Treking in Langtang and Gosaikund

In my weary Lady Faversham state - I forgot to mention our incredible two week trek around the Langtang valley - the last adventure before my husband left me. WEEP.

Well - to spare you all the " it was so beautiful" and " I've never seen mountains like it" garb - I'll try to keep to the funny bits.

For ten days we hiked up a mountain to get to a Holy Lake called Gosaikund. Somehow we managed to perfectly time it with a big holy festival and thousands of Hindu pilgrims who were also walking up the mountain. In between rest breaks, and trying to make sure old caniving Indian ladies, didn't steal my snazzy walking sticks, we took time, like proper hikers, to take in the magnificent views. Of course we had a few episodes, where I threw a tantrum on top of a mountain, on an early sunrise hike, in the fear that I might toppel off. But generally - i'ld say we gained our credits- and seemed like those 'together' kind of hikers.

Having arrived at the sacred lake ( which may I add took us TEN days to walk up to) we thought we'ld go and find out what all the fuss was about. Supposedly the Hindu God Siva, had stuck his trident in a glacier, allowing a sacred lake to form. So Jeremy, I, and our new buddy Anna, each took it in turns to walk around the lake. We wanted to experience that bit of " holiness" that so many people talked about. As usual, my eager husband went first, bumbling over the pebbles and off into the distance amidst candles, incense and loads of pink powder stuff that the Hindus seem to through over everything. I followed, a good 15 minutes later - to allow for that bit of space a boy so often needs. When we re-met two hours later up on the hill, we both found that we had experienced something very powerful. I had somehow become a blubbering wreck. My walk around the lake had envoked strange feelings of happiness and sadness and lots of tears. I am not sure whether Siva had touched me spritually somehow or possibly whether I was ovulating. I always seem to get very emotional and hormonal around that time. Jeremy also felt something profoundly powerful. But I'll let him tell you his story.

We had a great time up at the lake, despite the three of us having to share a bed one night, although - Jeremy didn't seem to oblige! One day we made friends with a rather entertaining English girl. Now Daphnne, wasn't any usual character. She had come to Gosaikund in the hope of finding a cave. Daphnne was big into asking that popular question " Who am I? ", and had come to Goasiakund to be alone and meditate for a month. Lucky for Daphnne - there happened to be a little hobbit cave up on the hill - decked out with all those usual cosies one likes to have when it snows. The cave had its very own door, straw on the ground and even some blue plastic to keep out the damp. Unfortunately for Daphnne, we declined when she offered for us to come and stay. During our two day friendship, i became so concerned about Daphnne and her well being, that as I write this she is probably sitting in her cave donning my very cosy GORTEX coat! I hope she is as honest as she seems and that she'll send it back to me. I swear, all those karma talks from the monastery, are making me more kind than I usually would be. I really would like to come back a human in my next life.