Most of us won’t have a good appetite while trekking. But not the locals. They just love their dhal baat.

It’s not impossible to walk on ice. You just need to be sure-footed and have a lot of confidence. Having a good pair of trekking boots helps.

Facilities in the Langtang region are not as good as those in the Everest and Annapurna region, but this toilet looks surprisingly good. But it’s winter and everything is frozen. No way to flush. No way to wash your hands.

Malekhu is quite a remote small town on the way to Pokhara from Kathmandu. It is a most unlikely place to find good food, but this is the killer fish curry I’ve been telling everyone about. The fish is tiny like shishamo – without the eggs. Fresh from the rivers, they don’t taste like typical freshwater fish at all.

Lots of tomatoes go into this curry, making it sour, sweet and just mildly hot. On the left side of the plate, we have local green vegetables and pickled radish. In the blurred foreground, are cauliflower and potatoes. Like in Indian restaurants, the side dishes can be topped up for free.

As far as insulation goes, my toes hardly ever felt frozen. I’d definitely choose the Titanium boot over the Bugaboot.

I tried on a pair of Hi Tech boots as well. The Columbia is much more comfortable. I’m not paid to say this. Check out the bottom. This is the kind of sole I’m looking for.

The sales assistant advised me to get a couple of sizes larger. I normally wear 39 to 40. He’s right. The size 41 fits well.

The boots look warm enough for snow-walking and the Vibram sole is nice and stiff. However the sole is not flat enough. This means it’s not crampon-friendly.

Nevertheless, I think it should work in most situations I’m going to encounter on this trip. I also like the design. So much so that I must take a few pictures before wearing them.

Lumbini, birthplace of the Buddha. I failed to make it there because a false alarm from home sent me rushing back. Will I make it this time?

Kopan Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery near Boudhanath, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal. It belongs to the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), an international network of Gelugpa dharma centers, and once served as its headquarters.

The monastery was established by the FPMT founders, Lamas Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, who bought the property from Nepal’s royal astrologer in 1969. Its name comes from the name of the hill on which it was built.
Kopan has become especially famous for teaching Buddhism to visiting Western foreigners. The first of what would become annual month-long (November-December) meditation courses was held in 1971. These courses generally combine traditional Lam Rim teachings with informal discussion, several periods of guided meditation, and a vegetarian diet.
Technically, “Kopan” now encompasses two separate institutions – the Monastery itself, on top of Kopan Hill; and the Khachoe Ghakyi Ling Nunnery, located nearby.

In recent days, Kopan Monastery has also established itself as a popular recreational destination for Kathmandu residents and local tourists as well. The weekend holiday of Saturday receives quite a visit from hundreds of families and individuals to the beautifully decorated hillock and its gardens. The monastery is not open to public on other days.

I’ll try to get there on this trip.

Looks like it’s going to be nice in Langtang (the freezing cold notwithstanding).

First stop, vehicular transport from Kathmandu to the town of Dhunche at 2030m.

A 6-8 hour trek to Sing Gompa at 3340m.

Next stop. Village of Laurebina Yak at 4026m.

Gosainkund Lake at 4380m. This picture was taken in March.

Sidetrip: Laurebina La at 4610m. No time for Helambu. So I’ll just backtrack to Dhunche and take a bus back to Kathmandu.