Root, Rock, Reggae.

Monday 24th October – Shopping Spree ( Bragha to Ledtar – 12km, 4200m)

Despite the punishment my legs received yesterday they feel surprisingly good. After breakfast we hit the trail at 8:30 and thirty minutes later we cruised into Manang. This thriving metropolis is the administrative hub for the region. It is also the last place that you can purchase those forgotten items you need for going over the high pass, Thorung La. We purchased a few items including beanies, sunglasses, batteries and then went to fill our bottles at the safe water station. Our last task was to check-in at the TIMS office. We finally departed Manang at 9:45 which was a little behind schedule. The trail in this section is a steady uphill climb and you gain about 500m in altitude. The weather is again perfect, not a cloud in the sky. It wasn’t long before we stripped down to our shorts and T-shirts.  The trail climbs to the small village of Gunsang (3920m). With good accommodation and fine views of Annapurna II and IV, Gunsang makes a lovely tea break which we took at 11:30 at the simple Chullu West Hotel. The hotel is owned by a European woman and her female Nepali partner and they served us up some delicious lemon muffins.

Time to get moving as our plan is to have a late lunch at Yak Kharka which in the end took us another 1.75 hours. The good news was that this section was relatively easy. Just prior to Yak Kharka we were lucky enough to spot a pair of Himalayan deer grazing on a ridge high above us. We would have had a porter revolt if we had kept on walking so we took lunch as planned much to the satisfaction of the boys. It was 14:20 when we set off on our last leg to Letdar. It was another hour to travel and another 200m in altitude which should stand us in good stead for tomorrow. The Hotel Snowland where we wanted to stay had only one room left so I continued down the road. At the Hotel Churi Lattar I secured two rooms for RS200 each and then waited a few minutes for James to arrive.

After depositing our bags in the rooms it was time for another acclimatization walk. We found a bit of a goat track and climbed up for a 100 metres before James headed back down. I continued on for a little longer and had a great view of Chulu West. I met a couple of guys who were going to scale this 6500m peak in a few days time. I’m certainly not in that league. By the time I got back to the hotel it was in shadow and some thick clouds were rolling in. We will have to wait to see what tomorrow brings weather wise. Tonight will be a Samoan shower as there is no hot water available here. It reminds me of the old trekking days. It is pretty cold in the dining room and everybody is crowded around the wood fired stove trying to suck in some heat. Once dinner is over we will be heading to the warmth of our sleeping bags and as a consequence it will be an early night.

Tuesday 25th October – Going Up (Ledtar to High Camp – 7km, 4850m)

It was a cold last night but I did manage to get a good sleep despite it being interrupted by a couple of code yellows. On one of my nocturnal visits at 3:00 the heavens were ablaze in a sea of stars. Another trekkers breakfast that we did not have to hurry due to the short day ahead. We finally moved into gear and hit the trail at 8:15. From Letdar the trail continues to climb along the east bank of the Jarsang Khola, then descends and crosses the stream on a wooden bridge at 4310m. We made a short ascent to a collection of prayer flags which had us both gasping for air and then to the Deurali Teahouse. It is run by an irascible couple who know how to charge for a cup of tea. I couldn’t resist the urge to purchase a couple of Mars Bars and Snickers for our porters. The sugar hit was just what we needed and we strode out on a narrow trail across an exposed slope that climbs to Thorung Phedi (4540m). It is a desolate rock-strewn meadow surrounded by vertical cliffs.

I arrived just prior to 11:00 and decided to slog up the last few hundred metres to the High Camp. My reasoning was to ensure that we secured a room for the night. At over 4600m it really zapped me. On this occasion I found that my legs were burning from the strain and I had to make frequent stops to catch my breath. Nevertheless I did manage to make this arduous climb in 45 minutes. Just prior to reaching the camp I caught up with the slow but resilient trio from Calcutta. I secured our room and then decided to take an early lunch while I waited for the rest of the team to crest the ridge. James arrived an hour later and looked done in. He really was in need of a short rest and some fuel to regain his equilibrium.

Whilst he was taking lunch I hiked up to the view point with my other buddie, Tassie. On the way up I met my Swedish admirer and her new travelling companions from the Netherlands. The height at the view point is 4877m which means that you are close to all the peaks. The landscape is like being on the moon with lots of rocks and maybe a few tufts of grass. Tassie enjoyed the serenity of the occasion as well as the stupendous views. The Annapurna Range looks magnificent as the wind whips the snow from the peaks. The Thorong High Camp View Hotel has a real Tibetan feel right down to the furnishings and the ethnicity of the staff. Once James recovered he also hiked up to the view point and is now ready for the ultimate challenge, the high pass. The rest of the day was spent keeping ourselves warm and preparing for an early start in the morning. The early start also means that before you head off to bed you have to settle your account.

Wednesday 26th October – Going Down (High Camp to Muktinath – 14km, 3800m)

I had a bit of a broken sleep and James reckons he did to. It is a little hard to believe as he was certainly cutting a lot of wood. We both woke up at 4:15 and all we had to do was put on our boots. It was so cold that we slept with our trekking clothes on. I had a cup of tea and we both ordered some boiled eggs and chapatti for the trip ahead. It was still dark when we headed off at 5:00 into the unknown. Thanks to Barry Ingham’s head torch I was able to avoid falling over the edge. It was bitterly cold, so cold in fact that the water in my backpack froze. My cheap gloves let me down big time as they could not stop the cold from freezing my fingers. Since my last trek over the pass in 2012 the trail has been significantly upgraded. Don’t get me wrong, I still struggled in this rarified air to reach the pass at 5416m. Every 20 metres or so I needed to stop and catch my breath. The trick is not to linger and get moving again as quickly as possible. I thought I was moving slowly but I reached the Thorung La pass at 7:15 (2.25hrs) which was pretty good going.

The wide Thorung La with its traditional chorten, prayer flags and stone cairn, is at an elevation of 5416m. The views from the trail, and from the pass itself, are outstanding. You can see the long Great Barrier ridge, which separates the drier, Tibet-like region of Manang from the rest of Nepal, as well as (to the south) the Annapurnas and Gangapurna. Whilst I was waiting for James I took refuge in the small stone building with earthen floors. The owner makes a decent living dispensing piping hot tea for RS200 a small cup. It was just what I needed and after 20 minutes of vigorous rubbing I had restored some feeling to my fingers. I did brave the elements to take a few pictures for posterity. On my last visit my battery froze and I had no proof of my accomplishment. At 8:30 James sauntered in with a tale of woe to be told. By the time he had reached the Yakawa Thorung Ri teashop at 5030m he was feeling nauseous and suffering from a bad headache. The altitude can impact on you at any time. He had two choices either walk back down and return to Pokhara or continue the journey. He chose the latter but decided to use public transport. Even though he was suffering he managed to hire a pony and barter the price down to RS3000. By the time he alighted the pony express his quads were shaking uncontrollably and the poor pony had a bowed back.

When he had recovered sufficiently we took a few more obligatory photos and then started our assault on the tough 1800m descent to Muktinath. As usual I raced ahead and stopped when I found a rare flat spot that was in the sun. It was the perfect place to wolf down our boiled eggs. There were a few people in front of us so I left James to his own world of pain that was to follow. My goal was to reach Muktinath and find some lodging for tonight. The scenery on this side of the pass is bleak, treeless and rocky. This section would have to be the most torturous of the whole circuit. There is a lot of loose gravel which can cause you to slip due to the steep descent. I slipped a few times but was lucky enough not to do any damage.

After the worst of it I stopped for a cup of tea at one of the lodges at Chabarbu. From here it was a brisk one hour walk, still downhill to Muktinath. On the outskirts there is a Hindu Temple that attracts devotees from India and Nepal. It is a strange sight watching elderly Indians gingerly making their way up the steep incline. Some like james hitch a ride on a pony for their pilgrimage to this sacred temple. I had sent the boys ahead to find us a room and I met them just as I entered Muktinath. They have chosen the Bob Marley Hotel, yes Bob Marley. There was only one room left and on inspection I thought it would suit us perfectly.

The porters brought our bags in and even though it was only 12:30 I headed straight to the shower room. It was just hot enough to wash away two days worth of grime and sweat. I then took a seat on the balcony where I would be in a good position to spot James trudging up the dusty road. Lunch came and went and after an hour there was still no sign of him. Tika went for a walk to the outskirts of the village but there was no sign of him. I was starting to get worried so I asked a trekker who had just arrived if he had seen a large man wearing black. To my relief he replied in the affirmative and said he was about 30 minutes away. Tika went out to meet him and told him the name of our hotel. When he pulled in at 14:15 he looked like he had been in the wars. A shower and a change of clothes seemed to invigorate him. The rest of the afternoon was spent listening to Reggae music and trying to keep warm. After a delicious Mexican meal that was prepared by a chef who had worked in Sydney it was time for bed. Hopefully a good sleep will help to repair our bodies after what has been the toughest day of the trek.

Thursday 27th October – Dust, Wind and Traffic (Muktinath to Kagbeni – 10km, 2800m)

Even though we shared the same room both of us had a reasonable night’s sleep. We had ordered a late breakfast for 7:45 but neither of us wanted to get out of bed. Eventually hunger overtook us so it was up to the dining hall for more fried eggs and hash browns. I had no sooner sat down when my breakfast arrived. The bonus was that it was served on a hot platter which kept it warm in this frigid environment. We are in no hurry this morning as it is only a 3.5 hour downhill walk to Kagbeni. Just after 9:00 we said farewell to Bob Marley and a few of the people that we had met at the High Camp. I think the walk through the village was the most interesting part of today's travel. There was always something happening like a baby pony following me down the street and old men and women just hanging around. On the outskirts of Muktinath we saw the bus terminal which is situated in a large dustbowl. Judging by the number of buses we saw coming up the mountain I think they have a better frequency than the Rainworth 475. Come on TransLink I’m nearly ready to retire!

From here you follow the road down the steep, barren hillside. You soon get spectacular views down onto Jharkot (3500m) which is perched on a bluff just 20 minutes away. The walk from Jharkot down to Khingar (3400m) is a delightful stroll among meadows, streams, poplar and fruit trees. That is about as good as it gets as from this point onwards we were basically stuck on the dusty, rocky road which you have to share with a steady stream of motorcycles and of course the high frequency bus service. All of these modes of transport kick up a fair amount of dust which forces you to turn your back so that you can protect your eyes and lungs. The other factor we had to contend with was the wind.  The flow of air between the peaks of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri creates strong winds that howl up the Kali Gandaki Valley. The breezes blow gently from the north during the early hours of the day, then shift to powerful gusts from the south throughout the late morning and afternoon. We learnt the hard way as you have to make sure you set off early and wear a bandana, scarf and sunglasses to avoid the dust and sand that kicks up at around 11:00. By the time we reached Kagbeni we were covered in dust and I could not wear my peaked cap for fear of losing it.

The porters have us staying at the Nilgiri View Lodge which is at the southern entrance to the town. The rooms are fine but the place is a bit of a rabbit warren. I unpacked some of my gear and wandered back up the road to wait for James who was about twenty minutes behind. We ordered lunch but had to be moved upstairs as a large group of students arrived for a Dal Baht feast. No need to guess who had to wait for their lunch which eventually arrived at 14:00. The only saving grace was that the hot shower I had was the best so far on the trek. I spent the afternoon catching up on the diary as it was just too miserable to go exploring Kagbeni. Dinner was a repeat of lunch however this time it was a Nepali film crew that took precedence. Again we had to wait an hour but it was worth waiting for. James smashed his sizzling Yak steak and I enjoyed my Indian vegetarian meal.

If I ever do this trek again I will take the alternative and more scenic route to Kagbeni. It takes about five hours and starts just prior to Muktinath as you come down from Thorung La.