After a very long 8 years of planning and missed opportunities I finally arrived in Nepal on the 7th March '07 with my trusty old sidekick Zen (Some trekkers on the trek referred to us as Oscar & Felix from the Odd Couple, with Zen being your typical Felix Unger). Felix, I mean Zen, definitely made the trip much more entertaining.
KATHMANDU
The flight from Bangkok on Royal Nepal Airlines was pleasant enough but there must have been something in the food because as soon as we landed in Kathmandu my stomach was not happy. My first experience with the local toilets at the international airport was very scary & unpleasant to say the least. Upon exiting the airport we were swamped by a dozen eager helpers and taxi drivers pulling us in all different directions. I stood my ground and spotted our hotel manager, Buddhi, who was meeting us. Unfortunately Zen got caught up with the locals and had to be rescued (This was not the last Zen rescue effort that had to be executed)
After a hazardous 20 minute taxi drive through cows, pedestrians, motor bikes and countless other taxi's we arrived at Hotel Karma in Thamel. There are no traffic rules and with only the aid of their horns (the car horns that is) to move through the traffic jams. The amazing thing is that there aren't too many accidents. Everyone respects each other's rights to be on the streets and it works well. If there is a close call then the general reaction is "no accident, no problem".
After a hazardous 20 minute taxi drive through cows, pedestrians, motor bikes and countless other taxi's we arrived at Hotel Karma in Thamel. There are no traffic rules and with only the aid of their horns (the car horns that is) to move through the traffic jams. The amazing thing is that there aren't too many accidents. Everyone respects each other's rights to be on the streets and it works well. If there is a close call then the general reaction is "no accident, no problem".
For US$5.00 a night Hotel Karma was very clean and right in the heart of bustling Thamel. Buddhi was a wealth of information and had all the right contacts. He put us in touch with black market money dealers as well as Mr B.N., a very successful local entrepreneur, who in turn organised our flights to Pokhara and the required trekking permits. Return flights to Pokhara were about US$80.00 and the permit was US$30.00.
That evening we met our guide Kumar Poon. Kumar was very quiet and unassuming at the meeting but as we were soon to find out on the trek, Kumar turned out to be a very confident, funny and experienced guide with a very solid character. Kumar is one of the few guides who also carries a backpack along side his porter and this was the most important reason for us choosing him. The other equally important reason was that Zen had been in touch with him via email and he had a good feeling and intuition that turned out to be spot on. I would whole-heartedly recommend this man as the perfect guide. (kumarpoon@hotmail.com) You can also have look at the blogspot at http://www.annapurnaguides99.blogspot.com/ for more information.
That evening we met our guide Kumar Poon. Kumar was very quiet and unassuming at the meeting but as we were soon to find out on the trek, Kumar turned out to be a very confident, funny and experienced guide with a very solid character. Kumar is one of the few guides who also carries a backpack along side his porter and this was the most important reason for us choosing him. The other equally important reason was that Zen had been in touch with him via email and he had a good feeling and intuition that turned out to be spot on. I would whole-heartedly recommend this man as the perfect guide. (kumarpoon@hotmail.com) You can also have look at the blogspot at http://www.annapurnaguides99.blogspot.com/ for more information.
After our meeting with Kumar, Zen & I decided to have dinner at the Rum Doodle Bar right next to our hotel. I ordered a pizza and Zen ordered Spag Bol and a beer. Hint: Make sure you are specific with your orders as they will decide what you will have if your request is unavailable. Didn't get much sleep that night due to the excitement of our impending trek and the noise emanating from the streets of Thamel.
I awoke the next morning to a smoggy day. Buddhi had organised a delightful breakfast of porridge, eggs, toast and jam and tea. We were eager to sort out our trekking requirements and do a bit of sight seeing. Hint: For anyone up to a size L, don't buy your gear at home. There are many shops in Kathmandu & Pokhara that sells trekking gear for a fraction of the price.
We met an Aussie lady in our hotel who has been in Nepal for some time and has no real desire to return to Aust in the near future. Jen is from Melbourne and she knows all the locals. Jen also turned out to be a treasure and she took us to hidden restaurants that are seldom frequented by tourists.
Excitement rose the following day as we were now on our way to Pokhara. We again braved the taxi ride back to the airport. When we got to the counter, the check-in clerk insisted we book in our daypacks on the basis that there was no room on the flight to store daypacks. My gut feeling was that this was garbage but as a naive new traveller I obliged, as did my sidekick. While waiting inside the departure terminal I noticed that most travellers did in fact have their on board luggage. I brought this to Zen's attention and off he went to ask a couple sitting close by how they managed to retain their bags while we had to hand ours in. Without any hesitation or thought the Nepali lady got up & asked us to follow her back through "customs". She stormed up the check-in counter and proceeded to give the clerk a piece of her mind, actually it was a more a chunk of her mind. The poor man didn't have the opportunity to say a word. He flared his nostrils at us and pointed to where the bags were and told us that we could take the daypacks on board. Don't you just love the security?
Dr Meena is a well educated lady who spent 12 years living with Mother Theresa and now dedicates her life to providing education to the Nepali children and the livelihood of women. She was awarded the "Global Women Award" in 2007. The gentleman with her, Alan, was an ex-advertising exec from the U.S.A who now collects donations with Dr Meena to fund their projects. We spent the time in the departure lounge with them and they gave us so much great advice on where to go, how to trek, what to take on the trek, what not to eat, etc. We would bump into them a few times thereafter.
POKHARA
The flight to Pokhara was very pleasant. Hint: Make sure you get a seat on the right side of the plane facing the cockpit because that's where the views of the Himalaya are most spectacular. You even get glimpses of THE great mountain. Zen soon found out there were no meals served on the 30 minute flight ;o). At Pokhara airport we were met by Kumar and a taxi. We drove to the Hotel ABC at Lakeside where the owner, Hari, welcomed us and made us feel very much at home. Hari loves to chat and he particularly loved chatting with Zen who dubbed him "have a chat Hari". He takes a lot of pride in his hotel and his Masala Tea and it shows. The gardens are well manicured and the rooms are very clean and again only US$5.00 a night. The Masala tea consists of milky tea infused with spices like cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. We spent many a day with Hari and his tea. Pokhara is very different to Kathmandu as it is much quieter and is a hub for trekkers doing the Annapurna region treks. It also has a beautiful lake where you can spend the day just relaxing
That afternoon Kurma introduced us to Lekh, our porter. Lekh is self taught at most things and he has done remarkably well teaching himself english as well as bits and pieces of a lot of other languages. Lekh is of smaller stature compared to Kurma but also extremely strong. He loves to have a good time, is always making jokes and sees only good in the world. I formed a strong bond with this great man. He taught me humility and to always be happy NO MATTER WHAT!
Zen & I had hoped to have dinner with Dr Meena & Alan but I could not find them to make dinner plans. That evening we walked up and down the main drag of Pokhara until we stopped at the Moondance Restaurant & Bar only because it had a menu at the foot of the steps. Well, guess who is sitting at the outside table? Yup, it was the Doc & Alan. KARMA. I ordered the Momo's that my friend Pauline told me about before I left Sydney and it was scrumptious. I also ordered the apple pie. Hint: Be warned that if you order dessert in Nepal the chances are that it will be enormous and very tasty. So always save some room for it.
STARTING OUR TREK
The next morning we took a 2 hour taxi ride to Khari where we were about to embark on the greatest adventure of our lives so far, well mine anyway. I took 2 puffs of my Ventolin and we started climbing immediately. Walking through little villages and lots of cow dung was very exciting but that was soon to change. About 200 metres upwards from the start of the trek I found it very difficult to breath and looking up at all those steps that suddenly seemed insuperable. I felt that I had bitten off more than I could chew. I stopped Kumar and I told him that I just could not go on and honestly thought of turning back. My life coach, Meny, entered my thoughts, as did my new affirmations. This was something that I had been planning for 8 years, how could I just give up like that? Well, the answer was that no way in hell was I going to give up. I took 2 more puffs of Ventolin and started moving upwards. From that moment on I would never look up those steps again. Just one step at a time and I stopped as often as I needed to, I'd take 20 deep breaths and continue.
Lunchtime day 1 and Zen had his first dhal bhat. The dhal bhat is a staple in the mountains. It is served on a metal plate with dividers for a mountain of rice, local spinach, curried potatoes or meat and pickles of some sort. There is also a bowl of curried lentils to be poured over the rice. For US$1.50 you can’t get any better. I had Tibetan bread, jam & ginger tea. I was still getting over how demanding the trek was to worry about what I was eating. Small reprieve as we were about to walk downhill towards Tolka.
TOLKA
The plan was to get to Landruk that evening but as the rain clouds were setting in Kumar decided to forfeit Landruk and booked us into the local lodge at Tolka. It was very basic but like most places in Nepal, very clean. It was however, very cold. The wind was picking up and due to the gaps & cracks in the window frames the wind was howling through the room. Kumar & Lekh set up a wood fire stove in the dinning hall making it very cosy. Both Zen & I ordered Dhal bhat for dinner.
The shower had cold water only and the hole in the wall allowed wind and sleet to blow right through. I passed on the showers and decided to use my baby wipes instead( another essential item to take along). I retreated to our room early and curled up in my sleeping bag. It was pitch black out there to the point where you can't see ANYTHING. The only sounds were of the poor dogs yelping from being kicked and kids laughing.
We woke the next morning to a beautiful day. We ordered porridge & vegetable omelette and I stuck to my ginger tea. After waiting for Zen for an hour we continued our trek towards Annapurna Base Camp (ABC). This morning the trek felt good as we were still going down and at worst, levelling out. In my mind I knew that at some point we would have to start climbing again but I would deal with that when we got to it. We crossed suspension bridges and logs across rivers and suddenly the climb started again. As per the previous day, climbing was hard and we were now heading to Jhinu Danda. I was determined not to complain and stayed focused. Kumar picked up that I was finding the climb hard and he told me that at Jhinu there were hot springs where I could soak my legs.
JHINU DANDA
When we got to Jhinu we immediately headed for the springs and they were worth it. I stayed in the hot springs for about an hour, getting out a few times just to cool down then back in. Back at the lodge we had dinner with a German & two Japanese trekkers and ordered Dhal Bhat, again. The German was a seasoned traveller to Nepal and he had a very dry sense of humour but he was a thrill to be around. He & Zen loved mocking each other. This was the first and unfortunately not the last time Zen told his "we are from Syd-er-ney" (Juan Antonio Samaranch accent) story.
SINUWAWe were on now our way to Sinuwa. However, a little problem lay between Jhinu & Sinuwa. It’s only about 500m in altitude BUT about 13000 steps up, down & up again. Reading Michael Palin’s book "Himalaya" highlighted this part of the trek for its demanding nature. The description was spot on. “They seem very helpful at the beginning but they soon turn into torture”. You climb about 4000 steps up to Chommrong then 3800 steps down to the river and then 5000 up again to Sinuwa.
It was pouring as we walked down the steps and at the bottom crossing the river, Zen found out that his waterproof jacket was in fact not waterproof at all. We took shelter at a small home where I almost literally brought the house down. Upon sitting down I grabbed hold of the support column only to find that the column was just a log resting on some rocks. As I pulled the log off the rocks the roof almost came down leaving everyone to scurry for cover, or should I say away from the cover. It gave everyone a good laugh. On the way up we met 2 Dutch women. Sondra & her friend flew past us when she told us that she had given up smoking two day before they started their trek. That night at the lodge at Sinuwa they were in the room next to us and her coughing kept all four of us awake. We were all very concerned about Sondra. Sinuwa was very misty & cloudy the next morning and there were still no views of the great mountains.
BAMBOO From Sinuwa we were now heading to Bamboo. The Dutch ladies we met the day before had wisely turned back towards Chommrong as the weather had turned but we decided to carry on ahead. It was raining all the way to Bamboo and we walked through lush vegetation and although this part of trek was not easy, it was much better than the days before. I was actually starting to feel confident in my abilities to conquer the valleys and ultimately, Annapurna Base Camp. The trail narrowed greatly from this point on with steep drop off points all the way down to the river between 200-500 metres below.
We reached the Buddha Lodge about midday and Kumar decided that we would stay the night. The clouds parted and a very welcoming sun shone on us. We caught our first real glimpse of the peaks that are Annapurna South & Muchhapuchhare (Fish Tail) . I became part of the Himalaya at that point. As it was sunny, we decided to wash our dirty clothing which turned out not to be such a good idea. The clouds returned as soon as we hung up our washing. Hint: In March do not wash your clothing from Sinuwa upwards because it just doesn't dry. That evening we shared the dining hall with a French couple. It's always nice to have a chat with people from different parts of the world and to share our experiences.
It was very cold at night and under communal dinning table they had a kerosene heater which again made it very cosy. The vegetable soup with 5 or 6 freshly sliced garlic cloves works wonders on your immune system. I also had my first Potato Rosti, which is ideal for a protein/carbo hit. We decided to hang our soaked washing underneath the table in the hope that it dried - mine didn't. While Zen was showing the locals a few card tricks Lekh was entertaining the single female cat that really took a liking to him. This was the first time we really interacted with the locals and it was amazing how we could have a great time with them without speaking each others languages.
It rained throughout the pitch-black night and we awoke to a bitterly cold day. Zen, who had not been to the toilet since we left Pokhara, now had Diarrhoea. He had to brave the minus zero degree celsius temperatures as well as the torrential downpour to visit the outhouse in the middle of the night. Hint: Always keep your headlight & your toilet paper near you. I had a really bad feeling in my gut as well but mine was more my instincts or intuition. I didn't feel that moving upwards towards base camp was the best thing for us. I shared my feelings with Zen & Kumar with my reasons being that we were ill-prepared for the worst snowfall in March in over 60 years and that our washing was still damp from the day before. Zen to this day thinks that he tricked me into going further but the truth was that Kumar suggested we go to the next village, Doban, and if he thought the conditions were too hazardous we would turn back. I reluctantly agreed.
We got into our gaiters & wet weather gear to move on towards Doban but as soon as we started walking a group of German trekker who had just returned from there recommended that we turn back and informed us that there were a group of French trekkers stranded at base camp. The snow was apparently 1.5 metres deep and the trail was totally covered in ice. There was no persuading Kumar now. He knew we had to turn back. Zen was bitterly disappointed at the fact that we could go no further. I was extremely disappointed too but I knew that the decision was the right one and I actually felt greatly relieved while Zen was trying to vent his frustration.
CHOMMRONG
CHOMMRONG
We were heading back to Chommrong and I had those blasted 9000 steps to look forward to. It was playing on my mind but there was no way around them so I simply stopped thinking about them. We walked back through Sinuwa and down & up those infamous steps. Zen was trying hard to remind me of the steps and even went as far as to count the steps up towards Chommrong out loud. This almost cost him his life because by 500 steps (yes, I am very patient) I was ready to throw him off the mountain and if he thought that I couldn't catch him he had to realise that adrenalin from anger makes you do extraordinary stuff. It was a very long day's trekking and my legs were burning. The Asthma seemed under control with the aid of the medication.
When we got to the lodge at Chommrong all I wanted to do was sleep but I decided to walk around Chommrong as it is a large village and it has a telephone and internet cafe. Unfortunately the phone lines were down due to the storms. I had been looking forward to something different to eat that night and Kumar suggested the Pizza. While we waited for our pizza's we met a Swiss couple, Daniel & Anita. What a great couple they were. We spent the night having a very nice chat with them and watched Zen & a local mute teach each other card tricks. I was feeling so good at this point.
Kumar and Lekh usually had a warm mug of Raksi, a local brew, each night with their Dhal Bhat. On this occasion Zen, who had been dying to try the brew, ordered two mugs for the two us. I don't drink all these funny things and was a bit hesitant to try it. Anita then dared me that if she took a sip of it then I would have to too. As she fulfilled her part of the bargain I kept my promise and did the same. It tasted like what I imagine wet concrete to taste like and between my new Swiss friends and I, we finished it. The pizza, by the way, was huge and very nice - highly recommended. The next morning we said goodbye to the Swiss couple and the many locals then made our way to Ghandruk.
Kumar and Lekh usually had a warm mug of Raksi, a local brew, each night with their Dhal Bhat. On this occasion Zen, who had been dying to try the brew, ordered two mugs for the two us. I don't drink all these funny things and was a bit hesitant to try it. Anita then dared me that if she took a sip of it then I would have to too. As she fulfilled her part of the bargain I kept my promise and did the same. It tasted like what I imagine wet concrete to taste like and between my new Swiss friends and I, we finished it. The pizza, by the way, was huge and very nice - highly recommended. The next morning we said goodbye to the Swiss couple and the many locals then made our way to Ghandruk. Ghandruk is in plain sight of Chommrong. Unfortunately, there is a deep gorge between the two villages and we also had to walk over a fresh landslide before we could go down to Kimrong. The heat made the trek more demanding but by now we were getting used to the trek. We got to Kimrong by midday and stopped for lunch. I ordered the fried rice & Zen the Momo's. Everything was going well at this stage until we saw the owner of the lodge unearth fresh spinach and began washing it in a bowl that had just been used to wash everything else as well as being a vessel to quench the dog's thirst. The water came straight from the stream where the cows, goats and buffalos roam. I came out of the ordeal unscathed but Zen's stomach problems had just gotten worse.
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GHANDRUK
From Kimrong it's uphill again all the way up to Ghandruk. Towards the end of the days trek it started raining again. This time though the rain was accompanied by hailstones. As my daypack wasn't waterproof I took off and walked as fast as I could to get to the Shangri La Lodge - our pit stop for the night. The showers there are absolutely wonderful. We met 3 Korean girls in the dining hall and again the conversation was very welcoming. These girls were on their way to ABC and if I thought we were ill prepared then the girls were in serious trouble. Torn boots and a lack of snow gear meant that this was going to be almost impossible for them. We suggested that they not go to ABC, I hope they took our advice.
From Kimrong it's uphill again all the way up to Ghandruk. Towards the end of the days trek it started raining again. This time though the rain was accompanied by hailstones. As my daypack wasn't waterproof I took off and walked as fast as I could to get to the Shangri La Lodge - our pit stop for the night. The showers there are absolutely wonderful. We met 3 Korean girls in the dining hall and again the conversation was very welcoming. These girls were on their way to ABC and if I thought we were ill prepared then the girls were in serious trouble. Torn boots and a lack of snow gear meant that this was going to be almost impossible for them. We suggested that they not go to ABC, I hope they took our advice.
The following day we visited a museum in Ghandruk and made expensive phone calls home, as we weren't sure where the next working telephone would be. Zen then took it upon himself to calm a rather large buffalo by going very close to him and sticking his thumb & pinkie (Crocodile Dundee like) in the Buff's face. Well, the results were, the buff became so enraged and the buff's owner even more so. Luckily for Zen the buff & its owner were on a lower terrace and couldn't reach him but we had to get him out of there quick smart.
TADAPANI
We were now on our way to Tadapani. This part of the hike was particularly difficult as there aren't any steps to walk on, only loose rocks on the "short cut" trail not on the maps. The hills were littered with Rhododendron forest and it makes for spectacular scenery with the red flowers against the green hills.
We were now on our way to Tadapani. This part of the hike was particularly difficult as there aren't any steps to walk on, only loose rocks on the "short cut" trail not on the maps. The hills were littered with Rhododendron forest and it makes for spectacular scenery with the red flowers against the green hills.
For lunch we stopped at a small village where I was met by a little 5 year old local, Rita. She was extremely naughty and very funny. While we were basking in the sun sitting on top of a very steep staircase we watched two trekkers walking very slowly up the steps. When they came to the top of the staircase totally exhausted we invited them to have lunch with us. They were Edwin & Julie. I formed a strong bond with them almost immediately. We continued on to Tadapani and due to my APPARENT snoring, Kumar got Zen & I a room each. Zen as per usual ran to get the best room but to his dismay found that the room he gave up was to have a spectacular sunrise and views of the mountains. I was up the next morning at 5:30 waiting with my two cameras for the sun to rise and it was spectacular.
We shared dinner with a French priest & his student who live & work in India. After they retreated to their rooms we stayed on and got into a pleasant conversation with a local lady, Dorkha. She was very beautiful and sweet but she had the saddest eyes. She proceeded to tell us how difficult life in the mountains was especially with a lack of tourism at the moment. She also told us that the only way out for a lot of women was to marry a foreigner and she knew of a lot of local girls who did exactly that. The next day we bought some souvenirs from her little business and took photos of her then said goodbye. I just hate goodbyes in general but this was much more difficult.
As we were walking up towards Ghorapani we stopped for a quick break and we bumped into Edwin & Julie again. This time they were watching us walk up the steps. I was elated at seeing them again. We kept meeting each other on the way up and after sharing lunch decided to walk together to Ghorapani. This was the best day of the trek for all of us. We walked in the clouds & the snow. We slid down the ice, sang songs that suited each situation we found ourselves in. My favourite was the theme from "A Walk in the Clouds". I fell on my chest in the snow from a terrace 2 metres high & couldn't stop laughing. I have to admit though the fall could have been extremely serious. Kumar stopped a few steps later and showed me rocks hidden underneath the snow that could easily have cracked my chest or ribs.
One of my best moments was on this day where, due to Zen's diarrhoea, I decided to walk on ahead, as you would. I found myself all alone in the thick clouds and when I stopped there was absolute silence. I automatically fell into a deep meditation. It was simply amazing. I could have stayed in that situation forever. Unfortunately Zen interrupted my moment of solitude. As we climbed higher we all realised that our thoughts weren't in sync with our words and we were laughing at everything. We put it down to the altitude.
As we were walking up towards Ghorapani we stopped for a quick break and we bumped into Edwin & Julie again. This time they were watching us walk up the steps. I was elated at seeing them again. We kept meeting each other on the way up and after sharing lunch decided to walk together to Ghorapani. This was the best day of the trek for all of us. We walked in the clouds & the snow. We slid down the ice, sang songs that suited each situation we found ourselves in. My favourite was the theme from "A Walk in the Clouds". I fell on my chest in the snow from a terrace 2 metres high & couldn't stop laughing. I have to admit though the fall could have been extremely serious. Kumar stopped a few steps later and showed me rocks hidden underneath the snow that could easily have cracked my chest or ribs.
One of my best moments was on this day where, due to Zen's diarrhoea, I decided to walk on ahead, as you would. I found myself all alone in the thick clouds and when I stopped there was absolute silence. I automatically fell into a deep meditation. It was simply amazing. I could have stayed in that situation forever. Unfortunately Zen interrupted my moment of solitude. As we climbed higher we all realised that our thoughts weren't in sync with our words and we were laughing at everything. We put it down to the altitude.
GHORAPANI
Zen had been waiting for the opportunity to lose himself with the Raksi and tonight was the night. He spent the night with Kumar & Lekh and he bought them a few rounds of the local moonshine. Before long he was totally out of it. I spent dinner with Julie & Edwin and they continued their fascinating stories regarding their trip through India for the past few months. Julie ordered the chocolate cake smothered in custard and it was the biggest slice of cake I'd ever seen. Edwin had to finish it. I could have spent the whole night talking to them but we were all tired and I had a very early start the next morning. I left Zen in the capable hands of Kumar and retired for the night.
Zen had been waiting for the opportunity to lose himself with the Raksi and tonight was the night. He spent the night with Kumar & Lekh and he bought them a few rounds of the local moonshine. Before long he was totally out of it. I spent dinner with Julie & Edwin and they continued their fascinating stories regarding their trip through India for the past few months. Julie ordered the chocolate cake smothered in custard and it was the biggest slice of cake I'd ever seen. Edwin had to finish it. I could have spent the whole night talking to them but we were all tired and I had a very early start the next morning. I left Zen in the capable hands of Kumar and retired for the night.
The next morning we woke up at about 5:00AM in order to reach Poon Hill at 3210 metres before sunrise at 6:15AM. The climb was well worth the icy conditions and when we got to the top the wind was howling and it was terribly cold but crystal clear. The views of about 270 degrees of mountains were out of this world. I proceeded to take 3 rolls of film (yes, I know there is a thing called digital out there but I just love the old Canon 35mm SLR). I downed 2 hot chocolates to stay warm. I think Zen still had a lot of residual heat from the Raksi the night before to keep him warm. We left the hill and headed back to the lodge at Ghorapani to prepare for the next leg of the trek. I was very disappointed at not having had the opportunity to say my farewells to Edwin & Julie and I thought of them all the way down to Shikha.
SHIHKA
Shihka was the low point for both Zen & I. The weather was miserable and Zen was more miserable. He told me that he felt like everything had caught up with him. His age, the Raksi, diahhroea and lack of sleep due to my APPARENT snoring were all conspiring against him. Kumar again received great delight in splitting us up for the night. I didn't sleep much that night as we had other trekkers having a party most of the night and running up & down the ply wood passage that shook the whole building to its foundations (I think it had foundations because it was very flimzy). The next morning I was not a happy chappy. I'm normally a very calm person but that morning Zen saw the other side of me. I think I scared him as well as the louts. He fondly tells the story now of the 6 foot 5 inch, 98 kg, bearded, Yeti look-a-like with the killer look that morning. After breakfast Lekh, the animal lover, amused me by playing head buts with a small goat while we waited for Zen, again.
The walk to Tatopani was all downhill from now. It was going to be a long days walk and also stinking hot again. The terrain had also changed dramatically. We went from thick forests and rain to snowy peaks and thick clouds to the dry, rocky & hot parts of the trek that day. When we stopped that afternoon for a rest we bumped into the two Dutch girls again. They were still having a great time but were also nearing the end of their trip. We shared a drink with them, said goodbye and continued on to Tatopani.
Shihka was the low point for both Zen & I. The weather was miserable and Zen was more miserable. He told me that he felt like everything had caught up with him. His age, the Raksi, diahhroea and lack of sleep due to my APPARENT snoring were all conspiring against him. Kumar again received great delight in splitting us up for the night. I didn't sleep much that night as we had other trekkers having a party most of the night and running up & down the ply wood passage that shook the whole building to its foundations (I think it had foundations because it was very flimzy). The next morning I was not a happy chappy. I'm normally a very calm person but that morning Zen saw the other side of me. I think I scared him as well as the louts. He fondly tells the story now of the 6 foot 5 inch, 98 kg, bearded, Yeti look-a-like with the killer look that morning. After breakfast Lekh, the animal lover, amused me by playing head buts with a small goat while we waited for Zen, again.
The walk to Tatopani was all downhill from now. It was going to be a long days walk and also stinking hot again. The terrain had also changed dramatically. We went from thick forests and rain to snowy peaks and thick clouds to the dry, rocky & hot parts of the trek that day. When we stopped that afternoon for a rest we bumped into the two Dutch girls again. They were still having a great time but were also nearing the end of their trip. We shared a drink with them, said goodbye and continued on to Tatopani.
We crossed a few bridges to get to our pit stop for the night. The last bridge, about 20 metres long, was an amazing feat of engineering. The rocks, planks & 10 metre long bamboo poles were held together with wire and the river was raging underneath it. I was a little unsure about the safety of the bridge until I saw a donkey convoy crossing it with ease. As I crossed the bridge it felt like it was bouncing about a metre up & down. That may have been exaggerated due to my excitement.
TATOPANI
At Tatopani we had to check in with the local police, as all trekkers do. We then settled into our very quaint and cosy villa above a delightful hot spring. It had beautiful gardens with many citrus trees. Not sure if we were allowed to pick them but the oranges & mandarins were the juiciest & sweetest I've ever tasted. I got down to the hot springs and it was an instant & welcome relief for my weary legs and back. I then grabbed a cool shower and got ready for dinner. While having dinner I received another delightful surprise. Edwin & Julie had walked all the way from Ghorapani that day and were staying at the same lodge as us. We again enjoyed a pleasant meal and conversation with them.
We spent the day trekking with Julie & Edwin again to Tiplyang where we were rushing to catch a taxi jeep to Galeswor. The walk was again filled with many jokes and singing. Even Lekh joined in with the singing. Julie, Edwin & I were on a Bob Marley tribute as it were. This part of the trek is very dusty and almost barren. We made it to Tiplyang with ample time to spare.
The jeep looked like it came out of WW2 and had the battle scars to prove it. The 12 seater was soon to have 18 and a half people in & on top of it. The lack of glass in the window frames meant that all the fumes were billowing into the cabin and Zen did very well to contain his motion sickness. He told me afterwards that the door next to him would not close so he had to hang on to the door to avoid falling out of the Jeep and down a steep drop off of about 200 metres. The trip lasted about 2.5 hours and was very slow going. The driver played chicken with the old TATA trucks and buses as the woman sitting opposite me in the jeep played with my legs and teased me. It must have been through boredom. The Nepali people are a very funny & hospitable bunch. We had a great time with all of them. Julie & Edwin decided to go all the way to Pokhara that evening and we arranged to have a farewell dinner with them the following night.
GALESWOR
Kumar took us to a beautiful lodge in Galeswor that was still in the process of completion. That night Zen & I took walks in different directions from the lodge. Zen walked with Lekh & Kumar and ended up in a Hindu Temple where he had major moments of Deja Vu and explains his experiences that evening as mesmerising. I wasn't as fortunate but had my own experiences whilst doing Tai Chi in the beautiful flower filled gardens of the lodge the next morning. Hint: if you are over 6 foot you have to, have to, have to watch your head with the low doorway in the pitch black night. I was still sporting a huge bump on my forehead days after I walked into the door.
BACK IN POKHARA
From Galeswor we walked about an hour to Beni, the final leg of our trek in the mountains. We caught a taxi back to Pokhara where we were again welcomed with open arm and Masala tea by Hari at Hotel ABC. That evening we had a wonderful but sad dinner with Edwin & Julie at the Moondance and said goodbye to them at our hotel. Zenon sang us a song that he composed, well almost, called "Like to have a beer with Kumar". I watched my two new friends walk away in the moonlight. I miss you guys.
Kumar showed us some interesting sites around Pokhara the next day. We went to a few temples and also the mountaineering museum. Zen & I decided to take Kumar & Lekh to dinner on the proviso that they choose the restaurant and that they NOT order Dhal Bhat. Both Kumar & Lekh expressed to us that this had been their best trek ever and they wanted to honour us in return by Kumar cooking lunch for us the next day and Lekh wanted to introduce us to his family and for us to have dinner with them. We accepted graciously.
Kumar prepared a Dhal Bhat with a chicken curry on the side. The food was delicious but already I could feel that saying goodbye to these two extraordinary gentlemen was going to be extremely difficult. When we arrived at Lekh's house that evening we entered a front door that led to 2 rooms. The whole house was about 2 metres wide by about 15 metres long with 9 people living in it. No furniture and only a TV and some mattresses stacked on top of each other in the back room and the kitchen in the front room. I felt truly honoured and the warmth emanating from these poor people was truly amazing. Zen & I bought the family the biggest Toblerone chocolate for we knew it was a luxury they would not experience too often. It was however Zen & I who were humbled by the whole experience as it is extremely uncommon for Lekh or most locals to open their homes, families & hearts to trekkers. This experience will NEVER be forgotten.
Kumar showed us some interesting sites around Pokhara the next day. We went to a few temples and also the mountaineering museum. Zen & I decided to take Kumar & Lekh to dinner on the proviso that they choose the restaurant and that they NOT order Dhal Bhat. Both Kumar & Lekh expressed to us that this had been their best trek ever and they wanted to honour us in return by Kumar cooking lunch for us the next day and Lekh wanted to introduce us to his family and for us to have dinner with them. We accepted graciously.
Kumar prepared a Dhal Bhat with a chicken curry on the side. The food was delicious but already I could feel that saying goodbye to these two extraordinary gentlemen was going to be extremely difficult. When we arrived at Lekh's house that evening we entered a front door that led to 2 rooms. The whole house was about 2 metres wide by about 15 metres long with 9 people living in it. No furniture and only a TV and some mattresses stacked on top of each other in the back room and the kitchen in the front room. I felt truly honoured and the warmth emanating from these poor people was truly amazing. Zen & I bought the family the biggest Toblerone chocolate for we knew it was a luxury they would not experience too often. It was however Zen & I who were humbled by the whole experience as it is extremely uncommon for Lekh or most locals to open their homes, families & hearts to trekkers. This experience will NEVER be forgotten.
Lekh's wife made deep fried chicken pieces and potato chips for the entree that is usually washed down with large quantities of homemade Raksi and again Zen was in his element. For the main we had Dhal Bhat, which again was very tasty. We spent the evening with the family watching "Every Which Way But Loose" and learning about the rest of the family. We said goodbye to the family and the tears started. I forgot to take my camera along that evening so I promised Lekh that I would return the following morning to take photos of the family. I did return and at goodbyes so did the tears.
This whole trip had been a most fulfilling, interesting, exciting, rewarding, mesmerizing, humbling, challenging and enjoyable adventure that I've ever experienced. Thanks largely to the amazing people of Nepal as well as the fellow trekkers we met along the way. We flew back to Kathmandu and both Zen & I were in a sombre mood wanting so desperately to extend our holiday and meet up with Lekh & Kumar again. That will have to be the next time I go to the marvellous country that is Nepal.
Dean Davids
Things to take on your trek:-
- A good quality Rucksack/Backpack
- A daypack for all your daily essentials whilst on the trek
- Comfortable and good quality hiking boots and hiking socks
- A comprehensive first aid kit,. Blisterpads, Immodium & Electrolytes are essential
- Waterless handwash, body & clothing soap
- Babywipes
- Down Jacket (Can be rented in Nepal)
- Polarfleece tops & warm gloves
- Hats or caps and a warm beanie
- Thermal underwear
- Lots of quality toilet paper
- A headlight & torch
- Gaiters (Get them in Nepal)
- Waterproof jacket and pants
- Waterproof cover for your backpack & daypack (Essential)
- Crampons (Optional)
- Energy bars (Optional)
