LANGTANG part 3

KYANJING GOMPA

Kyanjin Gompa sits at the end of the trail and in the middle Himalayas like a tiny cold snowflake laying flat at the bottom of a very large bowl. No street noise, or street lights, no pollution, or school grounds with children playing during breaks, just prayer flags, and a constant cold wind. Also nestled in the shadow of Tsergo Ri mountain are gray stone built guesthouses with brightly painted trim colors around the windows and doors, small shops selling Nepalese wool fabrics, jewelry and other ornaments which looked much like items you might find in Tibet. There are a few mom and pop outlets selling everything from batteries and band aids to packets of oreo cookies, bags of chips and candy bars. There's even a pool hall and bar appropriately called, The Himalayan Pool House and Bar for anyone wanting a drink and play a little snooker or snoocher as they spell it there. Can't imagine how they packed those tables in!

Unlike the Annapruna range where much of the merchandise is brought in by donkey or horse, here everything (all goods) are packed in on the backs and shoulders of people. This is one of the reasons the deeper in or higher a person treks the more expensive everything becomes. I've heard that it's not uncommon for some guesthouses to offer free lodging because they make up for it with the price of the meals. Langtang is also a much less traveled part of the Himalayas by local people, and although there are small farms where folks can eek out a living or bring in a modest income, most living in this range depend solely on the tourist (trekkers) dollar.

A day before getting to the village of kyanjing Gompa I had stopped at a small place called ChangTang for of cup of strong black tea, a bowl of garlic soup and a slice of chewy Tibetan bread. I'd been on the move since 8:00 that morning and was  needing to rest and refuel. While luxuriating in the quiet warmth of the guesthouse kitchen a young Nepalese man who'd also stopped for a rest and to visit with the guesthouse owner whom I think may have been a relative started up a conversation with me. I learned his name was Nima Dorje Tamang, and he was heading to Langtang that day as well. He'd been a porter and guide for a few years and like so many living in the rugged mountains he was also in search of a better life. We shared a good half hour of light conversation and as I was about to head off down the trail he asked if we could walk together. Even though a little red flag of suspicion surfaced in the back of my mind I thought he was a pleasant enough guy and a little company for the next few hours might be good.




After a short time it become apparent Nima's interest was for more then my good company as our conversation seem to steer in the direction that was quite similar to my experience with Sonam back in Bahboo, that and he was also strongly promoting my staying in his sisters guesthouse once we arrived at our destination. I suppose my age and being from the west, which I'm sure in their eyes is the land of milk, honey, and unlimited dinero, was pretty much like hiking with a target on my back making me fair game for the strategies of befriending trekkers for a sponsorship of some kind.



One thing I learnt from my experience with Sonam and his family back in Bahboo it's either "yes or no" because if a person sits on the fence and says "I'll have to think about it" they might as well be saying yes. My response was quick with Nima, I explained that I was unable to assist him in these matters of money, but that I'd be happy to stay at his sisters guesthouse once we arrive at their village, so in away it was a win win, money for the family and I had a place to stay. I still had no idea what I was going to say to Sonam and his family about the sponsorship when I returned to Bahboo, and after hiking with Nima and hearing his similar story I was feeling even though there could be truth in it, it could be a bit of a scam as well!

While in the very windy cold Kyanjin Gompa I spent much of my time sitting by the cozy warmth of the pot belly stove in The Super view Guesthouse and I wasn't the only one. I made friendships with wonderful people from Japan, Korea, Europe, Australia, and USA, (from all over the world really).
The owners and their friends who'd occasionally show up for warm cups of tea and visits made us all feel more like family then lodgers and this made being there a very special sweet affair.
One person I met and was deeply moved by was a gentle dear 57 year old man named Walter who'd been on a pilgrimage from California. Three months earlier he'd lost the love of his life to ovarian cancer and by her wishes he had returned to the Ganges river in India to sprinkle her ashes.  He was continuing his healing journey by returning to other places they had shared over their 25 years together, the Langtang trek being one. It was in Walter's company I climbed up to the look out at the top of Tsergo Ri from 3800 up to around 4800 meters early one morning when the sky was clear.
The conditions had been rough up to that point and could change in a heart beat so we decided to take full advantage of this widow of opportunity and see how far we could get.  As it turned out we made it to the top and the following pictures are from that day, and also included are a few as I made my way back to Bahboo and later Syabru Besi where the trail started.

TSERGO RI LOOKOUT IN THE BACK

THE KOREANS BET ONE OF THEIR GUIDES 100 US DOLLARS HE COULDN'T CLIMB TO THE LOOKOUT IN AN HOUR,  HE ACCEPTED THEIR CHALLENGE  

AND AMAZINGLY ENOUGH HE WON THE BET!

IN THIS PICTURE THEIR WATCHING HIM 

WALTER ON THE RIGHT AND MYSELF ABSORBED IN THE MAGIC OF THE CLIMB

A VERY TINY KYANJIN GOMPA FROM THE TSERGO RI LOOKOUT
LOOK CLOSE AND YOU CAN SEE THE VILLAGE

THE CLOUDS ARE STARTING TO ROLL IN

                         

           MOMENT OF BLISS AND LOOKING DOWN ON OTHERS GATHERED AT THE LOOKOUT

PEEKING OUT MY WINDOW ONE VERY COLD MORNING
THANKFUL IT WASN'T ME STAYING IN ONE OF THOSE TENTS

YAKS ON THE TRAIL  ALWAYS MADE ME NERVOUS

FIREWOOD DRYING 

The Langtang trek was a much busier and colder experience then the Annapruna circuit but it was also an easier hike physically and equally filled with many wonderful surprises. The landscapes, the people, new friendships and the tender moments that seemed to go hand and hand with this made for an incredible adventure. When I think back on it today I would have to say out of the two months spent trekking in Nepal the Langtang was my favorite and the one I'd easily do again.

When I arrived back in Bahboo and reconnected with Sonam and his family at the Shurpa Guesthouse I had made the decision to help with his sponsorship but made it clear I wouldn't be able to incur all of Sonam's sponsorship so with their blessing and without making a big deal out of it I gave what I could to take some of the pressure off, the mother gifted me another silk scarf and a necklace and with that I wished them well then continued on my way to Syabru Besi and the completion of my Langtang journey.

           MORNING PRAYERS AND INCENSE