Decision taken. We were headed for the high himal, the Everest Region, land of the Sherpa people in Nepal. Exciting! In the late '80's (and my early 20's) I had worked as a trip leader for groups of trekkers back in the early days of what flourished to become eco-tourism and had been through the valleys and towns of the region many times usually en route to Everest Base Camp. The last time though had been in 1998 on a vacation from Vietnam and that was before Nepal had been through its heart-wrenching civil war.
We were living in Kathmandu, with a normal schedule around school and activities, we don't actually spend that much time on the couch but one day we decided to up and off to the Khumbu! This time it was with our kids... the boys, ages 8 and 10, old enough to do the walking and appreciate where we were going... to see Everest and be among Sherpa friends to visit their culture... the lure of the yeti skull reported to be kept in the Sherpa village of Khumjung also helped fan the fire of enthusiasm. And the prospect of finding snow, that helped too! Enthusiasm... the main ingredient to having fun trekking with children; its not necessarily an easy ask, the anticipation is clouded by the hard work required at least in the phase of discussing it with 8 and 10yr olds... you need their buy-in for things to go smoothly! And if they insist on their latest 359 page book to bring along... just go with it!
 |
| Waiting for the flight to Lukla |
Selecting a trek is about several things, not least of which is determining the level your kids and you are capable of... how many days, consideration of altitude, length of the trekking day, facilities en route and the possibilities of evacuation. The treks about the front ranges of the Annapurnas (Ghorepani/Ghandruk/Poon Hill for example) out of Pokhara are popular starter treks since they can range in duration from 3 -9 days. Langtang is also short, popular and close to Kathmandu, so is Helambu and the new Tamang Heritage trek. Trekking in Khumbu is also popular, region of the Sherpa people with its monastery's and mountain history centred around Sagarmatha (Everest) which if lucky with the weather you can spot on your second day on trek. Flying to Lukla (possibly the world's most errr, interesting place to land) a bit of a thrill all on its own, you can also walk-in to Khumbu in 5-7 days. There are plenty of other treks to choose from so ask around and see what others have experienced.
Organizing the trek is the first step towards making it happen and can be done in different ways... when we went to the Annapurnas we booked with an agency in Pokhara to get a guide and porters... easy enough to do. Check the qualifications of your guide... at a minimum they need to have taken the 6 Week guides course (and have a license they can show you), know the area you're planning on going (preferably be from there) and speak enough English (if your Nepali is lacking). Experience needs to balance with your own... if you are an experienced mountain traveller then you may not need a hotshot guide... you need to be comfortable and confident with who ever goes with you and it isn't enough that they are good with your kids because if something were to happen and they didn't have training to find a solution... look what happened in the Annapurnas in October 2014. On our Everest trip all we needed was a single porter, I knew the route well enough and have background and experience in mountain travel including at altitude, and so we got a young fella from Solu Khumbu through a Lukla hotel where I used to stay, he had a nice smile and was friendly and strong and knew where we were going, thats all that I required of him balanced with my own experience. When you book through an agency there is the added advantage of being assured that the guide will also have insurance and be properly equipped. Recently a Nepali friend, an experienced guide, had serious problems at altitude and had to be heli-evacuated... insurance is key.
Equipping yourselves properly comes next and proper footware probably the most important thing. Despite the plethora of trekking supply shops in Kathmandu to find children's trekking boots (below size 36) is a task. What works is sturdy trainers, if you can find them those with higher ankle tops are best. Shoes are important so getting this part right is critical, normally you size trekking boots a size bigger than normal (to accommodate thicker socks) but don't get carried away! A loose boot is asking for blister trouble. If you're of a mind to go trekking you'd do well to source trekking boots for little'uns outside of Nepal. Kids 6 years and up can carry their own back-pack... most want to. In it though are the bare necessities... a fleece jacket, a light water-proof jacket, their water bottle, sunglasses and hat and maybe a little snackage. Thats all they need to carry and importantly it has to be light because as a last resort, to get them over that final hill, you might need to carry it! Your back-pack needs the same as the kids, and a proper First Aid kit. Go light, if you need more, your porters will be walking with you and you can always get from him/her what you need during the day. Depending on the time of year the rest of the packing can be light as well. On our Annapurna trip we had 2 bags for the 4 of us for 5 days, this time we had 1 for 7 days. We went through everything and didn't have to do laundry! If you're taking a flight bags should weigh no more than 20kgs. I'm not going to publish a gear list here, there are tons on the internet to refer to but go light whatever you do, that old axiom of halving what you think you need to take when travelling... halve it again when you go trekking.. With children who are out of diapers, the only 'extras' are things to occupy them... (not including screen devices!), playing cards, travel chess, etc. With kids who are still in diapers... bon courage, beware of altitude with wee ones, their sleep needs, and of course mindful of the un-biodegradeability of disposable diapers and where you are going. My kids needed books so a Kindle or such-like would have reduced our collective weight considerably! A solar charger would not be a bad thing if you bring a reading tablet. Remember your porter carries your bag... so be kind!
Attitude and altitude
Attitude is everything on a trip to anywhere with kids. Nepali guides and porters are renown for encouraging and egging kids along, singing with them, and picking them up and carrying them if that is what is needed. Rest assured, on most of the common treks you absolutely don't have to walk further than you feel you need to on most given days, there is always a teahouse over the next hill, around the next bend. So don't stress about getting where you had a plan to get to... discuss with your guide/porter, see what they think. Often they will under-estimate... err on the side of caution and that is fine, they know what they are doing. Enjoy the early morning, the mid-morning, the lunch spot, the afternoon walk.... you get the drift... just enjoy where you are, value the place you have found yourself to be in... the high himal!
Altitude is one of those things that can become a major pre-occupation and a trip-wrecker if you let it be one; your attitude about altitude is key. Yes altitude needs to be properly understood, yes it can be serious... all that means is for you to be prepared...so do the research ahead of time. Many of our fears are based in the unknown... so know about altitude. Understand that essentially you will trek so that you acclimatize well if you follow your guide's and guidebook's advice, do not short-cut to save time. If they say you need to spend a day acclimatizing then do so. Don't worry about the kids, but do keep an eye on them. Know signs and symptoms of altitude sickness, pulmonary and cerebral oedema but don't obsess. And don't panic because going down altitude (down hill) is always an option in night or day... and it is usually the cure all. When and if in doubt ask a trip leader, they usually have high competency and experience with altitude related problems and can offer advice, err on the side of caution always even if it means significant compromises to your trip. Never forget where you are, in the highest mountains in the world, subject to all the various challenges that come with high mountain travel.
Kids can be a challenge to have on such an adventure but you have friends along to help, so let them... and they sleep really well on trek! Let go of control, you're up in thin air, the best you can remember to do is breathe, smile and enjoy the sunshine. I love trekking with my son's. They love the connection to the natural world, to the Nepali people and to each other. A couple of years later we did the trek up to Lo Mantang in Mustang and after that attempted a small trekking peak in the Langtang region (picture above!)... as they grow they can do more and more! So much fun to watch them evolve!
No comments:
Post a Comment