Photos from Nepal, India, and Thailand
- 01 Photos from Bangkok (26 photos)
- During a five day layover in the city.
- 02 The First Month in Kathmandu (25 photos)
- Photos from Kathmandu. Nearly all are from December 7 - 9, when I took a day trip to Nagarjun, a local mountain, with a few friends.
- 03 December and January in Kathmandu (33 photos)
- Photos of Guruji, New Year's eve, my birthday, a local classical music concert and Nabin's birthday dinner.
- 04 Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary and Darjeeling (25 photos)
- My Let's Go itinerary began with a trip east into West Bengal, where I first went rhino-spotting in Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary before taking the antique "Toy Train" up to Darjeeling.
- 05 Phalut Trek (52 photos)
- From Darjeeling I joined forces with a German guy, Arndt, and did a seven-day trek to the mountain viewpoints of Sandakphu (3636m) and Phalut (3600m). The route follows the ridge forming the Nepal-India border, and the summit of Phalut is the meeting point of the Nepal, West Bengal, and Sikkim borders. After Phalut we climbed down to the village of Gorkhey (2200m); from Gorkhey we also did a one-day trek to the "dry lake," a nearby mountain pass with views into Sikkim.
- 06 Arndt's Gorkhey Photos (24 photos)
- Arndt ran out of film when we were in Gorkhey; I had just over one roll left, so we agreed to load the film in his camera and share the photos afterwards. With a few exceptions, these photos were taken by Arndt during our trip to the dry lake and the morning after.
- 07 Kalimpong and Gangtok (28 photos)
- After a brief stop in Darjeeling to watch the crowded sunrise from Tiger Hill and take care of bits and pieces of research, I headed to the nearby town of Kalimpong, famous for its flowers, and then north to Gangtok, capital of Sikkim. From Gangtok I took daytrips to the high-altitude Tsomgo Lake (3753m) and the Rumtek Monastery.
- 08 Dzongri Trek (46 photos)
- In Gangtok I booked an eight-day trek to the Gocha La pass in Western Sikkim. However, after reaching the 4200m viewpoint at Dzongri (from where we enjoyed spectacularly clear weather) we were unable to continue further north due to deep snow on the trail, and turned back the next day.
- 09 Tashiding, Yuksam, and Khechopalri (30 photos)
- Having already paid for eight days trekking but having returned after only
five, we spent the extra days traveling as a group to some of the nearby
villages. First we traveled to the Tashiding monastery to see the Buddhist
Bhumchu festival; afterwards we passed back through Yuksam on our way to
Sikkim's Khechopalri lake. At Khechopalri lake our trekking group split up; I
stayed a few more days at a ridge-top guest house run by Pala, a Sikkimese man
who had recently retired after serving as the Dalai Lama's cook for nearly
fifty years. Pala, who speaks eleven languages (but little English), and cooks
delicious meals, told amazing stories of his flight to India with the Dalai
Lama in 1959.
- 10 Darjeeling, Kathmandu, Start
of Annapurna Circuit Trek
- After a few more days in India, where I took some photos of my friends at
the Tower Lodge in Darjeeling, I returned briefly in Kathmandu before I began
the Annapurna Circuit Trek. While I was in Kathmandu I attended a Maoist rally
and took some photos of a student street protest.
- 11 Annapurna Circuit Photos 2
- 12 Annapurna Circuit Photos 3
- 13 Annapurna Circuit Photos 4
- 14 Annapurna Circuit Photos 5,
Chitwan National Park
- 14a Caroline's Photos from
the Annapurna Circuit Trek
- 15 Lumbini (birthplace of
Buddha), Tansen, Travels with Page
- 16 Travels with Page 2, Photos of
Guruji
- 17 Photos of Guruji, Guruji's
House
- 17a Scans of photos taken of Guruji
and me by a Nepali photographer
- 18 Celebrating the Nepali
Holidays of Dasain and Bhai Tikka
- November and December in Kathmandu
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