| WILD MAN AT THE DOOR | | | | We ate the same basic Dhal Bhat dinner as the night |
| The next morning our gang mulled over the useless | | | | before sitting out doors and watching the quiet |
| map again as a symbolic gesture of planning. Rather | | | | routine of the small village. As the sun edged beneath |
| then go back up the same valley we had just come | | | | the horizon all of the villagers seem to edge beneath |
| down the day before, we choose an obscure and | | | | their blankets. By 8PM again their was no sound or |
| rarely traveled path up the ridge above. | | | | light in the village. |
| I ask a local village man how difficult the trail was and | | | | Earlier that day as we hiked to Syapargaon I noticed |
| he answered quite frankly: "Not difficult for us, but | | | | some very interesting plant life. Just growing among |
| for you I think quite difficult". How I remembered | | | | the many other plants were alot of weeds of some |
| those words as I slowly ascended that steep goat | | | | repute (marijuana). My whole life this common |
| for path for the next 5 hours and 3000 feet. | | | | Himalayan plant had been the much coveted, |
| My God!! Why did I choose this path? I don't want to | | | | expensive, and highly illegal recreational high. |
| admit to how wimpy I can sound, but my mantra the | | | | As a meditator, I no longer had much interest in |
| entire afternoon of vertical ascent was: "I must be | | | | getting high, but could resist picking ups some of the |
| crazy to do this!" and "I hate this." | | | | "weeds" that were quite literally strewn along the |
| I spearheaded our vertical ascent to the ridge. The | | | | path we were walking on. |
| trail was so steep in places you had to wrap your | | | | That night in the guest house when I emptied my |
| arm around small trees to drag yourself up to the | | | | pockets I found the little temptation. Neither Kirsten |
| next level. My legs felt like alternately like lead and | | | | or I were pot smokers, but as it was early evening |
| then later wobbly like rubber. Moving them was and | | | | and we felt like it might be entertaining. |
| exhausting labor. The straps of my backpack cut into | | | | Remember my opening lines of this story? "Oh My |
| my back as I didn't have the waist belt to disperse | | | | God! I didn't realize what I was getting myself into!" |
| the weight. | | | | Once again as we tempted fait our realities were |
| It seemed like all day, but eventually the ridge gain | | | | uniquely turned up side down. |
| and we traveled a small distance through small | | | | First, the Himalayan pot was extremely strong. As I |
| enclaves of Himalayan farm houses. The ridge | | | | was whirling around from the effects there came a |
| afforded a view of terraced rice fields that will | | | | loud banging at the door and some incoherent yells. |
| perfectly accented by the after noon sun. In one | | | | I immediately became paranoid imagining all kind of |
| small court yard by a farmhouse temple, I paused to | | | | police actions and unrealistic horrors that could await |
| photograph prayer flags fluttering and the valley far | | | | outside that door. I hid the remaining marijuana on a |
| below. What a vista! It was at once a simple and yet | | | | rafter and opened the door,..... |
| incredibly moving experience. | | | | A wild eyed village who spoke no more then 10 |
| After an hour or so we arrived to a rarely visited | | | | words in English came in and was gesturing madly |
| village called Syapargaon. Our presence was duly | | | | with his hands in a desperate expressions. He was |
| noted by everyone and yet they didn't overwhelm | | | | imploring me to come out into the night for some |
| us. While it was still light I started to wash my | | | | unknown reason. I was so stoned that the event |
| sweaty T-shirt in the stream that ran thru the village | | | | was amplified into a shocking drama. What could he |
| center. A funny scene insued as the headman of the | | | | want? Why was he here? Finally,through sign |
| village arrived and with an air of bravado threw his | | | | language I was able ascertain that someone was hurt |
| worn shirt in my laundry pile by the stream. It was | | | | and they needed a doctor. |
| very amusing to all. | | | | It is an unfortunate myth, that all travelers are |
| In the village, we found lodging in a traditional Tibetan | | | | considered to have both medicine and doctoring that |
| style tea house that was decorated with all kinds of | | | | the villagers need in emergencies. Fortunately, I did |
| simple rugs, woven textiles and the myriad of small | | | | have some iodine and aspirin and passed them to this |
| items of the typical Himalayan home. It was not just | | | | stranger giving him an idea of how to use. I hoped he |
| for travelers, but someone lived there full time. I | | | | got it. He still wanted me to come, but I refused. I |
| suppose they may have just vacated their home to | | | | was not a doctor and I did not want to wander off |
| rent us the space for a night. | | | | somewhere in the dark Himalayan night. |
| Rob & Julie took a different tea house slightly | | | | These were my back up supplies, but under the |
| up the hill. It seemed that no traveler ever came to | | | | circumstances I just gave them away. Wow. Bizarre. |
| Syapargaon and we were a very big boost for the | | | | Who know what actually happened, but I was glad |
| local economy. This was even more evident when | | | | to help out. I was glad the whole shocking drama |
| our little group had dinner together at our guest | | | | was over. Kirsten and I had gotten a whole lot more |
| house. Apparently, this was a big boon as the dinners | | | | entertainment then we bargained for. Sleep would be |
| usually ran about 100 Rps ($2.) per person. The other | | | | a great relief after this wildman at the door. |
| guest house was visible perturbed. What to do? | | | | Look for Day Four coming soon! |