The Awaited: Nepal I

I have waited too long. It was as though I thought the task to great to actually do - it was put off many occasions in reflective pause, only to be put off again. And again. I somehow thought that the longer I waited the more pronounced my words, memories or insights would be. Instead, it just drained my desire to put these up - it became something I thought I would always dangle in front of my mind. Always there - never attained. Perhaps it was the sheer number of pictures and stout memories that I had to choose from. Perhaps it was the fact that I could not bring you there as I would hope to be able to without excessive effort. I don't think that effort is here at this moment, but it must begin somewhere.

I have come to better sense and have decided that tonight was the time I would take a first stab at it. Here, then, are the first in the arduous trip to Nepal. No apparent order, but enough to make sense.

Airplane. This is, with apologies for stating the obvious, a map of us arriving in Thailand (or approaching Thailand, at least) on our way to Nepal. Leaving from Taiwan, the language was in Chinese for the flight.

Bangkok, Thailand. Early morning. Yes, that is pollution. The air was sweet, though.

Flying over India, and over a river which at this point I have not yet found a name for. I have not tried, either. I thought I would have by now for it amused me so on the plane and I cared enough to take multiple pictures but I have not had the motivation to put a name to it. Maybe I don't want a name to it. Maybe I want it to be nameless; owned by no one and simply a beautiful hydrological artery in the sturdy geology of the ground.

This is, again the obvious, a map from the plan console that shows us approaching Kathmandu. Nearing this point we could see Everest, but it took some straining.

This was the approach. Little, if any, actual Nepal pics in this one. I realize this. I needed an introduction of some sort for my own appreciation of the task at hand. I have reprinted an email diary of our trip much earlier in this blog (circa October 2006) which outlines much of what I will simply refer to herein. I will make anecdotal references where possible and possible link to it if I get the urge. Aside form that, just go along with everything.