Boudhanath.

Safa Tempo.

Phewa Lake.

Everyday. Cutting steak. Taking hot shower. Bar. Relaxing. Drinking. Paragliding. Biking.

June 23, 2013.

I've reached the Machapuchare Base Camp in the afternoon of third day. It has been raining since the morning and by the time of arrival, visibility reached absolute zero- unable to see anything beyond a metre. Disappointed and physically tired, there was no other option than to spend countless hours in the lodge.

About an hour before the sunset, the clouds and fogs moved away and revealed all the majestic surroundings that it kept itself to. When the whole panorama came into sight, I simply couldn't leave this rock. It was gratifying. It was rewarding for every hour that has been put into physical deed. I realized that the expectation has become the reality. I felt like I achieved something on that day and could achieve anything in the future.

---

Epilogue.

In general, Annapurna Sanctuary Trek is done for 7-8 days but I've finished in 5 by hiking longer hours per day (about 9 hours with periodical rest). I've been preparing for this particular trekking since the beginning of the year by spending more time on cardio and visiting mountains near Seoul. However, carrying 10kg on the shoulder was different kind of experience- body condition varied the feeling of the weight and few hundred grams significantly influenced how each step would feel.

June to August is considered as monsoon season, so it's not the most ideal time for trekking. Regardless, there are few hours in a day that visibility get better and there is advantages of having more space in a lodge and intimate interaction with fellow trekkers. Rain usually last longer than a squall event but it's possible to avoid concentrated precipitations by avoiding certain hours. However, leeches could cause some problem.

At the end of the day, I slept without getting a change for the wet (sweat and rain) shirts and pants because it wasn't possible to carry much spare clothes and taking them off would loose too much body temperature. There was no previous time in my life that I wanted fresh clothes or a shower that badly. Hardest thing was to get into those wet socks and the shoes again in the morning.

None of the less, I can't forget those moment of walking out of the lodge in the morning and seeing the snow covered peaks standing in grand form; staring and craving at them while brushing teeth or drinking a hot lemon tea. Feeling the inner desire to get to them closer and faster.

Machapuchare.

Annapurna.

Deep inside of the Annapurna Sanctuary- high glacial basin with oval shaped plateau that sits at an altitude of over 4k metres and is surrounded by the Annapurna range (अन्नपुर्ण), most of which are over 7k metres.

June 21, 2013.

I secretly admire movies like 127 hours, Into the Wild, and Motorcycle Diaries.

Contact.

Solitude.

Annapurna Sanctuary Trek.

Pokhara.

Waking up in Pokhara- gateway to the Annapuruna Conservation Area, located 7 hours away from Ktm. 

Walking in this empty street early morning gave me an illusion of being in Fred Herzog's works.

Pashupatinath Temple.

June 16, 2013.

Swayambhunath.

"The dome at the base represents the entire world. When a person awakes- represented by eyes of wisdom and compassion- from the bonds of the world, the person reaches the state of enlightenment. The thirteen pinnacles on the top symbolize that sentient beings have to go through the thirteen stages of spiritual realizations to reach enlightenment, or as known as Buddhahood.

There is a large pair of eyes on each of the four sides of the main stupa which represent Wisdom and Compassion. Above each pair of eyes is another eye, the third eye. It is said that when Buddha preaches, cosmic rays emanate from the third eye which act as messages to heavenly beings."

June 15, 2013.

"What we call chaos is just patterns we haven't recognized"

Buddharūpa.

बुद्धरूप; "Form of the Awakened One"

June 12, 2013.

- Kathmandu has been the place of my interest since I've met my freshman year roommate, Bimo N. As he is also planning to come to Nepal in following days, I've been going out with his friends and spending days together. 

- Some attend university within the city and abroad in India; English has been entrenched in the education system. Those who attend university away from home are currently back in town for the semester break. Owning a scooter is pretty much the same concept as a suburban Canadian teenager getting a car for their birthday. Smoking. Talking. Drinking. Laughing. iPhone. Music. Relationship. Facebook. Our ages are really alike.

Kathmandu.

3 weeks in this inexperienced landscape.

KE695.

June 9, 2013.

Jungmyeongjeon.

June 5, 2013.

Seoul Museum of Art.

Sejongno.

The Catcher in the Rye.

One of my friends recommend me this during the freshman year. It's been on my mind ever since then and I finally had the chance to read it- as the sophomore summer break started and the time is only thing I got. 

As I read it through, there were multiple occasions where I could  related myself to the protagonist Holden Caulfield, who has become a known icon of teenage angst and alienation. Then I remembered all the talks I had on the issues of identity, belonging, connection, and alienation through drinks and nights.

-

"You could go there (Museum of Natural History) a hundred thousand times, and that Eskimo would still be just finished catching those two fish, the birds would still be on their way south, the deers would still be drinking out of that water hole. Nobody'd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you."

"Not that you'd be so much older or anything. It wouldn't be that, exactly. You'd just be different, that's all. You'd have an overcoat on this time. Or the kid that was your partner in line the last time had got scarlet fever and you'd have have a new partner. Or you'd heard your mother and father having a terrific fight in the bathroom." It's true; I've probably been the exact same person since I was born, except all the small experiences and little decisions that would've drift me to where/who I am now. 

"I mean you'd be different in some way- I can't explain what I mean. And even if I could, I'm not sure I'd feel like it." It's pretty awesome that I'm still a coming of age cliché; so much frustration and yet with much anticipation.

-

One of the constant themes of the book is Holden's alienation as a form of self-protection. He wears his hunting hat to advertise his uniqueness and difference from others. However, it also forms cynical sense of superiority within him, which ultimately serves as a type of self-protection, and prevents normal interactions with others. 'Alienation is both the source of holden's strength and the source of his problems.'

June 1, 2013.

It's been three years since its inception, so I've made little changes for the blog. 1) the title has been replaced by less cliche one- KEN. Simple, bold, and very clear on who's filling the pages. Still a cliche whatnot but appropriate considering my age. 2) layout has been modified to be more like a timeline, which reflects the purposes of the blog better and my desire to be minimalistic. 3) Personal information, such as full name, has been removed for better anonymity. Not really been an issue in the past but for genuine contents for the future.