A picture is worth a thousand words… right? Well unfortunately I don’t have a digital camera to speak of, so getting any pictures on this blog is an uphill battle for me. I can however offer you some “mental snapshots” of the lighter moments that I experienced during the past week’s road trip. My hope is that these little tidbits will help provide mental images or, in the case of some shots, excite a few other senses and emotions. Or they could just end up being random words and phrases that will help you get a slightly better idea of our encounters on this journey. Either way… I hope you enjoy!
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Ted’s Mental Snapshots (In no particular order…)
– The view of a large, snowy mountain peak briefly coming out of its cloud cover near Pokhara.
– The excitement of spotting a wild elephant while driving past the Royal Bardia National Park.
– Three filthy beds (which looked like the potential host for bedbugs and lice) in the only vacant room in the village of Attariya. Take in the stained walls, the swarms of bugs and the wet trash can… and you have the complete package.
– Prakash nervously watching as Devin and I figure out how to row and steer the wooden boat that we rented on the lake in Pokhara. (Prakash can’t swim.)
– Hundreds (possibly thousands) of little leeches on the opposite shore of that lake aggressively making their way toward us.
– Thousands (possibly millions) of fireflies lighting up the nearby trees like expensive Christmas decorations near a rural village.
– The realization that a Nepali song (about a man and woman having a domestic dispute) was still playing on the bus radio for the past 45 minutes. (That was one long song!)
– The mildly spicy, garlicy and tomatoey flavor of the best dhal I have ever tasted (Sorry mom… but the next time I am in the Doti district I’ll get the recipe.)
– The smell of wild flowers and fresh air through many rural and near many National Park areas.
– Being eye-level with majestic, soaring hawks as we stood on mountain ridges.
– The bittersweet feeling of returning to Kathmandu.
Posted By Ted Samuel
Posted Jul 4th, 2007
1 Comment
Melzetta Moody
July 6, 2007
I love this posting!! I can actually visualize the fireflies decorating the trees and feel the leeches’ yearn for new blood. Ted, this was an awesome and creative way to verbalize a slide show. I cannot wait to hear more. Be open yet safe. We are anxiously awaiting your return.
Mel (the prefix)