November 10th, 2009

I walk out of home at around 8:10 am. The weather is a little foggy. It’s mighty windy on the motorbike. Our flight to Lukla is scheduled at 9:00 am. At the airport gate I spot Sunil dai, Khasing and Rajandai. ‘Y’s not around. ‘ We walk up to the domestic flight section and I finally spot her.’Hey! I was thinking who was this japanese?’. She comes running towards me and gives me a hug.Mama is grinning.He recharges my phone and bids me good bye. We walk into the waiting lobby. Our bags are weighted and security checked and then begins the waiting…

There are hundreds of individuals waiting eagerly for their flights. Most of them are tourists heading to lukla, bharatpur or pokhara. Theirs a guy on the far corner scribbling on his lokta paper diary.An over weight couple have been making rounds around the lobby since we arrived and can’t get their hands off each other. Besides this, the scenario is fairly interesting.

Our flight is delayed and we finally get on the plane at 10:45 a.m.

about to board

There are twelve passengers on board including the two pilots and the air hostess. The plane is otherwise filled with cargo (chinese apples, noodles and other necessities).

inside the aeroplane

I enjoy the ride except for the few dangerous bumps. We land at Lukla at 11:20 a.m. It’s a wonderful feeling. The air suddenly has a misty cold feel. It’s sweetly cold.

On landing, I notice dozens of potters with their beautiful brown burnt skin swarming the exit section. There are cartoons of ‘carlsberg beer’ stacked on one side.

carlsberg stacked at Lukla airport

I am already enthralled by the rocky mountains surrounding Lukla. The view from the aeroplane has given me a preview to what I can expect.

aerial view from the aeroplane I

aerial view II

aerial view III

aerial view IV

We dine at ‘Paradise Lodge’. Our lunch menu includes rice, cabbage, dal and bottled pickles of ginger and garlic.Then we head to ‘Chaurikharka school’.Surrounded by rocky mountains, the school has a great view and a huge playground. It has already celebrated its golden jubilee.

golden jubilee gate of Mahendra Higher secondary school, Chaurikharka, Lukla

The Campaign group interacts with students of grade nine and ten and asks them to support the cause of climate change. The students are well aware about the issue and even their classroom has four posters relating to climate change. The posters display images of penguins, earth and chameleons.

students attending 'climate change' discussion

Hanging my boots

“Some experiences are life changing”-it’s a cliche. Today I say it and I mean it. I am hanging my boots but I know the memories of Khumbu will haunt me forever. The trek to ‘Everest Base camp’ was beyond my imagination. I never thought I would remember it with so much nostalgia and now that I do I realize how inspirational it was.. I will write about the thirteen day trip and more but for now I must relish in the memories of ‘Dur khema’….

P.S:Thanks to everyone who thought I would make it to Everest Base Camp and those who didn’t.

…..

I am back

Ridiculity

Yes, he’s right. He walks into the class and starts lecturing “If you live in Nepal and expect to much,it’s your fault. You are an idiot to expect international teaching standards.” I admit I am an idiot but what name can I give him? Why would a teacher ask his student to compulsorily write a letter to the editor on his article and not dare to mention the connection.

This is it….

I am eagerly waiting to watch ‘This is it’. It’s getting good reviews the world over.Larry King had nice things to say about it and the BBC review was positive too. Ebert and Masand both gave it four stars. I am not sure when I will get to see it. It’s not released in Nepal yet. I hope ‘piracy’ does its trick and I get to see it soon.”This is it” I love this one liner. It’s cool,ambitious and very MJ.What say?

In Rumis name

I belong not to this world, not to that
I struggle and stumble
I seek and yet I do not find
I now forget what I seek…
I tempt myself with what I see
I do not search and I do not sense
I now forget what I seek…

Love my friend, is a dangerous thing.

Wake up Sid

Wake up Sid
Direction:Ayan Mukherjee
Rating:***
Jo barse sapne boode boode
naino ko moode moode
kaise me chalu
dekna na saku
anjane rastein…
Finally I did watch Ranbir and Konkona. I would love to write about it but at the moment it’s 12:55 a.m, my back is aching, my eyes are sore and I lost a edited version of a file I have been working for the past three hours.Somebody help me!

Yupiee I did find it. I am tired and all I can remember is Ranbir kapoor.I am too tired to write. I will tomorrow. For now, good nite

Now, I am back. Well, this is not a conventional review and it’s more about me and less about the movie.More than six months ago I remember going to a site and reading about a new movie starring Konkona and Ranbir. I did comment and even left my e-mail address.

Promises:III

I will

Thousands of miles as a crow flies
Millions of years as time glides by
I will wait
And if I must,I will come your way
I will not forsake you
I will not promise and keep you waiting
I say this not to make you happy
I say this for myself
I say it to show you a mirror
I say it to prove why you can never be me
I am impassive
I am solemn
I am silent
I am a bird in a cage
I do not belong to the skies
I do not live by nature
I live by myself
Yet in all indulgences, I do not know the magic you do
I declare I do not need them
I am not built to bask in another’s sorrow
Deep inside you must know what you do
If it is wrong, right or just
Why I perish and you do not?

Promises:II

By the setting sun

By the witness of this setting sun and solemn water
I take your hand not in obvious lust
Not to last until the sun sets between those faraway trees
Not until my body or yours reigns this earthly retreat
Beyond the expanding waters before us, that one day reaches the sea
Beyond the skies that holds the divine spark of this sunset
I hold your hand with my body and soul
I do not fear and I do not worry
As I now promise, you must know I will live by it
I will not deceive and I will not forget