Top Tibba 2

(mountain ridge)

How's it going? I want to hear from all of you, who are reading my blog! Many of you are my friends in Los Angeles and around the world who are taking the time to share my adventures but then run out of energy to send a hi! I miss you! (Of course, I can email you too! And of course, I want to hear what's going on in your lives too.)

Anyway, during the week, I work like mad. On the weekends, I can relax. This weekend was filled with school duties mixed with fun.

(some intense high school players, us teachers are on the sideline)

On Friday, I organized an ultimate frisbee clinic/game. Tim the fanatic and Jackie the pro came and led the pack, while I regained my ability to throw. I was so afraid of losing my frisbee down the mountain, but luckily, Hanson Field was a lot better than its reputation. We did share the field with some donkeys though.

Saturday was Top Tibba the Sequel!!! Chris, Karen, and I brought eight enthusiastic middle schoolers up to Top Tibba, the trail that we scouted out last week. I am going to make this hike the highlight of the blog, and will slightly narrate it. First, we took taxis to the secret location.

(pardon me, but do you have grey poupon?)

(peace, dude!)

Along the way, we stopped by the side of the road to look at some ripple marks in the rocks, formed thousands of years ago by the ocean waves. The ancient sand formed patterns by the tide and turned into rock, then got pushed up the mountain to the Himalayas, here.

("I will crush you like a walnut. Oh wait, I mean, this is an ancient geological form")

("These are what my abs look like. Oh, I mean, these are formed by giant worms or something.")
(kid in orange shirt: "Mr. G is scary.")

Finally, we got to the beginning of the trail. Up and up and up! As Karen says, this was the Asian version of the VonTrap family in the "Sound of Music". All we wanted to do was bust out in "Do Re Mi" and "My Favorite Things".

(student resting in tree)

(about 3/4 there)
(The Von Trap family)

(Woodstock!!!)

(Quick, we must find food for the little ones!)

(Ah, woe is me.)

Along the way, we met a businessman who was walking down the mountain. It turns out this is his daily commute to town where he sells his cauliflower, some of which ends up in Dehra Dun.

(cauliflower man)

(his home -- cauliflower farm)

Here are some of the plants that we saw along the way. These are mostly typical.

(the plant that tastes sour)

(king nettle -- stings you) (dock weed - antidote to stinging nettle)
(some kind of weed ;p)

Well, that's it for the Top Tibba hike! Here are some pictures from the bazaar today.

(it's kind of depressing about trash disposal around here -- dump it down the mountain)

(live tv set! Christina took this photo.)

(Ah! Shopping for pears makes Karen aggresive!)

And finally here are some of my recent battles with indoor nature.

(Rover 5 -- I let him/her go.)

(Mouse trap #1, Peanut butter on the inside top

-- it worked but didn't fall all the way, and the mouse got away!)

(the mouse never showed up)

(a sign to my aiya indicating that there may be a mouse behind my closed living room doors!)

If you would like to see more pictures of the above, CLICK HERE for the ongoing September 2007 photo set. Scroll to the bottom!