause those muscles to fire off again.
Which is the main reason this update has been so long in coming -
things have been a little hectic for the last few weeks.
In fact, if you really want to know the dirt, about 4 hours after we
had gotten Roxanne home from her 'crash' (a huge friend piggy-backed
her up 4 flights of stairs to our room), we were sitting on our roof
terrace trying to get warm in the sun when we heard fireworks. Strange
fireworks.
Before I had taken 3 steps to the balcony edge to take a look, someone
called out, "They're shooting!" The gunfire lasted for about 45
seconds as Maoist rebels attacked the police roadblock just below our
hotel, killing two police before escaping in 2 hijacked taxis, taking
the taxi drivers with them up into the jungle.
Checkpoint below hotel
Naturally, this kind of scene wasn't exactly what any of us wanted to
witness, and it was certainly more than Roxanne needed to finish off
her day.
By the next morning, you wouldn't have known anything had happened -
traffic on the street below us was back to normal and even the police
at the roadblock who had lost comrades looked as nonchalant and
inattentive as always. (I say police because that's what I've been
told they are, but they are dressed in combat gear with guns and
leisurely stroll around their little sandbagged and barb wired
roadblock post.) Still, many of us cast cautious looks here and there
for the next few days.
So, Christmas dinner was in our room together, and New Years I went
out for a while to join the crowd but Roxanne was still too sore to
make it to the restaurant. (I tossed her some crackers and a bottle of
Sprite as I left the room.)
She went for her follow-up assessment at the hospital today and the
doctors pounded on her back and put her through calisthenics. In fact,
she proclaims herself to be 90 percent better and as I type this she
is waiting for me in a restaurant down the road.
So I will run now. Sorry for the delay bringing you up to the moment
but we didn't want to write until we knew the implications.
I have had some amazing flights. Will write more about that next time.
The doctors told Roxanne she is on hold (for flying) for 2 more weeks.
;-((
Must run!
Van
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#7- Jan 25
Well, we've done it again- succumbed to the charms of the life we're
living and extended our stay.
Sure, there's the occasional gunfight outside out hotel. And yes, the
regular General Strikes called by the Maoists DO screw everything up
for a few days. I'll even admit that the Nepali National Sport of
spitting in the street as often as possible can be almost as trying as
that one folk song they keep singing over and over and over until
you're ready to pull out your hair and screech ... wait a minute. What
was I talking about? Oh, yeah, we love it here so much we're staying
longer.
We now fly out of Kathmandu Feb 18th and Germany Feb 20.
I (Van) have been flying regularly for 1 1/2 to 2 hours at a time and
even 'competed in' (i.e. survived) the 3-day Nepal Open Paragliding
Championships that just ended.
It was a fun competition of cross-country, acrobatics, and spot
landing that only those with real talent and skill took seriously.
Others (like me) considered ourselves winners if we didn't smack into
one of the other 40 paragliders in the air.
Great fun. So much so that the first day inspired me to create a
comedy skit of 2 buffoons doing team acrobatic tricks on the ground.
Luckily, I convinced a young English chap almost as bonkers as me to
join in and within 48 hours we had costumes, mock paragliders to hold
over our heads, a script for the announcer to read, and a choreographed routine of mayhem to stumble through.
We performed in front of the stage of dignitaries at the closing
ceremonies, and I must say we were a smash hit. Even the heavily armed
police guarding the Ministers of Tourism and Security were in
stitches. (Which is a good thing because they had guns. With real
bullets. We know they're real because we found one on our hotel
roof after the last shootout.)
Immediately after we finished our performance, we started drinking
beer (actually, drinking beer was part OF the performance) and never
really came up with a good reason to stop. Which might have had
something to do with our decision 2 hours later to 'fly' our wings
down the main road of Lakeside in full costume.
'S'-turns, spirals, crossovers ... it was a mesmerizing display of
coordination, concentration, and balance (especially considering our
drunken state) that had kids and storekeepers either howling with
laughter or screaming in terror as we swooped towards them.
We 'swooped' all the way to the Closing Party at the Busy Bee bar and
then continued swooping on the dance floor until hours later
(many hours later) Roxanne and I giggled our way home in a downpour, using one of
the wings as an umbrella.
The next day we awoke stiff and sore from hours of dancing in hiking
boots (I seem to recall leading a conga line at one point) and with a
vague memory of a surreal conversation with a Nepali Minister of
something sinister who wore a massive black cowboy hat and had 2
scowling guards with machine guns at the ready standing behind him.
It would have made a great photo - him with his Black Bart hat and
machine-gun buddies, and me in my muddy hiking boots, baggy short
pants, over sized yellow t-shirt embroidered with "Team MO", and
bright red, Jimminy Cricket face under a traditional Nepali fez.
Ahh, the memories of Nepal - the Himalayas, the temples, the prayer
flags ... the drunken bash in the Busy Bee bar with free booze, free
food, and the sweet smell of hash everywhere.
So, we are staying a little longer. And by the sounds of the weather
back home, this is a good idea.
Roxanne is closer to flying again and we're certain that hours of
dancing was great therapy, but she's not quite ready for the big jump
yet. And my wing has just been claimed by one of the new students, so
I am also grounded for a bit.
A perfect time for us to explore a few business possibilities that
have presented themselves. In fact, we're now off to have dinner with
an Australian gal who set up a couple wonderful charities that offer
housing, medical care, and fair wages to local unfortunates like
lepers and rescued girls who had been sold into prostitution. She
designs jewellery and things, they make them, and she then sells the
products overseas with them sharing the profits. Hmmmm, will let you
know what happens.
So, off again. See you all soon. (No, really, I mean it this time.)
Love, Everest beer, and dancing at the Busy Bee to all!
Van and Roxanne
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#8- Feb 23, 2005
Just a quick note as it's our last night in Nepal and I feel I
should say something.
But what??
How do you sum up what we've been through?
Learning to fly...
gun battles in the street...
general strikes...
soaring at 7,000 feet with the Himalayas on the horizon...
martial law...
Mom Powel passing away while we're gone...
connections for a new jewellry business that channels 20% of the
profit to unfortunate souls...
X-rays, CAT-scans, and MRI's...
Team Momo...
Tang Ting...
and on and on...
We're not sure if this trip is meant to be a celebration of our last
50 years... or an introduction to the next 50.
But who cares!
It has been truly amazing.
And what has made it extra special is having had all of you along with us.
Thank you so much for your thoughts, your love, your emails.
We fly to Doha and Germany tomorrow morning, then Toronto and
Vancouver Feb 26th.
See you soon! (No, REALLY this time.)
With much love and every good wish,
Van and Roxanne |
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| COMING SOON ... the epilogue - What really
happened to Roxanne's back?? |
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