A face mask at Thangboche Monastery
Lhakpa on the summit of Ama Dablam
Back in the garden at Sandy's house!
It's that time of year. Most expeditions are over in Nepal although there will be a few groups still trying to climb the popular trekking peaks and Ama Dablam and even Baruntse. Most of the TEAM ASCENT Sherpas will be back at home, Lhakpa above will be trading in his shop in Namche Bazaar, and Kusam was to be working on Island Peak and Lhakpa Dindi said he would go home and help his family dig up the last of their potatoes and storing them for the winter. The same applies here in Newtonmore. It's time to catch up with all the chores that have built up, thanks to being away guiding all summer and Autumn. The nice weather here allows me to prepare the garden for next spring, manage bookings for the coming Scottish Winter climbing season with occasional forays to the climbing walls and catch up with friends and neighbours. Many of the Sherpas head up to Thangboche monastery again where the Mani Rimdu festival will take place. Monks dance and act out the many tales of the Buddhist gods with complicated dances, swinging swords and explosive fires. They wear elaborate costumes and finely painted masks as part of their routines and many of the masks are on display at the local monasteries. Mani Rimdu is an important event on the Sherpa calender.
A wishing prayer which was written and given to me by Lama Geshe from Pangboche Monastery lays on my desk and reads:
"Give up all intention to harm other from your heart
And do your best to benefit them all
If each and everyone feels the universal responsibility to do so,
We will all enjoy the feast of peace!"
That's pretty cool eh?
Meanwhile...we do have snow in the Grampian Mountains and some of my friends climbed a snowy route last week in the Northern Corries of Cairngorm, but the turf is not really frozen yet.
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