Nepal :: Trekking the Annapurna Circuit

My home is now packed away into storage and backpacks are now waiting their final pack. We leave on Monday and set off to Nepal via an interesting 10hr connection in Delhi airport!

The first part of our trip will be spending a few days in Kathmandu before hiking through the mountains and high villages of the Annapurna region.

I prefer walking into these remote regions as you see at first hand how the locals live and get by on very little infrastructure, food and electricity. 

The Annapurna range that we will be hiking around

When I first trekked this route about 12 years ago there was hardly any hot water and what hot water was available was heated by wood fires (this alone reduced our consumption to a bare minimum). 

Thanks to the recent introduction of solar panels a lot more hot water showers have popped up and are now available for us tourists. 

However, I am sure the locals still use ice cold mountain water for washing!

The local village water supply, prayer wheels and the lower hills

Prayer flags and the type of remote villages we will be staying in as we trek

I shall post in Kathmandu and a few extra posts, but while I am trekking I will not be able to update until we finish our 3-4 week trek. 

These high mountains have limited electricity or internet connections... and even if there was a bit of solar power available I am hiking with my backpack I really do not fancy the extra weight of my laptop!

Have fun.

Colours of Diwali : The Festival Of Lights

Diwali is one of my favourite festivals. 

In the past I have witnessed this in both Nepal and India but as I have not left yet I shall pop into Brisbane tonight to join the crowds, enjoy some fine Indian food and listen to some loud Bollywood style music!

This festival means the triumph of good over evil. For me I just love the amazing contrasting colours created by this festival, the oranges, the reds, the pinks and the warmth of candle light. 

During this festival I have seen people hang lanterns and burn candles at their front doors, whilst most homes display Rangoli artwork at their entrances, garden areas and even on entire floors. 

This intricate artwork and patterns can be made from petals, flowers, coloured sand, rice or chalk powder. 

Here is some entrance artwork of Ganesh!

If you are interested at looking at how to decorate for Diwali check out this link for some great ideas.

Only a few weeks left till I am off to Nepal... Yippee...

Have fun.

Eco Retreat & Glamping Tents :: Sal Sails, Ningaloo Reef, WA

Well the days are quickly ticking away until we go and there is still much preparation and research still to do...

However to get me into the beach vibe and as I still have not left sunny Australia today I tam traveling to a location that my husband has always wanted to go... Ningaloo Reef. 

And what a better way to experience this beautiful National Park and beach environment than to stay in these eco retreats and glamping tents right on the beach at Sal Sails.

What's great about this retreat is that the whole experience is built around ecological principles to ensure that your stay generates minimal environmental impact and the only thing you leave behind is your footprint in the sand! For example...

• Each wilderness tent is built on a raised deck to allow for coastal breezes to naturally cool the rooms.
• The African Style tent colour allows the retreat to blend in naturally with the surrounding pristine environment.
• All power is 100% solar.
• All recycling and waste is returned to Exmouth recycle depot.

• The en-suite room at the rear of the tent is open to the surrounding environment and fitted with a solar hot water, a hand pumped shower and a Nature Loo or composting toilet.

images from Sal Sails

• All linen is supplied by Eco Down Under which is organic cotton and chemical free.
• Sheets are a sand colour and are not bleached to maintain pure whiteness. Their composition means that they can be hung dry and eliminate the need for ironing! 

Not bad for a luxury tent retreat!

Have fun.