Oh what a feeling! This morning we got to sleep in until just after 7:00am. Tip our ever helpful porter is giving us a short day so that we can recover from the hard pace he has set over the last few days. It also gives him a chance to catch up on his washing. After everyone had departed the lodge we were able to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. It is another beautiful day and it is lucky that we have lathered up as the sun is beating down. As we headed down there was a sense of self satisfaction as there were plenty of trekkers struggling their way up the slope. After crossing the new bridge it was our turn to head up the stone staircase. It was a real torture test in the heat and we moved ever so slowly upwards. We just had to put one foot in front of the other and move at a sedate pace. James decided that an impromptu stop at the German Bakery would be beneficial. We fueled up on a chocolate croissant and continued on our way. Only a two hour walk and we have reached today’s destination, the Fishtail Lodge.
Wednesday 9th October – Chhomrong to Tadapani (780m ascent, 280m descent)
During the night the rain pelted down but by morning it had stopped. Tip has us organised and we were on our way by 7:00am. The trail descended through farmlands and we had to keep an eye open to avoid stepping in buffalo poop. The trail was mostly down and it was not long before the village of Ghurjung (2010m) was reached. The trail passed through the volleyball court of the local school and through the yards of several homes and lodges.
About ten minutes before we reached the end of our descent I took a spectacular fall. I slipped on a rock that was particularly greasy, went arse over head and fell a metre and a half before landing on my back. Luckily my backpack cushioned my middle back however the base of my spine smashed into the boulders. I then noticed that my ring finger on my right hand was dislocated. As I laid there in the mud I could hear Jemma’s voice telling me to get up as she has had worse. James arrived on the scene just after I stood up and sprang into action. I washed the dirt off my finger and then he gripped my pinkie and snapped it back into place. There wasn’t much we could do at this juncture except to walk on. After crossing over the suspension bridge over the Khumnu Khola (1930m) the trail started to ascend. With every step I took there was a stabbing pain in my lower back. The bigger the step, the more pain I felt. Tip and Gurung were waiting for us at the British Gurkha Lodge. We stopped here and after washing off the dirt on my arms James did some more running repairs. He applied some antiseptic cream to both my elbows that had also suffered as a result of the fall. I can’t thank James enough for resetting my finger even though it hurt like hell. We have a long ascent and he is setting a pace that I can keep up with as well as making sure that I am okay.
Our walking time today was only 4.25 hours so we have the remainder of the afternoon to ourselves. For lunch I had two Nurofen for the back pain and the best vegetable noodle soup so far on the trek. I lingered under the hot shower and made sure that my back was well warmed up. I’m feeling a little better and hopefully the back will not seize up overnight.
Thursday 11th October – Tadapani to Ghorepani (710m ascent, 550m descent)
Starry, starry night (Vincent by Don McLean) was all I could see when I looked out of our bedroom window. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and when there was enough morning light there were fantastic views of Fishtail and Annapurna South. I could have lain there all morning but the trail to Ghorepani beckons. We must be getting better as we were ready to leave at 7:00am. My back is still sore but significantly better than yesterday. It was downhill through the forest for the first 20 minutes before crossing the Bhurungdi Khola. The trail ascended steeply over rocky terrain until it reached Banthanti (2606m). We have settled into a nice rhythm and both of us are hardly blowing on these sections. The only way is up and up we went following the narrow path beside a stream. The stream has plenty of potential swimming holes but they are tad too cold for this old fossil. There are also a series of waterfalls that tumble over the boulders and logs.
Our accommodation is the Hilltop Lodge where I stayed three years ago. The room has an attached bathroom with a western toilet. James was first into the shower and I followed after finishing a game of Sudoku. Feeling refreshed we headed down to the restaurant for an early lunch. The lunch ended up being a late one as the lasagne that James ordered must have been made from scratch. We were considering a walk to Poon Hill this afternoon to watch the sunset however the clouds have started to roll in and have partly obscured the mountain peaks. This hasn’t stopped a battery of photographers from setting up their huge cameras in anticipation of that one magic shot. Our alternative to walking was to head down to the main part of the village and explore what was on offer. We hadn’t gone far when we found an internet cafe. This was a good excuse to Skype home. Back at the lodge we congregated around the wood heater until dinner was ready. A nice but different lasagne was on the menu which we followed with apple pie smothered with custard.
Friday 12th October – Ghorepani to Hille (1390m descent)
There was light drizzle during the night and it did not look good for the Poon Hill enthusiasts. Tip knocked on our door at 4:40am and said that there were clouds partially blocking the views. That was enough information for us to abandon any plan for walking uphill for an hour for a maybe view of the sunrise. We had a last minute look out of the window and could see that there was also a cold wind blowing. This did not deter the majority of trekkers as there was a steady stream filing past our lodge. We just rolled over and went back to sleep.
Breakfast was brought forward to 6:30am and as we were finishing the first of the Poon Hill trekkers returned. You could tell by the disappointment on their faces that they had made a fruitless pilgrimage and had not seen the sunrise. Today’s trekking is all downhill and mostly through the forest. We are taking our time and enjoying the serenity of the trek prior to meeting trekkers coming from the other direction. Just after Nangathanti (2460m) we came across a small troop of black faced Langur Monkeys. The trail continues to follow a fast flowing stream which is fed by a few waterfalls. The forest abruptly ends at Banthanti (2250m) and is replaced by farmland.
Today we walked for about five hours so there is plenty of time in the afternoon for relaxing. There is a lovely deck decorated with nice hanging plants and cobs of corn which overlooks the valley. The hillside is dotted with farm houses and terraced rice paddies. The sun is warming the deck so it is a good place to catch up on the diary and have a quiet read.
Saturday 13th October – Hille via Birethanti to Nayapul (510m descent)
Today is the last day of our ten day trek. I had originally budgeted 12 days for the ABC trek just in case I was not physically up to it. We are pretty chuffed with our effort as within the 10 days we have also managed to squeeze in the Ghorepani side trip. Our lodge was pleasant however the bed was something else. It was so narrow and short that the mattress overhung the sides as well as the end. To top it off it was as hard as nails but not as hard as the pillow. The floor was also uneven which meant we slept on a precipitous angle. Despite these hardships and the cyclonic snoring emanating from the neighbouring room through the paper thin plywood wall we did manage to get some sleep.
There is no rush this morning as it is only a three hour walk to Nayapul. There is now a road between Birethanti (1000m) and Hille which makes the walking easier. Thankfully, there are not too many vehicles plying this section of the trail. The route follows the river past a few small villages and many fields of rice. We are still amazed when we see both old and young women carrying huge baskets of grass that they have cut from the ridges above us. The loads seem to dwarf them as they trudge forward with the baskets secured to their foreheads. James is burning up the track and I am struggling to keep up with him. The pace has been so good that we reached Birethanti after 90 minutes. At 10:00am and after only two hours the main road at Nayapul was reached. Tip had phoned ahead and our Fiat was waiting to convey us back to Pokhora. The drive takes about 75 minutes and along the way there were some more great views of the big peaks.
After questioning Tip we were able to discern that he and Gurung would receive 800 rupees per day for their labours. From this amount they are expected to pay for any food and incidentals that they may incur. At first we could not understand why they did not want the trek to extend beyond the ten days. It turns out that it is Dasian festival time which is one of the most important on their calendar. After leaving us Tip is going down to the market to purchase a live lamb which he will take across the lake to his small farm. The lamb is an important part of the festivities as the poor little beast will be slaughtered to feed his family. James and I have been so impressed by this humble man that we have given him a big enough tip (7000 rupees) to purchase his lamb.
We are back at the Peace Plaza Hotel on the top floor with a great view of the lake and Fishtail when it is not obscured by the clouds. A cold beer was in order so it was off to the shop for a couple of tall Tuborgs. Along the way we deposited ten days worth of smelly, dirty clothes for laundry at the hotel. James sister Michelle is meeting us at the Bamboo Bar which is situated on the lake front. Along the way we dropped into an Indian barber and negotiated a shave with the cut throat razor for 100 rupees
The Bamboo Bar is a great place to relax and I would recommend it to anyone who visits Pokhora. Next door to the bar is a massage and spa establishment which is operated by a female expatriate. Unlike our sleazy experience in Beijing this establishment is very classy. There are individual massage lodges which are tastefully decorated with toilet, shower, fan and soft music. James is still not 100 percent and has returned to the hotel. I have opted for the 60 minute trekker’s massage for 2200 rupees. After washing my feet I was escorted to the most comfortable massage table that I have ever laid on. The masseur worked on the injury that I received after my fall and soon found the tender spots. He assured me that there was no gain without pain and that I would feel a little better in the morning. It was an excellent massage and I have no doubt that I will return for a couple more. It is a hard knock life!
With James resting up I ventured out to the Everest Steak House to break my vegetarian diet and my first taste of meat in the last ten days. On arrival I was greeted by a big hello from one of the tables. To my surprise it was Nicholas whom we had met while rafting and at EBC. We settled in for a chat and a few beers. The staff that outnumbered us were hovering around so reluctantly we decided to depart as we were the only ones left. On the way back to the hotel I stopped at an Indian restaurant to watch them preparing and making naan bread. It looked so good that I ordered a garlic naan (60 rupees) for James.
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