A Personal Journey of Nepal
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with the peaceful nature of its people, make this "Rooftop of the world" the perfect backdrop for a physical and spiritual journey. Nepal, in all its stoic dignity, represents for the two travelers an extreme opposite to their western way of life. The journey presents the unique opportunity for the film to capture their exploration of a beautiful place full of fascinating people. The film is also narrated and enhanced by their own daily diary entries of personal thoughts and memories, kept private from one another and unique to each experience. 
diary entry-March 2nd: Himalayas As
we climb higher and the altitude rises the air gets thinner and our lungs and
muscles feel the lack of oxygen. The weather has not been co-operative, every
morning begins sunny, clear and warm, by early afternoon the sky cloudy,
the horizon hazy and our bodies cold, all a reminder not to take things
for granted. We are excited and a bit nervous, tomorrow our arrival to Monju
will coincide with the last day of Losar, The Tibetan New Year, an important
final celebration for all Tibetan Buddhists. I quickly come to the realization
that the Lama we came so far to see may not even be here. I feel disappointed
in my hasty decision to come to these mountains without a more thought out
plan and wonder if I have not wasted everybody's time. Stacey had aspirations
to go down towards the border of India to the jungles of the Terai for an
elephant safari in the hopes of seeing rhinoceros and maybe even the Bengali
tiger, which is becoming rarer everyday. Her wish, that one day she
may be able to describe to our yet unborn children, first hand, about the
beauty of this magnificent predator that as of this date we have only seen
in books. But the pull I felt to come here, was too strong and which no amount
of words could disdain. Stacey understood, so we are here.
diary entry-Afternoon: As I survey
the magnitude of my surroundings, the earlier disappointment I felt disintegrates
and in its place I fill with the sheer beauty of a single snowcap. The
fact that there are many is utterly unbelievable. How is it that I have
not seen them until now? How is it that in this wide landscape that reaches
the heavens and beyond, the abode of the gods, my thoughts remain so small?
How did I not realize what it means to be here, trekking through the Himalayas?
When have I ever had the chance to set my steps in such a mountain region
so filled with myth and legend? Mt. Everest, Edmond Hillary, Tenzing Sherpa,
The Yeti. Since the plane landed a few short days ago, I have taken all
for granted, almost missing the whole point of being here. This journey
is not about a Lama in a faraway village… but right here with each step.
What we see or for that matter even what we do not is all that matters,
our thought and feelings in this moment only, is all that we have. All
that I have. All this importance I have put on meeting a man that is living
his life with no thoughts of me, would not only make all Buddhists laugh,
but all Men. From this moment on I shall try to enjoy this journey for
what it is, no expectations, no unnecessary hopes, no disappointments
to come, just a guy and his girl, some new friends, simply having the
honor to walk on the Rooftop of the world, one moment at a time. |
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