Camp Champions Blog

We are en route to Thailand, but this seems like a great time to share some final snippets from Nepal.

[I wrote this blog initially for Psychology Today, but had a few people suggest that you might enjoy it as well,  I hope you do.  It is about covering tough topics with my boys, specifically drugs and pornography.  I detest both, but know from experience that simply saying "don't do it because I know better" is rarely effective.  Here is my effort to share advice with two young men that I love in a way that they might hear me.]

Today was another 6-hour hike, but it was also different.  I had a long talk with the boys about all sorts of issues.  We talked about some of the uncomfortable topics for parents and teens, including drugs and pornography.

We are in the Pokhara airport waiting for our flight to Kathmandu on a dual prop plane.

[This is the second catch-up blog.  I plan to share two today and then the rest over the next couple of days (along with the photos.]

I am beginning to suspect that Cool Sir is conducting an experiment on our family in which he is trying to determine how quickly can you adjust the housing expectations of a American family.

[We have alighted successfully at the end of our trek.  While we did not have internet, I did write each day.  Here is the first catch-up blog.  We, however are still posting from cafes and our connections are too slow for photos.]

Addendum to Poon Hill

We are at the highest point at which we will camp. We are at roughly 10,000 feet. I have been higher. Heck, i have skied at higher elevation.

[Note: both the previous blog and this one are being entered from a dial-up internet cafe in the Himalayas.  It is probably 50 degrees in here are our fingers are getting numb (Susie and I are alternating typing).  Since the connection is snail-slow, we will not be able to post any photos until later.  I am just thrilled to get something up!]

Perseverance is something that we value at camp and in our family.  It is a deeply valuable attribute.  You can see it in the eyes of an 8-year old striving top swim a kilometer.

When our intrepid travelers last left you, we had just arrived in Pokhara via Buddha Air and I had ridden on the back of a scooter.

[NOTE:  TOMORROW, WE WILL START A 5-DAY TREK INTO THE HIMALAYAN FOORHILLS.  ON THIS PORTION OF OUR JOURNEY, WE WILL HAVE NO ACCESS TO INTERNET, SO MY BLOGS WILL TAKE A TEMPORARY HIATUS WHILE WE TREK.  I WILL CONTINUE TO WRITE EACH DAY – OR AT LEAST UNTIL MY COMPUTER LOSES ALL POWER – AND WILL POST THE RAMBLINGS AS SOON AS I HAVE ACCESS TO THE WEB AGAIN.]

ATMs are a bear in Nepal.  Many do not take our cash cards.  Others have huge fees while allowing only modest withdrawals.  All of them seem to have guards posted at them.

Wow, wow and wow!