Fat Belly Traveler

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The young trekker arrives in the mountains and explores a village then begins the trek to June Besi. Part two of ten.

After a stroll to the nearby village of Saleri, the trek begins in earnest. The trail climbs, follows a river and then crosses a suspension bridge. Truly in the Himalaya!

She passes though a pine forest and begins to see the prayer flags and stupas approaching the June Besi village. The young adventurer starts to tell her story of trekking in Nepal, of her new friends and how it is through her eyes.

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In 1991 a seven year old girl joined a trekking group led by her father and trekked 18 days near the base of Mt. Everest. This popular video had a limited release in 1992 and has remained one of our favorites. It is searialized here in 10 short segements. This is part one.

The Everest region of Nepal is one of the most dramatic mountainscapes in the world, if not the number one. Views of distant peaks as they are approached on foot are like nothing on earth. The snow covered summits seem to hang in the air like clouds.

The seven year old girl, Chelsea, has now graduated from university and would die if her real idenity were revealed here so suffice to say she was raised in the Sierra Nevada of California and was a hearty hiker, skier and skater before taking on the steep trails of the Himalaya.

Everything is new for her eyes during her first trip to Nepal and a culture far different from her own. She has a chance meeting with Sir Edmund Hillary in the airport in Kathmandu and they exchange autographs and greeting.

The trek begins with a visit to the sights of Kathmandu and a flight to Phaplu...

Labels: himalaya, kathmandu, Mt. Everest, nepal, trekking, treks

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There aren't many tourists on the railway in Rangoon. It is just our kind of place. We like to see what the life of the people is really like, sans manicured tourist sites and shops.

We had some time and a few hankerchiefs for the perspiration of hot steamy day in Rangoon and took a ride on the local train.

The route runs in a circle, was build by the British in the days of their Empire and sees a real slice of Burmese life. There are vendors selling snacks, smokes and the ever-present betel nut chew.
We rode from the main central station to Insien (pronounced - "insane") at a speed not much faster than we could walk and were serenaded by a blind musician singing traditional songs. The men wear sarongs as do the women.

People were friendly but not outgoing to us obvious foreigners. Our "approved" guide was a bit uneasy with us opting for public transit but accommodated our wish in good spirit.

Take a ride on the Rangoon railways.

Labels: burma, railways, travel