The pinnacle of the experience is presented here. The three most important days of our lives to this point included:
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1. A “jeep” trip on one of the most dangerous roads in the World
2. An encounter with a beautiful and deadly King Cobra
3. A religious pilgrimage site where our sins were eternally washed away in 33-degree water
4. A trek to the highest point we have been yet
5. The realization that our primary goal for this visit was not going to happen
6. Side treks to villages that continued to live like it was the 1400s
7. Hurricane force winds on a “repaired” hanging bridge
8. Buddhist prayer training with novices
9. And, scaling across cliff immediately after a landslide had all but removed the trail

We met a grand total of 3 Americans in our 23 days in Nepal! Just getting there is an adventure that sets one apart from masses. Many have heard of Kathmandu and Mt. Everest and even dream of seeing them in their lifetime but consider them too exotic or too far away for a vacation destination. This is a shame. The trip is roughly halfway around the World, but avid traveler know what Walt Disney tried to teach us is true; it is truly a small World these days. Bear’s trip, in fact, was less than 15 hours from Orlando to Kathmandu on Qatar Airways. We have been on flights to Hawaii that took longer than that.

*Note Qatar Airways is excellent on customer service, drinks are free, and you can fly almost free by transferring points from Citi Rewards card and Marriot Bonvoy Cards. We use our Citi MasterCards to earn points by paying our mortgage. See how here.

Deciding that you will not be completing an item in your top 10 of your bucket list when you are right there is heartbreaking! We had the time of our life on the trip we did make, but it still hurts that we could not reach our goal on this picture-perfect fall trip.

We planned and prepared for over 6 months to complete the Annapurna Circuit from Chamje to Jomsom in 11 days and we chose the perfect time (Early November 2018). The weather was perfect with clear skies and no snow on the pass. We were in great shape with one glaring exception. My lungs were heavy from exposure to a nasty little organism from home, red tide. The people and organizations responsible for algae blooms and red tide really climbed up my shit list this time. To be honest, they were already there. One beautiful morning surfing session and the irresponsible environmental practices of some strangers was costing me a goal by limiting my lung capacity. 

​Bear and I decided that the only chance we had to make the Thorong La Pass was also the most dangerous. Instead of a slow accent, we would try the quicker one because it would be much easier to get back to safety from Muktinath than from above Manang. We would miss more than half of our circuit this way, but we could still get our “summit”, maybe.

There are three options to get to Thorong La Pass on the Annapurna Circuit in a clockwise direction (the less popular choice). You can fly or take a jeep to Jomsom or you can hike for 4-6 days. There are trade-offs to each: Hike and be exhausted, fly and brave the 2nd most dangerous airport in the World, or ride in a “jeep” for 10 hours on a mostly bumpy road that clings precariously to the cliffside of the deepest canyon in the World. Wanting to preserve money and protect my lungs, we chose the latter.
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At first, this seemed like a great decision. The roads south of Ghoripani are adequate with some paved sections that make for great sight seeing even when the Mahindra is packed with 5 more people than you expected it could carry. We chose a back seat and really enjoyed the singing and chatting with the 8 Nepalis along this portion of the road, but we were ready to stretch our legs 3 hours later at our first stop. 

​Turtle is writing this, just so you know who to judge. I have hike over 1000 miles of the Appalachian Trail, visited 26 countries and 43 states, conducted archaeological digs in 3 countries, and been a park ranger for more than 7 years. I have mountain biked over rattlesnakes and alligators, stepped on a Fleur De Lance, nearly splashed down on a 17 foot tiger shark in the South Pacific, and been within 10 yards of a prowling jaguar to no fault of my own. Sometimes you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time and you are lucky to survive it.

​When we got back to the car, the Nepalis were some combination of in awe and confounded by my “bravery” The older couple tried to teach me how stupid I was and the young men thought it was awesome. We climbed in quickly which earned us the back seat again, but this time we should have been more patient or insisted on at least the middle seat.

​Never sit in the back of a Mahindra if you are more than 5’10” tall! Make up some BS about motion sickness when you are in a shared ride in a beautiful area, especially on roads that are carved out of mountain cliffs. The trip to this point was okay, even in the back. There is actually some decent leg room and head room in a Mahindra. What they lack in Nepal are good shocks. Not only did we miss much of the views from here on out, we also were bounced up against the roof mercilessly for the next seven hours leaving us both sore and with mild concussions.

​The road cleared up just before Jomsom, and we had survived an interesting day. We stayed at a small Teahouse called Hotel Annapurna which was a lovely place and had plenty of room. Let me know in the comments if that makes you sing the Eagles song all day like it did for us.
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The next day was magical. The air was brisk and clear, birds of prey were coasting on the wind and we were embarking on a spiritual journey with dozens of Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims to a place that represented salvation to their religions.

The slide show below is from the road trip:

The penultimate point for travel is to enjoy the things, people and places that make our World so special. Far too many people get so wrapped up in the perceived superiority of their culture, and dismiss the traditions of others as being in opposition to their personal ideologies. Entering a shrine or temple or church or mosque without humility and respect for the sanctity of the place to others, not only reinforces negative stereotypes of your culture, but it also causes you to miss out on some really amazing experiences.

It was quite a scene. It was electric and reserved at the same time. There is reflection time before and after the dash through the 108 33-degree fountains and as you dunked yourself in the pools. It was like being baptized in freezing water, and the similarities of the experience and meaning with our own baptism was not lost on us. I just wish we brought a towel, as the brain-freeze was horrendous. I guess salvation has a price in every religion. 

Below is a slideshow of Muktinath for your enjoyment:

We began our climb early the next morning with a stretch goal to make the pass despite the congestion in my lungs. It was a daunting 1800 meter elevation gain goal that had significant chances of bringing on altitude sickness that can be extremely dangerous. This route is not commonly attempted due to this climb, but the retreat would be quick and relatively easy as long as we recognized any symptoms early.
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So, we set off at a slow steady pace, stopping regularly to ask each other about any symptoms. There was a little ice and snow, but the temperature was only slightly above freezing. The cold was borderline extreme for two Floridians but actually warm for November at 14,000 feet in the Himalayas. We had adequate layers to handle the cold, so the only real impacts were our lips and our lungs.

Maybe a half a Kilometer further on the trail we had to quite. We were still not having traditional issues with altitude but as the wind was picking up, my lungs were getting heavy and my throat was raw. We stopped and sat on a rock staring up toward a pass we would have to make another year (2025 here we come!) with a measure of remorse, but we were glad we were not killing ourselves to get there.
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Here we met a new hero, who was headed down from the pass solo at 87 years old. He was suffering from a slight case of altitude sickness, but it was not acute. We decided to follow him down to Muktinath and the conversation was great.

Most people take the road down from Muktinath to Jomsom and catch a ride back to Pokhara. In fact, most forums encourage this since the main route down is along the road and not very scenic. This was our plan when we were going to do the entire circuit, but that changed when we cut out the East side of the trek. We read about the alternate routes that had been developed to enhance the experience and connect trekkers to some of the more remote villages in the region. We had even hired a guide and porter to join us in Jomsom to make sure we did not get lost.

I do not recall whether it was just us being cheap or a desire for flexibility that led us to not having them with us these first three days, but we sure would come to regret on day 3. 

​I will say that this was the best and worst day of the trip. There are two main alternate routes between Muktinath and Kagbeni, one north of the road and one to the south through Lupra. The village we wanted to see was on a secondary trail off the southern one. We were supposed to follow a ridgeline trail after leaving Ranipauwa but we must have taken the wrong one. We did find some small farms and a number of ruins that were nearly untouched by the modern world, but not the one described.

​As the trail began to narrow and the blue and white markers disappeared, we realized that we were not headed anywhere in particular. So, we got out our map and figured our principal direction. Fortunate that the valley has some recognizable peaks, we decided to hang a right and follow an even smaller path that led toward where Lupra should be. At some point we did find the Alternate route again and we headed along the ridge to the pass marker and beside an amazing set of ruins with an old apple orchard where we explored for a while and I found a Shaligram, a fossilized ammonite considered the embodiment of Vishnu that I treasure.

After the ruins, the trail reached one of the numerous hanging bridges to Lupra but we choose to walk the riverbed instead. This was another minor mistake as crossing the small tributary was tricky and we ended up having to climb through terraced farms to get up to town.

After a quick meal in Lupra, we set out again to get to Kagbeni. We crossed the river again, this time by the other suspension bridge. Here we had two trails to chose from, one up and over directly to Kagbeni and one along the river then backtracking to Kagbeni. We chose the latter because it was looked like snow and we thought we heard thunder in Lupra. We chose poorly!

It was headed quickly towards dark and the wind was raging when we heard the “thunder” again. It was not a storm. It was a rockslide and it was between us and our destination. As we rounded the corner, the dust was still settling on the river basin and the trail was now little more than a 4-6 inch ledge across a 30-40 foot expanse that dropped away precipitously for hundreds of feet. We stopped and pondered backtracking and crossing back over the pass or hugging the cliff to continue on.

The two options were both intimidating. After more than 20miles of trekking/exploring above 12000 feet, the option of crossing another pass after dark seemed more daunting but slightly less death defying. So, we chose the “cliff”. After a little argument about who was going first, I led the way. Afterall, I had lived more of my life and Bear has more left on his bucket list.

Second only to the 1.5 seconds when I was falling from a rope swing onto the back of a tiger shark, this few minute of my life was the slowest. Every foothold and handhold had to be tested. Many were loose and some slid out of the sand wall, causing more small rockslides down below us. Luckily, we never followed the rocks down. As you can see in the map below, there are chronically rockslides at this location.

When I had crossed, I even got to watch my 19 year old son precariously cross, which is incidentally much more stressful. It was hell! However, he made it too. Thank God, literally!

We let out a war cry on the other side. Never more men than this moment, tears of pride and relief trickled down my face. Facing fears can really be transformative and harrowing.
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The rest of the days track was cold, windy and exhausting, but, it was safe, and we arrived in a small village south of Kagbeni where we ate Yak steaks, toasted with homemade apple brandy with our hosts, and discussed bear’s newest tattoo that was inspired by the day’s events.

Kagbeni is great, especially the old town. The next morning, Bear slept in and I went out shooting some stills of the town which we cannot find for some reason. When I returned, we ate a late breakfast and crossed the bridge into Upper Mustang and the village of Tini, which is the furthest into Upper Mustang that trekkers could go without the $500 permit. The far side of the bridge was broken when we were there and it had been repaired with mud and driftwood, but it was still stable we might not have crossed had we known, but we were glad we did.
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Tine is the home of a monastery where dozens of young novice monks study and spending time watching them play was quite an experience on its own. On our way back the winds kicked up to the point where pebbles were flying and pelting us in the face. This made the bridge less stable and a little more intimidating, but again it held. We ate and slept well at Yak Donalds that night, and woke the next morning to the sound of Buddhist horns calling the monks and inhabitants to a prayer session in the local monastery. We went too. It was magical and authentic. The few trekkers were sleeping in or just not interested, so, we enjoyed the experience chanting, horns, and drums surrounded by truly worshipful Buddhists and monks.

Afterward, we headed to Jomsom to meet up with the guides who would accompany us and along the alternate routes below Kagbeni. We will have a separate blog on this and the 3-day Poon Hill trek at a later date. These treks were also great and much safer due to the lessons we learned here and the presence of our new friends.

I hope you enjoyed this look into our lives and will consider following us on Facebook and Instagram @oldsolestravel. Until next time, happy trails and enjoy finding yourself on your journey!

In this guide, we will introduce you to Sorrento and all that makes it special and then suggest a seven day itinerary for seeing the attractions that lie along the beautiful Amalfi Coast, as well as the ancient marvels that Mount Vesuvius left as a time capsule at Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Below are an assortment of shots of Sorrento for your enjoyment. 

2.   Visit the Naples Archaeological Museum: The city of Naples is a little rough around the edges for most tourists. It does have a thriving street art scene and great food, but we decided to only visit its World-famous museum. The quantity and quality of sculptures by Italian Masters here is only rivaled in Florence, in our opinions. This was the highlight to me, but there is so much more to see in the museum. Other favorites included the mosaic displays that were transported here from Pompeii and Herculaneum and the Egyptian Artifact collection.

3.   Take the train to Pompeii and Herculaneum: I would not drive. I loved the thrilling adventure that driving in most of Italy is, but this region is crowded and streets are narrow and frequently one-way. The train from Sorrento to Naples is inexpensive and a great way to get to the Naples Archaeological Museum and both of these amazing sites in the shadow of Vesuvius. An eruption left us a marvelously preserved picture of life in Ancient Italian culture. People were frozen in the moments of their deaths, some encased in stone and others turned to stone by immense heat and ash. Their belongings and homes were sealed away from the ravaging of time and the results are both astonishing, somber, and beautiful. For more detail or if you have been living under a rock and do not know about these already, read more about Pompeii and Herculaneum here. 

4.   Ride the Amalfi Coast: I realize that most people would suggest driving the Amalfi Coast, but there are 2 reasons we do not. Number 1: this is the epitome of stop-and-go driving most of the year, and number 2: the driver will miss out on the amazing views while he stresses about the aggressive drivers. Hiring a car alleviates all but the delay which can be made quite delightful by frequents selfie stops and “authentic” touristy music. If you choose to visit only by land, we suggest seeing Ravello and Amalfi the first day and backtracking to Positano for the night, but the itinerary has you doing a different route. 

4.    Take the ferry to Positano: If the weather is good, this is our preferred way to get around the Amalfi Coast. Bring a lot of photo memory and leave early so you can enjoy the shopping dining, and maybe even a hike on the Path of the Gods. Also, you might want to look for sea glass and pottery here, as it is plentiful.

6.   Take a tour to Capri and see the Blue Grotto and more: This is the way most people see Capri, and it usually hits the highlights. Since this is about Sorrento, I suggest it in the itinerary below. However, we chose to stay there and were glad we did. Bear wrote a Capri Guide that expands on this. So read that here and consider more time in Capri.

​1.Relax in the hot springs of Ischia: I have to admit that we missed this one. A combination of schedule and price made this a strategic “save-for-next-time” thing. Negombo comes highly suggested and looks idyllic for those who do have the time and money.

​Day 1: Arrive via Naples or Rome and Visit the Naples Archaeological Museum and have some pizza at L’Antica Pizzaria da Michele (Supposedly the oldest pizzeria in the birthplace of pizza) before taking the train to Sorrento, which will be our base for all 6 nights. The museum is amazing! Plan at least 4 hours here, even if you are not a big reader. You will probably get to Sorrento just in time for Dinner which traditionally takes 2-3 hours. So, find a great place and spoil yourself before getting a good night sleep.
Day 2: If weather permits, get one of your ferry days in early. Take the early ferry to Capri. There is no better place to experience the blue waters of the Mediterranean. Take a tour around the Island that goes into the Blue Grotto. Then spend the rest of the day on top of the Island at Anacapri. (Second mention of Bear’s Blog)
Day 3: Spend your morning shopping. Buy wine and limoncello for a couple nights but save your leather and other major buying for a literal rainy day when the owners tend to bargain more. See what the prices are for things you might want and where they are most competitive. Have something ample for lunch and catch a train to Herculaneum early afternoon. Herculaneum is the smaller of the two sites, but it is also the most up-close-and-personal, which is a good and bad thing (please do not carve penises into the walls like so many other idiots did). Then head back for dinner, check tomorrow’s weather and book a driver for tomorrow.
Day4: Ride early to Amalfi and enjoy the heat of the day in the Mediterranean and sipping coctails on the beach before heading for a sunset dinner in Ravello. Amalfi is a great place to relax and soak up the sun, and Dinner in Ravello offers stunning views and less crowds.
Day 5: Take a morning train to Pompeii. Between the expansive site and the museum, you can easily spend a whole day here and just be able to get back in time for another long, enjoyable Italian dinner.
Day 6: Take the earliest ferry possible to Positano and walk as much of the Path of the Gods as you can comfortably do. The views are amazing. Then head back for a late lunch at one of the great restaurants on the beach in Positano. Spending your last night here would be a great idea if you have a little extra cash, and the sunsets are out of this World.
Day 7: Head back to Sorrento by car or ferry and do the rest of your shopping, if you haven’t already. Their deals on leather bags and leather jackets are amazing if you bargain well. Then head to your next destination. May I suggest Sicily or Florence.

This plan counts on good weather to accomplish all that we suggested. It may be in your best interest to extend it like we did to 9 days and book a night in Positano and one in Capri. This will be more expensive, but it was worth it to us. We stayed in AirBNBs, which I will suggest to you if you travel with a group of like to cook for yourself regularly. Feel free to message us on Facebook or Instagram for our choices.

We hope you enjoyed this post and will read some of our other blogs and lessons. Old Soles Travel is here to inspire people to travel more and travel more responsibly. If you want to support us in our efforts, please consider using our links to products and credit cards, as we get miles and some small commissions when you purchase through these. More direct support is also welcomed and appreciated through our Patreon link, where as little as $3/month will help us on our journey.
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Cheers to finding yourself on the journey and cheers to you!

   Even from the air, the Ogasawara Archipelago is out of this world, but you will probably have to take my word for that as very few people outside of the Japanese security forces ever fly near enough to them to see them from above. There is only one airport in the entire archipelago and it is both off limits and far removed from the inhabited islands where tourists visit. You may have heard of Iwo Jima, but despite the immense historical value and natural beauty of this small island, you should not have it on your bucket list unless the Japanese government ever makes it accessible to civilians. I have been there but not as a tourist (See story at the bottom of this blog).

The cinematography and images on this are excellent.

​The Bucket List series is meant, in part, to inspire you to visit these places during your lifetime. But, more than site specific inspiration, we hope it inspires you to make a bucket list and get started ticking off the places and experiences that will make your life more rewarding and your memoires more exciting. Bear and I will be writing separate bucket list blogs and travel guides for you, and you can learn more about bucket list creation, travel tips, and history on this website and our social media, so, please follow us and, as always take the time to “Find Yourself on the Journey.”  ​

Far more than just one of the most amazing archaeological parks in the World, Siem Reap is one of a few places in Southeast Asia where you can be in the fast-paced city enjoying street food one minute and in the rural farmlands the next. Angkor Wat is affordable, appealing to most types of travelers, and unique culturally and in terms of biodiversity. The food and massages are amazing and inexpensive, the wetlands and ruins host a cornucopia of tropical plants and wildlife, and no matter where you find yourself, the locals are friendly. 

Please click "Read More" below. 

Affordability: While not the easiest or least expensive place to get to from North America, Cambodia, like most of Southeast Asian countries, have extremely affordable accommodations, food, and activities when compared to the popular destination in North America, Western Europe, and the South Pacific. In fact, no matter what the level of accommodations you desire, the prices in Cambodia will make it feasible to live that lifestyle for a fraction of what it would cost you in most places on Earth. I ate well, drank well, slept in a good hostel, hired a personal tuk tuk, and bought a 3 day pass to all of the temple complexes for less than $40 per day as a solo backpacker, and many do so for less than $20. Additionally, more upscale options are readily available and still much cheaper than you would think.

​The temple were built during periods of time when the Khmer venerated Hindu gods and during their transitions to Buddhism, and the art and architecture resemble several other complexes found in Asia but on a scale and with a flair that is only rivaled in Bagan, Myanmar and Rajasthan, India.
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     The Khmer society who built Angkor was one of the most advanced civilizations of its time and carved out a living in a less than hospitable ecosystem due to significant advances in technology and art. Small farms still dot the landscape, making fresh produce readily available and extremely affordable for the inhabitants and visitors alike, but the carrying capacity of the land is much lower now than at the peak of Khmer Civilization when Angkor Wat was only eclipsed in population by Teotihuacan in Mexico. The crux of the ancient Khmer city was in the waterworks which receive less fanfare than the extravagantly decorated temple complexes. (End different?)

Art: If you love architecture and sculpture, Angkor rivals Italy and Greece and all of its masterpieces are on display year round. Most are also free of the unfortunate “modern art” defacement that is all to frequent these days due to heavy police present. However, nature is making a steady foe for these sites and, particularly for the art and architecture traveler, I would try to make it there as soon as possible to see the relief sculptures in great condition.

I will say the fare was almost exclusively barbequed or deep fried, but the freshness and flavor complexity was unbelievable. Fresh fish was my favorite. It was served whole, fried or grilled, and with several dipping sauces that were out of this world. In town I tried to concentrate on traditional rice dishes and soups that were refreshingly similar to those I enjoyed in Thailand, but with a more citrus forward flare. Then there were the more adventurous foods, the best of which was stir fried grubs, and the worst of which was dried jellyfish (only food I have spit out as an adult). ​

Spa Treatment and Yoga: While this is not a traditional part of my normal routine, it was a great opportunity and experience in Southeast Asia. Yoga just seems to fit with Asian temples in the background and it is a great excuse to stretch during long days of trekking through temples. Add in a massage at the end of the day for less than $10/hour and you will be refreshed and sleep well for your next early wake up to catch the sites without the crowds.

Social Media: Want to grow your social media following? Don’t we all. Go to Angkor Wat. The number of instagramable photo spots is unbelievable. From sunrises over Angkor Wat Temple, to banyan trees engulfing stone structures, to selfies with the heads of Bayon, to crazy food, Siem Reap and Angkor Wat will fill your social media with popular posts for years after you visit. Please follow us, as well. There are a bunch of images there from Angkor that you can like (Shameless plug).