Jeff Tracy Photography

10/02/2026

Thank you! Honorable mention this year!

09/29/2026

09/29/2026

Day One Kathmandu had me up early and out the gate of the Yak & Yeti Hotel to do a little exploring and get some steps in. Day One also found me napping a little bit to adjust to time change.

The big item on the agenda was to meet up with Chiran. I was introduced to Chiran through my friend Brigadier General John Lloyd (Ret.). John met Chiran in Hawaii when he was participating in some sort of Pacific diplomat type of school. John and Chiran have remained in contact ever since.

Believe it or not, Chiran is a graduate of SUNY Geneseo and is a Bills fan. He speaks very fondly of his time in Geneseo and New York State. He can’t wait to return someday. That might be sooner rather than later. Chiran has been nominated to be Nepal’s ambassador to the United States.

Chiran took me out to lunch for a proper Nepalese lunch. He said that that meal will likely be very similar to my meals in the villages once the trek begins. It was excellent.

On our walk to the restaurant there was a man walking towards us and Chiran started calling him “Wild Man”. I thought maybe he was being proactive in a potential incident because the man did look like a wild man.

Chiran asked if I could bring him some grated Parmesan Cheese and that’s what he got. Soon he will be able to get it whenever he wants if his nomination is approved by the parliament.

It turns out that the man was a friend from high school that Chiran hasn’t seen in years. He calls him Wild Man because instead of going the professional route with his career like many of Chiran’s high school friends, he turned out to be an explorer and guide.

Day Two will include a team meeting and city tour before returning to the hotel to pack for the trek which begins on Wednesday morning.

09/28/2026

It took me three airports to make it to Kathmandu. They include Toronto - Pearson International, Hong Kong International and Kathmandu International Airport. The security at Kathmandu was especially intense. Just look at that face!

09/28/2026

This is my friend Richard. I first met him in some hotel ballroom in Las Vegas back in the summer of 1994. That year we were hired with about 800 new teachers for the Clark County School District. That day we were in the ballroom with our half of the alphabet for a day's worth of orientation information.

I am sitting at this table already not a fan of the heat and homesick and this dude walks up to and basically says something like, "Hey, are you from Buffalo? Hey, is your name Jeff Tracy and Hey, do you know Mike Falls?"

Mind blown, my answers were yes, yes, and yes. He's my best friend.

Richard said that he remembered seeing me at the National Teacher Recruitment Day at the Buffalo Convention Center. He worked with Mike Falls at HANCI in Niagara Falls. I've yet to mention that Richard is a Niagara Falls guy..

Richard and his new wife at the time Dora were instrumental in me surviving that year in Las Vegas. I hated it there and I was quite homesick. Las Vegas; its a nice place to visit (maybe), but I wouldn't want to live there.

I think Dora was the only person you might have disliked living in that place more than me. Dora is Canadian. They two met at Niagara University and the rest is history as they say.

Richard, Dora and I would have a montly pizza night at thier apartment where they would make homemade pizzas. Richard and I went to Arizona Charlie's to see Dr. John and the Night Trippers. He also joined my brother Dan and me for a Grateful Dead show at the Sam Boyd's Silver Bowl. I tried to get him to join us for all three shows with the Dave Mathews Band opening, but he was only down for one.

After five years of teaching in Las Vegas, Richard and Dora returned home to Canada to be closer to her family. Richard and Dora are now both retired teachers in the Mississauga area. He has a screen repair business that helps him to fill his days.

When I reached out for parking suggestions near the Toronto Airport for my trip to Nepal he said that I was going to leave my car at his house and that he would take me to and from that airport. This was very kind of him to offer especially since my car was broken into prior to my leaving and my car window is only sealed and not repaired.

This is only the second time that I've seen Richard since that year in Las Vegas. I am vert grateful for his friendship and kindness.

09/19/2026

Lockport native and guitar virtuoso Drew Azzinaro brought his band F.A.R. Trio to Lock 34 Bar & Grill Friday night. The F.A.R. Trio is made up Eamon Rayhn on bass & vocals, Ethan Fox on drums and Drew on lead guitar & vocals. The three met a SUNY Fredonia and the rest is history. The trio plays a mix of great originals and reimagined covers. They will return to Lockport in a couple of weeks to play a set at the very popular Locktoberfest, Lockport, NY.