Scuba diving the Red Sea.....a dream come true! Sharm el Sheikh, Feb 2009

There are some things that, for whatever reason, you've just always wanted to do.  For me, scuba diving in the red sea was right up there on the list.  Egypt has always seemed like such a far off, foreign place.  For a Canadian, it is literally on the other side of the world.  However, once you move to Europe you realize that it is just across the Mediterranean.  As such, it was an easy choice when looking for a week get away to choose Sharm el Sheikh, a resort town on the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula in Egypt.

Now, at this time, we'd still only been living in Europe for just over 6 months so when it came time to booking an all inclusive, we simply walked into the nearest travel agent and booked.  Little did we realize that this meant the resort that we were staying at would cater exclusively to German speaking guests.  What this meant was that only a few if any of the staff spoke English, and our German was still pathetic.   The consequence was any number of misunderstandings each of which made this vacation a little more of an adventure than the next.

It was so refreshing to see palm trees in the middle of February.  It was still a little early in the season for outrageous temperatures and we even had a little rain!

Yup, you're right, not a bad room.  Unfortunately, ours was the upstairs one but essentially each room was pool side

Now, as soon as we realized that Sharm would be the destination I got onto the web looking for dive shops.  The idea was for the GF to get certified so that we could dive together.  Unfortunately, it wasn't to be as asthma kept her out of the water even after seeking a second opinion from the guru of scuba diving medicine in Egypt.  With this disappointing news, an opportunity emerged. The guide who she had been working with was now free for the week.  Seeing my chance I seized the opportunity to book him for private lessons to get my Advanced Open Water PADI certification. (I had previously competed my Open water in Phuket Thailand)

This was on second dive on the second last day.  We missed a whale shark here by about 20 mins.  I can not begin to explain how great the diving is in Sharm.  The only disadvantage is it's crowded unless you go off season like I did!

This is a tremendous course as you're doing multiple dives each day in a location supporting arguably, the best diving in the world.  We did drift dives, wall dives, shore dives, boat dives all of which culminated in two dives at the SS Thistlegorm wreck, a world war two supply ship that was sunk fully loaded, while it waited to pass through the Sinai canal.  Two dives on the SS Thistlegorm are not enough but it was my first time actually navigating my way through the holds and hallways of a wreck....incredible!

Unfortunately, this trip was before I had my Go Pro camera so recording the dive to SS Thistlegorm wasn't possible.  This obviously isn't it but it was another cool wreck that we saw along the way

When we weren't on a dive boat, we decided to fly to Cairo for a day to take in the wonders of the Ancient Egyptian empire.  After an early morning flight, we drove through Cairo to the great pyramid of Giza.  Unfortunately, we just happened to be there during a sand storm which actually gave a whole new appreciation for just how inhospitable the desert can be.

The Great Pyramids are truly amazing.  Unfortunately for us, the visibility was horrible because of the sand storm.  Anything white, including my sunglasses were never quite white again!

For a brief moment the sun broke through and I captured this photo.  Really just an interesting perspective on the Pyramids.  What you can't see if that each layer of the pyramid is almost as tall as a person

We also travelled to the Sphinx where I was disappointed to see that 180 degrees from looking at the Sphinx you can find a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet.  It was a very different experience that what I had expected.

I love this photo.  Unfortunately, the visibility still isn't good but it gives and erie atmosphere to the photo.  If I had turned 180 degrees from this spot I could take a photo of the KFC store.  Very disappointing

Our guide did a great job of speaking to the politics of the country, a conversation that I can't help but remember given the recent changes in Egyptian politics.  He also welcomed us into the "university" of Islamic teachings, a massive Mosque close to the old shopping area of Cairo.  This was my first experience entering a Mosque and it was quite different from what I expected.  I have to say, I was thoroughly refreshed by his approach.  He believed that Muslims needed to be much more transparent with their teachings so that others could better understand and even participate.  What a novel concept!
Unfortunately, the following day, in the exact spot where he explained his philosophy to us, a bomb was detonated killing a few tourists.  It's sad to think that others can't be as open, welcoming and tolerant as he.

This was my first experience in a Mosque.  Our guide was very open and asked us to take photographs.  His philosophy was the more people witnessed and understood, the less they would fear.  I tend to agree

All in all, Egypt absolutely delivered on its promise!  The diving and resorts in Sharm exceeded expectations.  The town itself is far too touristy for my liking but really, it's wrong to expect otherwise.  And finally, getting a glimpse at Cairo and the Pyramids was truly an experience I shall not soon forget. (sampling "traditional Egyptian cuisine" at TGI Friday's on the other hand was a different story).  I will absolutely return to Egypt as I feel we've only brushed the surface, not only from a diving perspective but also from a historic and cultural one.  The Valley of the Kings and a cruise down the Nile are both still on the list!  Stay tuned.

Where East meets West - Istanbul, August 2009

Relationships are a funny thing.  Sometimes they happen by chance and sometimes they are planned, sometimes they take a while to develop and sometimes there is just such a natural and strong attraction that they root and flourish almost immediately.  This was my experience with Istanbul.  The love affair began almost as soon as I stepped off of the plane.

In August of 2009, a friend from Canada was traveling to Turkey to visit with family.  She had always offered to show me around Istanbul if we were ever in the city at the same time.  Well, fortunately for me, her latest trip just happened to fall over a long weekend here in Switzerland, so the GF and I boarded a plane eastward with the destination of Istanbul.

This is one of the most magical cities on earth.  First, it is massive.  According to Wikipedia it boasts over 13.1M inhabitants which is almost twice the population of Switzerland in one city!  Now, that in itself doesn't make Istanbul special.  The cityscape is peppered with some of the most impressive mosques in the world, there are treasures left over from when Constantinople was the capital of the Roman Empire at almost every turn, there is exquisite, inexpensive dining everywhere and most importantly there is a youthful optimism and energy that permeates through the streets.  Yes, Istanbul is the most positively alive city that I've visited and you can't help but get caught up in it.

One of the walking/shopping streets in the old part of the city.  

This is the shopping street in the newer part of Istanbul.  Every so many minutes a trolley car runs right down the middle as people jump out of the way

This photo is taken beneath the city of Istanbul in the old water reservoirs built by the Romans.  This was one of the most impressive elements of the trip

A photo taken towards the newer part of town.  From the top of the Galata tower you have incredible views of the city

Of course, the religious tensions in the city also add to this contagious dynamic.  Istanbul straddles the two continents of Europe and Asia and it's population and culture are reflective of that.  Turkey is in the process of defining itself as some citizens embrace new freedoms and luxuries whereas others are fighting to instill religious conservatism.  This makes for a truly exciting visit.

Taken from the top of the Galata Tower, this photos shows the sheer number of impressive mosques that pepper the cityscape in Istanbul

This shot was taken from the rooftop patio of our hotel. It gives a good perspective of the size of Istanbul

We spent the first few days exploring the major sites in Istanbul.  We visited the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, went to the Grand Bazaar, walked around the crowded streets of the old town, visited the shopping district, climbed the Galata Tower, strolled through parks and explored the undergrounds Roman water reservoirs.  The plan was to then visit with our friend's family on Princes' Island which is about 1 hour by ferry from Istanbul.  Catching a ferry in Istanbul is an adventure all on it's own.  I'm still in awe that we actually managed to get onto the right one.

The Blue Mosque taken from the Bosphorous straight on our way out of the city to Princes' Island

One of the many mosques that adorn the cityscape in Istanbul.  There is another on the bottom left of the photo

The interior mosaic ceiling of the Blue Mosque.  This was only my second time in a Mosque and by far it was the most impressive

Princes' island is a car free island that is populated primarily by vacation dwellings.  We spent time lounging in the pool before deciding to walk up to the summit of the island.  A short horse and buggy ride to the start of the walk and off we went.  It was a very hot and uncomfortable climb to the top, but once there it was worth every effort.  The views back towards main land and Istanbul were incredible, not to mention the Turkish coffee and food at the top!  That evening, we had an incredible fresh seafood dinner at a local restaurant on the ocean before convincingly solving the world's problems while polishing off bottles of Raki.

A photo taken from our bedroom balcony on Princes' Island looking back towards the mainland.  We had absolutely exquisite weather

What can I say, I'm a sucker for butterfly photos.  Snapped this one while sitting around the swimming pool on Princes Island

Got another good one but of a different butterfly species in the same place.  There were thousands of tropic flowers everywhere

Taken from the summit on Princes' Island after a grueling hike up.  

I've never visited a city with so much energy and optimism like Istanbul.  It is moving quickly to modernize and the youth sense incredible potential in that.  All the while, you are reminded of it's previous rebirths by the historical and culture relics that dot the city.  Feeling such a profound connection to Istanbul, I have no doubt that this relationship will be fueled by many more visits in the future.

Dubai - my first introduction to the Middle East....

So, In Europe, they like to take a lot of bank holidays (unfortunately all loaded into the front half of the year).  Anyways, in April 2009 the GF decided that we would spend the long Ascension holiday traveling to Dubai.  Now Dubai is a place that I've always heard of but somewhere that I knew very little about.  So, with that, we boarded the fight and off we went to explore my first Middle Eastern City.

The GF was working in event planning at the time and was able to swing us a great deal at a 5 start hotel in the heart (if there is one) of the new city.  Don't forget, five star sounds great but in Dubai, the land of 7 star accommodations, this was just about right.

After arriving, we did what every tourist does.  We asked the concierge where to go for lunch.  He suggested this place at the new souks with a beautiful view over a man-made lagoon at the 7 star "sail" hotel

Simply another view from somewhat further away.  I'd be willing to bet that anybody who has visited Dubai has almost identical photos

Dubai is a really peculiar place.  Firstly, the city itself is ridiculous!  The new part of town seems to stretch indefinitely along the coast in either direction.  This makes traveling extremely difficult and costly as everything must be done by taxi.  This also creates an incredible amount of traffic at almost anytime of the day.  Unfortunately, the new monorail was still in the process of being constructed so public transit really wasn't an option.

This photo was taken from a water taxi in the old harbour.  This one of the national palaces with the tours in new Dubai in the background.  It is amazing to see the number of cranes in Dubai.  Interestingly, this was the height of the economic crisis and I don't think any of them were actually working.  I didn't notice the "no photography" sign until after getting home....I promise!

Secondly, Dubai is the Vegas of the Middle East.  It's located in the middle of a desert and probably shouldn't exist except the city itself has become the attraction.  Of course, there is the harbour and it's clear this is the economic engine (apart from Tourism and real estate) for the old "Dubai" with old wooden boats laden with flat screen TVs,  refrigerators, and video game consuls destined for Iran.  This is just one of the many unnatural juxtapositions between the old, traditional way of life and the new, western inspired way of living.

I was amazed by the dichotomy that exists in Dubai.   These ships seemingly built in the middle ages and questionably sea worthy carry the most innovative of modern technologies into Iran.  In the background you can see the two modern Rolex towers squeezed between old buildings

Another photo taken from the water taxi showing the skyline of "old" Dubai.  A stark contrast to the new modern towers found out along the coast

Now, by nature of being located in the desert, Dubai is ridiculously hot.  Even in April/May the temperatures were edging above 40 degrees Celsius.  For normal people, this might be a dream come true but for somebody who seems to be allergic to the sun, tromping around the souks of old Dubai in the middle of the day could only end one way....heat stroke!  I guess that could have been anticipated.

We did what anybody would do their first time to Dubai.  We went and had lunch down by the "sail", visited a water park where I was gutted to learn the surf wave was closed for maintenance, we dined in some incredible restaurants, learned the hard way that the Emirates don't understand the proper ratio of liquor to mix (I don't remember the rest of the evening), visited the aquarium, saw the indoor ski hill, toured the malls and went Dune bashing.  This last one probably warrants further explanation.

The open desert is a beautiful place and unlike anything I'd ever seen before

We had just left the highway when this picture was taken.  The dunes seem to stretch forever is all directions.

Dune bashing is the act of racing through the open desert at high speed driving up, over and down massive sand dunes.  We hired a professional driver and his Toyota 4x4 and headed out into the open desert one mid afternoon.   Sitting in the far back seat was the most surreal experience as we flew up and over any number of massive sand dunes.

The desert was shared with quads and 4X4 trucks.  It seemed there was a group in almost every direction.  

To our luck, on one crazy maneuver our driver exploded the rear tire effectively separating it from the rim of our 4x4 leaving us helplessly stranded in the middle of the desert.  It became apparent rather quickly that this wasn't his first time as he and his crew managed to salvage the tire and get us moving again within the next 30 mins....only to get us stuck a few halfway down another dune only minutes later.

I think I should sell this photos to Toyota.  This picture was taken when I had a few minutes outside of the jeep while the tire was being replaced.  I love how the small ripples in the foreground are like a microcosm of the dunes themselves. 

All in all, this was an incredible adventure and definitely the highlight of the trip to Dubai.  The desert really is a magical place and I only wish the photos were able to capture it.

Many people rave of Dubai.  Unfortunately, I'm of the complete opposite opinion.  Dubai is a place worth seeing only because of it's unnatural existence.  It is a incredible city based on it's modern architectural wonders but unfortunately, it lacks the culture, history and essence that make great cities great.  I found it was nothing but a shell in the middle of the desert that lacked any sort of spirit and inspiration.  In the process of making this concrete and steel attraction they have destroyed the land and sea that could have made Dubai great.  I will maybe return to Dubai in 10 years time only to see what this city will look like when it's done.  In some ways, Dubai is like the late Michael Jackson, a fake, man-made, soulless shell that you can't help but wonder what outrageous thing they'll do next with their money.

An epic hike...Stoos Switzerland, Oct 2009

With the trip to Nepal (see earlier post) just around the corner, we thought one last training hike in the Swiss Alps was appropriate.  Early one weekend morning the GF and I jumped in the car and headed south to the small ski village of Stoos.  It was reputed to have interesting topography with incredible views overlooking Lake Lucerne.

We were fortunate to have near perfect weather for this late fall hike.  I'd been here a few weeks earlier with a friend and we couldn't see anything due to a low cloud ceiling.  We left the car and started hiking up almost immediately.  After approximately 2 hrs of uphill trekking you make it to the top.  This is when the trail really gets exciting.

Once you've completed the approx 2 hr climb to the top, is a nice 5-4 hour stroll along the crest of this natural ridgeline

You see, Stoos requires you to hike along a natural spine of earth.  On the one side you get a rather steep descent into the bowl where you've parked your car 1000 of metres below.  On the other side, you have a steep cliff drop into the Lake of Lucerne which is even further down.  This can make for some pretty cagey walking at times but in typical Swiss fashion, these narrow parts are well secured.

This is a shot back at the trail as it works it's way along the ridge.  The car is parked at the bottom to the left, the Lake is down the cliff on the right of the ridge

Unfortunately, this is quite a popular walk because, if you're not training for a 4 week trekking vacation to Nepal, you can take a chair lift up to the top and simply walk from lift to lift.  By the time you've reached the far end of the spine, you had spectacular views over the many bays of Lake Lucerne.

One of the first views of Lake Lucerne. 

Almost at the end of the hike, you start to get an almost 360 degree view of the surrounding area

I couldn't imagine a better way to spend a beautiful day in Switzerland.  What's incredible is that, almost no matter where you go in Switzerland there are always people out taking advantage of this amazing country.  Shopping on Sunday's in Switzerland is not permitted and people still take full advantage of the day off.  Although when you first arrive this can seem inconvenient, there is no other single factor that adds to the high quality of life in this country.  People have an amazing amount of free time on their hands which they invest in family time, often in the mountains.

This photo better displays the size of the lake.  The white dots in this picture are sailboats

Fortunately for us, no Sunday shopping has driven us from the city often resulting in another expat adventure in Switzerland.

Ringing in the New Year Swiss Style, Zermatt Jan 2009

Switzerland is renowned for it's chocolate, watches, pocket knives and the Matterhorn.  Therefore, it seems only fitting that our first real ski adventure in Switzerland would be to Zermatt, the home of the Matterhorn.  It had been decided that we would spend Christmas 2008 in Canada but then return in time to celebrate New Years in Zermatt with friends from England.  Unfortunately, a clerical error meant that we didn't have a room for New Year's eve but instead got to stay a little longer for free.

So, early in the morning on January 1st, 2009, we battled our way south from Basel through a formidable new year's snow storm to arrive in Zermatt mid afternoon.  Now, the good thing about snow storms when you're going skiing is that it usually means you're in for fantastic conditions!

Zermatt itself is a car free village meaning you park your vehicle in a neighbouring town and catch a train into the village itself.  Each of the hotels offers a small electronic vehicle which will come and pick you up.  These became known as the "silent killers" because you can't hear them coming and they seem to stop for nobody.  We arrived in our hotel room to be welcomed by the most perfect view of the Matterhorn that I could have imagined.  It became apparent almost immediately why this mountain has captured people's imagination for so long.

This was the view from our hotel room when we first arrived.  Couldn't have imagined a better start to 2009

Taken while riding the ski out after a long day of skiing.  Was just too good a shot to not stop and take

This photo was taken from one of the main runs looking down into the town of Zermatt.  The only way into town is via a train that runs along the valley

The skiing in Zermatt is world class.  You can take a gondola to over 4000 metres which gives you access into Italy.  In other words, you know where to go for lunch!

Taken from the top of the highest gondola you're looking down towards Italy.  We had a brilliant lunch sitting on the patio of the building you can see below

The view of the Matterhorn is not the most popular angle.  If you ski straight forward from here you can ski a glacier almost all of the way down

We spent the remaining 3 days exploring the entire ski resort.  Given this was our first outing into the Swiss Alps, here are a few things that we learned.  Apres ski is a culture and can start quite early in the afternoon.  The social life in Zermatt is next to none in Switzerland.  Dining on the mountains in Switzerland is no more expensive than dining anywhere in Switzerland.  It is so nice to not feel ripped off because you're at a ski resort.  Unlike in Canada, it is not uncommon to be able to eat your lunch outside on a patio year round in Switzerland.  Always wear sunscreen!  After skiing for a day without it I looked like the only person to have personally watched Switzerland's first atomic bomb blast with only the protection of my ski goggles.  It was disgusting!

We returned to Zermatt in March 2009 with a few additional friends to show them the skiing gem that we had discovered.  I'm happy to say that there will be many more expat skiing adventures to Zermatt in the future.  We have a trekking trip scheduled to Zermatt in September 2011 so be sure to check back to read all about it.

UNESCO world heritage site....Right here in Switzerland!

Once you've lived in a country for a while, it becomes easy to be complacent.  You think you know everything that that country has to offer.  Well, our trip to Bettmeralp in September 2009 was a stark reminder that Swtizerland has something special to offer on every turn.  I can honestly say that each time I head to the mountains in Switzerland I'm surprised and amazed by something completely unexpected!  Bettmeralp was certainly no exception to this.

Bettmeralp is only a short three and a half hour drive from Basel.  It takes longer than you'd think because you have to wait to board a train ferry that takes you through the mountains.  It's kind of surreal to drive your car onto a train, sit there while traveling through a mountain and drive off on the other side.  Crazy!  The GF had booked us some accommodation in the town of Bettmeralp so we could get in two solid days of trekking before our trip to Nepal.  Apart from that, we had no idea what to expect.

The first day we set out to see the "glacier" that everybody was talking about.  The owner/operator of our hotel showed us a great trek up that would allow us to walk along side the glacier.  Off we went.  To our surprise, as we rounded a corner, there was a beautiful trail of ice snaking it's way down the valley. 

Fortunately the clouds began to part as we stopped to get some photos of what we thought was the Aletsch glacier.

It was impressive and disheartening to see how much of the glacier has disappeared as evidenced by the markings on the valley wall.  A hiking trail can be seen to the bottom left of this photo

After a few photos we moved on thrilled at what we'd seen but slightly less than impressed based on the stories and descriptions that we'd heard.  We were thrilled to learn, by way of stumbling upon it,  that the Aletsch glacier, one of the most spectacular glaciers that I've seen, was still to come.  It descends down the back from Jungfrau and snakes it's way to the valley.  From here you get and amazing view of the entire thing.

The actual Aletsch glacier is spectacular.  To help put it in perspective, look at the man standing in front of the glacial ice

On day two, feeling slightly more adventurous, we'd heard that there was a higher trail that could be taken to get a more panoramic view of the glacier.  Now, in Switzerland all of the hiking trails are well marked with red and white signs.  This trail, for whatever reason, was marked with blue and white signs which we soon learned meant "alpine" trekking route (insert "extreme" instead of "alpine")  

I now have a full appreciation for the difference between red and white and blue and white markings.  What you can't see from this photo is that to the left is a cliff that drops down approximately 150 vertical metres.  Intense!

After what was some of the most intense climbing (especially for a guy terrified of heights) we got to the top.  The trip was worth it.  The views were spectacular from above.  It added an entirely different perspective to the entire valley.

It was all worth it.  The glacier stretches as far as you can see to it's source on the top of Jungfrau.  You can also see the type of trekking we were doing by the path stretching off to the right

I figured it was only appropriate to get the blue and white trail marking in a photo to remind myself of what we'd gone through to get here.  Was absolutely stunning though!

After two days of trekking in Bettmeralp, I do believe seeing the Aletsh glacier is a must do for anybody visiting Switzerland.  It is one of the most impressive glaciers that I have seen to date and so easily accessible.  Not to mention the hiking is some of the most exciting that I've experienced in Switzerland.  Fortunately, it's another great addition to our expat adventures from Switzerland!  

Trekking the Annapurna Trail - Nepal, Nov 2009

In November of 2009, the GF and I set off to meet my mother in Kathmandu.  The idea was to spend the next month trekking around the Annapurna mountain range.  We had booked the first two night's accommodation in Kathmandu but the rest of the trip was a blank slate.  I had exchanged emails with a guide who had agreed to take us on the trip.  What was incredible about this itinerary was that besides knowing where we were starting and where we planned to end, we didn't really know what lay in between.  As it turned out, the next 3 weeks of trekking will likely be the best of my life.

We did have a few days to spend in Kathmandu to secure permits, find enough cash to pay for the trip and take in the local sites.  Kathmandu is an enchanting place!  The streets are alive with constant activity, clogged with every possible mode of transportation and infused with scents and sounds (sometimes rather unpleasant).  We visited all of the traveller recommended sites: Monkey Temple, Bodhnath Supa, Durbar Square and Pashupatinath.  We took taxis everywhere because by bargaining ruthlessly its is actually quite an inexpensive means of travel.

This photo is taken from Monkey Temple overviewing the Kathmandu valley

Bodhnath is on the largest Supas in Nepal.  We watch men stand at the top and pour buckets of water and Saffron around the dome making the yellow curves that you see here

The streets of Kathmandu are amazing.  I was astonished with how efficiently people were able to move about when on the surface it looks like absolute chaos.  

After a few days in the city, it was time to hit the trail.  It is impossible to summarize the entire trip with a few photos and some accompanying commentary.  What is fair to say is that the trek around the Annapurna mountain range offers you a glimpse into the many cultures, climates, geography and mountain scenery that allured me to Nepal in the first place.  We did discuss whether securing a guide was necessary.  The answer is "no".  The Annapurna trail is well marked and well travelled so it's easy to navigate your way around.  That said, the guide did provide tremendous value by educating us about the fauna, flora, politics, school system, and provided an insight into Nepalese life.  He also had a number of friendships established along the route which offered us experiences that we wouldn't have otherwise had.  We learned how to make momos in a tea house kitchen, sampled butter tea in a private residence, toured a monastery and hiked sections of the trail that otherwise we would have avoided but he insisted we would be fine.  His service was invaluable in ways far more enriching then just simply "guiding" us along the trail.

The beginning of the trail was so green and lush.  It was completely different from what I had expected.  There wasn't a snowy mountain peak to be seen.

As you begin the trip, the first few days are spent walking up (and up, and up!)  Without question, they were the hardest of the trip largely because we were walking ourselves into shape, adjusting to the routine and the upward climb was quite relentless.  At the beginning I was amazed that there were no mountain peaks in view?  The landscape was instead dominated by rice patties and terraced mountainsides.  The weather was HOT.  We stopped each evening at the next tea house for warm dinner and a bed (i won't describe these any further because they varied widely).

Along the way we faced our fair share of uncomfortable situations.  This one resulted from some blasting that was being done for the new road.  Crossing this make shift bridge was pretty intense especially as we all watched one of our porters lose his footing and almost fall through

For the first 12 days of the trip, we were walking up a river valley that eventually ended at the Thorung La pass.  Psychologically, this is the actual destination of the trip because once through the pass, we were essentially walking downhill for the rest of the journey (not actually true but that's how it felt).  On the journey to Thorung La, I had more breath taking views and memorable experiences to last a lifetime.  I will say, if anybody is reading this before traveling, you MUST take the high route to Menang.  It's an extra 1 hour up hill but it offers some of the best mountain views on the entire trip!

One of the awesome views of the Annapurna 1 the 8th highest of the mountain in the word.  Remember, when this photo was taken we were already at approx 3200 meters above sea level.  There's still along way up to go before standing on that summit.

This photo is taken from the high route to Menang.  We have been walking up this valley for the last few days

This was one of the many breath taking views that we had along the high route into Menang.  In my opinion it is a simply must do.

Along the way we did two extra side treks to help with acclimatization.  The first was to lake Gangapurna from Menang.  The second was to Tilicho Lake from Menang.  The trek to Tilicho Lake is spectacular.  The guidebooks say it is very dangerous etc...that was not our experience and although my ascent to the lake was useless because the weather came in an I couldn't see squat, I'd do it all again because of the trek in and out of base camp.

Lake Gangapurna was one of the side treks that I took from Menang to help acclimatize.  Unlike most people, because we were trekking to Lake Tilicho we didn't need to spend an extra night in Menang.  I also have a photo of me standing on the top of clift to the left of this photo.  Awesome! 

This is a photo of Menang taken from Lake Gangapurna.  The landscape is so barren and desolate.  Gone are the rice patties, lush terracing and trees!

Our journey through Thorong La pass started at 2 am.  We woke up and had a quick bowl of hearty soup, turned on our head lamps, bundled up and set out (up).  It was a surreal moment to be standing outside the lower base camp, looking up into blackness and watching little lights snaking their way of the mountain ahead of us.  We were to climb from 4300m to 4900m before sun up.  We then needed to make the remaining ascent to 5416m before noon or else the weather would likely come in forcing us back (not our preferred option).

Taking some time to take in the scenery after sun rise.  It's incredible the difference in temperature at this altitude when the sun is out and hiding between clouds.  I cursed the clouds on a number of occasions.  This photo was taken approx 100 vertical meters below the pass.  

Two things happened to me that day.  The first was an incredible feeling of being alive.  Out there, on your own, with only the sound of crunching snow under your boots and your labour breathing, I was overcome with a sense of profound meaning and happiness that I've not experienced any other time in my life.  It was a feeling I hope to have again but will certainly never forget.  The second was equally as powerful.  They say that the journey is more important than the destination.  I have to agree but reaching the destination brought a flood of emotions that I could never have anticipated.  I was overcome with joy, with the sense of accomplishing something so few would ever have the ambition to try and I'd done it by carrying everything I needed on my back!  The tears were streaming from my eyes!

I had carried a pray flag all of the way from Kathmandu to the top of Thorung La pass which I attached to the others.  That is the most genuine smile I've every seen on myself

You can't have a posting about Nepal without a few prayer flags.  This was taken at the pass 5416 meters above sea level.  (as a point of reference, Mt. Blanc the highest western Alp is only 4800 meters above sea level.

We only spent around 15 mins at the top before quickly setting off to climb down over 2000 vertical meters into the next valley below.  The change in scenery from the morning to the evening was possibly the most radical I have ever experienced.

The remaining 9 days were equally as dramatic but a little anti-climatic knowing that the pass was behind us.  We travelled from town to town and actually had the time (and energy) to relax and meet other trekkers.  This part of the trail had a much more party attitude with each day that we got closer to the end.  We ate fresh apple pie in Marpha, we soaked and drank beer (the first of the trip) in natural hot springs in Tatopani, we climbed to Poon Hill (Gorepani) to watch the sun rise over Dhaulagiri (the 7th highest mountain in the world), we dressed up in Nepalese traditional clothing, we had an impromptu dance party with DJ Bollywood, we descended through rain forest and eventually we arrived at the end and boarded a bus for Pokhara.  The last 2 days of the trip offered some of the most beautiful scenery as we descended through fruit plantations and terraced mountain sides and this was a last minute addition.

One of the Annapurna moutains in the background.  We followed this river down from  Kegbeni (an absolutely MUST do) towards the hot springs in Tatopani

We watched in the darkness as the sun gradually exposed Dhaulagiri.  Another very early ascent to climb Poon hill but well worth it

Our first night off the trail was spent in the lake side town of Pokhara.  It was nice to have a hot shower and sleep in fresh sheets instead of a sleeping bag.  We sat by the lake and enjoyed what will likely be my most memorable Coca Cola and  ice cream cone.  Magic!

The 21 days we spent on the trail experiencing this part of Nepal will be cherished forever.  With each step that we took closer to the final destination, I was acutely aware that it was one step less that we had left to experience.  Arriving at the end was bitter sweet.  It meant that we had walked further than I ever dreamed would be possible, it meant we had climbed to heights I never thought possible and it meant we were forever changed by the experience.  It also meant that we were close to returning back to "reality" a prospect that, at the time, wasn't really that attractive.  I had always dreamed of visiting Nepal and based on this trip I have no doubt that I will be going back.  After all, I still haven't touched mount Everest...Stay tuned!