Theme: Being a Villager for a Day
Hiking Route: Kathmandu-Jiri-ThuloPatal
Day: June 21, 2008, Saturday – June 22, 2008 Sunday
Hike Coordinator: Lava Kafle
Participants: AashishK, AbisheshJ, BasuD, LavaK, MaheshR, MaheshS, ManojR, NirajS, PrajwalS, PramodR, RajendraB, SanjeetB and ShankarU
Photos: ManojR/AbisheshJ/BasuD/ShankarU/PramodR/LavaK
Caption: AbisheshJ/PramodR/BasuD
Report: MahesR, AashisK, PrajwalS and ShankarU
Creative Support: Dijup/Dhilung/Pallavi
DAY 1
Escape from Kathmandu Valley
Unfortunately, it was the day of strike in Kathmandu valley. With a small discussions with the protestors at Koteshwor, we headed towards Bhaktapur and then Jagati so as to make a narrow escape.
Vehicle Tour to Charikot
It was nothing less than a good tour on the office vehicle. We had the advantage of both hiking and tour in a single package towards. We were all equally excited and curious about reaching the destination. Some jokes and gossips on the way, enjoying the nature and taking wonderful snapshots of the beautiful and natural views of mountains, rivers, streams, we reached Charikot, the district headquarter of Dolakha.
Dolakha, Bhimeswor and Charikot
Charikot a town situated on top of a hill and surrounded by mountains is one of the most wonderful places in Nepal. With little rest, we went to the famous ‘Dolakha Bhimeshwor’ temple. Legend has it that the idol perspires as a warning of a possible disaster in the country.
Charikot to Jiri
We continued our journey towards Jiri crossing beautiful Tamakoshi River, small Maina Pokhari village and savoring the greenery on the highway. Finally, we reached ‘JIRI’ at about 7:00 PM. With little rest and some tea, we decided to start our hike from Khawa. Among 13 hikers, only 9 decided to go to Thulo Patal as it was already getting dark and rest planned to stay at Jiri and hike to the School, paper factory, monastery and cheese factory the next day.
Night Hiking
As compared to previous hiking at D2, this one was completely unusual as the real hike started from 8:00 PM (hiking under night sky). Added, we forgot to take the dry foods that we had bought earlier. After buying small torches for each of us so as to kill the dark and help ourselves to walk in night, we moved ahead towards our real destination ‘THULOPATAL’ to be a one day villager. The supposed half an hour hike did not end even in an hour. All of us started to wonder if THULOPATAL existed at all. “Are we on the right trail? If yes, how far is the destination?” These questions started haunting us. The lights were getting dimmer and the night was getting deeper. Then to our relief, we reached a place called ‘Lahare Mane’ at 9:15 PM. There we came to came to know ThuloPatal was still far far away. Having tea and a little discussion with the local villagers over there, we again decided to continue our hiking over the night sky. ‘JUKA VOKA CHAN’ (leeches are hungry) was the phrase used by villager to lure us to stay in his hotel. But, we had to reach our Dhurba dai’s ghar at ThuloPatal, so we had no choice but to move on.
The Rescuer ‘Tilak Bahadur Tamang’
Moments later we came to know that we actually were to reach DandaKharka, situated in remote hills of ThuloPatal VDC. Our previous assumption of half an hour hike was then a big blow to all of us.
As the clock was ticking towards midnight and most of the people were sleeping in their cozy bed, nine of us were wandering in the forest seeking the right direction towards DandaKharka. We didn’t know we were heading towards the wrong direction until we heard someone cough nearby. Luckily, the man replied to our shouts and decided to join us.
Dhurba
Finally, we reached Dhurba’s house under guidance of Tilak Bahadur. But to our dismay, we came to know that there were many persons named Dhurba in that VDC and the Dhurba we were referring lived at about half an hour’s walk from there. We had no option, but to walk. Everyone was quiet on the outside and equally furious from the inside. Tilak was a great motivator. After 5 hours and 30 minutes of continuous hike over slippery and dangerous jungle trail we reached our destination at 1:30 am (the house of Dhurba Kafle). Dhruba was a cheerful person and he couldn’t believe we had made it to his house under such conditions. We enjoyed the dinner on the top of his house (Buigal) and discussing the earlier events, we then went to deep sleep.
DAY 2
Warming up
We had to wake up early in the morning as the village life had already started. We had no idea where we were, and it was a surprise to look outside and find ourselves in the middle of a cliff. Dhruba’s family members were nice to us and served morning tea to us. It was already getting hotter, and we had a big day ahead. Four hours of hiking lay ahead, so we gathered our belongings and bidding goodbye to Dhruba, we decided to return back to JIRI following alternative descending trail at 8:00 am.
Devi’s house
The journey back was rather interesting. We met different people on the way and shared wonderful experiences with them. One of them was Devi. We reached her house on the way for information on the actual way to JIRI. She served us plums (aalu bokhara).One of us took her photos as if she were modeling. Another one talked to her and he came to know that she was not married yet.
Fulfillment of the theme of the Hiking
We met farmers busy in their fields.. As fulfillment of the theme ’Being a one day villager’, we decided to help them in their work. It was good to give a helping hand to an old lady. We took her photo along with her son and promised to send it to her. We left the village back and continued with the descent. As we were already hungry and no signs of any shops or hotels were to be seen nearby, we asked a young boy named GAMBU BIKA to prepare some food for us. He boiled some potatoes, and provided us wheat, maize and some plums. We thanked the boy and moved forward.
On the Way
We had already been hiking for five hours, and Jiri was still a distant dream for us. Then suddenly it rained. As we waited patiently for the rain to stop, we realized we weren’t going to make it to JIRI if we were to keep waiting. We bought an umbrella from a man who was returning to his home. Then, another man gave us his umbrella on the condition of returning it back to him by dropping it in his friend’s shop in Jiri-encouragement for hiking in the heavy rain.
Get Together
As some of us had hiked faster and some were lagging behind, the hikers reaching JIRI first had to wait. People who stayed at JIRI reached Hat Bazaar at 5:00 PM and finally, all of us were altogether. We decided to journey back to Kathmandu and it was 12:30 am Monday when we reached Kathmandu.
Start Slide Show 
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| 01 Capital`s crippling life |
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| 02 Break, Leak, Smoke, Breathe Time |
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| 03 Waiting for breakfast at Zero Kilo |
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| 04 Silent Road (Noisy Van) to Nowhere |
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| 05 BLSB Time (Part 2) |
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| 06 Sub hiking at Mudhe |
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| 07 Messing with local children |
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| 08 Feeling shy |
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| 09 Helping family |
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| 10 RajendraB sharing the Load |
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| 11 Smile My Little Sunshine |
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| 12 Mudhe Bazzar |
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| 13 Great Sky |
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| 14 NirajS (Read the T shirts) |
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| 15 Culmination point of Araniko Highway |
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| 16 Entrance to Dolakha |
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| 17 Driving into the Clouds |
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| 18 Courageus RajendraB |
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| 19 Frozen in time |
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| 20 Free Flow (Charange Any Time) |
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| 21 Stairway to Dolakha Bhimsen |
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| 22 Dolakha Bhimsen |
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| 23 English speaking Sadhu |
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| 24 Sacrificing rate @ Dolakha Bhimsen Temple |
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| 25 Riding the Bull |
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| 26 Together with Dolakha Bhimsen |
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| 27 Bird`s eye view of Tamakoshi from Peepalbot |
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| 28 On the Tamakoshi Bridge |
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| 29 Swollen Tamakoshi |
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| 30 Funtime at Tamakoshi |
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| 31 Scaffolds… |
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| 32 Sunbathing on one sunny afternoon |
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| 33 Tamakoshi Bridge Links Charikot to Jiri |
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| 34 Waiting for the tide |
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| 35 Pensive |
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| 36 SanjeetB and ManojR |
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| 37 Lunch at Tamakoshi |
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| 38 Serene Khawa |
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| 39 Drunken Master…Disaster!!! |
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| 40 Jiri or Zurich! |
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| 41 Jiri Bazaar, finally |
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| 42 Happy to hike at night |
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| 43 Midnight Harsh |
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| 44 Being lost and yet happy (Spot the Tiger in the background) |
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| 45 Ke ho yo |
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| 46 Typical shop at Laharemane |
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| 47 Traiditional kitchen at Laharemane |
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| 48 Rare hotel on the way to Danda Kharka |
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| 49 2AM and eyes wide open |
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| 50 Good morning |
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| 51 Tea time |
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| 52 Still moment at Dhruba Kafle`s house |
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| 53 (L to R) Sanjeet, Manoj, Dhruba Kafle (House owner), Tilak Tamang (Rescuer) |
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| 54 Bajai |
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| 55 Farewell |
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| 56 Second day`s hike began @ 8 am |
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| 57 Lost in the mist |
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| 58 ShankarS the Forester |
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| 59 Come on Guys! |
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| 60 A little rest |
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| 61 Enjoying Devi Sunuwar`s hospitality |
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| 62 Passing across villages |
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| 63 Waiting for fellow hikers |
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| 64 The dawn mist glowing, the water flowing, the endless river, forever and ever |
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| 65 Lava the Leader |
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| 66 They helped us |
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| 67 Go this way .. and left … and right… |
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| 68 …and up |
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| 69 ShankarS and ManojR |
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| 70 Wait a sec … Let me take a nap first |
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| 71 A march for Haat Danda |
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| 72 Long way to go |
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| 73 Do we have time to step down |
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| 74 Trying hard |
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| 75 Did I get it right.. |
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| 76 Going easy |
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| 77 Helping hands |
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| 78 Two Maheshes MaheshS and MaheshR |
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| 79 Gambu`s small shop |
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| 80 Gambu`s hospitality |
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| 81 Solely from Gambu I |
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| 82 Solely from Gambu II |
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| 83 Gambu (on white shirt) saved us with filled belly |
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| 84 Towards Sikri |
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| 85 Just sown |
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| 86 Signs |
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| 87 Khimti River |
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| 88 Dragonfly |
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| 89 Busy day |
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| 90 Rain !! Does not matter |
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| 91 Villagers with traditional umbrella (Ghoom) |
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| 92 Good bye Sikri!!! |
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| 93 Final push to Haat Danda |
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| 94 Jiri Bazaar |
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| 95 Sidelined |
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| 96 AashishK and NirajS distribute notebooks and pencils to local kids in Jiri |
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| 97 They want more |
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| 98 There you go |
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| 99 Clearing marks off the yak cheese |
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| 100 Nepali paper in production |
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| 101 The paper engineer |
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| 102 Morning lesson |
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| 103 Jhandaa |
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| 104 Stupa @ Cherdung |
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| 105 The bespectacled warrior |
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| 106 The lookout |
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| 107 The journeymen |
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| 108 Tired journeymen |
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| 109 Once an airport, now a meadow |
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| 110 Reflection on a stagnent water |
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| 111 Not enough rapids |
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| 112 Lodges @Jiri Bazaar |
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| 113 V Veteran (Mr. Man Bahadur Jirel, High Altitude Porter. 40 times to Everest Base camp) |
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| 114 Evening mist over Tamakoshi river |
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| 115 The End |
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Start Slide Show
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(8 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
Posted by Administrator in Featured, Photo Blog on June 26th, 2008 |
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June 26th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Hiker, was lava a leader?? After 2 Full can anyone be a leader.. Dolakha bhimsen saved d2 guys live!!
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Hiker, was lava a leader?? After 2 Full can anyone be a leader.. Dolakha bhimsen saved d2 guys life!!
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Really missed this one
pic 17, 18, 19, 20, 111, 116, 109, 106 and 104 are so nice ..
hatts off to the photographer
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June 26th, 2008 at 8:30 am
106 The lookout
wo
w!
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June 26th, 2008 at 8:31 am
110 Reflection on a stagnent water
another one
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June 26th, 2008 at 8:40 am
“106 The lookout” an awesome shot!
“64 The dawn mist glowing, the water flowing, the endless river, forever and ever” an awesome caption!!
Caption for 109
The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
“19 Frozen in time” and “20 Free Flow (Charange Any Time)” - I can see the time!
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Thanks to Tilak & Dhruba. Also for a leader for choosing such a wonderful rout but lots of …. Things happen on this hike
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
sir how many cup of tea u drink on the way??
i hope u had really good time.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
wonderful shots 15 - 20
i liked the capture of the traditional kitchen in 47 too…
cheers!!
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
its really frozen…what a nice shot !!!
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Photo 65, actually forget about 2 cans. there was no water too when we were walking a river stream or tap available only after one hour and we carried no mineral water bottles to trust our stamina. we had empty bottle though which would serve nine of us for another one hour of heavy sweating. I will give you 10 cans if you can make that trip.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Pic 65, it was morning without water anything that cramped our legs, forget about Cans. I just had flown the idea that we will have iced 100 cans to keep us alive, but nothing was there, dear. You must have heard rumours friend.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
where is devi’s modeling pics????????????/
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Hats of to the hiker who completed the tough one…..Photos are too good….# 17 is the best one !!!
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Arun, pakha timlaai, testo kura ni thha paaune, maane yaar.
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Dhilung, thanks for the beautiful capture of the perfect Pics with your creative poem. We got the essence of what we are doing: http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2008/06/27/SoftPower/14980
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Hiking was really tough and of course exciting… I do not have words to express all those incidents that happened in the hiking.
I heard there is god always for you to help in difficult times. I believed this time. Tilak, a villager we met on the way when we already lost the way and traveling through the jungle was incarnation of god. I wonder where we could left if we did not meet him and followed the Lava, the coordinator’s way to go through the jungle.
Jiri is really a beautiful place to visit. I wish I can make a trip to Jiri once again without night hike.
Another interesting part of this hiking was the villagers we met on they way. We even did not have drinking water with us but the generous people welcomed with fruits like plums, water, maize, wheat and potato.
I can’t forget the old man of the thula patla saying “Juka Bhoka Chhan!” ( i.e. leeches are hungry) and you can not make the trip to Dhrubas house.
Next time onwards I request hikers not to take such risk and start hiking after 8.00 PM. You can not be lucky every time.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
New Dream: A summer Hut at Jiri.
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Hey hiker!! contact photographer if you want to see the Devi’s photos.
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Hi everyone Nice to see the beautiful pictures but it was not same as it seems to be.
You know our coordinator drank 2 full of Wiskey and forced us to hike at night.
He cried like a kid when we denied to hike at night threatened us to go alone if we deny hiking.
We were compelled to hike with him as we could not allow drunk coordinator hike alone at night in the jungle and steep trails.
By the grace of Dolkha Bhimsen who sent an angel to save us , we are still alive today.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
you made me remember all my past journey to jiri..!! thanks. good one.
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June 26th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Xeric my friend thanks
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June 26th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Mahesh, out of 9 8 people could let me go alone, who forced you to go. It was your own will power, passion and interest to do something adventurous.
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June 26th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Hike_Victim, you must have seen me drinking all the time, thanks for that effort. i cried and wept before you to persuade you to go with me. HAHAHHA, you can say anything you like. Blog sites are for such Writings like by Picture 65. Even your father mother cannot force ytou to do anything, what alone man can do before other 8? so talking is what uncovers our reality in blog . Write other comments too.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
I knew you all have been planning to this comment all the time, and thanks a lot Hike_Victim
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June 26th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I have never seen a coordinator whining like that before. Too much drink made him baby for that night. Coordinator should be banned drinking from morning to the evening during next hike. Its horrible Lava!! Why you could be such irresponsible. You know, Thakur dai made you coordinator thinking you have some sort of responsibility from inside despite your past at D2. It was self coordinated hiking.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
hi lava, they hate you because you were the coordinator.you showed such great teamwork and the chance for such beautiful photogrpahs and the story that the members started being jealous of you, no problem. Shame on them. i am on your side although you denied me hiking request. If I were there, i would never write that comment to you even if I broke my leg.
It looks that Mahesh is most indecent commenter here than the Hike_Victim. Lava, you are s… not being able to fight their comments.
You cannot defend.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Seems the D2ians were tourist in a village rather than “being a villager”…Nevertheless, the pictures are amazing.. Thanks for the gre8 pictures and congrats for completing the tough hike
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
K ho Leader.. 2 full of Wiskey… bichara followers, ek ghut pani payena holan….
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
jhaap, you are superb, nice say , i have ssen you many times in EverestUncensored, thanks, Keep on.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Seems like a hell great experience. The experience of life time. Great guys. It must have taught a great deal of life and the way of looking at it.
Cheers to all of you.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
coordinater made the trip only with 2 full, anyone other than lava needs 10 full to take such risk!!.. lava the great!!!
do we have prize for worst coordinator too??????
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Mahesh who is the photograhpher? I will contact him.
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
This hiking’s coordinator is 100% focussed to 50,000 bucks and 0% to fun + teams’ liking. Should such coordinator be encouraged?
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
aba kaile jane ta ZIRI Mahesh dai??????????//
Tapai ra ma ta janai paryo.Hoina ra?
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Worst f….. coordinator!!!. I am anti jhaap who did not drink but hiked, so Jhaap and Jhaapfan and Jhaapsfan are all wrong. On second day trip too, the coordinator and prajwal shrestha reached before us. we have to agree on that. these two did not drink else could not have hiked past the great last mountain to jiri haat bazzar. On first day we can blame hike cocordinator up to 100 drinks, no problem. I hate him personally too. On second day, there was no way he could drink a drop. We have lost credibility, mahesh, hike_victim, another_victim, be responsible, Why did not you people throw him down the cliff if you awere writing such abuses now? whose father compelled you? Damnyou and the coordinator lava for being coordinator. Dear lava, you cannot be coordinator because we people hate you from their blood.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
These great pictures must be taken by Abhishesh Joshi. If there were no such great captures I would have ranked this hike 53rd in a year.
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
pic 42 shows same mahesh smiling who scolded so much in many names above,hypocrite!!
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Another Hiker, keep your internal company maaters with you, damn f…. corrdinator, you still allow such internal corporate things out, shame on you.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Its not about love and hating the coordinator i was trying to talk about responsibility of being a coordinator.
is it justifiable for a team captain to be drunk and have to be taken care by team mates instead of leading a team and risking team member’s safety.
Is that quality of good captain ????
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Well, Administrator, can you please remove comments of Another Hiker or ask him to moderate it as it violates Non-Disclaimer Policy and release our internal matter in blog site.
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
I agree with hike_victim. His hike coordinator had asked him to relax in hotel. What compelled him to go? I also agree with him that his coordinator drank all shots to take him at night into forest. Shame on you.
(Report comment)
June 26th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
All of them are alluring but pic 17-20 are marvelous. Great shot.
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Pic 106 is just awesome, a great momemtary capture. and hey shameon~(.v.)~, why shame on me?
(Report comment)
June 27th, 2008 at 12:09 am
Awe-inspiring tranquil snapshots, love to be frozen like “nineteenth” with young heart of “twelve” at “hundred and ten”. Thanks to those eyes that grew into the ability to see the features of objects and brought for us to look at.
Cheers to all as always!!!
(Report comment)