Off to Humla

(5/11 Simikot) We made it! Okay, we made it to Humla anyway. Charles and I got into Simikot this morning. I've never been so glad to be shivering in my life. Our pitstop last night (between Kathmandu and Simikot) was Nepalgunj and 'Jesus Mary and Joseph' is it hot! It was 110 degrees if it was -3 I swear. I do not handle heat well, as most of you know, so I nearly cried when Charles said lets go out walking. Honestly, though, it was hotter inside than out. The language is really the only thing that reminds me we're still in Nepal and didn't get accidentally dropped off on the wrong side of the border. And America thinks she's the only diverse country. Nepal's people live everywhere from the desert to the jungle to the top of the highest mountains in the world. (may 15, Yangar, end of day) Logically I know the people here are dirt poor. Poor nutrition, no medicine, and rocky soil to name a few examples. Yet I don't see that when I look around myself. I see a joyful, peaceful people. They are thankful for what they have and share it willingly. I have to look past the playing children and loving families to see the poor standard of living, the dirt, and the trash. But I should start at the beginning. We arrived at the airport Thursday the 10th on time despite the strike. Well, on time for Nepal which means 45 minutes before our flight was scheduled to leave. Charles was biting his nails. The taxi had to take back roads and actually had a spotter that would get out of the car and peek around the corner to make sure the coast was clear of rooters with molotov cocktails. When there's a strike on, the hardcore demonstrators will actually burn taxis or businesses that flout it. Nepalgunj, on the Indian border, was brutal. 110 degrees and muggy is not my idea of good working conditions. But Charles wanted to shoot some footage of the town so off we went on an hour long walk. Ugh. Why people would live there is even more baffling to me than why someone decided to settle in Upper Humla. But, apparently, Tibetan DNA demands they live up high. Someone told me about trekking around Nepal and whenever they gained enough elevation all the faces changed from Nepali to Tibetan. To my great astonishment no mosquitoes! I don't understand it. When I was there before I stepped outside and nearly inhaled six. Not that I'm complaining, mind. After a short flight through the mountains we arrived in Simikot. It is exactly how I left it, just much greener. I showed Charles my favorite spot on the edge where you can look down and see the tiny, tiny river at the bottom of the valley. The tiny river that we have to climb down to, back up to the same height, down again, then a little up. Fun stuff.