NEPAL

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Mts Kangtega and Thamserku from Kunde village

view from Kunde village, Everest region, Nepal

Kunde is a typical Sherpa village of some fifty houses snuggled under the foot of Khumbu-lha (Khumbu-god). If you stand near the hospital at the top of the village on a wintery day this is the view looking south and up.
Kangtega 6685m ('Snow saddle'), the mountain to the left has an aptly descriptive name. Thamserku 6608m ('Nine golden statues') dominates this view. Both mountains were climbed in the early 1960's by New Zealand members of Sir Edmund Hillary's expeditions. At the same time, these groups build a network of schools and Kunde hospital, the first permanant medical facility for the Sherpas.
In 1964 on my first visit to Nepal, I climbed Thamserku with Ed's group and later with my wife Diane came to work at Kunde as the first volunteer couple. In that way Nepal, the Sherpas, Tibet and Buddhism entered and enriched our lives.

Next month: A wild and scenic gorge.
The Bhuri Gandaki river, Nepal.

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revision 18 Mar 2001
http://www.greenkiwi.co.nz/footprints/photo/ph9805.htm