Monthly Archives: October 2002

Running the Birganj marathon

By Scott Wallick | Published: Oct 23, 2002

What I did on Friday, October 4, 2002, does not constitute a normal day in Birganj. A normal day in Birganj begins with coffee at Himanchal Cabin and ends with a book in bed by nine o’clock. The Friday of October 4, 2002, began with a shot of a starter’s pistol and a hundred Nepalis sprinting through downtown Birganj. There are no elephants in Birganj, unless it’s Friday, October 4, 2002, which in that case there are three. There would be no lumbering elephant named Krishna Prassad milling about in Birganj unless it’s Friday, October 4, 2002.

Posted in Birganj | Tagged Birganj, cheating, elephants, Himanchal Cabin, marathons, Old Man Birganj, post mates | Comments closed

Vacation Annapurna, part 4

By Scott Wallick | Published: Oct 13, 2002

We had another lazy morning on Monday (day 9). Liz and Andrew had left early that morning to climb a nearby peak while the rest of us had elected to eat lots of Danish pastries and wander the sleepy Western town of Tukuche. Laurel, Tony, Moser, and I wandered over to the Kali Gandaki River to look for saligrams, fossils encased in black stone that date back, so I’m told, to the Jurassic period when the Himalayas were underwater.

Posted in Nepal | Tagged Annapurnas, awards, donkeys, Jomsom, Kagbeni, Kali Gandaki, Marpha, murder, Panglang, Pokhara, saligram, trekking, Tukuche, Upper Mustang | Comments closed

Vacation Annapurna, part 3

By Scott Wallick | Published: Oct 11, 2002

Friday morning, October 11 (day 6), came early at 4:40 a.m. We’d have to be on top of Poon Hill (3210 m) by 6:00 a.m. to see the sunrise so we tried to gather ourselves in a civilized manner. Kara was on wake-up duty and after she roused us we all sleepily wandered into Liz’s dark room wondering if we’d find a frozen corpse.

Posted in Nepal | Tagged Annapurnas, Ghasa, Ghorapani, high plains, kalopani, Lete, Niligiri, Sikha, Tatopani, Titi Lake, trekking, Tukuche | Comments closed

Vacation Annapurna, part 2

By Scott Wallick | Published: Oct 8, 2002

I was in debt and getting the hell out of Pokhara. Every day we had been in Pokhara, we had done little else (especially myself) than run errands and prepare for our trip around the Annapurna circle.
Once again, Andrew out did me as the lightest packer. All he brought was a child’s backpack that he’d bought in Birtamod the night before he left. The backpack broke the morning we left Narayanghat as we were coming down the stairs at Shana’s place. It just fell of his back. So Andrew bought a backpack, and I bought a Nikon N60. I had photos to take.

Posted in Nepal | Tagged Annapurnas, Birtamod, chicken, Dhampus Peak, Dhaulagiri, Ghorapani, khukuris, maasu, Nayalpul, Poon Hill, trekking, Ulleri | Comments closed

Vacation Annapurna, part 1

By Scott Wallick | Published: Oct 6, 2002

Our vacation really began at around 4:00 a.m. in Narayanghat on Sunday, October 6 (day 1). It was our last day in the Terai before we escaped to the crisp air and mountain views of Pokhara and its beautiful (we had been told so) Fewa Lake. But the Terai is a harsh mistress.

Posted in Nepal | Tagged Annapurnas, boating, Fewa Lake, Narayanghat, PCVs, photography, Pokhara, trekking | Comments closed