On the way...
By the time you read this, I’ll be in the Hidden Valley of Happiness. We’re hiking 19 days from the end of the road to the Tibetan border and back, through the sacred valley of Tsum. Six clients, one monk, one sirdar, two sherpas, one cook, five kitchen staff, about 17 porters, and me.
You may remember stories from my initial trip in 2010. Once again, we’ll be hiking, camping, visiting monasteries, visiting people’s homes, and immersing in the local culture from the Hindu lowlands to high Buddhist mountains. Genchoedar Lama, a Buddhist monk, will be traveling with us for spiritual edification. This 2012 trip will go beyond the last, to 16,500 feet at the edge of Tibet, and will hopefully give us a chance to see Himalayan Blue Sheep and other alpine wildlife amongst the mountains.
Tsum is believed to be a beyul, a sacred Buddhist valley mentioned in ancient scriptures. No killing is allowed, and the area is a protected haven for Buddhists when the cycle of time ends and begins again.
Stories and photos to come, but for now, I’m in a land where cell phones don’t work, internet cafes don’t exist, motorized vehicles don’t venture, and life is a pleasantly simple existence between earth and sky.