The Sensei, The Sheik, The Roadrunner, Dr. Livingstone, and Ponyman
After a while, on a 400km trek, you begin to develop a cartoon archetype.
Sonam actually started out as his archetype--Dorjay wouldn't say his name, and only referred to him as "Ponyman" for the first week. "Ponyman says we stay here" or "Ponyman is from Darcha." I forget how we finally discovered his name (not sure if we got it from Dorjay eventually or whether we finally just asked Sonam himself).
Dorjay became the Sensei on Day 3, when he selected the first of many fantastic headgear options. He folded up his kerchief and tied it around his forehead like a headband--looking eerily like Ralph Macchio turned older Karate master. He also began to demonstrate his sensei-like superpowers pretty early in the trip, e.g., his ability to walk at what appears to be a totally relaxed pace and still manage to get a half mile ahead of us on the trail and his ability to cross ice-cold streams in bare feet up to his knees as if he were wading through bathwater.
We didn't realize Jigmet's superpowers until we went to Phugtol Gompa. We left for the Gompa early in the morning, with Dorjay, while Jigmet was still cleaning up the camp. As we were slowly making our way along the narrow, roller-coaster trail cut precariously into a gorge above the river, we looked behind us and saw a dark dot in the distance. A dot that was getting closer and larger at a rate that defied all logic. It was Jigmet--not just walking quickly, but full-throttle sprinting along the trail towards us. Zooming up and down the shear cliffside trail like--well, like the Roadrunner. It really looked like the rest of the world was suddenly paused and Jigmet was in fast-forward. I think India would do a lot better in the Olympics if the country mined the Ladakhi talent. It's unbelievable.
Zach, with his Tilley hat and giant med kit could really only be Dr. Livingstone--he really looked like someone out of a different era on the trek. Zach, Dr. Livingstone, the period trekker.
I became the sheik after I realized (the hard way) that a bandanna covering only my hair was not going to be sufficient sun protection in the middle of July at 12,000 feet. I borrowed Zach's Einstein baseball cap and wore it over the bandanna hanging sheik-style over the sides of my head. I maybe looked more like a mullet rocker than a sheik, but I'm sticking to the latter. Fewer syllables.
I keep imagining a cartoon novel featuring all of us--the sheik, the sensei, Dr. Livingstone, the Roadrunner, and Ponyman--if only I were a better artist...
After a while, on a 400km trek, you begin to develop a cartoon archetype.
Sonam actually started out as his archetype--Dorjay wouldn't say his name, and only referred to him as "Ponyman" for the first week. "Ponyman says we stay here" or "Ponyman is from Darcha." I forget how we finally discovered his name (not sure if we got it from Dorjay eventually or whether we finally just asked Sonam himself).
Dorjay became the Sensei on Day 3, when he selected the first of many fantastic headgear options. He folded up his kerchief and tied it around his forehead like a headband--looking eerily like Ralph Macchio turned older Karate master. He also began to demonstrate his sensei-like superpowers pretty early in the trip, e.g., his ability to walk at what appears to be a totally relaxed pace and still manage to get a half mile ahead of us on the trail and his ability to cross ice-cold streams in bare feet up to his knees as if he were wading through bathwater.
We didn't realize Jigmet's superpowers until we went to Phugtol Gompa. We left for the Gompa early in the morning, with Dorjay, while Jigmet was still cleaning up the camp. As we were slowly making our way along the narrow, roller-coaster trail cut precariously into a gorge above the river, we looked behind us and saw a dark dot in the distance. A dot that was getting closer and larger at a rate that defied all logic. It was Jigmet--not just walking quickly, but full-throttle sprinting along the trail towards us. Zooming up and down the shear cliffside trail like--well, like the Roadrunner. It really looked like the rest of the world was suddenly paused and Jigmet was in fast-forward. I think India would do a lot better in the Olympics if the country mined the Ladakhi talent. It's unbelievable.
Zach, with his Tilley hat and giant med kit could really only be Dr. Livingstone--he really looked like someone out of a different era on the trek. Zach, Dr. Livingstone, the period trekker.
I became the sheik after I realized (the hard way) that a bandanna covering only my hair was not going to be sufficient sun protection in the middle of July at 12,000 feet. I borrowed Zach's Einstein baseball cap and wore it over the bandanna hanging sheik-style over the sides of my head. I maybe looked more like a mullet rocker than a sheik, but I'm sticking to the latter. Fewer syllables.
I keep imagining a cartoon novel featuring all of us--the sheik, the sensei, Dr. Livingstone, the Roadrunner, and Ponyman--if only I were a better artist...
posted by backandzella at 1:09 AM
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