Better

 A better day. A better nights sleep. A better workout this morning. So I've a better outlook on life. 

I am still searching for volunteer opportunities in the Everest region. Each time I think I have found something on a new/different website I discover it links back into one group in Nepal, the one that originally listed the monastery  near Lukla, but no longer offers positions there. It is discouraging that they operate under several NGOs. I have time to look and discover though so maybe with a bit of patience I will find the perfect place to go. 

I had been hoping to go camping over the Christmas break at Colorado Bend State Park, reservations open 6 months in advance for campsites. So last week on July 27th I hopped on the reservation website to get a site and there was nothing available. I haven't looked at any alternative parks yet. I know that one is very popular. I'm thinking I might just have to do a day trip there to go hiking. instead. The lack of availability for campsites frustrates me as it makes traveling to go hiking more difficult or expensive or at its worst just not possible due to the remote locations. I run into this at Big Bend constantly during the camping season ( May through September is dangerously hot). I got lucky three years ago when I got a campsite at Jenny Lake in Grand Tetons. But I was online ready to click the moment the reservations opened for that date. I also tried to get reservations for Arches National Park but was unsuccessful so I stayed in a private campground in nearby Moab. I'm thinking I'll probably do the same when I go to Big Bend as there are several small private campsites in nearby Terlingua. I'll just spend a lot more time driving around than if I were to stay in the park. I get tempted to buy a small camper to travel around in. But it is this lack of available campsites in the National and State parks that puts that thought right out of my head. The private RV parks do not appeal to me at all. Crowed noisy and expensive - why would anyone want to spend time at one? 

Nepal is looking pretty good right now.