The Namaste Mountains - High Country of the Spirit

"The spirit in me honours the spirit in you"

Just being in the high mountains is an awe inspiring experience in my opinion. Besides that certain greatness and silent majesty of the high country which is experienced walking on the mountain trails of this planet, there is that background sense of being closer to the sky -- closer to the Cosmic environment.
The Nepalse Himalayan Range

Few vistas can compare to the breathtaking scenes on the trails to the west and the east of the Nepalese Himalayan Range which I had the great fortune to visit in the last months of 1976 and the early months of 1977.

Many were the local mountain folk --- the Sherpas and the local farmers, the many Tibetan refugees and the occassional tourist. Almost without exception they all shared in passing this one simple greeting

" Namaste ", which is roughly to be translated as:
" The Spirit in me Honors the Spirit in you "

Each planetary region has its colloquial greeting, and in the high country of the Himalayan Ranges, that simple greeting is "Namaste".


Western Regions - Everest [Sagamatha]

There are few roads in the western regions, and none west of Lomusangu. The track to the Everest region runs from Lomusangu across a number of south running spur ranges, each involving a steep descent to the river and another steep climb to the upper pass. It took me nine days to get out to Namche Bazaar, near the foot of Sagamatha (the Nepalese name for Mt. Everest) and six days to treck back.

The ridges of these spur ranges can be 40 miles apart as the crow flies, but separated by a steep river canyon, often spanned at some point by a sturdy bridges. Edmond Hillary was responsible for the construction of many bridges in the western region, and for the construction of many schools. Some of the bridges saved many days walking. Many people however prefer to fly into Lucla, just below Namche, and saved themselves the week's walk.

While resting once by the trail I recall seeing the passage of a light plane covering a distance in a few minutes that had taken me three days to traverse.


Candles for the Monasteries

When setting out from Katmandu I had decided to get a plain heshan sack from the markets, to carry a spare pair of thongs, a coat and a dozen boxes of candles. I bought and carried the candles in order to visit each of the monasteries near the overland treck, and to check the interior of these monasteries. This routine task proved quite rewarding, and I visited many monasteries along the track and left a packet of candles at or near their altar. It may have been a poor excuse to pay homage to Buddha, but in those days, I did not know too much about him, or myself.


Eastern Regions - Annapurna

To the eastern region of Nepal range the Annapurnas, and a great variety of trecking trails which are generally far less arduous than those in the west.



The scenery is equally breathtaking in all directions, but many of the popular paths in the west are far less demanding, while those of the east - to Everest - have to cross a large number of spur ranges.