A good guide and good company gives the trekking a special touch. At our first visit to Nepal, in 2002, we were supposed to trek from Jomsom to Muktinath and then turn back to Jomsom again, to follow the river Kaligandaki down to Nayapul. But because of me getting the altitude sickness we have to turn some hours before Muktinath to get down and cure the altitude with garlic soap and some rest.

In spite of this, our guide Ram Sapkota, who we got in contact with on recommendation, helped us to make the ten days a fantastic and very interesting time. Our wildest wishes were fulfilled and Ram was very good in adapting the trip to our needs and possibilities. His great cultural, historical and social knowledge gave us the opportunities to get to learn a lot about the Nepalese society and the Nepalese people. In the evenings we sat in the tea-houses, eating a good dhal bath and talking about what we had experienced and about life in Nepal.

Ram also had the patience to walk slowly or even to sit down for a while, when I wanted to examine some of the rare birds we saw almost every day. And he was very good on choosing the right tea-house for the night. He also helping Lisa-Linnea to choose the right soup for lunch – not too strong but warm and tasty. Dan and Ram were taking photos all the time and I will never forget when Ram carried my rucksack the late afternoon when we climbed the last 1000 steps to Ghorepani. I was exhausted, the sun had went down and I was so hungry and just wondered what in earth I had to do up there in the Himalayan forest. Then Ram took my rucksack, carried it on his belly and told me that it would be just fantastic next morning when I wake up and would be able to enjoy the marvellous view of the Annapurna peeks. And he was right, of course!

Lisa-Linnea returned to Nepal in a youth-exchange in 2003. Between her work in the Watabaran cooperative, she was making a short trek with Ram together with a Swedish friend. Dan and me will return to Nepal in the autumn 2004 and for sure make a trekking in the Himalayan mountains with Ram Sapkota with his company Mountain Delights Treks and Expedition. I think it will be Langtang this time and maybe a camping-trekking.

Ewa, Dan and Lisa-Linnea Söderberg,
Sweden

Vi har været ude at trekke med Ram (Kamal), som guide, mens han arbejdede for Jysk rejsebureau i februar 1998. Han er en utrolig venlig og pligtopfylden guide, der vil gøre alt for at gøre trekket så godt og oplevelsesrigt som muligt. Han har læst engelsk på universitetet, hvilket gør ham i stand til at fortælle om de ting man ser på et højt niveau. Han er meget vidende og svarer gerne på spørgsmål af enhver art om natur, kultur og mennesker. Han er meget rolig, og god til at tilpasse sig de mennesker han er med + det turen byder. Fx oplevede vi et uvejr, hvor vi ikke kunne sove i vores medbragte telte. Her sørgede han for god og tør ndkvartering på et privat loft, mens uvejret rasede. Vores 10-dages trek var en rigtig dejlig oplevelse, og vi har efter trekket haft kontakt med Kamal, da han virkelig satte prikken over i'et på denne i forvejen specielle tur.

Når vi engang får tid og råd til at tage til Nepal igen, er der ingen tvivl om at vi vil opsøge Kamal igen, så han kan blive vores guide. Han er virkelig et dejligt menneske!

_________________________________________________

Ram (Kamal) was our guide on a 10-day trek in February 1998. He is in extremely kind and devoted guide that will do anything to make the trek as good an experience as possible. He has studied English at the university, which enables him to explain about the things you see and any questions you might have about nature, culture or human behavior. He has a broad knowledge and is a very eager storyteller. He is calm and good at adjusting to the people he accompanies on a trek + he is good at handling unforeseen situations. For instance a thunderstorm surprised us on our trek, which made it impossible to sleep in the tents. Kamal arranged for us to sleep at a private loft. Our trek was a really great experience, and we have kept in contact with Kamal all the years after that one trek.


And if we in the future get the time and the money to visit Nepal again, there would be no doubt in our minds - Kamal would be our guide and his Company Mountain Delights again! He is an extraordinary person!

Karen Hansen & Mikael Kallesoe
Aarhus Denmark
E-mail: mikaelkallesoe@hotmail.com