Day 3 Toby Departs for Nepal

Final Prep for Departure

I think I've repacked my duffel bag 3 times already.  Trying to make the weight while cramming all of these necessities is tough to do.  So the bags are packed and I'm just doing my final check for anything that I've missed.  We have a pretty odd packing list due to spending a week in Nepal sleeping on dirt floors with minimal electricity and high risk of bacterial infection to trekking Thailand in week 2 where we will spend most of our time in hotels.  

Since Tom is already in Nepal, I'm planning on trying to cross paths with Ryan and Trent in Shanghai.  I think our layovers overlap by an hour so it will be good to check in and make sure everyone is doing well before the next leg across Asia.  It's weird to think that I am leaving at 2pm on a Wednesday, but I don't arrive until 9am on Friday.  Crossing the international date line can be a little confusing.  Add to that the weird time zone change (Nepal is +13hrs and 45 minutes from Pacific time) and I'll be lucky if I know what day it is.  I think the jetlag will be the hardest to overcome with so much distance covered.  

Ok, last minute checks on my gear and time to go. Next check in, Shanghai or India, we'll see if there is WiFi.

Los Angeles to Shanghai to New Delhi to Kathmandu.  Wish me luck!

-Toby

Day 1 Tom arrived in Nepal

Tom Arrives in Nepal  (Toby is still packing and arrives on Friday)

Tom arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal this evening (Nepal evening, Pacific time it was morning. at the time of this post it is 10:24AM PST here and 12:09AM in Nepal).  He had a slight hiccup with his hotel room having been given away to someone else and at last check-in he was waiting for the hotel to find him a new one.  

From Tom:"Well, sitting in the lobby of the hotel that apparently lost my room while they try to figure somewhere else to put me. I guess I have a sleeping bag, and it is Diwali. Drinking masala tea, may end up crapping my pants for three days, but so be it."

I'm still packing and preparing here in L.A.  A few more things to buy at the store and I should be ready.  I have to say it is really hard to pack for two different climates.  Nepal will be an average high of 70F and a low of 40F while Thailand will be in the upper 80s.  Also, we are packing sleeping bags and mats for the Nepal trip as we are sleeping on dirt floors.  I'm sure that hotel with hot showers in Bangkok will be a welcome change after a week of sleeping on the ground in Nepal.

Nepal Trip 11/14 - 11/25:

For those who are not aware, Tom and I (along with some other friends you may know, Ryan Little and Trent Jackson) are working for the Choice Humanitarian organization along with the Singular Humanitarian Experience group to assist a village in the Durandanda region of Nepal.  Our jobs consist of rebuilding a schoolhouse for the local Nepalese children along with training in small business, dental and medical training. All of us will be working on the schoolhouse with the exception of Ryan who is working on some business classes with the locals.  The trip wouldn't be complete without sleeping bags, dirt floors, no showers and no toilets.  Stay tuned for the photos!
http://choicehumanitarian.org/ 
http://www.singularhumanitarian.org/

We all figured we could have spent money on ourselves and spent 2 weeks on a nice island somewhere or we could take a week out of our vacation and do some good for others.  My guess is we will appreciate the week in Nepal longer than we will the week in Thailand, but that's not to say that we won't enjoy ourselves trekking around Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the islands after Nepal.  

More to come as we all arrive from multiple locations.  Tom flew in from London, I'm leaving from L.A. and the Ryan/Trent combo will be leaving from Las Vegas.  This should be interesting with multiple layovers and airline changes.  

My flight itinerary is:
LAX - PVG (Shanghai, China) - DEL (New Delhi, India) and finally KTM (Kathmandu)  I leave at 2pm on Wednesday and get to Kathmandu on Friday morning at 9am local time.  Brutal!  I'm sure we will all have some interesting tales to tell once we are reunited at our hotel in the city.  

Here is our itinerary for the Choice Expedition Trip:


Friday, November 16th USA to Kathmandu *participants must arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu before 4:00PM on November 16th. Official expedition activities will begin this afternoon. CHOICE will provide group transportation from the airport to Kathmandu Resort Hotel for overnight accommodations. Orientation meeting and dinner will be scheduled this evening, allowing fellow expedition participants to mingle and organize supplies. Local CHOICE staff will discuss trip details and scheduled activities for the week.

Saturday, November 17th Kathmandu to Kurintar Breakfast served at hotel. Participants can choose to participate in local LDS church services held in Kathmandu. Group transportation will then be provided to the town of Kurintar and Riverside Springs Hotel for overnight accommodations (4-hour distance). Time at leisure to partake of hotel amenities and mingle with fellow volunteers.

Sunday, November 18th Kurintar to Jeeta Breakfast served at hotel. Group transportation provided to the developing region of Lamjung (4-hour distance). Lunch will be provided. Brief hiking might be required before participants arrive to the gracious village of Jeeta to be greeted with a warm welcome from native villagers. Dinner will be served. Time available to unpack, rest, and interact with local residents. Overnight accommodations provided in the local Jeeta schoolhouse.

Monday, November 19th - Friday, November 23rd Jeeta Breakfast served in village. Development projects and workshops scheduled throughout the week in Jeeta (with participation from other local villages and residents). Several participants will be working on the overall renovation and painting of the local school. Other selected participants will assist in small business workshops, teacher development trainings, and other significant components. Lunch will be served in the afternoons with a brief rest provided. Dinner will be served in the evenings. Village activities and entertainment will be provided each night to promote powerful intercultural exchanges between participants and natives. Overnight accommodations provided in the local Jeeta schoolhouse. FRI Nov 23rd will be dedicated to shadowing local villagers and hiking to Tranrangkit Hill.

Saturday, November 24th Jeeta to Kathmandu Breakfast served in village. Ceremonious village farewell will be scheduled in the morning. Group bus transportation will then be provided back to Kathmandu (8-hour distance). Lunch will be provided. Arrive to Kathmandu in the late afternoon and check-in to Kathmandu Resort Hotel for overnight accommodations. Group dinner will be scheduled in
the evening to conclude the expedition and discuss overall experiences and impressions. Overnight at hotel.

Sunday, November 25th Kathmandu to USA Breakfast served at hotel. Possible time at leisure to explore Kathmandu. This bustling capital of Nepal, part of a regional UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back to ancient times when first settled along the trade route to Tibet (approx 400 AD). The cosmopolitan culture of Kathmandu radiates a unique spirit of Hindu and Buddhism evident in surrounding temples and breathtaking monuments. A rich history of wars and dynasties strengthens the mystical charm that allures travelers to Nepal. *transportation will be provided to Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) for international flight departures

Here is some additional info on the area of Nepal we will be working.  It is in the Lamjung district in a village called Duradanda.  http://besisahar9.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html