NEPAL AND BEYOND

We have been watching our son, Sam, 22, trekking through the world during the last four months.  Since his completion of college two years ago, he has been singularly focused on saving his earnings for this once-in-a-lifetime trip.  With little access to a cell phone or computer hot spots, we,  his family,  wait patiently, for an update. 

The saying, "No news is good news," applies in this situation!  Our biggest question is where does his wonderlust come from? And then we chuckle.  My husband has been traveling all of his adult life and, so it seems,  Sam gets it naturally.  But whereas Sam will travel on the "Smell of an oily rag," as his father says, my husband's closest experience to "roughing it" is a surf camp in Los Cabos.  Although primitive and fundamental, it is, decidedly, not the same thing.

The photo above of Sam testing his limits was received in December by email even though the photo's date says October 19th, 2009.  In this sense, we are living on faith that he is safe and his funds haven't run out--joking here!  He is absolutely having the time of his life and we support him 100% with his endeavor.  He will likely return a different person with a broad view of the world and what it has to offer.

Sam, on the right with the beautiful smile and no guitar, will have tales to tell and unimaginable adventures to recall.  He left Australia to arrive in India in October.  Since then, he has moved on to Nepal where he got delayed because of an unexpected event.  It seems he was sitting by a lake, musing no doubt,  and a dog approached him.  Sam, truly a dog lover, reached out to pet him just as the dog reached up and stuck his snout up in Sam's  eye, eeesh!

  What happened next was a series of rabies shots that, although we were glad to see his good judgment and sense of prudence was in effect, had the result of postponing his journey to his next destination for about six weeks. 

Ouch!  A brave Sam during one of a series of weekly rabies shots.

We can't think of much that will derail Sam on his quest for exciting exploits.  The above photo of the Himalaya's is an example.  Am I reading too much into this photo or does it appear that a small avalanche is taking place just as Sam clicks the shutter?

  Thank goodness he wasn't on that mountain face!

Sam, on the left in the green shirt, getting ready for his next undertaking --touring village-to -village in the Anapurnas of the Himalaya Mountain Range. 

As we patiently wait for news of Sam's next harbor, we are in awe of his photos and his encounter with a part of the world that is about as remote as one could only imagine. 

Image by thetravellinged via Flickr

The sort of base camp Sam would have encountered in the Anapurnas.

Sam, our world traveler, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, know that your father and I as well as your mum, Amy, Luke, Sean, Samantha, and all of your grandparents, aunts and uncles wish you a safe journey and will continue to wait patiently for your return.  God speed and God bless.