#the rain comes in monsoons that slow to longer dry seasons

[edenogarden]

Having a self is a heavy burden

[bldreamer]

LOOK | MorkSun

Dark Blue Kiss : MorkSun

Summary: Five times Sun is surprised by Mork’s appearance. One time they surprise each other.   Genre: Fluff. Hurt/Comfort. 5+1.  Warnings: Tiny mention of power tools and stitches(?) 

A/N: I miss MorkSun. @kdramama thank you darling x

1.

When Sun notices Mork sitting on the couch by the window of the cafe, he has to do a double take. He’s still in his uniform, brow creased in deep concentration, pen in his mouth as he chews on the cap. The coffee table is covered in textbooks and his calculator is resting on his thigh as he jams his index finger mercilessly into the buttons.

It’s not the first time Sun has watched him do his homework in the cafe. So that’s not the thing that surprises him.

Sun smiles, holding his pad and pencil for extra smugness.

“Can I get you anything, sir?” he asks in his perfect customer friendly tone.

Mork mumbles something Sun thinks sounds like a combination of ‘No’, and ‘Go away’. But he can’t help himself to tease a little more. He’s enjoying the view far too much to leave so soon.

“You can’t sit here if you don’t order anything, I’m afraid.” He taps his pencil, pressing it to the paper. “So, what can I get for you?”

Mork pulls the pen out of his mouth and looks up through his thick lashes. Sun can actually pinpoint the exact second where his glare falters and he realises Sun isn’t going anywhere unless he plays along for a moment or two.

“Iced tea, and a restraining order,” Mork grumbles.

“Restraining order?”

“Mh,” Mork hums, “There’s an annoying barista harassing me.”

Sun grins. “I bet he’s handsome though.”

“And he’s really humble about it.” Mork turns back to his papers, pushing his glasses back to his brow. “His personality needs work, if you ask me,” he mutters, jotting something down.  

Sun pouts. “You’re so cold,” he says.

“Was there something you wanted, P’?” Mork asks, distracted. “Or do you just enjoy bugging me even on my day off?”

Sun chews on his bottom lip, feeling a little sheepish all of a sudden.

“I didn’t know you wore glasses,” he says, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

“Surprise.” Mork pushes them up his nose again, as if on instinct because Sun has brought them up.

Sun won’t say this aloud, he values his life. But the glasses are undeniably cute. Slim black frames, soft round lenses, and a silver bridge curved across Mork’s nose making him look equal parts adorable and sexy.

“Don’t get used to it,” Mork tells him plainly.

“Oh?”

“I get my new contacts in a week.”

That means Sun gets to see Mork wearing them for the next five or six days at least. He isn’t disappointed in the slightest. Specifically at the thought of tugging Mork into bed and taking them off for him before they kiss.

“What happened to the old ones?” Sun asks out of curiosity.

“They were making my eyes itch,” Mork comments, clicking his calculator and turning his nose up, apparently unhappy with the answer it gives him.

Now that Sun looks past his lenses and the blue glare they’re giving off, he can see Mork’s eyes are a little red and irritated. He wonders if the AC is making his eyes dry and he needs to turn it down or change the filter. He makes a note to do both before morning.

“I like the glasses,” Sun mentions discreetly. “They make you look distinguished.”

Mork looks up past the reflective lenses. “Distinguished?” he asks slowly, like he knows what Sun is getting at but he’s still curious.

“Like a sexy librarian,” Sun tells him.

Mork sniggers. “Pervert.” There’s a faint pink glow that blossoms from his cheeks and Sun can’t help but grin at the sight. “Hurry up with my order or I’m going to Boss Cafe to study.”

“Yes sir, coming right up sir.” Sun jots something down on his pad. “One iced tea, coming your way,” he assures with mock urgency, tearing off the paper and putting it down on the coffee table.

He walks away back to the kitchen to make Mork’s drink. He looks up from behind the counter to see the boy reading his note.

-Stay over tonight and I’ll show you how I feel about sexy librarians.

He doesn’t miss the smile that spreads across Mork’s face as he tucks the note into his top pocket, going back to his homework.

2.

Mork starts growing his hair out some time around monsoon season.

His fringe is the only thing that’s different at first. It gets too long to lay over his forehead and Mork flicks it out of his eyes about a thousand times an hour until it's long enough to tuck behind his ears.

There’s an awkward stage where Mork grumbles about cutting it until Sun finds a new niche in threading his fingers through the long strands and brushing his thumb over the hairs at the nape of Mork’s neck in the quiet moments when they’re alone.

When it almost touches Mork’s jawline and starts to curl at the ends, Sun jokes he’ll have to start wearing a hairnet when he’s working.

The next morning Sun comes out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist to see Mork in front of the mirror, attempting to pull the front half of his hair into pineapple looking sprout at the top of his head.

It’s ridiculously fluffy and Sun hadn’t expected it to be so wavy when he started growing it out. It makes Mork look like a completely different person than the arrogant troublemaker he used to be. His rough and jagged edges softened into something warm and content.

Rain has taken to calling his best friend Mushroom Head and Sun often watches fondly as his boyfriend puts Rain into an unforgiving headlock and drags him around the cafe. It’s the only act of violence Sun permits under his roof.

“Need some help?” Sun dares to ask, despite being on the receiving end of a glare in the reflexion of the mirror.

“This is your fault.”

“My fault?” Sun echos, taking the hair tie from him without prompt.

“You told me I’d look good with long hair.”

Sun frowns. “I did?” he questions, racking his brain for that particular memory.

“You were drunk,” Mork says.

“That doesn’t sound like me.”

Sun manipulates him so he can reach the top of his head. Raking his fingers through Mork’s long hair and gathering the front section into his hand.

“You said I’d be as fluffy on the outside like I am on the inside.”

“That sounds like me,” Sun agrees. Drunk him anyway.

He twists the hair tie and makes a small if slightly messy looped knot on the top of Mork’s head. He steps back to admire his masterpiece, smiling at the cute hairstyle and Mork’s grumpy face below.

“You look adorable,” he beams, proud of himself.

“I look stupid,” Mork complains, not even looking in the mirror. “I’m going to the barbers on my lunch break.”

Sun wonders if the sounds of his shattering heart reach Mork’s ears. If they do, he doesn’t seem to care.

“Mork,” he cries, reaching for his hand.

“Shut your face, I owe Rain 500฿.”

“You guys had a bet going?”

Mork nods, disgruntled. “He bet me I couldn’t last six months looking like a mushroom.”

“Then wait until it’s been six months,” Sun tries to persuade but the expression on Mork’s face tells him he’s not backing down.

“It’s almost summer. I’m going to suffocate under all this mess.”

It’s probably true, Sun hadn’t realised Mork could have so much hair.

Sun pouts, Mork’s hand cupped in his own.

“Don’t cut your hair. Please,” he moans. “Please, pretty please, Mork.”

Mork shoves him away with his elbow, like Sun’s whining is the most annoying sound on planet Earth -it probably is- and says, “Give it a rest,” reaching for the doorknob.  

Mork keeps the topknot in even after Rain outwardly cackles in his face and Sun follows him around for the entire morning sulking. He switches between pleading aloud and throwing him sad puppy eyes whenever their eyes meet but to no avail.

Sun is thoroughly heartbroken when Mork unties his apron and grabs his wallet and bike keys from behind the counter just after one in the afternoon.

Almost an hour later he comes back with decidedly less hair and less curls than he’d had that morning. It's a shade or two darker without the sun lightened ends. Neat at the back and longer on the top, catching on his eyelashes and Sun carefully pushes the fringe from his eyes. 

It’s still just as fluffy.

“How does it look?” There’s a hesitance to Mork’s words, a nervousness about the way he holds himself.

Despite being in a state of mourning, Sun can’t help the smile that spreads across his entire face. He doesn’t deny Mork looks breathtaking. He twists his boyfriend around, hands on his hips so he can tie the apron around at his back.

“You have a tan line on the back of your neck,” Sun tells him with a small chuckle, brushing his fingers over the pale skin at his nape as he ties a knot in the neck of the apron “You look very handsome, boyfriend,” he whispers into his ear.

Mork smirks at him when they’re back facing each other, slipping something into Sun’s hand. “500฿ says you can’t pull off a top knot.”

Sun opens the hand as he walks away. It’s the hair tie Mork had had in earlier and he grins, eyes following his neatly trimmed boyfriend across the cafe.

“Oh, you’re on.”

3.

The sight of the bandage around Mork’s hand makes Sun’s stomach drop to the floor. Especially when Rain trails into the cafe behind him with a sullen expression and a split lip.

Sun forces air into his lungs, taking a slow and calculated breath before he does something stupid like start throwing accusations around before he knows the full story. He’s made that mistake one too many times. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel like throwing up as his brain leads him to the most obvious places when the two boys shuffle towards him.

“We know what this looks like,” Rain starts and the sound of his voice alone makes Sun jump out of his skin.

“And what does it look like?” Sun asks, his voice more level than he would have thought.

He clenches his jaw, preparing himself for the worst but hoping for something better. A good excuse at least.  

“P’Sun, it’s not what you think,” Rain assures. “I promise.”

Mork glares at him, looming large while Rain shrinks under his gaze. A stiffness that falls over the cafe, like time gets stuck and Sun can hear his own blood pumping in his ears.

“It was an accident-”

Mork throws his unbandaged hand at the back of Rain’s head making him yelp.

“Dude, what was that for?” Rain rubs the back of his skull. “I said I was sorry.”

“For the tetanus shot.” Mork wacks him again, gaining another yelp. “And that’s for the stitches.”

Sun puts down the tray he’s holding -it’s starting to wobble- and places his hands on his hips as he waits for the full explanation. Eyebrows raised, looking between both boys.

“I was using a saw in the workshop and this idiot,” Mork growls, “Decided it would be hilarious to jump out behind me. You’re lucky I didn’t slice my whole hand off and make you eat it, asshole.”

Rain’s eyes widen and he shudders, knowing his friend isn’t kidding. Sun is still trying to digest the part about the saw.

“What happened to your face?” he asks instead, working himself up from the smallest injury.

Sun highly doubts Mork punched his best friend, but it’s nice to have confirmation. Even if it sounds like Rain deserved it.

“He jerked his elbow into my face when I jumped him,” Rain complains, poking the cut with his tongue like he’s the terribly injured party in the whole thing.

“Be grateful P’Sun made me promise not to use violence anymore.” Mork clenches his good fist. “Otherwise you’d be scraping yourself off that saw.”

“Mork, darling,” Rain pouts.

Mork raises his hand, looking like he’s about to give Rain another head wack when Rain’s phone starts ringing -they all know who it is- and he skulks off to the side to answer it.

“Manow,” he whines into the phone. “Mork’s scolding me.”

Mork’s nostrils flare, glaring holes in the back of Rain’s skull as he walks away towards the stairs, trailing his backpack along the floor as he goes.

“Come with me,” Sun says, grabbing Mork’s arm and tugging him towards the couch by the window of the cafe.

He makes Mork sit down and gingerly takes his hand in his lap, holding it with the lightest touch, unsure where the injury is specifically under the thick bandages that go from his wrist to the knuckles of his fingers. Stark and white, contrasting with Mork’s tanned skin.

“It’s fine, I went to the clinic on campus,” Mork says, answering the question Sun hasn’t even asked yet.

Sun winces, looking from Mork’s face to the bandages. “Does it hurt?”

“It’s okay. Just a scratch,” Mork shrugs, letting Sun hold his hand without complaint. “The nurse said to keep it dry and change the dressings tomorrow.”

Sun furrows his brow, studying Mork’s face for a moment. He reaches out to feel Mork’s forehead with the back of his hand.

“You look pale,” he says, despite not finding much -or anything- of a fever.

“There was a lot of blood,” Mork comments flippantly like it’s the most throw away thing in the world.

“You said it was fine!” Sun scolds.

“It is.” Mork taps him on the cheek. “You worry too much, P’.”

“You make me worry.” Sun tuts, pursing his lips and he brushes his thumb over the edges of Mork’s bandage. “Don’t do any lifting with this hand, and make Rain clear your tables.”  

“No arguments from me,” Mork shrugs.

“Sit down if you feel lightheaded.”

“Anything else?”

“Don’t scare me like this again.”

Mork’s face curls into an all too pleased smirk, “You thought I’d punched someone, huh?”

Sun weighs up his options of telling the truth verses how effective a bold face lie would be.

“You really have so little faith in me?” Mork questions, because apparently Sun took too long to decide his silence is answer enough.

“No,” Sun pouts. “But you can’t blame me.”

Mork huffs a short laugh. “Well, at least you didn’t yell at me before hearing me out.”

“It’s progress?” Sun offers with a weak grimace.

“Sure, P’. Whatever you say.” Mork pushes to stand, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. “I’m going to go get changed before my shift.”

“Yell if you need help,” Sun says, and he’s not even being naughty.

“I cut my hand, not had my arm amputated. I think I’ll manage.”

“Tell Rain he’s on toilet duty for the rest of the month for his sheer stupidity.” And for giving him a mild heart attack.

“You’re the boss,” Mork mock salutes him.

Sun sighs, lying back against the couch. Those two idiots are going to be the death of him.

4.

“What’s this?”

Sun holds the pendant around Mork’s neck. It’s hard to see in the dim lamp light as Mork looks down from on top of him, the chain hanging in the air inches from Sun’s face. He knows instantly it’s different than the dog-tag Mork has always worn.

“It was cheap at the market,” Mork mumbles. He leans down, the metal pendant cold as it touches Sun’s skin and they share a chaste kiss.

“Is it what I think it is?” Sun breathes when they pull apart and Mork threads his fingers into Sun’s hair.

“Like I said, it was cheap.”

“It’s a sun,” Sun says.

“I thought it looked cool, don’t read too much into it.”

“You’re wearing my namesake around your neck?” Sun hums, not ready to let it go.

“It was a happy coincidence.”

“Some would call that fate,” Sun muses.

“You’re so cheesy.”

Sun grips the pendant and pulls Mork back down into him. He tastes of the hot chocolate Sun made for him downstairs before they clumsily stumbled up to the bedroom.

“Did you choose it for me?”

“If I say yes will you shut up, P’?”

Mork doesn’t wait for an answer before nuzzling into Sun’s neck, placing soft kisses from his ear down to his collarbone. He doesn’t like leaving bruises. He’s much more tender and gentle than Sun would have ever imagined but he loves it. Adores it. How careful Mork holds him despite the strength in his hands.

“Yes,” Mork admits between kisses. “It’s for you,” he murmurs. “Sap.”

“It suits you,” Sun tells him, bliss swelling from his chest as he trails his hands over Mork’s shoulder blades. “I love you,” he says, breathless and content.

Mork doesn’t return the sentiment in actual words, but the tenderness he gives Sun that night is more than enough.

5.

Sun almost falls over a chair when he sees Mork coming down the stairs.

It’s the cafe’s grand reopening after Sun decided it was a good idea to remodel the whole place after the new year. Luckily he has a boyfriend and a brother, both of whom are good with power tools and a paint roller between them.

Sun had attempted to make himself useful over the last several weeks, but he was quickly demoted from project leader to the mere drinks maker when the two delinquents in his care pointed out that there’s a reason why Sun is a barista and not a carpenter.

Rain whistles behind him, eyes on Mork as well as he approaches, grabbing himself a glass of champagne -the cheap stuff, Sun was poor before the remodel, now he’s bankrupt- on the way.

Sun has so many things he wants to say, so many things he wants to do to this boy.

“You own a suit?” he manages to squeak out and he’s worried if he grips his own champagne flute any tighter it will shatter.

“I didn’t before today,” Mork shrugs, sipping his alcohol.

“You look…”

Sun trails his eyes over Mork’s form from head to toe. Mouth salivating. Mork is dressed in a royal blue suit with a pointed black collar, a black shirt, and matching tailored pants. He’s even wearing patent dress shoes and they shouldn’t be sexy but for a boy who wears nothing but faded henleys and Vans sneakers, it’s everything Sun never knew he wanted until now. He wants to rip the jacket from his muscular frame and weave his way into his neatly buttoned shirt.

“P’? P’Sun?” Mork clicks his fingers in front of his face. “You okay?”

Sun blinks, looking at his glass and wondering how much he’s drunk this evening.

“Huh, what?”

“You’re drooling,” Mork says, and Sun reaches for his chin so fast he almost slaps himself in the face.

He is in fact drooling. The corner of his mouth a tiny bit damp from saliva. And he’s supposed to be the dignified one.

“Are you having a stroke?” Mork sniggers.

“Maybe,” Sun admits, fingers reaching out to smooth the slight kink in the shoulder of Mork’s jacket. “You look incredible.”

Mork smiles, “You don’t look so bad yourself, I guess.”

Sun looks down at his own attire. He’s also wearing a suit, but it's grey and boring and he feels a little underdressed as the host now he’s standing beside his boyfriend, adorned in blue that brings out the golden flecks in his eyes and matches with the new blue of the Blue Sky Cafe.

“Do me a favour?”

“Mh?” Mork hums.

Sun leans in closer, his warm breath next to Mork’s ear, the scent of his cologne warm and woody. “Keep the jacket on until I take it off you later,” he whispers.

Mork chuckles, draining the rest of his glass.

Sun suddenly wishes the party was over and he could have his way with his impossibly suave boyfriend.

+1.

It’s late. The moonlight casts a haze over the otherwise dark room, the curtains blowing in the cool breeze from the open window.

Sun is lying on his front facing the wall, arms tucked under the pillow and his cheek smushed into the fabric. He blinks, wondering what woke him from his slumber. It feels like hours have passed but given how black the sky is, it’s probably been less than one.

He feels a faint touch on his left shoulder blade. Warm fingers moving over his skin and the markings there. They swirl with the lightest trace along the intricacies of the lines, so gentle it makes the hairs on Sun’s neck stand on end. The once rigid hands moving with ease and grace, outlining the black markings with beautiful familiarity.

Sun keeps still and lets himself enjoy it for a while longer. Quiet moments like these are precious to him.  

“Are you having fun?” Sun asks against his pillow eventually.

“Mh,” Mork hums, unsurprised he’s awake. “I like it.”

Sun turns his head so he’s facing the room and more specifically, the boy beside him in his bed.

“Nong Mork,” he smirks. “Are you flirting?”

Mork tuts. “You wish.”

Sun takes a moment to study his face. 

“Everything okay?” he asks, “It’s late.”

“Just thinking.”

“About?”

“Nothing to worry about, old man.”

Sun huffs a quiet laugh, fondness spreading throughout his chest. He turns his body over and rests his head on his hand as his eyes adjust to the dark room and the features of Mork’s face become clear.

“What’s so funny?” Sun asks when he notices the faint smirk across his pink lips.  

“Still hard to believe you have a tattoo.”

“Why is that?”

“You’re so vanilla.”  

Sun won’t deny he makes every effort to live his life with the safety bars firmly locked in place.

“I wasn’t always,” he says, finding Mork’s hand on the sheets and lacing their fingers together.

Mork snorts. “I can’t picture that either.”

“I was worse than you, trust me.” Sun studies Mork’s fingers. They’re softer than they used to be. “I put my father through hell.”

“So the tattoo was at the height of your teenage rebellion?”

Sun shakes his head, “No, that was just before I opened the cafe actually. I’d got my act together by then but I thought it could bring me good luck.”

“That sounds even harder to believe,” Mork says. “That you would waste money on a stupid superstitious tattoo when you were trying to open a coffee shop.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Sun counters. “I have a coffee shop and I even gained a boyfriend because of it.”

Mork pushes him on the shoulder. Sun knows if he turned the lamp on he’d see the boys cheeks flushed.

“Did it hurt?”

“I suppose.” He doesn’t remember actually. It wasn’t a pleasant time in his life and he regrets not getting it when he was in a better place. It’s worked out in the long run but it's taken a long time for him to look over his shoulder without his chest aching.

“Did you cry like a big baby?”

Sun chuckles. “It hurt a lot less than when you’re applying antiseptic to my face.”  

“Where did you get it done?”

“Some place my friend's brother owns,” Sun says, twisting the silver ring around Mork’s thumb. A gift for the News Years just gone. “Why are so curious all of a sudden?”

Mork shrugs. “Thinking about getting one.”

“Really?” Sun says, surprised.

“I’ve always wanted a tattoo. Just never had the spare cash to pay for it.”

“Where would you get it?”

“I wanted something on my arm for a long time.” Mork traces their entwined hands on the inside of his forearm, just below his elbow. “But I guess it would be better if I got it somewhere hidden.”

“I like that,” Sun tells him with a knowing look. Thinking about being the only one that would have the privilege of seeing it. “But it’s up to you. It’s your body.”

Mork blinks at him, looking like he’s taken aback slightly at Sun’s words.

“Did you expect me to talk you out of it?” Sun guesses with a smirk. “I’d be a bit of a hypocrite don’t you think?”

Mork huffs. “Like that’s ever stopped you before.”

He has a point.

“Do you have a design in mind?”

“Haven’t thought that far.”

“We could get one together?” Sun grins, waggling his eyebrows.

Mork’s eyes widen and he looks mindly horrified for a second before he narrows his brow and glares. “I’m not getting a couples tattoo with you.”

“It would be cute.”

“It would be over my dead body.”

“Fine,” Sun grumbles, pouting. “Will you tell me? If you decide what you want?” He doesn’t like the idea of Mork slipping off by himself and coming back with a fresh bandage and a sore patch of skin.

“Sure,” Mork says.

Sun looks over at the pile of clothes scattered across his bedroom floor starting at the door.

“Do you know where my t-shirt is? I’m cold,” he pouts, hoping the look is enough to get Mork to reach for it.

The boy just sighs, tilting his head and not falling for it as Sun would have liked. There’s a hint of something he can’t quite put his finger on in Mork’s eyes however. Disappointment, maybe?

Sun raises his eyebrows. “Unless you plan on admiring my stupid superscician a little longer?”

“Shut up.”

Sun bites his lower lip. “You like it that much?”

“So what if I do?” Mork says, rising to the challenge.

“Nong Mork,” Sun teases, squeezing his fingers to clasp the boy's hand a little tighter.

The boy glares, but there’s no heat behind his eyes. “I think I preferred it when you were sleeping.”

“Then let’s sleep,” Sun says, tugging his hand until he begrudgingly lies down. “I love you,” he murmurs when they’re facing each other.

“Mh,” Mork hums in return. “You’re going to wear that phrase out.”

“Maybe I’m saying it enough for the both of us.”

It’s not a dig. He knows how Mork feels, in fact he knows how the boy feels before he knows it himself. It’s just he’s more of an ‘actions speak louder than words’ kind of guy and Sun can’t help but admire him for it.

“Night, P’.”

Sun brushes the fallen hair from his eyes. “Sweet dreams, Mork.”

He feels Mork shuffle closer, not touching, because Mork isn’t a cuddler, at least not for longer than five seconds under extreme circumstances. But he’s close enough that Sun can feel the heat of his bare skin and the warm breath from his lips.

Sun wants to lean over and place a kiss on that pink mouth, but Mork looks tired and he doesn’t want to ruin the moment of quiet stillness that settles around them. And so Sun closes his eyes to the boy's soft face and lets himself drift off, knowing by the sounds of the slow breaths, Mork is already ahead of him.

~Fin.

[loveafterthefact]

Love After the Fact Chapter 73: Care and After

Keith and Lance have to wait two movements to take a pregnancy test. In the meantime, Keith recuperates and some actual work gets done.

And I finally stop shitting on Krolia quite so much, bc I'm nice like that 😇

First  Previous  Next

Krolia stops by while Keith is in a deep sleep, offering the excuse that she’s bringing them more food and returning BleepBloop. Once she’s made her excuse plausible, the offerings placed in the cellar beneath the remaining packages she’d given them a movement ago, she admits her true purpose with a question.

“How is he?”

“He’s fine,” Lance murmurs, brushing hair out of Keith's face. He pushes one foot rhythmically against the wall, letting their hanging bed sway gently back and forth. “The night before last, he had some trouble holding his fever. I ended up putting him in a hot bath. Then last night, his fever broke fully.”

“When his fever dropped the first time, was it a false break or just a drop in temperature?”

“No… It was my fault. It got really cold out, and I forgot to feed the fire. He couldn’t keep up. He was still having chills, and was slightly lucid. He suggested I run him a bath. I don’t think he remembers, though.”

“A dip in fever is pretty normal for a first season. Galra are never as strong their first time around. You handled it well.”

“Mhm. I missed him, though.” Lance smiles, gaze soft as it travels over Keith’s face. “He’s my friend. My ‘Person’, y’know? And I’m his ‘Person’... I don’t know. It just- It felt like he wasn’t here anymore. Obviously, I’ll still be here for him every time, however he wants me, but I think I’ll always like it better when he’s being rude and demanding. Or complaining.”

The Altean’s mouth quirks. “I’m sure I’ll get an earful about something or other when he wakes.”

That quirk rises into a grin. He loves it when Keith gives him a hard time. It’s one of his ways of showing his love, and that he’s comfortable with him. It’s one of Lance’s favorite things.

Keith stirs in his sleep, whimpers against Lance’s throat. Long brown fingers slide up to his ear, massaging the base in just the right spot. Practiced. Caring.

When he glances up to the silent woman, she’s watching, expression perfectly neutral. When she speaks, it’s not bitter, only quiet. “Why couldn’t you be what I wanted you to be?”

“Do you know, I think you’re the first person to ask me that to my face? Most people I meet just give underhanded comments about whatever aspect of myself they take issue with.” Keith settles against him once more, sinking deeper into sleep with a sigh. Lance takes a moment to smile at him. “But either way, it doesn’t matter. I am who I am, and what I am, and if there’s one thing I’ll never apologize for, it’s that.”

Lance tips his forehead to rest against Keith’s. “He calls me his ‘good man’. I need to live up to that.”

“You’d fucking better.” The woman sighs. “I need to get back up to the compound. Take good care of him for me.”

“You have my word.”

 “So… My arm is dead. And your hair is in my mouth.”

“That sounds like a You Problem,” Keith mumbles, even as he shifts in a weak attempt to restore blood flow to Lance’s arm.

“The burdens of being the big spoon,” Lance murmurs, kissing the back of Keith’s neck while subtly trying to get fur out of his mouth. “Feeling any better? You’ve been sleeping all day.”

“A little. Guess I’ll sleep some more, take a bath, eat something, and then…”

“Find a way to keep busy for two movements?”

“Yeah.” Keith finds Lance’s hand slung over his waist, grips it tight. “I know I shouldn’t make such a fuss about this. It’s all chance, not a big deal if we’re not pregnant, but-”

“It is a big deal. Either way, this is going to dictate how the next few phoebs will go, or the rest of our lives. It’s an especially big deal for you, I know. All those social pressures and everything. But it’s ten quintants. We’ll get through it together, just like we do everything else, okay?”

“Okay.” A restless quiet stretches between them. “I need a bath.”

“You really, really do. Would you like me to run one for you?”

“Rude. But yes, please and thank you.”

“Trust me, I need one too.” Lance gets up, ignoring Keith’s grumbling when he does. “I’ll go first. You go back to sleep, or get a snack, okay?”

The prince kisses his cheek, sets one of Krolia’s leaf-meals next to him on their bed. Keith groans, not at all in the mood to return the affection. He’s so grumpy when he’s tired…

Ancients, Lance loves him.

When Keith finally emerges from the den, he’s freshly bathed, long, thick hair still dripping, hanging loose down his bare back. He’s a bit self-conscious, having noticed almost immediately that he’s lost a noticeable amount of weight. 

Lance, while (suspiciously) vocal of his appreciation for Krolia giving them food, is cooking them some fresh fish out front, complete with bread and vegetables. Keith notices that there’s definitely extra food there, no doubt in an effort to stuff him full of nutrients.

“Hey.” 

“Hey- Hi. How are you?” Lance searches him earnestly, looking for clues. 

“I feel like shit. But you probably figured that. Also, my head hurts from keeping my hair braided for so long.”

“Yes, I figured that. Do you want me to dry your hair for you?”

“Yes, please. But leave it loose.” Keith hands him a towel, sitting beside him on the ground. “I could swear I almost forgot what the sky looked like.”

“Well, right now it looks gloomy.” It does indeed, overcast and thundering. The world is cast in grey light, leeching the bright reds from the earth. Lance gently squeezes water from Keith’s hair, glancing regularly at their dinner to avoid burning anything. “Apparently, the storm ‘system’ that came over when your season started is still passing over.”

“Yeah, it happens this time of year. We’re nearing the monsoon season.”

“I thought you didn’t have seasons.”

“We do, but not temperature-y seasons. We have rainy seasons, dry seasons, harvest seasons, rutting seasons, lots of different seasons, but we definitely don’t have winter.”

“Rutting seasons?”

“The elk. They start bugling and mating and all that stuff. Then they calve, and the wolves have their pups.” Keith lifts his eyes to the heavy clouds. “It’s good you’re cooking now. It’s going to rain again in just a little bit.”

Lance finishes, leaving Keith’s hair ever so slightly damp, but at least no longer dripping. The Galra disappears back into the den, comes out with their cloaks instead of the towel. Lance sighs with relief, grateful for the warmth as a chilled breeze tumbles over them. Keith snuggles close, rests his head on Lance’s shoulder.

“Thanks for taking care of me. You did a good job.”

“Aw, thanks, beloved. It was my pleasure.” The rain finally starts, and Lance sighs. “I hope our food’s done.” 

“Seriously. I want to eat everything right now.” Keith grabbed the cast iron pan of vegetables while Lance pulled the rolls from the stone oven and grabbed the fish, sliding them off the roasting sticks and into the vegetable pan.

“If not, I’ll make a fire inside and finish it for us. Come on.”

They’re inside just as it starts pouring.

“So… When do we start thinking about names for our kits?” Keith sets their food by the inside fireplace, gets a fire going to keep it warm.

“Uh… I’m not sure.” Lance peels off his wet shirt, dropping it on the floor. “My grandmother dictated my and Allura’s name before my mother was even of legal age. Depending on which characters you use, ‘Lancel’ means ‘paladin’ and ‘providence’, or it can mean ‘bloody ruler’.”

“Well that’s a bit on the nose.” Keith scoops BleepBloop into his arms, scratching his little belly. “Which characters do you use?”

“My grandmother was an extremely unpleasant person. I suspect she wished for ‘bloody ruler’, but she died before I was born. My father chose ‘paladin’ and ‘providence’, most likely to spite her... What does your name mean?” Lance’s head pops out of a fresh shirt.

“No idea. I’d have to go to Earth to find that out, and no one alive knows where it is. Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Do you want our kits to be like you?” Keith pulls a bread roll from the tray, tearing off half and handing it to Lance. He’ll start out slow, so he doesn’t get nauseous, but Keith’s determined to start gaining weight as quickly as he can. ‘Just in case’, as with most everything he does these days. He’s even dialed back on his training, choosing not to resume his sessions with the Blade following the end of his season.

“I’d rather they be like you. I’m untested, and have little in the way of practical skills. You’ve proven your resilience, and your strength. I want them to have that.” Lance throws himself down in his chair by the table.

“I hope they have your mercy,” Keith whispers. He hops up to sit on the table, planting one of his feet between Lance’s legs. “Your balance. Your ability to learn something new. To listen… You teach them how to be charismatic and leader-y, and I’ll teach them how to kill without remorse and make a shelter and fire starting with two sticks.”

“Oh, Ancients! They’ll be unstoppable!” Lance laughs, scales glowing with humor.

“As long as they’re better than Seran and Renli’s kits, I’ll be happy.”

“That is an incredibly low bar, beloved.” Lance laughs, kissing Keith’s knee. 

“Yeah… They deserve higher expectations. Not the best, because that’s not fair, or our best, because that’s fucking stupid, but I want them to be their best, and always strive to improve. Like you.”

“Like us.” Lance smiles. “And I absolutely agree. The other side of that is that it’s up to us to figure out how our children can use their various strengths and weaknesses to succeed in the high-ranking positions they’ll eventually hold.”

“You’re Alfor-ing,” Keith mutters. “You mean we’ll take an interest in our children and be invested in their lives because we’re their parents. We’ll encourage them to pursue their passions and apply them in a way that befits their status, because we love them and are involved in their lives.”

“Oh. Right…” Lance’s ears droop just a little. He looks sad. Probably because Lance never had a parent do that for him.

“Hey.” Keith nudges the inside of Lance’s thigh with his toe. When those blue-and-pink eyes meet his face, Keith’s mind draws a blank. What does he say to someone who’s just been painfully reminded of the neglect he’s experienced? “I love you.”

Lance cracks a smile. “I love you, too.”

“You’re important to me.”

“You’re important to me, too.” Lance sighs. “Can I have a hug?”

Keith smiles, sliding off the table into Lance’s lap, straddling him as he drapes his arms over the man’s shoulders. “Absolutely.”

Keith kisses his mate, careful to work a smile into it. He forgets sometimes just how desperate Lance is to break his family’s cycle, just how afraid he must be of following in his father’s footsteps (or lack thereof). To Keith, Lance is the man who can’t wait to be a father, who’s champing at the bit to be a king. He’s the man who wants to fix everything, even if he knows it’s not possible.

Tipping forward, Lance rests his head against Keith’s collarbone, and Keith twines fingers in his hair.

“My good man, don’t be sad.” Keith kisses, lays his cheek against his head. “You’re going to be amazing, I just know it.”

“I know.” The Altean draws in a great breath. “I know. I just-”

“Shh…” Keith rubs circles into Lance’s back, somewhat alarmed by his mate’s sudden distress. “We’ll do great, my love. I know it.”

“But why couldn’t he?” Lance whispers, voice trembling dangerously. Keith’s hands freeze. “I wanted it so badly.”

“I don’t know why. But you so deserved it.” Keith’s comforting skills reach their limit. “It’s one of the many reasons I want to punch him in his stupid face.”

Lance laughs, kisses the side of Keith’s neck. “There’s the Keith I know and love.”

“Sorry. I suck at comforting people.”

“It’s okay. You’re amazing at comforting me.” Lance pulls back, smiles up at the man in his lap, eyes rimmed with just a bit of red. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Keith leans down, kisses him deeply, hands cradling his face, thumbs sliding over his scales. Lance’s hands find their way under his thighs, lifting him up as he stands, setting him back on the table.

“Mm, how much do you love me?”

“Aren’t you sick of me yet?”

“Never. Not ever.” 

Keith believes his mate, one hundred percent. Not just because Lance’s hands are still on him, but because he just does. 

That doesn’t at all mean that he can’t mess with the man a little.

“We should confront your daddy issues more often.”

“Rude!”

 Quintants later, Lance and Keith have found something to keep them busy: their duties. After movements of neglect, Lanval reports that the people miss them, finding Alfor and Coran (mostly Alfor), less approachable. As a result, the pair are wandering through the imperial library, researching methods of population control and agricultural sustainability. Growth and capacity are constantly at war.

Krolia is on her own ‘research’ mission: how the fuck do Alteans actually think?

“Gentlemen.” Krolia nods as she approaches Shiro and Adam’s table on the other end of the library. “How are you?”

“Well enough,” Shiro says. Adam doesn’t respond, busy composing a message to an associate, named Lanval. Apparently this ‘Lanval’ serves as a sort of spy for the princes, keeping tabs on the general concerns and opinions of the commonwealth and court. “You?”

Krolia hums, lounging in a free chair. “I learned something quite interesting today.” Shiro hums. Adam momentarily lifts his gaze. “It would seem that Crown Prince Lancel isn’t quite what I imagined.”

“Mnh. sounds about right.” Adam doesn’t seem to care how useless his comment is. “How exactly did you finally come to that conclusion?”

“He said he missed Keith while he was in season.”

“Ah.” Adam finally tears his attention away from his desktop, smile more of a smirk than anything else. “He would. He’s sentimental like that.”

“I assumed he liked it any way he could get it, but it seems otherwise.”

“It’s an Altean thing, I think,” Shiro says. “They’re a reserved species, but generally respectful toward their spouses, despite their promiscuity. They can also be very playful with their mates, particularly in private. I’ve observed Keith engaging in playful banter with Lance on more than one occasion. I imagine Lance values that.”

“Lance values what?” Keith peeks his head around a bookshelf.

“You’re affectionate degradation of his character,” Adam says, smiling at the young prince. “Apparently he missed you during your season.”

Keith snorts. “What a dork.” The prince snatches up a scroll. “Hey, dork!”

“Yes, beloved?!” Lance calls from a different aisle.

“You’re a dork!”

“And you’re stuck with me, so what does that make you?” Lance rounds a corner. “Come help me with this. Apparently one of our mines on Arus is compromised. We need to write an emergency missive to close it, because apparently neither the colony nor the natives have the authority to halt production.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Keith frowns.

“We can revisit native citizens’ rights after we get them and our colonists out of dangerous mines, okay?”

“So long as we revisit it… Guess we’d better get to work. Also, we should bring back some windchimes for Hunk’s new kit. Kits love them.”

Krolia watches the two head off to wherever their desk is, Lance taking Keith’s hand, the two bickering back and forth about which one of them is more of a dork. Keith’s tail curls around the altean prince’s ankle, ultimately preventing his escape as he drives a hand into the man’s white hair, leaving it sticking up in all directions.

The prince’s shrieks carry throughout the quiet room.

Adam props his head on his fist, eyeing Shiro with amusement. “Any other anthropological observations you’d like to share, captain?”

“You’re not as chilly as you want everyone to think.”

“Excuse me?” Adam glares, bristling.

“Settle down.” Shiro sips his tea. “I was speaking of your entire species, not you. Though it is interesting that you-”

“Stop talking, or I will make you.”

Krolia settles back in her chair, watching the pair banter themselves, though not in nearly as boisterous a fashion. But before long, her eyes and ears slide in the direction of her son and his problematic mate.

It’s long been her belief that the best thing someone could be is someone like Akira. Someone who’s equal parts frustrated and optimistic, and not above putting their foot down and digging their heels in like a stubborn child. Able to learn, able to understand, able to reach out and extend themselves to others, no matter how different.

Creeping up to observe the pair, watching Lance pour over documents and old, outdated policy, Krolia can’t help but realize that the young Altean is in many ways quite similar to her own mate, right down to the way he’s always giving Keith at least a modicum of his attention, even if it’s to annoy him.

She hates to admit it, but her son could do much, much worse.

With that in mind, Krolia approaches the boys' table. "Have you investigated inspection and mining maintenance procedures and regulations? Perhaps there is some underlying cause."

Lance leans back in his chair, eyeing her carefully. Finally he nods. "I haven't." There's so much caution in his eyes. "Perhaps you'd like to assist with this? We'd appreciate it."

Krolia nods, waiting for Lance to transfer the appropriate documents. A quick scan reveals the problem. "This is extremely outdated, given our peoples' current understanding of physics and changes in mining practices. Let me pulls some documents and I can help you boys draft something new."

Keith wraps his hands around Lance's arm, whispers something in his ear. Lance smiles, nods. "If you would, we'd be very grateful. If you can do that, then we can come up with a plan to help implement new procedures, and provide any resources needed to transition to more appropriate protocols."

It's an unspoken thing, the way Lance gestures for her to sit at their table upon her return, the way he makes room for her books beside his own. When Keith makes tea, there are three cups. When they call for a servant to bring them food, Lance requests three meals. A simple choice -her simple, agonizing choice- means that once again, Krolia has an open seat at her son's table.

She doesn't miss how Lance nudges Keith, the silent look they share. She doesn't miss Keith's smile as he turns back to his letter.

Worth it.

[kathleenseiber]

The fight for the Martuwarra

The Martuwarra (Fitzroy) River system winds its way through Western Australia’s Kimberley region, along deep troughs and shallow rivulets, nourishing a complex and finely tuned ecosystem as well as the culture and cosmology of the local traditional owners.

The river is fed by 20 tributaries and flows through three shires across the lands of seven different Indigenous nations, before emptying into the Indian Ocean at King Sound.

For Dr Anne Poelina, a Nyikina Warrwa Indigenous academic and researcher who advocates to protect the river, the Martuwarra is home, and a living ancestor.

“It’s the construction of our whole identity,” Poelina says. “It’s the river of life.”

Last Tuesday, the Western Australian State Government closed the public submission period for decision-making on the Martuwarra’s hydrological future.

The submissions were canvassed in response to the State Government’s November 2020 paper, Managing Water in the Fitzroy River Catchment, that outlined its proposals for the future of the river system. While the proposal ruled out aboveground damming, it advocated taking groundwater from underground aquifers in the system.  

Read more: Does nature have rights?

Some have expressed fears that under the auspices of government, and pushed by bastions of industry, the river could go the way of the Murray-Darling Basin, drained of water and lifeblood thanks to overzealous irrigation practices.

The McGowan government finds itself in a balancing act between people who want to preserve the river as it is, and local landholders who demand economic opportunity.

Among the pastoralists and landholders vying for access to the Fitzroy’s aquatic gold is Australia’s richest person, multi-billionaire Gina Rinehart, who wants to divert water from the river for her Liveringa cattle station. Murray-Darling cotton farmers the Harris family are also looking to divert water from the river. [find source]

But the Fitzroy river, like all river systems in the arid, monsoonal Kimberley, is seasonal and unpredictable: in a given year it may flood, filling the entire system, but it also may not. In these in-between times, local species rely on remnant pools to survive until the next flood event, leaving these ecosystems in a precarious balancing act.

In response to the State Government paper, Poelina and the other members of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council produced a submission emphasising the importance of foregrounding the Traditional Owners in decision-making, and preventing the extraction of water from culturally and ecologically important tributaries and aquifers. The Council expressed concern about the many unknowns of water extraction in the region and how it may affect local water-flows, including these below-ground aquifers.

“Even at the policy and decision-making processes, we don’t have all of the science to make informed decisions about how we should be taking water from these stressed systems,” Poelina says. “And we don’t appear to be seeing from the state government how they’re going to balance this take against climate science.”

A delicately balanced ecosystem

The Martuwarra is home to several vulnerable and unique species, including the endangered sawfish, one of Western Australia’s iconic species, which relies on wet-season deluges and which is already imperilled by the prospect of more frequent droughts and climate change.

David Morgan is a researcher in aquatic ecosystems at Murdoch University, and a specialist in the unique fish life of the Martuwarra.

“A lot of people think ‘oh, it’s just a river’, but they don’t understand the importance of this river to these globally threatened species,” Morgan says.

Because the Martuwarra is seasonal, the fish in its waterways rely on periodic deluges for their survival.

“There’s only been four years in the last 20 that we’ve had really good recruitment of freshwater sawfish,” Morgan says. “So, we know that the flow is critical, and with reduced flow we know that it can be very drastic.”

Morgan says the fish species that depend on the Martuwarra are already vulnerable to the ravages of climate change, which will push the Kimberley’s already dramatic temperatures upwards.

“When it’s hot, there’s less dissolved oxygen available for fish to access,” he says. “So, you can end up with these massive densities of fish, and then, as we’ve seen in the Murray-Darling, you get lots of fish kills, and that’s going to happen more and more.”

Morgan says that, from his perspective, the extraction of aquifer groundwater is likely to be less risky than surface water extraction – but there are still unknowns.

The below-ground aquifers, some of which are being eyed off for extraction, are also vastly important to the river system in its totality. A 2020 study in Hydrobiologia found that groundwater along the Fitzroy River was intimately related to the biomass and resilience of local benthic algae. Writing online about the research, lead author Ryan Burrows, formerly of Griffith University, warned that reductions in groundwater could influence the productivity of the river and interrupt local food-webs.

Murray-Darling 2.0?

Many of those expressing concerns about developments to the Martuwarra point to the Murray-Darling Basin catastrophe as a lesson in what not to do. Blighted by a cocktail of factors including extreme drought, decades of irrigation and – some argue – poor management practices, the basin no longer has the water required to support itself.

The basin, which produces a third of Australia’s food, has in recent years suffered from mass fish kills, prolonged periods of utter dryness, and the depletion of its ecosystems.

The Australian Government’s Murray-Darling Basin Plan, signed into law in 2012, was designed to establish how much water could be taken from the Basin each year while leaving enough for its local ecosystem. This was meant to be achieved through a system of water rights: the commodification of the Basin’s water into tradeable units that could be regulated. But the plan is controversial, unpopular with agriculturalists who believe they’ve been deprived of the irrigation water they need during droughts, and unpopular with environmentalists who believe it hasn’t done enough to protect and sustain the Basin’s natural flow, which has slowed to a trickle.

Poelina says Traditional Owners from the Martuwarra continue to share their learnings with Traditional Owners from the Murray-Darling about how to protect their waters from going the same way.

“We are learning a lot from the Murray-Darling Basin,” Poelina says. “We are sharing the experience of how these Traditional Owners had this amazing system, resulting in ecocide and incremental genocide with the changes they’ve seen in that system over time.”

Who owns the Martuwarra’s water?

Poelina and the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council believe a legislative framework is paramount to enable the Traditional Custodians to be involved in river governance, before any allocations or water trading can begin.

“What we’re asking of government is a way that we can have a Fitzroy River management plan that brings everybody to the table, and is grounded in good science and the wellbeing of everything and everyone connected to this globally unique river.”

One of the proposed mechanisms for sharing water with Aboriginal people has been the concept of a Strategic Aboriginal Reserve, a legal framework that allocates a measure of the available water for purchase by Indigenous landholders. But the Council believes there are important conversations to be had about whether water should be a right or a purchasable interest for Aboriginal people.

“A strategic Aboriginal reserve requires Aboriginal people to have a water license, with the capacity and capital to purchase a water license. Aboriginal people will need to partner with someone or have at least several million dollars to be able to do all your studies to apply for a water license to get into the water market, and we think that is definitely unfair and unjust.

“As Indigenous people who have been managing and looking after these systems, particularly the Fitzroy River, since the dawn of time, how come we still have to go through the same processes and have the same level of capital to be able to profit from that water?”

Moreover, she says that allocation of water rights to industry and agriculture should be parked until safe drinking water is available and affordable for Aboriginal communities in the region.

“We have multiple Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley who don’t even have water fit for human consumption,” Poelina says. “So, we’re here fast-tracking and investing in water infrastructure for agriculture when we have not attended to our duty of care to ensure Aboriginal communities have access to clean drinking water.”

Protecting water on a drying continent

Adam Rose is a specialist in water systems and water ecology at Central Queensland University. While his research focuses on the tropical water systems of the Queensland coast, Rose says Australia’s water systems share fundamental similarities that make working with them unique and complex.

“Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth,” Rose says. “Years ago, before colonisation, everything was different – the soils were different, we didn’t have hard-hooved animals, and so when it would rain it would soak into the environment and filter through these soils and get to our creeks and rivers.

“All of our plants and animals have evolved under these conditions, and then the white fella arrives and brings these two traditional European farming methods, clearing all of the trees and introducing animals.

“Just in that we changed that water cycle.”

Rose says proper management of our embattled water systems requires relying on traditional knowledge systems, rather than top-down governance.

“I want to know some of the old stories about what plants and what fish were where in the traditional stories,” he says. “Instead of having Canberra tell us what to do, I think we should be joining forces with the traditional owners, getting the farmers and the scientists to actually do the research in that catchment together and start to make local decisions for the catchment.”

Poelina points out that in a warming world, where water tables are shifting south, water governance and management is paramount.

“The Bureau of Meteorology is saying we need to learn to live with less water, and yet the approach (being proposed) is to look at how do we swallow up as much water from the system as possible,” Poelina says. Traditional owners, on the other hand, “live under a law of the river, a law of obligation to protect the river because it is the river of life”.

From her perspective, the Martuwarra has vital importance not just to its traditional custodians but to the nation and the planet, too.

“It’s a national heritage site, and it’s the largest listed Western Australian Aboriginal cultural heritage site, so it belongs to our fellow Australians and it belongs to the world, too. We don’t want a repeat of Juukan Gorge in the destruction of our sacred site.”

The fight for the Martuwarra published first on https://triviaqaweb.weebly.com/

[vacationsoup]

New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/weather-zion-bryce-or-north-rim-grand-canyon/

Weather and The Five Seasons of Southern Utah

What is the weather like?

The very first question that generally comes to our minds when planning our next vacation is - Weather!

“ What is the weather going to be like at Zion, Bryce or North Rim Grand Canyon?”

When visiting the national parks of Southern Utah it may be an even more important question to ask. Unlike the rest of the state, that has four seasons, Southern Utah has five. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Monsoons!

Our little town of Kanab Utah sits in the middle of a Grand Circle. -Bryce Canyon National Park to the North -Zion Canyon National Park to the West -Lake Powell/GlenCanyon National Recreation Area to the East -North Rim Grand Canyon National Park to our South.

We get ALOT of Park visitors. Most are only there for a few days, so our diverse weather can be hard to plan for, and have a big impact on their experience. But every season has its positives. So just be aware, and have a great time no matter what time of year!

SPRING and FALL

Spring and Fall are ideal times to visit Southern Utah and the national parks. Oftentimes, as early as March the weather turns lovely. May is a peak season for us in Kanab. There will be Spring rains, but I always tell my guests to be sure and go in the rain! They will see waterfalls around the canyon that are never there any other time. Beautiful!

September starts cooling down nicely and we have enjoyed beautiful days well into November and often including Thanksgiving. Crowds are thinning out and Autumn colors show in October.

In a nutshell April - May and Sept.- Nov. are just pretty darn fine!

SUMMER

Summer is hot. Beautiful but hot. Makes for great water sports time at Lake Powell and on our own small Jackson Flat Reservoir. 

Photo credit of Jackson Flat reservoir and kayak rentals from http://alltournativeadventure.com/

Hiking is OK, just stick to the early morning hours or later in the evening.

The biggest secret to remember here is water! Drink a lot more water than you probably normally would. One gallon a day is recommended - and salty snacks! You need to replace the salt that you perspire out,  keeping the sodium balance up in your blood. Take water everywhere with you. This is a very dry climate that will suck your body of moisture without you even knowing it. July is generally the hottest month.

Desert dwellers know there's a very good reason for mid-day siestas, avoiding blasting sunlight and hot temperatures.

National Park visitors don't always understand the need to avoid the heat of the day, which is why dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke and hyponatremia (low sodium blood level) can put a damper on activities, or even send visitors to the hospital.

Perspiration is how your body regulates temperature, so if you don't have enough water, your body will overheat. Minor dehydration triggers thirst, but as dehydration becomes more serious, the body starts to lose its ability to regulate temperature. Symptoms of heatstroke include disorientation, combativeness, and hot skin. The remedy is to find some cool shade, rest and re-hydrate.

Winter 

Zion and Bryce Canyons are both open year-round but North Rim Grand Canyon amenities are only open until October 31. November 1 through December 1 the North Rim will be open for day use only (no overnight parking) unless snow closes Highway 67 prior to that date. Once the snow closes the road, North Rim does not open again until the middle of May.

Zion during winter (November- February) months the park is slow but it is still open and draws visitors.  Rain and snow are common so bring plenty of layers and something windproof and waterproof. If you have been to Zion in the summer you know wait times on popular hikes can be long, Not in the winter! It may be chilly, but much more peaceful.

The Park shuttle will generally run thru November. December is the coldest month of the year.

I love Bryce in the winter!

White snow on the red rock formations and blue skies. It is a wonderful kind of beautiful!

 Long winter nights show off Bryce's beautiful dark skies to perfection. Winter Astronomy is growing in Utahs SouthWest. Kanab has recently made lighting changes that have made the city eligible for International Dark Sky Community status!

Cross country Skiing - Snowshoeing- Ice skating and Hiking can all happen on the same trip.

Don't have your own snowshoes? No worries, The Bryce Canyon Snowshoe Program is designed for all levels of experience, from beginner to expert. These Ranger-guided outings introduce visitors to the wonder of Bryce Canyon in the winter. Check out their Full Moon Snowshoe Hikes and other winter activities here: https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/winter.htm

You can also rent all your equipment from Ruby's Inn right at the entrance to the Park https://www.rubysinn.com/

My girlfriends and I have a long-standing tradition of spending several days at Bryce every winter.

Check out my Post on Cross country skiing Bryce here:  https://mystarvr.com/cross-country-skiing-at-bryce-canyon-national-park-utah/ 

Kanab does get snow at times but seldom lasts the day. It gets about 14.8 inches of precipitation thru the year, mostly rain.

MONSOONS

The most interesting season is monsoons. Late July thru August and the first part of Sept. the climate changes dramatically from the dry arid climate of May and June to one of humidity and seasonal rains. This is what we call The Monsoon Season.

This weather change is important to consider when planning a visit to the Southwest.

During these hottest months of the year, the desert bakes under intense solar radiation. Hot air rises as fast as 50 feet per second, creating an area of low pressure that draws warm, humid air from the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico.

As the hot, humid air rises it comes into contact with cooler, high-altitude air. This forms enormous heavy clouds that grow dark and ominous as they rise thousands of feet. Eventually, the clouds burst, producing torrential afternoon thunderstorms.

This is our rule of Thumb - If the weather report predicts 20% chance of rain - It is really 100% chance of rain, just a 20% chance that you will be standing under it!!

Monsoons are vital to the environment in the Southwest. They keep wildfires in check and provide an important water supply to the people and animals who live in the deserts. Visiting the desert during the Monsoon season is a great way to see another lesser-known side to the Southwest. It is the perfect time to adventure and explore with somewhat cooler temperatures and abundant flora and fauna that come to life.

The most common hazards of monsoon storms are lightning strikes and flash floods. Head inside during a lightning storm. Remember: When thunder roars, go indoors. If no substantial shelter is nearby, get in your car and wait out the storm.

Don’t forget the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.

Storms are most common in the afternoon but they can happen at any time. And they often blow over in an hour or so leaving the ground and the air refreshed, but hopefully not flooded!

Hiking in Grand Canyon, Zion or the many other Utah or Arizona hiking trails near us requires greater caution in monsoon season, but with proper preparation, monsoon weather is nothing to be scared of.

Floods

The intensity of the monsoon season varies from year to year. In the last couple of years, we have had several “Two hundred year storms”. Meaning - A storm like this only happens once every Two hundred years. I think we have had three of those in the last two years.....!

Flash Floods are for real, but are amazing to see! Just do it from somewhere safe! Just remember - Never, ever be in slot canyons when there is rain in the forecast anywhere in the area.

You can stay out of trouble by never crossing moving water either on foot or in your vehicle (like in this photo!) and always check the weather forecast before hiking into any canyon. It’s important to also check the weather in areas “upstream” or up the canyon from where you will be hiking. It is possible to have blue skies overhead but a canyon may still flood due to heavy rains upstream.

I love this blog post from “Wild Girl Writing” about Monsoon Season

She lists  5 Tips for Surviving Monsoon Season in Southern Utah

1) Be weather aware. 

2) Know where you’re going.

3) Be cautious about where you take shelter.

4) Hire a local guide.

5) Enjoy the show from somewhere safe.

Please check out the entire Blog. Really good advice. I really like #4, as a local guide WILL keep you safe and WILL make sure you see some amazing backcountry no matter the weather.

photo credit: Kanab Tour Company https://kanabtourcompany.com/

Know before you go! - Weather and trail Conditions for Zion, Bryce or North Rim Grand Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park Weather updates - https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/weather.htm

Zion Canyon National Park Weather updates - https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/weather-and-climate.htm

Grand Canyon National Park Weather updates (look specifically for North Rim) - https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/weather-dangers.htm

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Kanab Climate Averages

Here is a good overview of average temperatures in Kanab, Utah. Bryce and North Rim can be a little cooler. Zion, a little warmer.

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Kanab, Utah gets around 15 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

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Kanab averages 26 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year. Snow in town seldom last thru the day but generally much longer in the canyons.

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On average, there are 256 sunny days per year in Kanab. The US average is 205 sunny days. That makes Kanab a great place to be, especially in the summer with the extra hours of adventuring daytime!

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Things to keep in mind when planning your trip - 

-Springtime the water levels May run very high and some hikes in Zion may be off-limits.

-Zion is the lowest altitude of the three parks, therefore will be the warmest in any season. Bryce and North Rim are both around 8000-9000ft. A jacket is always a good idea, especially in early mornings.

-The road to North Rim Grand Canyon traditionally does not open until May 15th. The past couple of years there has been some soft openings a little bit earlier than that, just depending on the weather conditions.

-Bryce Canyon is always eroding. And that includes hiking trails. It is not uncommon for popular trails to get washed out over a harsh winter. Some Trails may not be open in early spring.

-Zion Canyon shuttle buses run from April through Oct. and sometimes Nov. The busiest times of the year. But you still need to be there early to get parking.

-When hiking anywhere in Southern Utah in the summer months, plan your days around early morning or late evening hikes.

-Late Autumn will have lower water levels, better for hiking Slot Canyons. And lower visitor levels, better for hiking everywhere.

-Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon are considered high Mountain desert. The UV rays are much more intense and sunscreen is always a good idea. Summer, Winter and everything in between.

No matter when you come, you are going to have a great time. And if you don't like the weather now, just wait 15 minutes!

[blog-znos-blog]

Trekking And Hiking In Nepal

Trekking in the Himalayas is, in every sense of the word, and experience and the style of traveling on the mountains. A unique attraction of Nepal lies in its cultures, its all-natural beauty, and people. You may come to understand why this country has captivated the hearts of mountaineers and explorers for over a century, by walking through the hills during hiking in Nepal.

When to go

The first two weeks of this dry season (October and November) will be the perfect period for trekking in Nepal. December, January, and February are still good months for trekking but the cold can be sour at high altitudes. May and march also provide better weather when trekkers can observe superb wildflowers, particularly in Nepal rhododendron forests. During the monsoon season (June-August) trekking is possible in the rain-shadow regions of the north of the Himalaya such as upper Mustang and upper Dolpo. These regions are out of range of the rain clouds due to the high mountains and are unaffected by the monsoon.

A trip can be of any period you choose. Popular short treks are available around the Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys, which take a couple of days, one to complete while longer treks lasting from a week to a month. It is even possible to combine a string of treks and summit climbing for months on end.

Choosing a Trek

Please remember that unknown civilizations, altitude, and weather can make demands. A feeling of humor and determination are important features on a holiday and also on any adventure holiday. In choosing a trek to assist you every trek has been given a grade, but this is only a guide by us. Please call or send an email to us and we will be delighted to advise you further if you need assistance in determining which trek is suitable.

Physical Fitness:

All trekking demands a level of fitness that will allow you to devote a good day's walking, down and uphill. Most treks shouldn't be taken to acquire more than 500 meters. There ought to be plenty of time during the day so the physical effort though quite strenuous at times, is not continuing. The preparation for biking is biking, swimming, running, squash, tennis and long walks involving up and downhills. Good physical conditioning will surely help maximize your enjoyment of your own sanity.

Planning a Trek

Nepal provides plenty of opportunity for treks lasting a day or not, though most are longer. About Pokhara or the Kathmandu Valley, you can complete the trek four or three times, within two but for the Everest Base Camp that is very popular and Annapurna Circuit treks three weeks, you have to allow.

Trek Grading System

Nepal, with its ups and downs and zig-zag paths, it is more appropriate to think in terms of hours instead of miles covered. That is what we use as a grading system. The walk of A day lasts from five to seven hours & involves a typical of ascents & descents.

Easy treks involve around 6 hours of walking per day, on good trails with plenty of time for sightseeing. Anyone who loves regular exercise also is in god condition should deal with those treks.

Moderate treks involve walking for 6 to 8 hours every day in a more remote country, reaching altitudes of approximately 4500 meters. A fair level of fitness is required as there'll be ascent and descent together with the day. Hill's history is a good idea.

Strenuous treks are more difficult, suitable for regular mountain bikers as they are generally harder any may demand 7 or 8-hour days, with altitudes up to 5500 meters. You should be physically fit and appropriate preparation is essential. Some days may involve crossing a pass with up to ten hours.

Style of Trekking

Teahouse Trek

It's a popular style of a trek from Nepal's specific areas where accommodations at country lodges and standard of food are available across the trails. Our porters carry customers' luggage and equipment and the manual looks after the accommodation at food and lodges along the paths. Hot drinks tea /coffee with breakfast in the afternoon and dinner in the day are served in the lodges. Lunch is provided between 11am and 12pm.

Full board camping trek

In this category of the trek, we provide all the essential food and camping gear for a larger or personal group of travelers. Cook our guides, porters or yaks care of all of the technical and logistical aspects of the excursion. Our staff will place the camp along the trails and our cooks prepare the Indian and western food with a variety of alternatives. This option is the only choice for some of the more remote areas of Nepal for example Kanchenjunga, Manaslu, upper/lower Dolpo, Nar Phu valley, Round Dhaulagiri, Rolwaling, Makalu, Ganesh Himal, and some other remote locations.

Altitude & Acclimatization:

Proper acclimatization is quite important and with many of our treks having additional days to allow for acclimatization, our routes are planned specifically to allow a gradual gain in elevation. We reap the benefits of a slow gain in fitness and acclimatization by gaining height. We offer information about acclimatization and our treks on all we carry with the sensible strategy, anyone who is fit and healthy should have few problems. On our climbing trips in Nepal and hiking trips in Tibet, we take a portable altitude chamber.

Group Size

Group sizes are kept small, to reduce the effect and to enable us to provide a more personal service. The group size on the majority of our treks/tours is 16 and the minimum class size is two.

If you are interested in such treks and hikes, check out:

Shivapuri Day Hike package

Kakani Nuwakot Day Hiking package

[shahjimmi-blog]

Hiking and trekking in Nepal

Trekking in the Himalayas is, in every sense of this term, uplifting experience of traveling on the hills, and the style. A unique attraction of Nepal lies in its natural beauty, its cultures, and its friendly men and women. You may come to understand why this nation has captivated the hearts of mountaineers and explorers for more than a century, by walking through the hills of Nepal.

Whether you are searching for a classic trek or a wilderness experience, Nepal has everything. You may encounter a fantastic diversity of climate, geography, and ethnicity regardless of where you go. The folks are friendly and welcoming, and of hiking in this country, the highlight is the interactions you'll have with their cultures, traditions and practices and the regional men and women in the cities.

We provide a number of different styles of trekking trip for example household, and classic, challenging, luxury, each of which may involve swimming, staying in a combination of both or tea-houses. Our guides will lead you and accompanied by Sherpas throughout rhododendron woods the valleys and lakes of the Annapurna, Everest, Langtang and regions into the World Mountains.

When to go

Before going for the trek you should get an idea about Annapurna circuit weather, Everest base camp weather and so on. The best time to trek is from October to May. The first two weeks of the dry season (October and November) is the perfect period for trekking in Nepal. The atmosphere is washed from the monsoon rains, the mountain scenery is superb and the weather is still warm. January, December, and February are still excellent months for hiking but the cold could be sour at high altitudes. March and May also offer better weather when trekkers can observe superb wild blossoms, particularly in Nepal's wonderful rhododendron forests. During the monsoon season (June-August) trekking is potential from the rain-shadow regions of the north of the Himalaya such as upper Mustang and upper Dolpo. These areas are out of range of the rain clouds because of the mountains and therefore are unaffected by the monsoon.

Duration of the Trek

A trip that is trekking could be. Popular treks that are short are offered around the Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys, which only take one to finish while treks lasting from a week to a month. It's possible to combine a string of popular treks together and peak climbing for months on end.

Choosing a Trek

Please remember that cultures that are unknown, elevation and weather can make demands. A feeling of determination and humor are important features on any adventure vacation and on a trekking holiday, it is very important to appreciate walking. In choosing a trek To be able to assist you we've given every trek a grade, although this is a simple guide. Please phone or send an email to us and we'll be pleased to inform you, Should you need assistance in determining which trek is suitable.

 Physical Fitness:

All trekking demands a level of fitness which will allow you to devote a fantastic day's walking, uphill and down. Most treks should not be taken to acquire over 500 meters. There should be plenty of time during the day to cover this space, so the bodily exertion though very strenuous at times, isn't continuing. The preparation for trekking is cycling, swimming, and running, squash, tennis and long walks involving down and up hills. Physical conditioning will surely help maximize your enjoyment of your own sanity.

Planning a Trek

Though most are longer, Nepal offers plenty of opportunities for treks lasting a day or not. About Pokhara or the Kathmandu Valley you can finish the trek three or four times, in two but for the Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit treks fourteen days, you have to let.

Trek Grading System

Nepal, with its ups and downs and paths, it is more appropriate to consider in terms of hours rather than miles covered. That is what we use as a system. The walk of A day lasts from five to seven hours involves a typical of ascents & descents.

Easy treks involve around 6 hours of walking per day, on good trails with plenty of time for sightseeing. Anybody who loves exercise also is in god bodily condition should easily cope with these treks.

A fair degree of fitness is required as there'll be ascent and descent together with the occasional moment. A mountain biking background is advisable.

 Treks are harder, suitable for hillwalkers as they're generally more demanding any may involve 7 or 8-hour days, with altitudes up to 5500 meters. You should be physically healthy and appropriate preparation is essential. Some days may involve crossing a pass with up to ten hours.

Design of Trekking

 Teahouse Trek

 It is a favorite style of trek in Nepal's certain areas where the standard of food and modest accommodations at country lodges are easily available along the paths. Our porters carry clients' luggage and gear and also the guide look after the accommodation at lodges and food across the trails. Lunch is provided en-route between 11am and 12pm.

 Full board camping trek

In this kind of trek, we provide all the essential food and camping gear for a larger or personal group of travelers. Cook our manuals, porters or yaks care of all of the technical and logistical aspects of the excursion. Our team will place the camp across the trails and our well-trained cooks prepare the western and Asian food with a variety of choices. This option is the selection for some of the more remote regions of Nepal, for example, Kanchenjunga, Manaslu, upper/lower Dolpo, Nar Phu valley, Round Dhaulagiri, Rolwaling, Makalu, Ganesh Himal, and other distant locations.

 Altitude & Acclimatization:

Good acclimatization is very important and with a lot of our treks having additional days to permit for acclimatization our routes are planned specifically to permit a gain in altitude. We reap the benefits of a slow gain in acclimatization and fitness, by gaining height. We offer advice about acclimatization and with the sensible strategy we carry on all of our treks, anyone who is healthy and fit should have few problems. On hiking trips in Tibet and our climbing trips in Nepal we take a portable altitude chamber.

Group Size

Group sizes are kept small, to enable us to supply the support that was more personal and to decrease the effect on the environment. The utmost Group size on most of our treks/tours is 16 and the group size is two.

[lesserplaces]

Fly fishing the deep dark canyons of the southwest has become something of an obsession of mine.

Combining the best parts of canyoneering and true back country navigation with technical (and highly productive) fly fishing, “fishyoneering,” if you will, is the ultimate backcountry experience for those of us who live along the canyons of the Southwest.

However, fishyoneering is not a novice friendly endeavor and is certainly one of the most dangerous things you can do outside. As such, there is little written on the subject. I have decided to attempt to fill this void here with a guide that will provide a reasonably experienced outdoorsperson with the baseline information they will need to get started. But first, a caveat: I have been fishyoneering for about two years now, and I would not, by any stretch, consider myself an expert on the subject. Since I can find almost no other information on the topic, I’ve decided to share what little knowledge I have. Thus, think of the following as hard earned advice, not set in stone rules.

With that out of the way, lets ask a simple question: what is fishyoneering?

The simplest definition I can come up with is that fishyoneering is a type of fly fishing that occurs in narrow canyons AND requires swimming OR technical climbing. This, obviously, leaves a lot of variation. I’m not much of a climber myself, so I have chosen to focus on fly fishing in canyons which are most easily traversed by swimming when the creek completely fills the space between the sheer canyon walls and does not require rappels or climbs beyond simple scrambles. Hopefully the more technically minded of you will step in and provide more information on that side of the sport.

Since the remainder of this guide will focus on traversing rarely visited canyons, I should also state the obvious: fishyoneering is an absurdly dangerous endeavor. To be clear, we are talking about swimming relatively long distances with gear (including in your hands) while fully clothed in the middle of nowhere. If you are going to attempt this type of thing you need to be very experienced outdoors, physically fit with excellent swimming skills, able to put up with slipping off of moss covered boulders all the time, and perhaps most importantly, willing to let hundreds (thousands?) of dollars of gear sink to the bottom of a giant pool rather than die trying to save it. You will also need to be a good trip planner and map reader, as there are no trails in these areas. In short, proceed with caution and at your own risk.

ON TO THE GUIDE.

LOCATION AND SEASON

Fishyoneering requires canyons to be canyoneered. All the usual suspects along the along the edges of the Colorado Plateau are in play, and, as far as I can tell, they all have fish. My personal experiences have been focused on the creeks along the edges of the Mogollon Rim, though I assume most of these lessons will be applicable to other systems. Streams in this region usually start as a trickle, often times only ankle deep along most of their reach. However, they descend quite quickly and can offer reasonably deep (3-4 feet) pools. These parts of the creek often contain small trout, difficult casting, and cold water. However, the deepest pools, especially those with overhead cover can hold good fish.

These streams grow as the descend, and at around 5,000 ft of elevation the real fun begins. With enough water in the system to start cutting through the weak sandstone, the streams develop into long fast riffles punctuated by deep slow pools. This generally remains trout country, especially for renegade rainbows who have moved down from the summer stockings up stream.

As you move further downstream the pines will give way to sycamores and stream banks will look more like a jungle than a forest. This is the sign that it is time to transition to bass gear and give up on the idea of avoiding swims all together.

Climate-wise, fishyoneering is not a year round activity. From late fall to spring the weather is simply too cold to safely undertake such trips. In the early summer (e.g., May-June), the water will have warmed enough to be traversed, but air temperatures can be cripplingly hot. Later in the summer (e.g., July-August), monsoon season and the chance of flash floods. Another window of opportunity is after monsoon season has wound down in late September or early October. A notable exception to this seasonality is Fossil Creek (which I have written an extensive guide to fishing HERE). This creek only requires swims to get to a few of the very best fishing perches, and thus is not technically fishyoneering, but is fed by a perennial warm water spring that keeps things fishable in all but the coldest of days, as six-week old Henry can attest:

Personally, I believe the best season is May to early June, keeping a close eye on the weather forecast at all times. Never, never, undertake a trip like this with even a small chance of rain. No fish is worth dying for.

GEAR

Fishyoneering is a odd activity undertaken by very few people. As such, we will have to pick and choose from gear made for other things.

Apparel-wise, we are going to be picking from a particularly wide variety of makers. For footwear, look for shoes that drain quickly, stick well while wet, while also remaining comfortable for long hikes. My favorite outsole material thus far is Vibram Megagrip, which combines excellent grip with reasonable durability. Because wading canyons means you will be tripping on often unseen submerged boulders, I also prefer a shoe with a substantial outer shell. Currently I am using my beloved, but no longer available, Arc’teryx Acrux FL (review HERE). Outside this discontinued shoe few options remain. A dedicated canyoneering shoe, such as the 5.10 Canyoneer, is an option, but one I have no experience with. Everyone’s favorite fly fishing couple, the Jensens, have also recommended the Orvis Ultralight wading boot for hiking/wet wading. These will probably be my next shoe once the beloved Acrux’s give up the ghost. One type of shoe I would not  recommend however is the sterotypical water shoe, which, in my experience, lack the stability, durability, and protective outter required for these types of trips. Regardless, remove the insoles, wash, and dry your shoes after each outting or they will take on a stank that smells like a combination of river slime, fish, sweaty feet, and mildew.

For Clothing look for quick drying options that provide excellent sun protection. Abrasion protection is also nice, but in my opinion it is worth sacrificing for quick drying. Currently I have settled on RailRiders Cool Khakis for pants and their new Sahara Sun Hoody.  Both these loose a little durability relative to my favorite hiking options (VersaTac Lights and Adventure Top, for pants and shirt respectively), but they dry faster and\or breathe better. I recommend pants and shirts with long sleeves, as they will protect your from the sun and the variety of pokey plants trying to poke you. That being said, any reasonably modern (read: thin and synthetic) modern outdoors clothing will work.

Packs are somewhat more complicated. Water is very heavy, so you want the pack to drain as quickly as possible after swims. Grommets work well as drain ports.

More importantly, for reasons that should be already apparent, your pack needs to float. This can be accomplished by either filling the pack with good dry bags (I’ve good luck with those from both Sea to Summit and Osprey) without the air squeezed out or by throwing some pool noodles in the pack and dealing with everything inside getting wet. Dry bags work really well. However, they will eventually pop a leak, and you never know when that day will come. Another option is the new class of submersible backpacks, which remain very intriguing but absurdly expensive. I usually use a combination of dry bags, doubled (tripled? quadrupled?) zipplocks, with a pool noodle shoved in the pack for additional insurance. Before your first trip, find a swimming pool, jump in with all your gear, make sure your gear floats, and try a swim before doing so in some deep dark canyon far from help.

Finally, the fun stuff: tackle. Regardless of where you are on these streams, expect extremely tight quarters and the possibility of big fish. This suggests short rods (under eight feet) of reasonable strength will be best. I’ve discussed these types of rods at length HERE and HERE, so I wont make you suffer reading all that again. Instead, suffice it to say that I believe a 7 foot 4 weight is essentially perfect, especially when paired with a line that handles single-handed spey casts well.

TACTICS

On the most fundamental level you will have two choices when running a stream: from downstream up or upstream down. Running the stream from bottom to top will give you the best traditional dry fly fishing presentations, while running from top to bottom will give the best opportunities for swinging. Generally speaking, the relative locations of the trailhead and stream will put this choice beyond your control. I prefer swimming downstream to up, and when given the choice will happily trade presentation for ease of swimming.

One of the benefits of fishing places that are hard to get to is that the fish aren’t very picky. Obviously fly selection will vary considerably based on what you are targeting. For trout I tend to use nymphs of all types in the early summer, especially classics such has Copper Johns or Princes, transitioning to mini-hoppers or mini-hopper/droppers as temperatures warm up. For warm water species it is worth remembering that fish in these streams will generally be smaller than their river cousins, so keeping fly size reasonable is of great concern. A small bead head wooly bugger or semi-seal, especially when jigged slightly, will catch just about anything that moves. Or, if you insist on topwater, mini-hoppers or pan fish sized poppers can be successful.

In case the proceeding paragraph didn’t make things clear, let me be blunt: fishyonnering does not present any great fishing challenges beyond casting in incredibly tight quarters. These fish aren’t fished much and require little convincing to take a hook. This is a journey, not a destination game, and therefore I encourage you to be as creative as possible in your presentations. The rewards can be excellent.

I am a firm believer, however, that you should support local fly tiers whenever possible. Ben, at Arizona Wanderings, and Jake, at 928Flies, are my favorite local sources for high quality flies. In particular I love Ben’s mini-hoppers and Fry Creek specials and Jake’s flash back hare’s ears and streamers (which you can order through his contact page). I don’t get kickbacks or discounts from either. This is just my honest advice.

Conclusion

To summarize, fishyonnering is a dangerous activity that requires you to climb or swim through long, dark, cold canyons in the hopes of catching generally small, generally dumb fish. By any reasonable measure, it is a dumb thing to do. There are easier ways to catch bigger fish.

It is also the pinnacle of the Arizona outdoors experience. Much like combing hunting pack rafting serves to remind you of the great scale and diversity of skills places like Montana or Alaska require, combining fly fishing with canyonnering directly connects you to the impacts of water in the desert while testing your ability to succeed in a wide variety of outdoors endeavors. Until we find a way to move mountain biking and quail hunting into the fray, fishyonnering is the most diverse outdoors activity you can take on in the Southwest.

There aren’t many people who value this kind of diversity, but I am one. I hope the information that I have given here, as a novice to other novices, will be helpful in bringing more into this strange little sport. I also hope that together we can continue to fill in the blanks, especially when it comes to fishing the more technical creeks that fall outside my knowledge base.

Until then, have fun and stay safe.

You can follow Lesser Places by email, or on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram using the menu at the top of the page. Or, you could click the links below to share with your friends directly. Or, copy and paste the URL someplace you think people will find it useful. Or, print the story, place it in a nice envelope, and send it to one of your friends. Basically we support any way you want to share.  No, we aren’t above begging.

Max Wilson is a born and raised Arizonan with a love for all that is beautiful and strange about the Southwest. He studied at Arizona State University, where he received his PhD in ecology. He writes here at Lesser Places, occasionally for Backpacker, and even more occasionally for scientific journals. You can follow him on twitter @maxomillions.

Fishyoneering: A novice’s guide for novices Fly fishing the deep dark canyons of the southwest has become something of an obsession of mine.

[mamajeanetc]

India Part 4:  Rural Rajasthan

We finally got to sleep in a bit and enjoy a leisurely breakfast at our hotel before our 3 1/2 hour drive to our next destination.  Rajasthan, literally translated is “Land of Kings”.  Located in the northwest of India, it is the largest state by area -- over 132,000 square miles.  Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, so we’d already been in the state for a couple of days, but now we were going to spend a couple of days in more rural areas. Most of the drive was on toll roads -- divided highways that are in pretty good condition.  But the last several miles were on a two lane road from which we eventually turned onto a one lane dirt road.  Shortly, we saw a sign to our destination!

Toward the end of the 19th century a noble named Thakur Chhatra Singh decided to dam a seasonal stream flowing through his estate to create a large reservoir to harvest the monsoon rains.  It was an ambitious project and a great drain on his resources, but he followed through.  The dam was completed in 1890 and changed the dry scrub into prime agricultural land.  He invited farmers struggling to survive on parched land to settle around the reservoir. 

Fifteen years later the area had become a lush green oasis and an entertainment venue for sporting parties and dignitaries.  A luxury camp was set up for each of these events with high tea and exotic dinners a regular feature.  About 20 years ago Thakur Chhatra Singh’s great grandchildren decided to make Camp Chaatra Sagar a more permanent luxury camping destination.

Upon arrival we were given a welcome drink in the lounge and then shown to our tent: 

We sat on our porch 

and enjoyed a view of the lake:

We were told lunch would be served at 1:30 and when we arrived in the open air dining room we found one table near the lake set for us.  This resort closes for a few months during the monsoon and summer season and had just reopened the previous weekend.  We were the only ones there on a Tuesday, so we had incredibly attentive wait staff during our stay.  I can’t remember what all the dishes were, but they were all very tasty and everything was locally grown!

We spent the afternoon napping, reading, playing cards and watching birds through the telescope in the lounge.  Over 200 species of birds have been identified in the area. 

Tim was anxious to go for a run and I had talked to Raj, one of the owners when we arrived.  He suggested he go around 5:00 pm when it was not so hot and he would have about an hour and a half before it got dark.  He showed us how to get to a path that goes around the lake.  So, at 5:00 we both set out walking.  We saw a number of animals they call antelope -- they looked more like deer to us except they had longer tails. 

We also saw a turtle,

and lots of birds, including several peacocks. 

We split up after a while -- Tim wanted to run more and I wanted to end my walk with some yoga on top of a hill where Raj had told me I would have a good view of the sunset.  I was not disappointed.

From the other side of the hill I had a bird’s eye view of the lake and camp. 

We had a lovely candlelit dinner.  And it was not just our table that was candle lit -- there were little lanterns lighting the path from our tent to the dining room and all around the lounge and dining areas.  As the waiters served our food to the table Raj explained each dish -- again, everything was local and delicious! 

As we finished dinner we talked to Raj about our plan for the next day.  We had told Sanjeev that we wanted to enjoy more time here so not to pick us up before 11;00.  We decided to go for another walk/run before breakfast.  Raj said sunrise would be about 6:15 so he would send coffee and tea to our tent around 6:00.  And that’s just how it happened.  We enjoyed watching the sunrise as we enjoyed our early morning caffeine and “biscuits” (Americans would call them cookies). 

Fortunately Tim had the good sense to move the tray into our tent before we left on our runs.  When I cam back there was a chipmunk trying to get to those biscuits through the screen. 

After our runs, showers and breakfast Raj took us on a tour in his jeep of the local area.  We started at the fields closest to camp where they had just planted anise.  In the distance are fields of millet and cotton, and then the village.

We were intrigued by the slate fences in the area.  There is a lot of slate quarried in the nearby mountains and used for various types of construction (ie, the bathroom walls in our “tent” were also slate).   Raj conceded that these fences are significantly more expensive than the traditional fences made of mud and branches, but if a farmer has a bad year and needs cash, he can resell the slate.  So, the fences are kind of like an emergency savings fund. 

We next walked through a cotton field where there were several women picking cotton so we watched them work and chatted with them for a few minutes. 

Returning to the jeep, we drove on a dirt road through more fields toward the village.  We didn’t recognize most of the plants, but Raj knew what everything was and what would be planted next in a particular field that was being harvested.  Here lentils are being harvested.

As we approached the village we paused to allow a herd of cows walking down the road toward us turn into a field.  Raj explained that the 3 men with them do not own all the cows but are “contracted” by the village to herd the cows to the field in the morning and then return them to the village in the evening.  The cows are not branded or marked in any way, but everyone knows who each cow belongs to and the cows know where they live -- they’ll return to their houses when the men take them back to the village in the evening. 

We were bouncing along down the road, almost to the village, when Raj suddenly stopped and backed up a few yards.  A slight rustling and some movement just inside the fence had caught his eye as we passed.  We looked carefully, and saw a cobra!!  A rare sighting -- some folks live their whole life in this area without ever seeing one, so it was quite exciting.  When we returned to camp and Raj told his cousin and some of the workers they came and asked if they could see my picture. 

Entering the village we paused again -- this time for goats being herded into a yard! 

While we were waiting the daughter of the goatherder brought over a 2 day old kid for us to hold!

We arrived at the village primary school just as their day was starting. 

Most of the children were participating in morning assembly -- the primary students on one side of the porch and the upper primary on the other.  They first recited prayers to the goddess of learning and knowledge, and then a pledge to the state.  

There were a few kids in other parts of the schoolyard picking up trash and sweeping.  Raj explained that these jobs, as well as leading the prayers and pledge are assigned to students the afternoon before.  The students assigned to clean are supposed to arrive early.  When we had arrived Raj heard one of the teachers lecturing them because they had not arrived early and were missing assembly to do their chores. 

This is one of the classrooms:

And these are the “cafeteria ladies” preparing to cook lunch.

On the back side of the gate, where you see it as you leave the school, is this reminder of the 5 secrets to success.  I was surprised to see it in both English and the local dialect throughout the school, but Raj said the students are taught in both languages. 

Just outside the school gate was the community water source, where we saw several women filling big jars with water.  None of the houses in this village have running water so everyone comes here to get their water. 

We saw several women and girls carrying their water home on their heads. 

We walked through the village and saw a couple of local artisans.  The local potter was not home, but his son, who is learning his craft did a short demonstration for us and we were quite impressed with him!

There was no electric potter’s wheel here -- he uses the stick to get the wheel spinning then works quickly with the clay.  When the wheel slows down he grabs the stick and gets it going again. 

There was also a silversmith making jewelry

As we walked through the fields and village with Raj it was clear that he is seen as the patriarch.  Children and adults alike greeted him with a slight bow.  An elderly woman saw the jeep coming down the road and came out to chat with him.  He explained as we left that her 2 sons now live in Chennai so the whole village watches out for her -- he stops by at least once a week to check on her. When we saw these 2 boys playing outside their house Raj stopped and asked the older one why he wasn’t in school. 

The boy politely explained that his family had a special ceremony for a specific goddess the previous night that went very late and he didn’t get much sleep.  That was apparently an acceptable excuse.

We asked Raj how the local villagers felt about them building a “resort”.  He said initially the farmers were concerned about them letting the land around the lake go wild because they were afraid the animals would eat their crops.  But they hire all local people to work at the resort and purchase all their food locally, so it’s been mutually beneficial.  The current residents are the descendants of the farmers that Thakur Chhatra Singh invited to settle around the lake.  It is a self-contained community that has not changed a great deal in the last century. 

When we left Camp Chhatra Sagar around 11:00 a.m. we drove about 3 1/2 hours to Ranakpur Temple -- the biggest and most important Jain Temple in India.  After leaving the highway we drove through a couple of villages with narrow streets, and  buses headed the opposite direction as us! 

I held my breath as we passed . . . 

Tim slept through this close encounter!!  But I was very thankful for Mr. Singh’s driving skills and calm demeanor in a tight situation!!   And I was happy to arrive at the temple. 

Jainism is an ancient religion founded in India.  Today there are about 5 million Jains in the world -- the majority in India.  Followers of Jainism take 5 main vows:   1.  Non-violence;  they will not kill an insect and in addition to being totally vegetarian they will not eat root vegetables because if you’ve pulled out a root you’ve killed something that was living.  2.  Truth   3.  No stealing   4.  Celibacy for monks and nuns; chastity (faithfulness to one partner) for married people   5.  Non-attachment:  this includes psychological and material possessions -- no craving or greed.  Monks and nuns do not own any property or have any social relationships.  There is a more extreme branch in which the followers do not own (or wear) clothing.   It is confusing to me how Jainism compares with Hinduism and Buddhism -- they claim to be different yet some of the statues/artwork in the temple seemed quite similar.  Here are a few shots inside the temple: 

The ceiling in the entryway is decorated with a bearded man with 5 bodies representing fire, water, heaven, earth and air.

This particular temple is renowned for it’s 1144 pillars, each one intricately and uniquely carved. 

Fun fact:  Mahatma Ghandi’s mother was Jain.

Leaving the temple we drove about another hour to the village of Narlai where we would spend the night at the Rawla Narlai, a 17th century hunting retreat.   It was a lovely place to stay -- a combination of modern comforts and old world charm: 

As is customary in India, the walls of our room were covered with photos and portraits of local royalty past or present.  We never saw any landscapes or other type of artwork decorating hotel walls. 

We had time to go for a swim in the pool before getting ready for dinner. 

Rawla Narlai’s claim to fame (and the reason the travel agent talked me into a night here) is dinner at a 16th century stepwell.   When we returned to the courtyard at 6:00 p.m. as instructed we were served a glass of wine and then an elderly couple arrived to give shoulder/head/neck massages to each dinner guest (besides us there were 2 American families and a French family) while another man tied turbans for each of the men and gave each of the women a head covering. 

We then loaded into 2 open jeeps and drove about 15 minutes outside the village to the stepwell -- truly a unique and magical dinner setting.

Our table:

Drinks and several kinds of appetizers were served as one of our hosts took us, one couple or family at a time, to the far side of the stepwell to get a different view, 

There was also a gentleman playing a sitar (an Indian guitar) in the background, and we stopped for a moment to watch these 2 women making chapati (bread) for our dinner. 

After appetizers we had soup, and then the main course was served.  “Thali”, which means platter, is a traditional way of serving several small dishes on one platter.   Starting with the larger bowl on the left and going clockwise, the main ingredient in each dish is:  mutton, lentils, curd, okra, yogurt, and a local vegetable called kehzri.  There were also 3 types of chapati -- millet, corn and wheat.  It was all quite tasty. 

When we had arrived in the afternoon and seen this view from the balcony of our room 

we had immediately asked if there was a trail to get to the top of that rock -, which we soon learned is called “Elephant Mountain” or “Elephant Rock”.  Within minutes arrangements had been made for us to meet a guide at 6:00 so we could watch the sunrise from the top.  

On one side of the mountain there is a trail with 750 steps that gets you most of the way to the top.  Both Sanjeev and a guide from the hotel went with us, but went at a bit of a slower pace.  The view was absolutely stunning.  I stopped several times at various stages of the sunrise and have several great photos, but this is my favorite: 

This is why it’s called Elephant Mountain. 

There’s also a small temple on top, and a priest who lives there to take care of it.  A panoramic view from the top:

And proof that we were there! 

We climbed around on some rocks on top and enjoyed the views for awhile.  Then Tim, having just warmed up, decided to go down and run up again to get a bit more of a workout.  Our guide from the hotel had just caught up with us and had brought a thermos of tea and some delicious chocolate “biscuits”.  So, Tim left and I sat with the guide and Sanjeev by the temple, enjoying the views, the refreshments and conversing with this very kind and humble man. 

Originally from Johpur, a city on the western side of Rajasthan, he came to Narlai in 1991 to work at the hotel when it opened and has worked there ever since.  He has not had a single day of formal education in his life, but has picked up enough English working in the hotel to have a conversation and tell me a little bit more about the area.   The current population of Narlai is about 10,000 and there are 350 Hindu temples.  There are about 300 Jain residents and they have 11 temples.  And there are 5 or 6 Muslim families; they have 1 mosque.

After enjoying our tea break we made our way back down the mountain and waited for Tim, and then he took us on a little tour of the village.  Sadly, the point where the trail descends into the village has become the village dump.  There is no garbage collection here, muchless recycling, so people bring the garbage from their homes and dump it here. 

We passed another place in town that did not have as much trash, but certainly a few cows and pigs were finding enough to satisfy themselves. 

There’s a special little temple for the god of fertility in the village -- if you look closely you can see that he is endowed beyond anatomic reality!  Women who are having difficulty conceiving come here to honor him and ask for his blessing.  Apparently they’ve put a fence around him to protect the young eyes in the village, but it was clear that they all know what it’s about! 

As we approached there were several boys about 8-10 years old standing across the street waiting for the school bus.  When they saw me with my camera they came running over and one of them, with a grin and a mischievous twinkle in his eye told me I should open the gate.  Not knowing if that was culturally acceptable I said, “No, why don’t you open it for me.”  They all took a step back and giggled.  Then again encouraged me to do it.  We went back and forth a couple more times and then I moved on to catch up with Tim and our 2 guides (who had just kept walking), leaving the boys in giggles. 

We came to an intersection where looking to the right was the entrance to a Jain section of the village. 

And in the other direction was a Jain temple, 

There were brand new houses right next to falling down ruins. 

I noticed that most of the houses in the village had a metal gate which was closed, but the front doors were generally open.  I didn’t ask, but assumed that the doors are left open for air circulation, but the gates are there to keep the cows, pigs and goats from wandering in. 

This is a preschool right behind our hotel -- dark and drab, but full of active, happy children anxious to sneak a peek and wave at the people walking by.

I was taken aback by the contrast between the school and the hotel entrance which was maybe 20 yards away.  The difference between the “haves” and “have nots” in India is stark indeed!  It is at times uncomfortabe to see how the locals are living while we are enjoying clean, comfortable accommodations.  Yet, how many jobs does one nice hotel and restaurant provide for the locals?  It’s really the only game in town.

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A Detailed Guide To Mount Everest Base Camp Trek

1. Train well before you head – It is not a joke to trek to the Mount Everest base camp without prior experience. Of course this stunning walk can be taken up even if you aren’t an expert in trekking, but it is mandatory that you prepare yourself well before you take up the base camp trek. You need to be physically fit, have excellent strength, and endurance to withstand the expected and unexpected during the whole trip. It is advisable to take up an intense workout program for at least a week before you take up this trek, as this will condition your body to withstand the strain caused due to the high altitude problems.

2. Pack the right trekking gear – The most daunting job that you need to consider is the Trekking equipment that you have to carry along with you for the trekking, even though your travel agents may provide you with the essentials, it is better that you check-list for the following essentials as you pack your trekking gear – Daypack ( 25 -35 liters), Sleeping bag, LED lamps, Trekking poles, Waterproof hiking shoes, Camp shoes, wicking, quick dry Boxers, Quick dry Bra’s( for women), heavyweight top, heavyweight bottoms, woolen T-shirt, convertible hiking pants, Fleece pants, lightweight rain jacket, Fleece or woolen gloves, Liner gloves, Fleece hat, Sun hat, Liner socks, Neck gaiter, balaclava, buff or Bandana, Glacier sunglasses, Gaiters and a first aid kit.

3. Stay Hydrated – Staying hydrated is the only key to sustain till the end of the trek, as you climb towards the higher altitude your body tends to dehydrate quickly than it was at the ground level, so you have to make sure that you drink plenty of water every now and then to compensate the water loss. It is ideal to drink at least five liters of water throughout the day while you mount. Even though you may get water bottles, it is better you carry your purified water along with you in your kit

4. Slow and Steady – The good old proverb Slow and steady holds good here at this trekking, never be hasty to trek quick or fast, begin slowly but steadily as this way you are sure to hold back your strength and energy. This trekking is a marathon and not a sprint, as you trek to higher altitude your oxygen level decreases, hence it is advisable to use your body slowly to equalize the lost oxygen from the body. More acclimatization means you are ending your journey successfully.

5. Stay away from Sun – As you trek to higher altitudes, the level of UV protection will becomes less, not all days will be same, on some days the sun can be brutal and its powerful rays will emit solar radiation, hence it is better to stay away from sun as far as possible. This way you not only avoid sun burns and pesky wrinkles, but you will also stay hydrated. Before embarking on your journey every morning, it is advisable to use a SPF 50 cream as this will protect your skin from the harmful UV rays.

6. Carry along some Favorite treats – Even though you may not be a foodie, or may not feel like eating as you climb, it is advisable to carry some of your favorite treats like – chocolates, protein bars, energy bars, egg fry or spaghetti or in fact whatever you like. Eating heavy foods like Rice will stock up fat inside your body and make you lethargic, instead rely on some extra junks that will not only rejuvenate your taste buds but will also balance the calorie level of your body.

7. Relax yourself – Remember that you are on a holiday and not in a rush to complete your Question paper, plan your daily schedule in such a way that you will only trek for only 5 to 6 hours in a day (except for few days which may need longer time). Walk for a while and relax at the tea houses, chat with your fellow trekkers or have a word with the local people, this way you will feel positive and relaxed instead of getting tensed and nervous. Things may not be same the whole way, there may be cultural differences and climatic disasters but all these should not let your patience level go down.

8. Everest base camp stay – There are many ways to stay while you are trekking to the Everest base camp, you can either make a tent on your own with the tent items that you have brought or you can stay in the tents that are provided by your guide team, all the more you can even stay at the tea houses. The greatest benefit of staying at the tea houses is that you needn’t carry any tent or sleeping equipment along with you. However, the choice is completely yours.

9. Entry permits and Requirements – An entry permit is mandatory as this trek is taking you to Nepal, a multi entry visit visa should be obtained at the Kathmandu Airport, and the cost will vary depending upon your length of stay, for this you need to submit one passport photo and Visa application. Trekking permit from TIMS is required to enter into the Sagarmatha National Park and Everest base camp trek, but again if you are on a guided tour, your guide company will take care of all these permits and legal requirements. Tip – It is better you carry few passport photo’s and an ID proof.

10. Other stuffs to Carry – Apart from your Trekking gear, food, water and regular clothing list, it is a must to carry some essentials like a first aid box equipped with – Diamox, Advil, Vicks, Sunscreen, Aleve, Chap stick, anti-nauseant, immodium, band-aid, eye drops, tiger balm, Q-tips, tweezers, pads. In the toiletries you can carry toilet paper, shampoo, soap, foot powder, micro fiber towel, Gold bond. While it comes to your documents you have to file in your Passports, Plenty of Rupees (ATM’s can’t be accessed at all points), TIMs card, Map and some books to read and relax.

11. What to eat – As you have to be physically fit throughout the trek, it is mandatory that you control your taste buds and eat only those items that will help you in the journey, for the breakfast you can munch in some toasts, eggs, potatoes and drink some coffee or tea, For lunch and dinner you need to carb up with some potatoes, rice, pasta, noodles, vegetables like carrot and cabbage. I know that this may seem monotonous and boring to eat the same menu every day, but only these will help you to Acclimatize fast.

12. What to Avoid – Drinking is prohibited during the trek, so you should avoid alcohol and caffeine while you are trekking at higher altitudes. So, now you may wonder as to what to drink! As you trek, you can find plenty of tea houses that sell fruit -flavored powders which you can mix with hot water and drink. Hot lemons, mangos and hot oranges are a real treat to your numb tongue. Drinking ginger hot water will help with your stomach problems. However while you are trekking back you can buy some celebratory Everest beers sold at inflated price.

13. Do I need a Guide – There were some lone trekkers who lost their way on their trek, so the Nepal Government is planning to make it compulsory to hire a guide for the Everest base camp trek. As of now the ban isn’t imposed, so you may trek alone, but it is advisable to mingle along with other co-trekkers to stay away from boredom. A bit of conversation and company is always good for trekking. Hiring a guide has some benefits though – they will share their valuable inputs and safeguard you at all times, and your permits and other documents will be arranged by them, you can complete your trek on time and stay safe too.

14. Common Dangers – The adventure part of Everest base camp trek is facing the challenges that come in way, there may be some common dangers that are posed by the geographical conditions. The sheer altitude of the base camp in itself will lead to health complications to trekkers, so you have to be prepared to adjust to the changing weather and altitude, for this purpose you can carry some medicines to combat the altitude problem. You need to be careful and precautious throughout the way as the cliffs and narrow passages en route will pose to create a danger to your journey. During continuous uphill trekking trekkers will suffer from fatigue issue, in order to prevent this, it is a must to have protein carob rich foods and stay hydrated always.

15. How long does it take to reach Everest base camp – Typically a trek to the Everest base camp would take at least 12 days, eight days to get to the base camp and four days to descend, Some professional trekkers may even complete the trek in ten days, but to enjoy the real fun and to make this trek as a holiday tour, 12 days will be apt. For the amateurs and inexperienced trekkers it may even take 17 to 18 days to finish the trek as they may not be used to the high altitude and it takes some time for them to adapt to the climatic changes too.

16. Best time to go – The weather of the Everest base camp is subject to change, even though the spring months from March to Mid may and early Fall from September to Mid November are ideal, we have given a monthly break-up: From October – November/December – Nepal is at its peak during these months and so it is the first best time to trek, February – March/April – end of dry season and this is second best time to trek, November/December to January/February – the sky is clear, you can trek but Nepal can be too cold, May- June – This is the hot season for Nepal and is warm indeed, June – September is the monsoon time and hence these months are not popular or recommended for trekking.

17. Cost of trek – The cost factor of the trek varies subject to many attributes, the package tours taken up at Nepal will be lesser compared to the ones purchased internationally. A package tour for the Everest base camp of 12 days may cost somewhere around US$1200 (excluding flight charge to Lukla, including permits, meals and accommodation though), apart from this a guide service would cost $30 - $60 per day,  and again if you hire a porter, it may cost half of what you pay to the guides. These prices may however fluctuate depending upon weather condition, time of year, and political situation in Nepal.

18. What you see – As you trek through to reach the summit of the Everest base camp, you have wonderful things to see and explore, the journey looks as amazing as its destination, some of the things that you shouldn’t miss out here are – Phakding Buddhist Prayer inscriptions, rare view of Buddhist prayer stone sculptures, villages and monasteries of Thami, The Sir Edmund Hillary school, Tengboche monastery and the other notable thing is the Kala Pathar, which you can see on the final day during your uphill trekking.

19. Getting sick on the trek and medical ailments – The most common problems trekkers face during the trek is the altitude sickness, bad stomach and sprained ankle. You need to be prepared well in advance to cope up with altitude sickness; nevertheless, you may be forced to descend quickly. Some of the larger villages like Lukla, Khumjung, Gokyo, Pheriche and Namche have clinics, even though modern facilities may not be available here, you can use them for treating minor ailments. You should, however, carry your basic medical supplies and it is also highly recommended that you have proper travel insurance for this trek in Nepal.

20. Best place to see Mount Everest – When you are trekking to the Everest base camp you may not be able to see other than the tip of the Mount Everest. However, there are some best places from where you will be able to have a close view of this majestic Mount Everest – Kala Pathar and Gokyo. Both of these places are on the Eastern region, which you will reach during the last day of your uphill trek. Alternatively when you take up the Tibetan approach to the Mount Everest, the whole way offers you a full view of the Mount.

21. Arranging a trek to EBC – There are actually two ways of arranging a trek to the Everest base camp, the first one is the Everest base camp (north side Tibet Tour) – in this tour, treks can be very easily arranged either in Nepal, Mainland China or Lhasa through official tour, this tour is taken up in a jeep from Lhasa and will last for seven days, with only one day of hiking. The second tour is the Everest base camp trek (South side Nepal) – in this tour you can either pick to trek independently or hire a package tour on EBC. Over here you will reach Jiri and then trek to Lukla and then proceed your trekking to reach EBC. The trek from Lukla will take somewhere around 10 to 12 days return.

22. Can children accompany – Family trekking will be fun to Everest base camp, but however you should see that your kids are pretty reasonable and have the endurance to survive till the descent, if your children are obeying and can cope up with the high altitude issues, they can very well accompany you. IT is better to hire a porter to carry the luggage as your kids may not be able to load their back and yet trek to the EBC. Overall if you are able to realistically assess your kid’s capability, then they can accompany you.

23. EBC trekking – How is it like – Trekking to reach the summit is not a child’s play, but as you take up this trek you get a real treat throughout the journey in the form of breathtaking sceneries and local village views. You can explore and enjoy the Sherpa culture at the monasteries and museums as you trek through the villages. Days are going to be filled with sheer pleasure as you pass through the colorful wheels and it is going to be a real treat for your tongue too as you get to dine plenty of authentic Nepali food and mix along with the local people and get immersed in their warm hospitality. Overall, Everest base camp trek will be an unforgettable experience.

24. Food and Water on the trek – Even though we have said what to eat and what not to eat, we cover here some of the food items and water that are available during your journey, as you can’t carry food and water for all the days, you need to rely on the teahouses that supply you food and drinks. When it comes to drinking, apart from drinking five litres of water daily, you can also drink ginger tea, soup and fruit flavoured drinks. You can have a three-time meal during the trek, which will majorly comprise of Dal Bhat, Garlic soup, Yak steak, Yak cheese, Nepalese bread, Momos and Noodle stews.

25. Staying safe and secure – Khumbu is considered as a very safe region, and violent crime is almost ruled out here. But due to the amount of ever flowing tourists to this place, it is advisable to keep your belongings and money safe. Altitude sickness is a common problem even in a healthy and young person, so in case you feel dizzy or have severe palpitations, take medicines or get down to lower altitude immediately.  The yaks may look photogenic here and you may tend to take some selfies along with them, but it is better to stay away from these as the yaks at times become unpredictable and aggressive.

26. Connectivity – Currently there aren’t any telephonic lines or mailing ID at the Everest region. At such an altitude even your Smartphone will back out of satellite connectivity. There is a Post office at Namche, you can post a letter from here, and international calls can be made from Namche, though it is bit expensive than at Kathmandu. LTE services are available through China mobile at the summit, and there are some internet cafes at Tengboche, Dingboche, Gorak shep and Namche.

27. Accommodations – If you are carrying your camp equipment you will be making a tent for yourself, but there are super luxury camp in Nepal that will provide you with a foam mattress, and you will also be provided with a Dome or A-frame tent that accommodates two people. There are trekking lodges at every village as your trek; in Nepal, a hotel provides food whereas an Inn or lodge provides night accommodation. At places where you don’t have access to tea houses, the Nepali houses will come to your rescue. There are some accommodations available in remote areas at the private independent houses of the Nepali people, for staying here you need to pay for food and lodging.

28. Trekking Insurance- Insuring yourself before going on the trek is very essential for the safety of your dependents, it is obvious, but well what considerations should be taken? Many companies have various camouflage techniques to deceive you by showing high redeemable amount but they won’t cover you for higher altitudes, with the maximum being 3000 meters, whereas you will reach high points over 5000 meters in this trek, so having insured over 6000 meters altitude is ideal. Also, get covered for trekking accidents as at high altitude even a minor injury can become a major one. Also, make sure you insure yourself for your baggage of theft.

29. Wild Facts about Mount Everest- It is always a good idea to know the facts about the place you visit, so here are few important and interesting ones. One the summit of Mount Everest is 8848 Meters above the ground level or 29029 Feet and growing over 0.1576 inches each year. Next up, there are over 240 dead bodies on Mount Everest as they are difficult to retrieve the remains from there, so a zone above 26000 feet is called death zone and average being 4 deaths out of 100 people who make it to the camp. Finally, Mount Everest is home for over 150 species of birds who venture there.

30. Camera Preservation- Who doesn’t take a camera along especially when you are planning to visit the highest point on earth? But if you think it will function properly like it does on the ground then you are mistaken, firstly the electrolyte of battery freezes below 0 C temperature, so it important to keep it warm. Also, portable hard drive or memory cards will not function, once over 4000 meters above sea level. Also, the mechanical cameras freeze over -10 C. So a good idea to protect your batteries and camera is to keep it warm by placing them inside your warm pant pockets or jackets and use it to the minimal.