January 27,2000 Morning. On top of the pass above Sete at Dakchu having a tea at Maya Tamang’s with Ambir Rai (an unemployed guide I met along the way) my treat. Already walked 1.5 hard uphill hours this morning – this makes me feel great – why do I deprive myself of this positive vibration most mornings by hesitating to hit the trail? I sit in bed and go “oh oh” and waste HOURS normally. Also, I prayed before enjoying the tea and also what a feeling! I must make this a habit also. Midday. Great morning with brutal uphill to 3600 Meters (11,880 feet) and then down after Bodha pass. My companion Ambir is great teacher of Nepali and is of the Rai ethnicity (which has its own language called Kaling-basaa). I must write him. Here is his friend’s email: guru@vishnu.ccsl.com.np (ph.416104). Very warm in this valley and beautiful drinking “dere chini” (very sugary) milk tea next to the tango (a tall bhuddist flagpole with a flag as long as the pole and only 1 foot wide), bodha (stupa), and Gomba (monastery building) at Thag Tak Bhug. A little later. Now Ambir has left me and the trail to go to his home near Salleri (another 4 hours!). I am awestruck rounding the corner and getting my first sight of Junbesi valley! This is the most beautiful stretch so far… warm and welcoming majesty. A huge rock painted with man-sized Tibetan letters in rainbow colors shines on my left as I round the bend down into the next valley.

Viola! Coming down the hill from the building you see at left (a young monk’s school) with two barking dogs chained to a cage that a young monk threw stones at to castigate, spun the prayer wheel supposed to be powered by the stream running underneath it, slipping over the wall blocked by a thorny branch, jumping down into the yard of an abandoned monastery/Bhuddist gomba, I spun the huge dented and peeling prayer wheel and leaving the temple towards the town below I see the tall, white sunbeam-covered face of mon ami Victorious Vincent and Cristophe! Turns out they had to stop due to Vincent’s blisters for a rest day. I was told that Christophe actually hiked like a champ (contrary to my prediction based on his chain smoking – he is of the mountain and that was more powerful). They said that they lost the American girls two days ago when they pushed through a rondezvous point and the French did not want to go any farther. Hmph!

Tonight upon arriving at the Junbesi valley hostal I bargained hard for 30 Rupees off a 50 Rupees shower (which turned out to be cold anyway), froze my hands washing my socks, underwear and shirt under the tap and then told the hotel staff about the bomb at Kinja. Shock. I have been telling everyone that I am Iranian now (which is true in a sense) just to be safe concerning potential hostage stuff – the Maoists are ambitious! I told my French friends to back me up on this little lie.

We are all having the Tungba hot beer tonight. This is a fermented barley washed in hot water that tastes surprisingly like vinegar a la Asturian cidra fresca. The Frecnh nun arrived about two hours after I did and talked all night with the Frenchmen about her beliefs etc. She is heading south tomorrow towards the holy cave of Halesi. She gave me some written material about the site that I will look at before bed. I would not mind going to her cave since I am not that interested in Sagarmatha park anyway and she seems like she needs companions. I don’t know how Vincent or Christophe would feel about his however. Went to bed with my clothes still wet.

January 28, 2001 Early morning and still in Junbesi. Vincent surprises me this morning by announcing a big change of plans: instead of Sagarmatha & mount Everest etc. we are all going with the Nun Sylvie to her cave 4 days walking to the south (purportedly). OK. Here are some song lyrics I want to try to remember from Arlo Guthrie as I walk: Been to wild Montana, went there in a storm My boots were texas leather, Levis wet and torn Loved it in Montana, yes, I loved it in a storm Think I’m gonna cross that river, just might be reborn. New York, New York with a 61, takin-me a city ride Somebody tall must of turned out the lights cause it got real dark outside. Refrain: And I never saw the sun till -1 but I never gave up the fight Sure was glad when I saw the dawn, Somebody, somebody turned on the light. Women, wine, and fast red cars and I couldn’t seem to read the signs. Somebody said -“who’s life is this-and I said it can’t be mine. Refrain When the world is wrong better right yourself, it’ll make the dark clouds fly Nobody tall can put out the lights -just don’t let the spirit die. If you never see the sun till -1 don’t you never give up the fight! Sure be glad when you see the dawn, Somebody, somebody turns on the light, somebody turns on the light.