March 31, 2001 Woke up 3 AM and read some of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, my novel for this hike. Insight into human behavior astounding. Got well blitzed on sour millet beer (Chang) last night in the company of the Aussie lassies we met on the hike. I enjoysed talking to them a bit but got the impression that they are very conservative, focused on only material stuff and marriage etc. (not so interesting to talk to). Went wild and ate a tiny plate of pork masala. Back in Chicago I thought masala was a specific dish but know I realize it is any mix of spices in the Subcontinent and its Himal. Shane and Heather had a proper spat as we left today. I did hang back on the trail and appreciate the fresh roasted corn meal being ground by a hydro mill, so sweet and nutty - bought a bag for 12 cents when I found the lady down the hill it belonged to. Heather hired a porter to Tal and we made good time - passed several giant waterfalls on the wey and I almost missed the last one while singing along to Morcheeba on the walkman.

Tal April Fools Day Morning. Arrived here after a solid uphill from Chamje yesterday at 1 PM. Ate bargain Dal Bhat at 1.10 $US (prices are way higher in the park than back in Kathmandu and this was cheaper than the mandated $2 minimum) at a house filled with seven lamas praying upstairs. Tasty Tarkari adn Heather and Shane had some heavy doorstopper cornbread. Be entering Tal it seems to me that we have entered Tibetan culture territory. Yesterday PM as Heather tried to nap Shane and I went out back to the wide flat playing feild behind the guesthouse and enjoyed the encircling grandeur as we kicked around a rolled-up sockball with two rambunctious boys that played a funny version of rock, sissors, papers with us to determine teams. The three hand positions are "peace sign", "index finger pointing from a fist" and "flat open hand, fingers together." What beats what I'm not sure. A good volleyball game started up but to good for us so we walked to near the small waterfall (thin but tall) at one end of the flat, sat, looked at the snow mountain view and talked about how our families support us on the trip or not. It sounds like Shane's family is extremely supportive with his dad putting pins on a world map and his mom emailing him city facts from a National Geographic world data disk she bought. I told him how in just an hour he and Heather have asked me more about my travels than my whole family did druing the entire month I was home. Apart from Mrs. Goerth (who did not get to grill me properly since my parents came over with me to her house and she is a person who strives for group harmony first and formost) no one seemed interested. I guessed that this was for one of the following reasons: 1) I talk too much anyway and they figure I'd tell them more than they would want to know anyway without any encouragement. 2) They are not interested, can't relate etc. 3) They don't approve of what I am doing and don't want to encourage me by seeming interested. That is why I have the web page! At least I can imagine that people are interested and following my progress from afar. Deep in such talk Heather appeared from accross the stream running off the waterfall beckoning to Shane emphatically. We called after her as Shane struggled to quickly re-tie his boots and ran after her but she stormed off. Shane and her went to reconcile at the hotel and I lingered in the dining room of another hotel nearer to the waterfall talking to the tedious Aussie girls. Today is a gorgeous clear morning and the mountains are showing themselves. Shane and Heather are tranquil and we decided to do a silent walking observation excercise for the first hour of the hike today. Next Entry