must read for trekkers

[tyler]

i must share what happened to me after just returning from a JIRI to EBC trek. me and a rather large group of people who met up pn the trail got underway just before the bandh. everything was going fine despite some maoist flags flying and spray painted propaganda until we got to junbesi. i arrived at about 5pm of the first day of the strike. what i found there were about 15 other trekkers who had all been held up their for that day when local maoists had told them that no one was to go any farther because bombs had been laid on the trails for the army. after much discussion between trekkers we decided that they were full of @!#$ and decided as a group to head out the next morning. after about 3hrs the next day we ran into some maoists on a pass betweem Ringmo and Nuntala and they told us not to pass this point until the end of the bandh or else we would be bombed while being threatened by 15 yr old girls with sticks. as ludicrous as this may sound it was not particularly funny at the time. it took 2 hours of negotiation between the some guides and the few maoists until they finally let us pass. the rest of the trip passed without any hitches accept some tight nerves and some supposed gunshots heard in Namche. although i never felt in danger during our encounters its important for people to know whats going on on the trails. i found it all rather disturbing and do not plan to go trekking in nepal again until this matter is solved. this is just my opinion, but all it will take is one maoist with a chip on his shoulder to do something stupid and a tourist will eventually get hurt. for me its just a matter of time. so let me recommend not to trek from Jiri but rather fly in and out where the region is occupied by the army.
just trying to give you all the information so you can make up your own minds.
Tyler

[Daniel]

This is the second incident reported from the Jiri sector. I agree, I would fly into Lukla and trek from there. I guess 90% of trekkers do that anyway.

[Michael]

Yo Daniel, not everyone leads a boring and meaningless life. You probably do if you think everyone else does. Get a life bro.

[Daniel]

Of course I lead a boring life, if you can call it that... I am at the office designing some very boring customer satisfaction surveys. Really crap stuff. And yesterday I had an audit for ISO 9000-2000 for one of the business units I support. Really, to tear your hair out. The auditor was your typical robot "I am not hear to interact as a human being, just to act like a robot". Drives you crazy!
What people do for money, eh?! I am the ultimate corporate slut, and it bugs me. So please forgive my cynicism. I realise pleople die tragically every day in somewhere in Somalia, Sierra Leone, Afganistan. I reckon this is is nothing compared to looking at this bloody computer screen and knowing in your own mind that it is all hogwash..... Existential angst you call this? I dunno... I guess I am just a stuffed-up guy waiting to go on holiday...

[Marie]

Great ! I love your answer ! I am 66 and I agree with all you say ! Thanks for the interesting slant and valuable info you bring to this site which I visit regularly and find most informative ,entertaining and stimulating My husband and I are planning a trip to EBC as soon as we can find an affordable flight . This will be our second trek in Nepal and it and its people are so attractive that when you are there any fear or even apprehension melts away. Life is too short and precious to waste .
We spent 5 weeks in Egypt last year and were almost constantly surrounded by armed guards in the streets and around tourists sites , escorted in a convoy on certain routes and advised not to travel on certain trains which we ignored .These accouts could be offputting but in fact we felt in no danger at all .