Last summer's soundtrack

Way back in the summer you may remember me writing about our super summer road trip with our campervan, Betty. I often look back at my facebook photos from that month and reminisce....

One of the best things I did after that trip was ask my friends and family their favourite song so that i could make a soundtrack! What fun that was. Admittedly, I only finished it in December! But it has been played to death ever since!

So if you are interested then this is the result.

1. 'Dance or Die' - Janelle Monae. We saw her for the first time on the Glastonbury highlights at my parent's house. What sheer energy she has. And so cute!
2. 'Faster' - Janelle Monae
3. 'Tightrope' - Janelle Monae
4. Locked Inside - Janelle Monae. She played these last 4 songs consecutively with such energy.
5. 'I Need a Dollar' - Aloe Blacc. Also played at Glastonbury.
6. 'Down with the Trumpets' - Rizzlekicks. I was in the UK for a week with the kids and this was played constantly on Radio 1. They are also from Brighton so happy to support the local talent!
7. 'Pumped up Kicks' - Foster the People. Again, another one that was played so much but I never got fed up with it. Still love it!
8. 'Magic Bus' - The Who. Of course dedicated to Betty the Bay!
9. 'The A Team' - Ed Sheeran. Favourite song at the time of Bear's Special Friend from her old school.
10. 'Louder' - DJ Fresh and Sian Evans. My sister's choice. It reminded us of when we saw Kosheen at V-Festival 2002. They were just spectacular and highlight of the last great summer pre-kids!
11. 'The Lazy Song' - Bruno Mars. Mr. C's choice!
12. 'Give Me Everything' - Pitbull ft. Nero and Afro Jack. Choice of my old school best friend and her hubby. Apparently he would sing it around the house! Lucky girl!
13. 'When the Saints go Marching in' - Louis Armstrong. From The Other Mr. Mitchell. His Rugby team is Northampton, otherwise known as the Saints. When we made it to their home in Germany last summer it was a sheer relief that we made it to the furthest destination on our trip. It was just lovely, a special weekend. Anyway, many songs were played on the iPod that weekend and this was one of them! Another one was...
14. 'Inkanyezi Nezazi' - Ladysmith Black Mambazo from The Other Mrs. Mitchell. We both adored this song and it will always remind me of her.
15. 'The Fixer' - Pearl Jam. Just one of the best songs! All about men and women and how we solve things differently...how women want to talk about the problem and how men want to just fix the problem! Don't know what Eddie Vedder is talking about. ;-) Pearl Jam were played an awful lot in Betty this trip so they feature a few times!
16. 'Just Breathe' - Pearl Jam. Beautiful.
17. 'Amongst the Waves' - Pearl Jam. Uplifting.
18. 'Supersonic' - Pearl Jam. A great running song. Although I didn't go running. But if I went running this song would have been playing.
19. 'The End' - Pearl Jam. Tears every time.
20. 'Rollerblades' - Eliza Doolittle. Just cute and summery.
21. 'Skinny Genes' - Eliza Doolittle.
22. 'Pack Up' - Eliza Doolittle
23. 'Enter Sandman' - Metallica. This album was a big part of my Sixth Form life and for some reason this song was being played on the radio so often this summer!
24. 'Set Fire to The Rain' - Adele. Another radio favourite.
25. 'Red Red Rose' - Hope and Social. The first band we saw at the Deershed Festival. A great one to sing along to! And we did!
26. 'Marching on Through' - Hope and Social
27. 'You Can Call me Al' - Paul Simon. Although this features a) because the drummer of Hope and Social sang this and b) it's got Betty's name in it! ;-D
28. 'Monkey Man' - Any Winehouse
29. 'Valerie' - Amy Winehouse
30. 'Tears Dry on their Own' - Amy Winehouse. It was at the Deershed Festival that we found  out that Amy had died. Whilst I wasn't mourning her drug-induced death in the slightest, I was sad that such a great voice had gone for good. These were my three favourite songs if hers.
31. 'Last Friday Night' - Katy Perry. Admittedly this was a favourite before the summer but I heard it lots and it reminded me of being at The Duchess' house (new name for Champagne Charlie)
32. 'Delivered' - Admiral Fallow
33. 'Taste the Coast' - Admiral Fallow
34. 'Dead against Smokimg' - Admiral Fallow
35. 'Squealing Pigs' - Admiral Fallow. C-pops' favourite song to sing along to!
36. 'These Barren Years' - Admiral Fallow
37. 'Collision of Worlds' - Brad Paisley and Robbie Williams. Theme tune to Cars2. Just a brilliant afternoon in London.
38. 'Sigh no More' - Mumford & Sons
39. 'Harvest Moon - Neil Young. My Mum's lovely choice, her song of the summer.
40. This is a space for my Dad's selection....
41. 'Rolling in the Deep' - Adele
42. 'Real Gone Kid' - Deacon Blue. Played in the taxi on the way from the camper restorers to the airport. A very quiet taxi journey. :-(

Summer Trip Update - Days 38-40

Another missing UK post! The last one, I promise. No photos....as iPhoto is playing up. I will do a post after with just photos when it's sorted. (www.ilikewindows.com!)

And so it's almost the last leg of the big journey. All the major events have been attended and now we are 3 days from flying back to Oman. I could really do with another week and can't believe it'll be a year before we get to enjoy being with Betty again...we really bonded this year :-D (anyone who has classic cars will understand this....others, including some of my friends I think, consider me nutty).

We made our way south from Yorkshire round to a campsite in north Kent, near Wrotham Heath. It was one of the longer journeys and it was warm! The traffic on the M25 was it's usual...slow, and so Betty was feeling it, the kids were also roasting in the back. I had to get out at a point in the fast lane when the traffic was at a standstill and open the engine bay so she could cool down!

So the campsite was really a base so that we could get into London for the dinosaur exhibition at the 02 and to see the sites basically. C wants to go on a London bus and to see the London Eye (he thought for a while that the ferris wheel at Qurm Natural park was the London Eye when we first came to Oman...bless). It was also a chance to meet up with my baby sis (...30 this month...not so much baby sis anymore...).

We got a train to London, all part of the holiday seeing as we don't have a train system in Oman! And then it was the Tube all the way to the o2. we hadn't told the kids what we were doing, we just wanted them to see the signs. There were a few signs but they didn't really notice, I think they were just enjoying the scenery! We reminisced about the concerts we had seen here...Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam and Roger Waters (twice).

Before we went in the children had their photos taken next to a dinosaur. Woo hoo...any way, we got talking to the photographer and she was from Arizona, earning a bit of money whilst she spends her spare time songwriting. She is Ngawara Madison and I finally got around to googling her and listening to some of her work. It sounds like Country is her style, not my thing but I'll listen to it (although Islands in the Stream by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers is one of my favourite songs to sing out loud, bizarrely enough! Sssh, don't tell anyone!). So I'm going to keep checking on how she's doing. In the short time we spoke with her, she seemed a really lovely girl.

We had a great tour around the exhibition...it would have been quite disappointing without it as the animatronics weren't fabulous, I suppose it has to be quite straightforward being a temporary exhibition. The lady taking us round was great, good fun. Although she needs to check her knowledge...my 7 year old had to correct her at one point! ;-p

We had lunch at the Armadillo restaurant in the O2...the BEST burger ever. And then Baby Sis came along and got the kids all hyped up and excited, all that an Auntie should do, I guess! We thought we'd add to their ice-cream sugar rush and take them to watch Cars 2. In 3D. It was very good of course...but I fell asleep during one of the car chases. How random.

Next touristy thing to do was to take the Clipper boat along the Thames from the O2 to Waterloo (sis went her own way) and we went back to Wrotham Heath.

Next day, we were heading to Mum and Dad's and we stopped for a picnic and a flask of tea on the north downs, looking over north Kent. It's times like this that I realise we would be in the van every weekend if we were at home, but also that I do miss the UK, and we probably didn't make the most of it in the last few years. This trip has reminded me how beautiful our country is if you look beyond the news headlines.

Tonight's dinner was a takeaway with sis and her boyf. Mum and Dad joined us, it was a really relaxed and fun evening. This must be what it's like to have large family gatherings, loud and full of conversations and laughter. Although having a small family maybe makes me appreciate the times we do have, all getting together.


Oman-bound in a few days. I really will miss Britain this time.

Summer Trip Update - days 21 to 24

We made it to our furthest destination, Wildenrath in Germany, seeing our friends who had left Oman last Spring. I was over the moon that we had made it this far and anything that happnes after this point will be a bonus. Betty has got us here to see our dear friends.

We were here for the weekend and were invited to their Summer ball. Both of their families were there too and we were made to feel so welcome and relaxed. It was truly a special time, getting together with the Other Mitchells again. We left the party at the very end (4am), we got the last transport and arrived home with the dawn arriving. I haven’t done that (apart from the baby-feeding in the early hours which I remember wasn’t anywhere as much fun!) since we went to the Naval balls in Scotland in the late 90s.

I laughed, danced, talked, ate, drank, played air guitar (my husband still told me he loved me so I must have ROCKED!), sang, embarrassed myself doing the bar fly, gave myself friction burns from the bungy run, sucked in helium balloons...! I think I can say I really did relax. I think with fancy dress there's an instant air of informality.

The kids had a super time too seeing their old friend. C was so excited about seeing him, every hour he'd ask which country we were in, and whether it was Germany. I think it was good for him as it didn't register with him that they had actually left Oman...he talked about lots of us all getting sharp knives and cutting out our Oman house and moving it next to theirs in Germany. Bless... So, thank you W for entertaining them, hope you had fun too!

A wonderfully awesome weekend.

This old MG was at the end of the little lane on the way to the ice-cream parlour

Summer Trip Update - Days 17 to 21

And so it seems we are well on the road trip now! I’ve bought the kids camper t-shirts with road trip on!

Our Uckfield friends waved us off from Thriftwood campsite near Sevenoaks and we started to pootle along on the M20 heading to Dover to catch the 1200 ferry to France. I couldn’t help but start smiling, especially driving through my home county. We should start to compile a soundtrack to the holiday!

So we arrive at Dover happy as anything, plenty of time to change some money, freshen up, have a coffee, buy a magazine (I bought Q incidentally… summer highlights plus 25 year anniversary celebrations…reminiscing when Spike Milligan interviewed Van Morrison for instance, along with an album review of REM’s brilliant Life’s Rich Pageant along with interviews with Mumford and Sons and Arcade Fire…they played Hyde Park on the 30th June. :-(   (That would have rated very highly on my must-see gig list.)

I digress!

And so we hit our next hiccup with Betty, Yes, it appears it continues. I kept this quiet (this is for the benefit of my Dad!) as it would be all I could do to stop him driving to Dover to come and get us and drive the van into the Channel I think. Well, if I haven't driven her in there myself.

The bus would not start when it was time to embark. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Our resident mechanic (whom I’m thinking of asking to be my Facebook friend as we seem to spend so much time speaking with him!). He guided the Captain (who was probably cursing his inferior lack of spanner/screwdriver set-ownership at this point) on how to check the connections from the solenoid to the starter motor and how to short it to see if the engine will turn over. Engine was fine (which was the issue last year)...

...so the very nice AA man was called out. He checked the ignition barrel, it was seized, probably welded itself in place over 40 years. He showed us how to hotwire my van! We obviously missed the 1200 but made the 1400 ferry. She’s feeling a little temperamental at this stage to me (much like I am to be honest…) ... last year’s shenanigans aside.

Destination: De Lilse Bergen campsite in Belgium.

We arrived after a lovely couple of hours driving. I waited in the van in the car park and kept the engine running. I was asked to turn the engine off by a rather irate lady but I had to tell her I couldn’t as it probably wouldn’t start again. So I drive around the carpark waiting for hubby to check in. Combining the facts that he was taking ages and that I thought I was seeing engine fumes in the back, I turned off the ignition.

It wouldn’t start again.

Hotwiring = 2 sparks and nothing else except a fuming husband who couldn’t look at me for fear of throttling me I feel. Correct me if I’m wrong darling… ;-x

We were towed to a temporary spot at 2230…by a golf buggy. At least there weren’t too many people to have a double- and triple-take. Like there were at 1000 the next morning when said golf-buggy came to repeat the procedure to get us to our booked spot. I was wheeling the luggage alongside it. Oh I laughed… :-/

Anyway, long story short, we managed to start to relax…although I had a migraine…One of the super staff at the site called the garage in his town and a mechanic came out the next day. He did his magic and she was brought back to life again.

We were even brave enough to venture into the nearest town, a rather run-down Gierle. We found a supermarket and stocked up. We happened to be in the only supermarket in town and the one that didn't take visa, mastercard or the topped-up currency card from Travelex. I had to stay in the shop whilst hubby ran in the rain to the nearest ATM.

As an aside, I have never seen such a high number of cows in the fields here. But the campsite shop and the supermarket did not stock fresh milk. ????

This is a post I've avoided writing... :-(

As I've mentioned before, expat life is pretty transient, much like the Armed Forces. I'm not sure I'll get used to it....and so another string of friends and acquaintances are leaving over the next few months. I get a bit cross when I start to get to know someone and they leave! That's you, Adamson/Fitzgerald/Yelland!

But it hurts a little more when a close friend is leaving. I'm still in touch with The Other Mrs. Mitchell, who is now in Germany ... hopefully a summer visit in our campervan! Miss you, darling!

This time round, it's Domestic Goddess who's off...you gorgeous woman and friend...she leaves in June to return to the UK, at least for a few years before the next adventure whisks her and her family off. I think she has become so accustomed to expat life that she's already looking forward to the next stint! A break in fresh and green UK first and then who knows!

I remember meeting her less than a month after we had moved here. I knew I'd love it here but I still felt very isolated and nervous about living in a completely different culture. So meeting her came at the right time!

I was beginning to look for a nursery for C and one of the ladies who has been here for years gave me her number. I called and we hit it off instantly. She took my son and I to the nursery, which was run by a lovely Yorkshire woman (also soon to return to UK I think...). We then met for a coffee in Azaiba and I met two other girls who would become firm friends along the line too (Mrs. K and The Other Mrs. Mitchell). And that, as they say, was that.

Despite only knowing each other for a couple of years now, we soon learnt to recognise when each other was feeling less than happy here. When she answers 'oh, you know, plodding along,' I knew she wasn't exactly bouncing with the joys of spring! We'd have a chat and a rant and then it all seemed a bit better, to me anyway, just to know, if nothing else, that I still had a genuine friend here.

She has a great knack of reducing me to tears too! That sounds awful! But I think we are similar emotional creatures and react in similar ways to certain things. All she has to do is listen, genuinely listen and I end up crying on her shoulder or ranting in her ear.

But we've had some fun too, honest! Kids parties, Wii games nights, glamorous dressing up for many Balls, less than glamorous dressing-down and roughing-it camping at the beach, grown-ups' birthday parties (a huge number 40 made out of carrot cake for Hubby!) ... I know that I could write so much here but I can't remember some of the things we have got up to ... which makes me sad as now is the time to remember everything now that she is leaving.

And I've avoided writing this to the point that DG has left and returned to UK shores. Maybe it's not sinking in and won't do until I get back to Oman and she's not around :'-(

On the upside, I am in the UK and we might go camp on their drive for a night (in the van) and to finish it off, we're off to see The Other Mitchells in Germany!

Some friends are just so worth hanging on to, no matter how far apart they are...

UK trip update - Day 5

Time to start the road trip! Well, it’s the three-fifths version of the Mitchell Road Trip…just missing Daddy Mitchell and Betty Red!

I knew one of the things I wanted to do was to wander round the lanes of Brighton. Not sure what I was expected with two tired kids in tow. We were all tired and cold so it wasn’t much of a walk. We did pass a cupcake shop a couple of times and three pairs of eyes lit up!

So we finished up with a cupcake pudding on the beach. I was exhausted after only 2 hours sleep – C is really suffering with a cough and cold…he really is susceptible to anything respiratory. I suspect there’s an element of his wheeziness still that he had back in Oman, so he’s back on the Ventolin for a bit. So we were all tired but it was worth the effort, we cought some gorgeous cupcakes from a shop on the Meeting House Lane and ate them on the beach. We loved it. More often than not it’s so worth making the effort even if things seem tiresome or a bit too much…it was drizzling and very blustery but it felt so good! We just love the beach and the sea and somehow our sprits always get lifted when we see the sea.

So three tired but very happy Mitchells on a breezy, pebbly beach. We could have done with a 4th Mitchell but I wonder if he would have found it as fun as us!

And then finally it’s back to Uckfield – we met with two old school friends of Bear’s but others appeared! I popped into the school and bumped in to a few staff that I knew from when I did my teaching placements, the same time my little girl was at school here. I feel like I missed out on a period of Bear’s school there, almost that we left too early. But it’s changing quite a bit apparently. I miss them more than I realised and Bear just slotted back into place with the girls. As one of the mums said, it was like we never left.

Still here...?

I think so.

Maybe in body, maybe not in spirit!

Where has the time gone since I last posted? The last one being the last day of hubby's Everest Base Camp trip. I've always had the blog in my mind but I have everything and nothing to write about it seems! Well, I seem to have expended myself writing about hubby's adventures up a little hill! I just have nothing to say, espeically after writing about trekking to EBC! When I think of something to say it's usually on a subject I don't really want my blog to be about... Plus I haven't really had the impetus or the time...


Key points in the Mitchell shack:

* Another dear friend in Oman is preparing to up and leave back to the UK (a post on that later);
* Back at Boot Camp. Ouch, it's hot. 38-42C at 07.45. Hoping it'll get the endorphins going again;
* Only one migraine in 4 months. Is masha'Allah the right phrase to use here??? I haven't been taking the supplements or the chili tea regularly, maybe not-so-regularly is enough...?
* It was the Vesak full moon last night (it looked gorgeous last night. I took a few pictures but was rushing so nothing to do it justice)...went to a meditation class to take try and experience the extra energy..I didn't experience anything out of the ordinary and in actual fact it was just nice to stop and focus on one thing.
* Made an evening dress for me and in the middle of one for my friend. I L-O-V-E it when the creative flow finds me! I'm painting again too!

So even the above is already out of date - Vesak was mid May! And the last session of Boot camp was today! And I had another migraine....

Might just post this and start afresh! Missed you all, hope you're all ok.

Right, off to update myself with all your news!

EBC Day 12

Sorry, I've been a bit behind in my daily updates of the boys' trip. As they are ahead of schedule by a couple of days now, the given plan has gone by the by but as I have nothing else to go on as we haven't spoken, then I will stick with the paper plan.

PLAN: 
- Gorak Shep (5288 metres elevation); walk approximately 3-4 hours.
- Climb Kalapathar (5546 metres); approximately 4 hours.

Today, they are high amongst the glaciers of the world's highest peaks and will trek along the Khumbu glacier. The trail heads towards the high village called Gorak Shep. After a rest, they'll climb Kalapathar, a small, rocky peak on the south-west ridge of Pumori. It won't be an easy climb but it's worth it by all accounts;

"...the view from the top surpasses the wildest imagination.'

They may hear the glaciers creaking under pressure (I'd love to hear that!) and the surrounding peaks will be pretty awesome - Pumori, Nuptse, Changste, Ama Dablam, Tawache, Kanega and of course Everest.


About 3km east and 200m below the base camp can be seen in a bowl at the bottom of the notorious Khumbu ice fall. Many trekkers find this point at Kalapathar an emotional experience. It's back to Goark Shep for the overnight stay.


After sunset it becomes very cold despite the strength of the sun during the day.

EBC Day 11 + Amendment

Plan: Lobuche (elevation 4630 metres); walk approximately 5-6 hours

The early morning sunshine is welcome after a cold night. They'll wake up to a beautiful panorama of the peaks. They will be walking in the flanks of Awi Peak, above the village of Chola and carry on past Cholatse Lake. Beyond the lake the Chola Glacier flows from the saddle between the cliffs of Cholatse and Tawache.


The walk will continue to eventually join with the busy trail to Everest Base Camp itself. The slopes will be barren above the tree line and Cholatse, Lobuche and Pumari peaks will be in view. Rock cairns will be seen dedicated to the memory of the climbers who attempted the high mountains at Dugla Ridge.

Walking on to the moraine of Khumbu Glacier (the longest in Nepal) to Lobuche for the overnight camp, they will notice the drop in temperature as they are more exposed.

Amendment: I spoke to Hubby very briefly this afternoon. They are two days ahead of schedule! So this plan and blog are to be read just for interest's sake rather than definitive factual placing of them day to day! That's gone out of the window!

They are extremely tired now, I'm not surprised, it sounds like they've really gone for it. They went to see the actual Base Camp today rather than the planned morning excursion on the 7th May (Saturday). I think they'll have a few extra days back in Namche Bazaar. They had better rest and recuperate before flying back here to be thrown back to reality (well, as far as you can call living in Oman reality! ;-) )

EBC Day 10

PLAN: Chola Pass (elevation 5335 metres) and Dzongla (4843 metres); walk approximately 6-7 hours.

Another early start to take advantage of the stable early morning weather pattern in the Himalyas. It takes about 3-4 hours depending on the weather conditions to reach the saddle of the Pass. They'll have time on the trip here to stop and take everything in. The guide sees this point as a special highlight of the trip with the peaks rising above them.

"Words fail to describe the beauty of Nature and sense of achievement to be on the Pass"

EBC Day 9 and a memorable birthday + Amendment

PLAN:

- Ascent of Gokyo Ri (elevation 5483 metres); walk approximately 5 hours
- Trek to Thangna (4700 metres); walk approximately 3 hours

It's a early start today and so it should be seeing as it's Wasabi Boy's 40th Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Not that he'll be reading this where he is of course!

So today they'll steadily ascend Gokyo Ri - the duration is depending on their level of fitness and how well they've acclimatised so far. It should be one of the best panoramic views in Nepal. From the rocky summit four peaks higher than 8000 metres can be seen; Everest (8848m), Lhotse (8501m), Makalu (8481m ), and Cho-Oyu (8153m) [worth mentioning these are not the exact heights...every site I looked at had different figures so I have gone with the heights that the Guide has given].

There will be plenty of other peaks to see all around 6500m. Below them will be the Ngozumpa Glacier that stretches through the valley. The lakes should be a beautifully striking colour and I think it will all make for some incredible and awe-inspiring photographs of the Gokyo Valley. I can imagine they will not do it justice.

They will then make their way across the glacier to Thangna, it looks like quite a meandering trail.

Along with keeping an eye out for the Yeti ;-) they may see the Himalayan Thar (or Tahr) on the rocky slopes...they are not hunted here and are not too shy apparently.

Wasabi boy is the new name for Aussie...lets just say he bought a jacket that was not green, it was wasabi and the others aren't letting him forget it. However, they haven't all got away with it. Kiwi should be Ricky Pule (another one for the Monty Python fans out there) as he has a 'stylist' back here in Muscat! 

So today is the day that prompted this trip in the beginning. Happy birthday from us all. I hope today is a truly fantastic memory that will stay with you.
Enjoy and treasure!

Addition from the birthday boy - he called home this morning. All is still fantastic. But they are starting to feel tired now. They were up at 0400 their time (0215 Oman/2315 BST). All are acclimatising well, a couple have had headaches but so far, so good. Hubby seems to be the one that has acclimatised the best...I suspect thanks to his Dad taking him walking in the Scottish mountains every weekend...not quite the same league but training nonetheless! See, Grampa, all your hard work is paying off!

WB also said the views were spectacular especially when they watched the sun rise with Everest in view. How amazing...

And to top it all he was presented with a massive Yo-yo to take up and eat on his birthday, made by the awesome Auntie S. What a day already!

If you don't know what a Yo-yo is (I didn't until I met these guys), it's a cake made of two sweet dough circles and a filling in the middle...put together to look like a toy yo-yo (the latter fact only dawned on me a few weeks back :-/ My family and friends know I'm a bit special sometimes...).

EBC Day 8

PLAN: Gokyo (elevation 4754 metres); walk approximately 5-6 hours.

It is another gradual ascent again, this time to Gokyo village. They will now be in alpine country.


They'll see the Ngozumpa Glacier ( the largest glacier in Nepal) and cross on to the moraine and rock that extends from it. They'll have views of Kantega to the south, Cholatse to the east and Cho-Oyu to the north. Once they have ascended the snout of the glacier the path starts to level and runs parallel to the Ngozumpa Glacier; separating them from the glacier is the huge lateral moraine - this is a parallel ridge of debris deposited along the sides of a glacier. 

Picture from yesterday to help with today's geography lesson!

They will pass Longpongo (first lake) and Taochelake (second lake) where Tibetan ducks are often seen swimming in the freezing water. Then they will reach the third lake called Dudh Pokhari at Gokyo village.

Not much detail to add to these last few posts as we have not heard from them since Friday.

Kiwi's wife (new name Mad Murphy until she tells me not to call her this!)  has just spoken to her man.  No detail as yet, but just good to hear they're all ok.

EBC Day 7

PLAN: Macchermo (elevation 4410m); walk approximately 3-4 hours.

The plan is to ascend slowly through the Dudh Koshi valley - as you can see from the image above they will walk along the Dudh Koshi river, but higher up in the valley. The guide in the itinerary states that although they will probably find the walking easy, they might start to feel the effects of altitude in even the smallest hill.


So they should start to be above the tree line and the hillsides turn brown and barren, with only the odd small cluster of juniper ("they're MY juniper bushes!" for you Python fans) to break it up. So a bit of contrast now it seems to the snowy mountains and blue sky they have been seeing.


After lunch there is an option (bet they take it) to take an excursion across the rocky moraines (A moraine is a rock formation that was created by the movement of a glacier; the glacier would have deposited rocks and stones as it moved) to the base of Kyojo Ri (6168m) and Macchermo Peak (6073m).

And this is where they have to keep their wits about them...they have to keep their eye out for the Yeti!!! Dah dah DAAAAAAH! It is here is 1974 that three yaks were killed and a Sherpa girl was badly injured when trying to fight off a hairy ape-like creature.

EBC Day 6

PLAN: Dole (4040 metres elevation); walk approximately 5-6 hours.

Today they will follow the Gokyo valley trail around Khumbila (5761 metres). This is the holy mountain for the local people.


They will ascend through birch forest and yak pastures to a stupa† (3992m) on the top of a rocky village called Mon La Stupa. The views of Everest loom above the Lhotse (8511m) and Nuptse (7896m) on the north-eastern skyline. Below they will see the meeting of the Dudh Koshi and Imja Khola. Across the valley there is Thyangboche monastery which is surrounded by Ama Dablam (6856m) and Kantega (6685m).

Ama Dablam

Thyangpoche Monastery

 From the stupa they will descend on a few switchback trails to Phortse Tenga and then a short climb will get them on the trail to view first view of the mountain Cho – Oyu (8153m) at the head of the valley.


They’ll come above the tree line and pass several temporary yak-herding settlements before reaching Dole. They’ll see some waterfalls and will stop to see the glaciers that flow from Tawatse (6542m) and Cholatse (6440nm) on the opposite side of the valley.


On this part of the trek they will not see many trekkers and locals; the guide suggests that this isolation of the trail is a pleasure. I agree…but I think this could be the point that they really start to feel it, physically as well as the realisation of where they are and how remote they are. The other quote in Hubby’s notebook probably applies here…

"He is able, who thinks he is able”

† A stupa is a type of shrine that is the most sacred monument found in all of the ancient Buddhist countries. Stupas are filled with sacred images, mantras and the relics of holy beings.

                                                       

                                                                 Sarnath Stupa

Bodnath Stupa

Another first...

Last weekend, the children and I were invited to the birthday party of the sister of one of C’s school friends. It was her first birthday party. I should start off by saying that this is an Omani family and this is the first time I have been to an Omani lady’s house. So I was quite excited.

I was only one of two western expat women there, we were made to feel so welcome and most ladies introduced themselves. Admittedly I introduced myself to the others in my fabulously broken and stuttered Arabic!

I found out during the party that the traditional first birthday party is called a hul-hul (sp?). But on asking the Mum if this was such a party, she said it wasn’t quite the same. 

So this is a plea to OPNO and any other Arabic readers, or those with knowledge of the Islamic culture, please can you tell me what a hul-hul is and what is involved?

It’s funny because with my two children I wanted to have big parties for their first birthdays, with family and friends. The intention was there to never have another big party again until they’re 21!

So anyway, baby H had a magician (hilarious!) and a clown (also made me laugh!). The Mother of H got me doing the facepainting! The children taught me the colours in arabic! And then she gave me her lovely Nikon SLR so I was playing with my camera and hers - I was in my element! (I won’t post any pictures as they are all of the ladies and the children so I’d rather respect their privacy of course).

And then the food! Well, it was all the traditional party food laid on and a huge tray of lamb biryani with the lamb’s head on top. Bit of a shock but if that’s the way it’s done then that’s fine! I went back to the main room and looked for Bear and there she was sitting on the floor with the other Mums and kids. So that was good, that was my excuse to sit on the floor as well. I really felt a part of the day and had a great time. I even ate with my hand without too much mess!

I was looking for a picture of a large biryani and found this one! Brilliant! (it wasn't quite this big at the party!)

On the down side, Omanis’ parties seem to last all day! I say the downside only because I had made other plans that afternoon as I just assumed it would last 2-3 hours! Whereas us Brits especially write on the invitation a set time to start and finish; we can only cope with other friends' children for so long! Plus the parents more often than not tend to (I call it ) 'drop and run', leaving you responsible. Whereas at H's party all the Mums stayed, less stress I imagine for the hostess.

I was expecting to leave by 1pm but it was still in full swing. My children were exhausted so I had to make my excuses at 2pm. H’s Mother would not let me leave until we had eaten some sweets and filled up a foil container full of yummy treats, nuts and cakes to take home. My kids loved the jellies with nuts in. I go mad for the Om Ali...I think it was like Om Ali at the party except it was a much more solid consistency so I could eat it with my fingers.

So a joyful day and a super experience, I know now that I think I can manage if I’m invited again to an Omani house! 

(And OPNO, she's going to do my makeup!)

EBC Day 5; The Royal Wedding

PLAN: Khumjung (3780 metre elevation); walk 3 hours.

Leaving the Sherpa capital Namche Bazaar, the trail heads up the ridges and views of Ama Dablam can be seen. Everest can be seen on the horizon before they descend through the rhododendron forests to Khumjung “The City in The Clouds”. This is where Sir Edmund Hillary built “school house in the clouds” and famous Khude hospital.

On the way they will pass through terraced fields where they might see the colourful Imphient Pheasant, the national bird of Nepal.

They should be able to visit the Khumjung monastery where they’ll be able to see the famous ‘scalp of yeti’…it looks like it’s one of those unexplained mysteries. Apparently Sir Edmund Hillary , in 1960, went on a yeti-hunting trip to gather evidence of the yeti. He bought back what they said was the scalp of the yeti. Independent various scientific reports have come back stating that it is either from a yak, a serrow (type of goat) or a bear!

Incidentally, Yeti seems to have come from the word, meti, (bearing in mind local dialects) meaning bear. Tibetans fear and worship the bear as a supernatural being! Stuff of legend!

When I spoke to him today he mentioned that he had been to the monastery and has taken lots of photos for me.

They are all in love with the place and the surroundings and hubby in particular is planning to get us all to go at some point. Their guide had told them that the youngest he's taken trekking this far was 2 and a half years old!!!

I was so excited to speak to him that I can't remember some of what he said! If it comes back to me I'll amend this post.
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News from back home:

The kids and I spent the day at Champagne Charlie's, watching the Royal Wedding. Heartfelt, smiley and happy! What a lovely ceremony.

I remember where I was when Charles and Diana married in July 1981; at my grandparents house in Gillingham. I can remember we were all in the front room watching the television and there was an air of anticipation and excitement. My mum was pregnant with my sister, who arrived almost a month later.

So as I remember this, I'd like my kids to remember where they were...maybe. As I was explaining it to Bear, it sounded like I was recounting a fairytale! And that in itself got me all over-excited!

And surprisingly my 5 year old boy sat a) longer than I expected and b) longer than his sister!






It was whilst we were here that I managed to get through to hubby. So everyone managed to a say a big hello to him.
A little background on DH; sitting watching the Royal Wedding would be a very very bad nightmare for him. He's ex-forces but doesn't have an interest at all in the Monarchy. You don't have to really, to be in the forces, I don't think. Anyway, they have not watched anything at all on television on their trip so far.
Until today.
When a local woman working in the Tea house came into their room, and switched on the set...and there was the Royal Wedding being screened. Oh, the irony! Where in the world could my husband be to get away from it?? Not even on the way to the highest part of the world!