Early on in our travels we decided due to our lightweight lifestyle that we didn’t want to weigh ourselves down with knickknacks and charms that would undoubtedly wind up in some junk drawer once we settled back in or stuffed at the bottom of some box stored in the attic. Sure we could have shipped stuff back home, but if you haven’t met me yet I am cheap when it comes to goods that I feel have no resale value down the road.
“Take Only Memories, Leave Nothing But Footprints” – Chief Seattle
So with that said we collected little to no trinkets, postcards, and left only with a million photos. OK with the exception of a couple really small items; worry doll in Flores, Guatemala and a small plastic cow we found at our first campground in New Zealand named Bessie. With not one regret! Until…
We had made it back home and staying with EmSue’s parents in Oklahoma City when we made an evening journey to their friends Jay and Nancy’s home. If you recall back from our Everest story Jay, Nancy, and their daughter Holly were the ones responsible for planting the seed of hiking to Everest Base Camp. It was there in their living room when Nancy pulled something out of the small drawer in their dining room, a small copper cup or what it appeared to be. Until she gently shook the small cup and it let out the most wonderful sound. We were instantly transported 1,000’s of miles back halfway around the world to the most remote mountains cutoff from roads, power lines, and our typical civilization. That one tiny yak bell sound instantly flooded us with memories, smells, and other feelings that I wouldn’t have expected. But a couple of feelings in particular …. jealousy and regret.
It’s funny how something I never wanted while we were there was now the desire I couldn’t obtain back at home. I tried. I ebay’ed, I emailed our hotel connections in Kathmandu, and I hunted. In the end it was our dear friends Sumita and Gautam from Austin, India, and their world travels that gave us one of the best gifts we could hope for. Well after our departure from Oklahoma City we learned that Sumita and Gautam were going to be trekking in Nepal and we asked them for a huge favor that we wouldn’t even inflict on our own travels; carrying extra baggage – www.WeGotSumTravel.com
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, it means so much to us!
We Go Round the World 
It’s funny how just one item can bring back flooding memories. It sounds like you had an amazing time at Everest Base Camp and to be reliving those memories again.. maybe it’s a sign to go back again one day?
Don’t have to ask me twice to go back to Nepal or even EBC, a must see and re-see for all.