What's Done is Done

Tuesday 8th October – Sinuwa to Chhomrong (450m ascent, 500m descent)

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.

To my surprise the ever efficient Tip has managed to have the towel that I left behind in Landruk transported to our lodge. Tip has also arranged our accommodation at our next two stops. He is definitely the best porter that I have had on my six trips to Nepal. What a guy! Our short day deserved some clean clothes but first we treated ourselves to a nice hot shower. After lunch I thought I would see if the netbook would start up. Too my surprise it rebooted so I spent the afternoon catching up on the diary and a little reading.

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.

On our way up the trail took us past corn and millet fields. After another hour of walking we arrived at the Mountain Discovery Lodge at Chiule (2280m). It was a peaceful location with a very large lawn and fine views of the valley. I needed a break so we rested for 45 minutes and had a small plate of chips to refuel us. The sun was beating down but it wasn’t long before we were shaded by the canopy of the rhododendron forest. It reminded us of Lamington Plateau with all the moss, lichens, orchids and ferns growing on the trees. Even though the trail was steep and rocky we did not notice it due to the tranquility and beauty of the forest. After another hour of walking the blue roofs of Tadapani’s (2710m) lodges stood out like a welcoming beacon. The corner room that Tip has secured at the aptly named Splendid View lodge is small but we do indeed have splendid views of the valley and mountains from our two windows.

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.

After three hours of trekking the village of Deorali (3090m) came into sight. We still had to negotiate a rather muddy trail that was interlaced with tree roots before reaching the summit of the pass at 3210m. The views from here were spectacular and we could see most of the mountain range from Dhaulagiri to Fishtail. By this time there were hordes of trekkers on the trail heading towards Tadapani. There were quite a few looking distressed so we tried to cheer them up by letting them know that they still had three hours to go. We took a break on a grassy knoll and admired the view once again before heading downhill for 30 minutes to Ghorepani. Our walking time today was just over 4 hours.

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.

 Tip made the decision to stop for lunch around 10:30am at Ulleri (2080m). This suited James and I as it gave us the chance to rest our feet prior to heading down the steep Ulleri steps. Back in 2005 Alice and I struggled up this section of the route. It has certainly changed since then as there are many more trees offering shade as well as rest points where you can get a cold drink and rest your feet. The steps are still there and you could tell by the grimace on the faces of the people walking up that they are struggling as much as Alice and I did. It certainly is much easier coming down but you need to take your time to avoid slipping or damaging the ligaments in your knee. To avoid any accidents we follow the Nepalese mantra “bistaari, bistaari” which means slowly, slowly. In what seemed a short time we were crossing the two suspension bridges into Tikhedhunga (1540m). Tip does not like staying overnight here as the sound of the two powerful waterfalls keeps him awake. Another 20 minutes of walking brought us to the Dipak Guesthouse at Hille (1510m) where we will spend the night.

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

($1.10). James who is starting to resemble Wolfman Jack was slightly apprehensive about having someone holding a sharp instrument to his throat. He looked like Snow White when he was all lathered up and ten years younger when the job was done. I didn’t look much different as for those who know me I have great difficulty in propagating facial hair.

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.

KAWAKU AIR ON THE ROAD THROUGH NEPAL

Friday 27th September – Border Bureaucracy

Our Guide Wan Zu (phonetically correct) wanted us to depart for the border at 8:30 but we negotiated a 9:00 departure which ended up being 9:30. Along the way we passed a multitude of Nepalese trucks all laden with Chinese merchandise bound for the stores of Kathmandu. The irony is that all these goods are transported to the border in Chinese trucks, off loaded into a warehouse and the reloaded, all by manual labour onto the Nepalese trucks.

When we reached the border control area we took our place at the end of a very long queue. Alex (English) started to feel dizzy and was on the verge of passing out. James sprang into action and sat him down before getting a good dose of sugar into him. As we slowly moved down the line we managed to get a wheelchair for him. This meant he was able to jump the queue with his travel partners Irwin (USA) and Francois (France obviously).

After searching our bags for Tibetans trying to illegally exit the country James and I reached the immigration counter. Imagine our chagrin when both of us had our passports confiscated and told to stand aside. Visions of Midnight Express and James being strip searched entered my mind! Luckily, our passports were returned and duly stamped. We concluded that they were doing the usual bureaucratic dance because we already had our visas for Nepal. All of this action took 1.5 hours. As we crossed the Freedom Bridge into Nepal, Carlos (Japan/Brazil) decided to take a picture. He was soon set upon by the Chinese military who gave him a stern warning and deleted the picture.

From the relative order of China we entered the chaos of Nepal. No queues just pushing and shoving as everyone tried to get a visa. No problem for James and I as our entry was completed quickly. Carlos and Lorie his Canadian wife were one of the last ones to be processed. They are travelling to Kathmandu with us in a jeep that will cost us 6000 rupees ($65). The Nepali guy who was going to drive us was in a dither as his brother who had the key to the jeep had wandered off and could not be found. He was pissed! Down from the roof came our luggage and we set off to find another. After loading our gear on to another one they upped the price to 7000 rupees. James told them to remove the luggage which had the desired effect and the price was once again 6000.

It had only taken 4 hours to get to this point and at 1:30 we joyously started our 120km journey to Kathmandu. After the reasonably good roads of Tibet we were back to the potholed poorly maintained roads of Nepal. Great scenery, dal baht with beer for lunch and Kathmandu traffic jams we finally came to the end of our road trip. With some directions from a local and lugging our heavy backpacks we made our way to the Himalayan Java Cafe (opposite Fire and Ice Pizza). It is an oasis in a sea of chaos. James then contacted his sister Michelle who will escort us to her house in Kathmandu. The iced coffee with ice-cream washed away the tension and the dust that had slowly built up over the course of the day.

Michelle duly arrived, loaded up a taxi and headed to her house in Balutar which is about a ten minute drive from Thamel. Did I say house, no it is a three storey mansion with views of the mountains from the tiled rooftop. A load of washing, hot shower and then a quick taxi trip to the Everest Steak House. I should not have said a quick trip because we had to abandon our taxi which was stuck in a Friday night traffic jam. We made our way on foot through some narrow lanes towards Thamel. I took a wrong turn which increased our walk time and after a 30 minute walk the steak house was reached. All of the Tibet group was there and Alex looked a lot better. The meal was a hearty affair and I was a little tipsy after a few beers and a couple of reds. An easy taxi ride home and I was soon asleep on the ground floor couch.

Saturday 28th September – Kathmandu Capers

A relaxed start to the day was made even more enjoyable when Michelle took us to the 1905 farmers market which is near the Greenline bus depot. This little haven, in the middle of Kathmandu is open every Saturday and sells fresh produce, cheese, meat and other delicacies. We ordered a freshly cooked omelette, pineapple juice and a huge chocolate brownie.

In Thamel our first order of business was to put the Netbook in for repair. The guy at the first shop we went into seemed to know what needed to be done so we entrusted him with the computer. He gave me a rough quote of 3000 rupees and thought it would be ready by 5:00pm. Our next stop was Snowland where I always go to get my North Fake gear. They always give a reasonable price without the need to haggle. I picked up a pair of XL shorts for 500 rupees ($5.50), a good quality poncho with zippers (500 rupees) and a small case for my toiletries. They asked me to come back around 6:00pm and they would have another pair of shorts and a down puffer jacket for me. Last stop before lunch was the Himalayan Trailfinder agency to book a two day white water rafting trip. At approximately $50 each including meals and transport you can’t argue about the quality of the trip. We will also use them to book our trip to Chitwan National Park.

Lunch was taken at another old favourite the Pumpernickel Cafe. James and I opted for a bread roll with ham and goats cheese which was sensational. Afterwards we trolled numerous stores looking for a down puffer jacket that would comfortably encircle James’ girth. In the end we gave up and went to the genuine North Face store where he picked up the real article in a perfect size for 6000 rupees. It wasn’t worth going back to the house so we killed an hour by slurping two rounds of blended ice lemon drink at the Java cafe.

The netbook was ready and appears to be functioning perfectly again. I now have a better version of Windows 7 and they also loaded Microsoft Office 2007 as well as restoring all my old files. Total cost was about $33 which would not even get me through the front door of a computer repair shop in Brisbane. At Snowland they had my shorts ready and a jacket for 2800 rupees. I also picked up a genuine Buff (goes on your head) from Mountain Hardware for $20.

This evening we are a little worn out so Michelle has suggested a restaurant within walking distance of her house. I knew I would be in for a good experience as the name of the restaurant was “Alice”. There was a great ambience to the restaurant and the salad that I had was excellent. Michelle’s house mate has gone away for the weekend so I have been upgraded to her bed on the second floor with James.

Sunday 29th September -  Kool in Kathmandu

This morning has been real lazy as we just lounged around the house. Chef James cooked up an amazing omelette which I gorged down. Around lunch time we headed back into Thamel  conclude our business. We paid 8500 rupees for 2 nights and 3 days at the Tiger Camp in Chitwan. The price includes accommodation, meals and activities. Michelle is now considering joining us in Pokhara and Chitwan.  Another superb lunch at the Pumpernickel and blended ice lemon drink and our day in Thamel was complete.

After purchasing some supplies at Michelle’s local supermarket we picked up James’ T-shirts that he had put in for repair. It may be the best value of the whole trip as the ripped T’s were repaired for 100 rupees ($1.10). James and I had an early meal at Alice’s as we have an early start in the morning.

Monday 1st October – Trisuli River

In the middle of the night James’ spicy chicken wrap caught up with him. His sphincter was emptied three times and he looks a little drawn in the face. The Imodium should see him through the bus trip ahead. Michelle found us an early morning taxi which dropped us off at the tourist bus stand around 6:30. After struggling and pushing our way down the narrow footpath we located our conveyance among the long line of buses. It was the usual slow trip through the environs of Kathmandu and then the familiar potholed highway down the mountain range. The highway follows the Trisuli River and at 11:30 the bus pulled over approximately 13 km from Mugling.

The waiting game then began as there were more rafters yet to arrive. Most of the 44 rafters are Chinese who are painfully slow and rarely listen . It is 12:45 and at long last everyone is in the water. With a wicked gleam in James’ and my eyes we soon lined up our first Chinese victims for a ritual soaking. They did not know what hit them as we bombarded them with well directed splashes. The rest of our boat joined in and the squeals of the Chinese was like music to our ears. As usual I was first out of the raft with a classic splash that gave the Chinese a fright. The water was bracing but I soon warmed up as I raced along with the current. I had my waterproof Fuji camera attached to my life vest and when I climbed back into the raft I noticed that the battery compartment was open. The camera is now water logged and no longer waterproof. The LCD screen is like a miniature swimming pool. Thank goodness James has a functioning camera. 

The rafters stopped for lunch which consisted of tuna, coleslaw, baked beans and fruit. The rapids have been quite mild and suspect that this section of the river is made to order for the Chinese tourists. Nevertheless we had a lot of fun swimming and having splashing fights with the other rafters. Our rafting for the day was all over after two hours. We are the only ones doing a two day rafting trip and are a little concerned that tomorrow we will have another late start and do it all over again. James and I waited while the gear was packed into a small ute. He jumped into the back with the rafting boys who whooped it up all the way to where we started from.

Back at rafting headquarters which is fairly basic James and I looked forlorn. Our spirits picked up when the manager said that we could have an early breakfast and shoot some rapids with just us and three guides. After that bit of news even the mosquitoes did not annoy us. The old chef who turned out to be 15 years younger than me produced a bowl of freshly cooked popcorn and hot water for coffee. He followed this up with noodle soup, chicken and dal baht. We had a couple of Gorkha beers and then adjourned to our tent that was set up on the river bank. The only noise was the sound of cicada’s, the rushing river and me grunting due to the rocks under my sleeping mat.

Tuesday 2nd October – Adrenalin Rapids

I feel surprisingly refreshed after a broken night’s sleep due to the rocky ground and punctuated by light rain and James dashing for the shelter of a large boulder. Unfortunately, through the night he had to squat a couple of times by the edge of the river. We were called up for a breakfast of eggs and pancake before boarding the ute for our little adventure.

 At 8:30 we piled onto our raft and it wasn’t long before we hit the first series of rapids. The first two were called Twin Rock and Ladies Delight. After we passed through Landslide the adrenalin kicked in as we negotiated Monsoon, Upset and Second Upset. The force of the water was so strong that the big man James who was sitting at the front was knocked backwards. We were totally drenched from the waves that were created by the turbulence from the rapids. Our last rapid was called Surprise which made me think of Gomer Pyle. Our fun was all over by 9:45 but we had a much better time than the day before. After changing out of our wet gear the cook rustled up some lunch for us. The rafting crew are a good bunch of guys who like to have fun but at the same time they are aware of the safety of the customers. We definitely had $50 worth of value but I would consider paying more next time and go with a company that has a more permanent camp setup with more time actually rafting.

We negotiated with the manager to stop a tourist bus for our trip to Pokhora rather than a crowded local all stops bus. It cost us an extra 500 rupees and when he pulled over a near empty bus emblazoned with an Open Heart Tours we were on our way. Hopefully we will not need open heart surgery when we reach Pokhara. I would have to say that this has been my best journey to Pokhara. There were no accidents or unforseen delays and we arrived at a very sensible 2:30pm.

We both wanted a little luxury for the next two nights so we have taken a top floor room at the Peace Plaza Hotel for $US45 a night. The room has a view of the lake and comes with satellite television (if we need it) and air conditioning. After a couple of quick phone calls home we headed off in search of a porter. The hotel eventually offered us a rate of $US12 a day for each porter which we have accepted. I am sure we could have found a cheaper rate however our trek will only be 10 to 12 days so it wasn’t worth the hassle. They will also arrange our trekking permits, Annapurna Sanctuary pass and a taxi to Phedi which is our starting point. Nothing to do now except go out and enjoy a nice cheap Indian dinner at the Punjabi Restaurant. Both of us could not finish what was an excellent meal.

Wednesday 2nd October – Poking Around Pokhara

We had a very comfortable night’s sleep compared to our previous night. Breakfast was included in our room rate so we chose the Trekkers breakfast which had juice, muesli, eggs with hash browns, toast with jam as well as coffee. This would normally cost 280 rupees ($3). I have decided to spend the morning bringing the diary up to date, lucky you. James has tracked down some granola bars for energy whilst trekking.

After a relaxing lunch we hired some sleeping bags for 60 rupees a day. We may need them if the tea houses along the route run out of blankets as this is the start of the busy season. The rest of the afternoon was spent just chilling. Whilst I was on the rooftop I did notice that there had been a collision between two motorcycles. The Nepalese crowd gathered around the accident like crows feasting on a piece of road kill. They just stood in the middle of the road as if they were on a picnic. The traffic just had to veer around them. For dinner we feasted on a large piece of steak which will have to suffice while we are on the trail.

Thursday 3rd October – Let the Trekking Begin

Phedi to Landruk (1030 ascent, 540 descent)

Our day started when we met our two porters Tip and Gurung. Our transport to Phedi is a very nice Fiat sedan. On arrival at Phedi we donned our ponchos as it was raining. Not a nice way to start trekking but the weather was cool. The elevation here is 1130 metres and at 8:45 we started walking up to Dhampus Village which is about 500 metres higher. Even with the cloud cover we had great views of the valley and nearby mountains. The trail then climbed through a rhododendron forest as it followed the ridgeline to Pothana (1990m). We stopped here for an early lunch and to have our trekking card checked and stamped. Our lunch of soup and spring rolls was whipped up fairly quickly. It cost us 400 rupees each and was delicious.

Our porters took us on a route that followed a road that has been cut into the hillside. It is not driveable due to land slips and as a result makes a good walking trail. As we walked through the forest that was alive with ferns, orchids and birds we startled a troop of Langur monkeys. James and I spent a few minutes admiring their acrobatics as they leapt from tree to tree. After walking down some flagstone steps the trail emerged into the main Modi Valley. The trail then reached the spread-out settlement of Tolka (1790m). We still have some energy so have decided to kick on to Landruk (1620m). It is a mostly downhill walk past streams, fields and some unusual thatched stone buildings. Just after 4:00pm we stopped at the Maya Guesthouse where we will spend the night. We can’t be doing it too tough as the guesthouse has a nice gas fuelled piping hot shower. Feeling refreshed I am taking the time to complete the diary in between admiring the view. Directly across the valley you can see the village of Ghandruk and the Modi Khola (river) far below. We have a nice grassy area at our guesthouse with a couple of goats chewing contentedly on the shrubs surrounding the area. One of the locals dropped in and offered us a massage but I felt his prices were a bit steep.

After 6.5 hours of walking James and I are feeling remarkably well. Not too bad for a couple of government fat cats. It must have been the high altitude training that we did in Tibet. Hopefully we will still feel this way in ten days time. We have placed our dinner order which is nearly an exact repeat of lunch. My theory is that if you eat plenty of garlic or onion soup then you are unlikely to pick up an influenza type bug. On the health scene James seems to have recovered from his regular jaunts to the toilet. An early night tonight as our porter wants to start trekking by 7:00am. We will have to wait and see if his plan comes to fruition.

Friday 4th October – Landruk to Sinuwa (1000m ascent, 610m descent)

Up just after 6:00am and we were lucky enough to see the snow capped Annupurnas in the distance. It was short lived as the clouds obscured them by 7:00am. It started to rain last night at 2:00am and was still raining during breakfast. We were still off to an early start at 7:30am and to our relief it stopped raining. Down, down, down we went until reaching a small wooden suspension bridge beside a lovely waterfall. The trail was thick with leeches and both James and I had to remove a couple of these little bloodsuckers. James also took a fall when he slipped on a rock whilst going downhill. The trail then wound its way through some thick jungle. After crossing the New Bridge (Naya Pul) we arrived at Himal Qu (1410m). It was here that I discovered I’d left my towel back at the lodge. I immediately sprinted back for over an hour to retrieve it. Only joking, I’ll just have to buy another.

From this point the trail ascends steeply towards Chhomrong. After a steep climb we stopped for a rest break at Jhinu Danda (1750m). It is very humid and James is sweating buckets. He is dripping that much sweat that you would think he has just come out of a shower without drying himself. We continued slogging upwards and arrived at the upper section of Chhomrong (2210m) just after 12:00 noon. Both of us need some fuel and a little rest as it has been a hard 4.5 hours.

After a hearty lunch of spring roll and garlic and onion soup we were off to Sinuwa. The break has not done me any good as the ligament in my right knee is quite sore on this downhill section. In the lower section of Chhomrong I noticed a store selling a few towels. The quick dry towels were a little small so I ended up purchasing a normal old towel for 400 rupees. The trail descended down over 150m on a stone staircase before crossing the Chhomrong Kola on a swaying suspension bridge. The trail then went up for about 90 minutes through forests of bamboo and rhododendron. We are really starting to feel it in our legs and were relieved when the Sinuwa Lodge at (2340m) came into view. James reckons he has lost 3 to 5 kg after today’s walk.

After another hot shower and we are no longer feeling as if we are on struggle street. From a trekking perspective we are in front of Lonely Planet’s recommended trekking guide by nearly half a day. Our meal order has been lodged and once again it is the garlic soup with the main meal being potato rosti with cheese. Another early night is in order as tomorrow will be another long day. James and I are both cutting a lot of wood (snoring) and I suspect that he will be the same as last night by starting five minutes after his head hits the pillow.

Saturday 5th October – Sinuwa to Deorali (960m ascent, 140m descent)

Up early this morning and we were treated to a great view of Annapurna South, Machhapuchhare (Fishtail) and Hiunchuli. Another big day of trekking awaits us so we hit the trail at 7:10. The first section was downhill and my knee ligament was feeling good so I powered down the steps like an agile 20 year old. The trail continued to descend down a steep slippery staircase, no slips this time into a deep bamboo and rhododendron forest before arriving at the village of Bamboo (2310m).

 A quick rest and we were soon climbing steeply through the forest. Occasionally the trail dropped slightly to cross tributary streams on narrow bridges that were made from tree trunks. After about two and a half hours of walking we reached Doban (2500m). The sun was out so that gave us an opportunity for a drink and the chance to remove our boots and wiggle the toes. I’m still suffering from the burning feet syndrome (Ann Hill knows this problem) and the short break seems to rejuvenate them. We are slightly ahead of schedule as we powered onto the Himalayan Hotel (2840m). We had been going for about 1hour when to our disgust the heavens opened up. Out came the ponchos and the rain jacket for the bags. Luckily for us it was only another 20 minutes to our lunch destination which we arrived at 11:30. By this time the rain was really tumbling down so it was good to get the usual soup into us.

At 1:00 we decided to kick onto our next destination which is supposed to be 90 minutes away. The trail is really rocky in this section so I settled in behind one of the lodge porters who were setting a good steady pace. These guys are amazing as they carry in all the supplies including steel 9 to 12 kg gas bottles for the trekking lodges. Some are wearing gum boots but quite a few are just in thongs.

They never seem to slip and virtually run on the downhill sections. I kept following him up the trail through the forest, then up a steep ravine, to Hinku Cave (3100m). High cascades were tumbling off the rock walls in all directions. After crossing one particularly hazardous narrow bridge and then walking around large boulders I saw the village of Deorali (3140m). It is not really a village but a cluster of four hotels. Tip our porter had phoned ahead this morning to book us a room at the Panorama Guesthouse. I had made the walk in just under 60 minutes which is not bad for a guy of my vintage. James who had been stuck behind a group of straggling Chinese arrived 15 minutes later. We are now more than a day ahead of the Lonely Planet recommended trekking times.

Tip will deserve his tip (ha, ha) as all the accommodation in Deorali was gone by the time that I arrived. Once again we have a hot shower for the bargain price of 150 rupees. Feeling clean and refreshed we have broken out our puffer jackets and long johns for me as all this rain has made it quite cold. Tip has brought the dinner menu to our room so we have chosen the garlic soup again but have broken with tradition and ordered a dal baht. That should really fill us up with carbohydrates. Another early night as Tip is determined to have us on the trail by 7:00.

Sunday 6th October – Deorali to Annapurna Base Camp (990m ascent)

During the night after I had been to the toilet I thought I felt something scurry across my feet. Not long afterwards James was woken up by a rustling noise near his Granola bars. A greedy little mouse was happily gnawing on tomorrows snacks. Up at 6:00am again but the good news was that it had stopped raining. Tip our porter has forged ahead in an attempt to secure us a room at Annapurna Base Camp. James and I hit the trail at 7:20am and it was not long before the valley widened and became less steep. The rain started again which made the walking more arduous. The altitude is also starting to have an impact on our breathing and I for one will be glad when we reach our destination.

After two hours of walking we passed Machhapuchhure Base Camp which is just a cluster of four lodges. The trail from this point could have been very pleasant but the rain which has increased in intensity has turned the track into a quagmire. There is still 430 metres to ascend and the cold wind is gusting directly into our faces. The trail follows a stream through what I would call an alpine meadow. There were also a couple of flocks of sheep quietly grazing away.

After our three and a quarter hour walk Tip was waiting for us as we climbed the stone staircase to the lodges. He has secured us a dorm room which we have to share with four Chinese. I hope they have ear plugs as both James and I sound like out of tune bugles. My hands were like iceblocks and my head was wet and cold also. I quickly dried myself as the last thing I wanted was a head cold. Next came the sleeping bag which I immediately climbed into to warm myself up. It has stopped raining and the sun has momentarily poked through the clouds. There was a general excitement in the camp and a mad rush for cameras as there was a clear view of Machhapuchhure.

After lunch the clouds rolled in and we thought that was the end of mountain gazing for the day. My netbook has died again which makes us think that it is allergic to extreme cold weather. The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and deciding what we would have for dinner. The excitement for the day was not over and just after 5:00pm there was a break in the clouds. For around 30 minutes there were great views of most of the major peaks that surround base camp.

Monday 7th October – Annapurna Base Camp to Sinuwa (30m ascent, 1810m descent)

Just after 5:00am Tip knocked on our door and said that the sky was clear and there were no clouds in sight. James and II bolted out of bed and were greeted with a stunning view of all the peaks silhouetted against a starry sky. After taking a few photographs we adjourned for an early breakfast. When the sun crept over Fishtail it lit up the snowy peaks. We could have stared at this scene for hours but there is a big walk in front of us today. Starting off at 7:20am we dawdled down the valley to MBC taking photographs along the way.

James was feeling ill and stopped to vomit on a few occasions. He soldiered on to Doban where lunch was taken at 1:00pm. The rest has helped to revitalize him. The walking has been invigorating as the sun has been shining all day. After departing Doban we were in the forest once again. As the afternoon wore on there were less people on the trail. The mist started to roll in and shrouded the trees in a fine white cloak. The only sounds we could hear was the birds chirping and the roar of the river below as it crashed upon the boulders and roared through the narrow gorge. After eight and a bit hours we arrived knackered at the Hilltop Lodge in Sinuwa.

James definitely needed a hot shower and managed to get in front of a few Chinese. They obviously do not know the meaning of a quick shower as the ones that followed James took at least 20 minutes each. They can be polite but culturally it is their nature to queue jump, push and shove. James can’t stand it! Our estimate is that 75% of the trekkers that we have encountered are from China. They tend to have a two week break from the first of October as this coincides with their national holiday. If I come to Nepal again I would probably choose mid to late October to avoid the Chinese crush.

KAWAKU AIR ON THE RAILS TO TIBET

Saturday 21st September – On the Rails

Clackety, clack, clackety, clack went the steel wheels of the train through the night. When we awoke after a ten hour sleep the landscape had completely changed. Everything was covered in snow and much to my surprise I saw a small herd of Tibetan deer.

James has forgone breakfast this morning so I ventured up to the dining car for fried egg and coffee. I shared the table with a young Chinese girl and we entertained ourselves over an international game of Sudoku.

The snow is now only on the mountain peaks and the fields are green and studded with rocks. There are plenty of streams and the occasional lake to break up this flat section of the plateau. There are Yak herds everywhere being attended to by shepherds. They are very hairy beasts which I suppose they have to be too survive in this climate.

When we stopped at a station James resplendent in his shorts reported that the outside temperature was a rather nippy 5 degrees. Alice and Join thought it was much colder. It is now late in our journey and the toilets are looking like a wild man had laid siege to them. It is definitely a fast entry and exit from the cubicle but somehow the Chinese are in there so long you would think they were taking a shower. The bathroom sink is also clogged due to the countless bowls of Chinese noodles being washed there. All in all the train staff have done a great job in maintaining a reasonably clean (unlike our Vietnam experience) and functioning carriage. The rest of the journey was uneventful and despite the amazing scenery we are champing at the bit to arrive in Lhasa. The station is huge and appears as if the Chinese were trying to make a statement.

After the officials had checked our rail ticket and travel permits we were met by our guide from Tibet travel. It is a beautiful day and quite warm despite the altitude of 3650 metres.

Our hotel the Tibet Heaven is rated 3 stars. Our room is excellent and the shower piping hot. A short walk was in order so that we could get our bearings and stock up on supplies. I must be getting a little vain as I invested in a Gillette razor. We had skipped lunch so settled for a steam boat dinner at our hotel. We ordered the shrimp and vegetables and a not too spicy broth. When it arrived there was meat on the bone and no sign of the shrimp. It turned out that the waitress had said “sheep”. Nevertheless the meal tasted good.

Sunday 22nd September – Lhasa Sightseeing

It is 7:30 and still dark outside. This is because the Chinese do not recognize time zones and as a result the time in Lhasa is the same as Beijing. It is like having the same time for Brisbane and Perth. I thought we were in for a Chinese breakfast and was delighted when they served us a plate of bacon with a fried egg. A cup of Nescafe and I am ready for a big day out.

One piece of bad news is that my net book died on the train journey. The amazing techno man James was able to retrieve my diary notes and Beijing photographs. At this stage I was writing my diary by hand, so primitive. When I find an internet cafe, most likely Kathmandu, I will type up the notes.

Our first stop this morning was Jokhang Temple. It was interesting watching Tibetan pilgrims prostrating themselves in some form of penance. Old and young made incense offerings at the large pyres that surround the temple complex. Our guide went to great lengths to explain the history of the temple that goes back to the 7th century. One of the early Dali Lamas married a Chinese princess and as part of her dowry he was given a sacred statue. This is probably why the Chinese claim Tibet as their own. It is an interesting history and worth a read.

Our next stop was at Potala Palace where most of the Dali Lamas are entombed. The current 14th Dali Lama may not have the privilege of being entombed here. It is an impressive structure that dominates the skyline of Lhasa. The upper walls are about 3 metres thick and are constructed to withstand earthquakes. I nearly lost my Tasmanian Devil at security when it fell out of my pack back. Fortunately the security guards were amused and promptly returned him to me. The Devil has already made many Tibetan friends who are intrigued by the crazy foreigner with a hand puppet.

The walk up the huge staircase to the top of the palace left me breathless. I doubt that I could have blown out a candle. The tour through the different chambers of the palace was excellent and our guide was once again passionate about his subject. James and I are both well and truly Dali Lamaed out.

The group had a very late lunch on the rooftop of the New Mandala Restaurant. The selection of food was enormous and James settled on a Yak burger. I was more tame and had garlic soup with a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich. The rest of the group lingered at the markets while we headed back to the hotel. James constructed a clothesline for his hand washing and I Had just enough room for my socks and jocks.

Monday 23rd September – More Monasteries

Another late start to the morning but I did manage to brew up a cupachino before breakfast. Another round of cold bacon and fried eggs should be enough to keep us going for the day.

Our first visit was to the Drepung Monastery which is about 10 km from Lhasa. It was built in 1416 and has six main temples. Prior to the Chinese invasion in 1959 over 10000 monks resided there. About 1500 monks are currently in residence. The monastery covers an area of over 200 thousand square metres. After our visit I needed to use the public toilet and it seemed like all 1500 monks had been there before me. The urinal was worse as it looked like pea soup.

Our lunch was at a local restaurant situated next to the Sera Monastery. I was a little dubious of our guide’s choice but everyone seemed to enjoy the food with the bottomless cups of milk tea. All of the meals cost 10 Yuan which is about $1.90.

The Sera Monastery is the second biggest in Tibet and was founded in 1419. It has an assembly hall, three colleges and thirty three houses. We have timed our arrival for 3:00pm to align with the great debate. The monks debate each other six days a week for two hours. Obviously we had no idea what they were remonstrating about however the 40 plus monks put on an entertaining show. One thing that stood out was when a monk would lean forward with his hand stretched out and then slap it loudly. Our guide said it was like a refresh button designed to clear the mind. James and I were templed out so we sat up in the shade while the rest of the group viewed another 1000 armed Buddha.

We have opted to return to the hotel for a rest as James was suffering from a headache.

Tuesday 24th September – Shigatse

Up at six this morning to pack our bags and make ready for our 7:30 departure to Shigatse which is Tibet’s second largest city. After departing Lhasa it wasn’t long before we encountered a series of switchbacks that took us up to 4700 metres. Our view of Yamdrotso Lake (4100m) was spectacular. The water was a milky blue in colour.

We drove down into the Nyangchu Valley and passed through green farmland. We started to climb again and stopped at 4960m for a good roadside view of the Karo-la glacier. At the top of the pass we reached an altitude of 5100m. As we continued we passed numerous sheep and yak herds being tendered by the nomadic shepherds. Most yak herds are around 100 but the rich nomads can have as many as 1000 yaks.

A late lunch at Gyangtse was a welcome respite and we relaxed over a curry which was washed down by yet another mid strength beer (43Yuan). The group declined a visit to the monastery and settled for a visit to a Tibetan family home. Turned out to be a tired museum which used to be a manor house for a rich Tibetan.

The road to Shigatse was a little rough and the driver had to maintain a speed that allowed us to travel 35km in not under 55 minutes between check points. That meant we had to sit by the side of the road for 10 to 20 minutes. We amused ourselves by throwing rocks at a tin can perched on a fence. The driver however took the opportunity to have a couple of cigarettes.

The farmland in this area seemed to be very productive with large areas of barley and hay being grown. Finally the van pulled into the Zang Ba Hotel at 7:00pm. I must admit that our room is quite large and opulent. James and I are doing it tough at the moment!

For dinner tonight we headed out as a group to a local restaurant that our guide recommended. It turned out to be a favourite of western tour groups. I supplied the red wine a classic 2012 Yalumba Cabernet Sauvignon straight from the cask. Thanks Lil! The sizzling yak steak served with cauliflower and noodles was one of the best meals I have eaten on this trip. We split the bill and ended up paying 65 Yuan each ($11)

Wednesday 25th September – Everest Base Camp

I’ll start with the end of the day for a change of pace. Our van reached the Base Camp turn off a little after 4:30pm. After a series of switchbacks over a dusty, bumpy gravel road the top of the 5200m pass was reached. You always know when you have made it as the summit is festooned with Tibetan prayer flags. When you alight from the car you are surrounded by locals who the try and tempt you into purchasing beads, prayer wheels and fake amber rocks with a moth imbedded inside. Our first view of Everest was obstructed by cloud cover.

Our driver ploughed on relentlessly and after 95km of bone jarring driving we reached our destination at 10:00pm. James and I had been in the backseat for the last 5.5 hours and had suffered for it. I had a slight headache from all the jolting and after one particularly nasty pothole James alas had very sore unmentionables.

Our guide had phoned ahead, yes they have 3G connections at Everest and our host had prepared our lodgings in anticipation of our arrival. The stove which is fueled by Yak manure had been lit and our typical nomad’s tent was nice and toasty. Our tent which is pitched at 5000m and is just 5km from base camp. Even though it is late they managed to whip up a feed and a few beers for us.

During the night the temperature dropped to minus one which I felt when having my ablutions in nature. The night sky was stupendous, stars everywhere with the snow capped mountains shining brilliantly in the moonlight.

Our day started slowly as our guide was delayed for 90 minutes by the Chinese beauracy as he tried to obtain our permits for Everest Base Camp. Next stop was the Shigatse Monastery. From our perspective this was our favourite as the temples were smaller and easier to appreciate. There was a 20m and 90m Buddha as well as tombs for a few Pelchi Lamas. At midday we departed on the 300 km road trip to the EBC turnoff.

Thursday 26th September – Mt Everest and a Road Less Travelled

Woke up this morning at 8:00 and was disappointed because low clouds were obscuring our view of the mountains. Our host whipped up some pancakes and coffee which went down a treat. There are approximately 70 tents set up in this area to accommodate the mostly Chinese tourists. Apparently a few deaths occur up here each year as people succumb to the cold or mountain sickness.

At 9:30 we boarded the shuttle bus which ferries the tourists the last 5km to EBC. On arrival the clouds had dissipated and we were treated to a magnificent close up view of Mt Everest. Truly awe inspiring and worth every dollar that we had spent on this trip.

On the road again at 11:00 and after one hour the river turned off the main EBC road and drove through a river bed towards a valley and the Himalayan mountain range. The tundra like plain had moss growing over the damp earth which was fed by the melting snow. It is a perfect feeding ground for the many yak herds. The snow capped Himalayas on our left was a constant for our 2.5 hour journey over a reasonably good dirt road.

Lunch was taken around 2:00pm and then our journey continued towards the China-Nepal border. After descending from yet another 5000m pass, the scenery changed dramatically. Everything was greener and the river cut a deep narrow gorge between the mountains. On one side there were numerous waterfalls cascading down the mountain slopes.

At 7:30 pm after passing hundreds of parked Chinese trucks we reached our hotel in the border town of Zhangmu. Had a good dinner and then was talked into hitting a night club with the group. It was a surreal experience watching these young Tibetans prancing around doing the latest Bollywood moves. The men were dancing and gyrating together trying to impress the young girls who tried to look indifferent amongst this untapped testosterone. Fifteen minutes and a beer was enough for all of us and I then took an early leave pass to bed.

KAWAKU AIR LANDS IN BEIJING

Saturday 14th September – Brisbane to Bangkok

I woke up this morning with those bullfrogs on my mind (opening line of an old Rory Gallagher song) and was feeling a little dusty after a great night out with Alice. A quick back adjustment at the local chiropractor and at last I’m ready to pack the travel gear. Once again it looks like I have too much stuff but the sack doesn’t feel that heavy. Alice got me to the airport just after midday and after a great hug and a farewell kiss I sauntered into departures. The queue for the Thai Air check-in was nowhere to be seen. I wish bus transfers were as seamless as this. Oh, the bag weighed 14.5kg.

James Phillips with whom I’ll be spending the first 5 weeks with was waiting for me. Everything is going so smoothly and even our flight departed spot on time. The aircraft looked a little tired but my aisle seat was excellent. James however looked like he was stuck in sardine can. He did manage to con the purser into giving him a better seat with slightly more leg room. The new release movie list was excellent but after you selected a movie the darned thing would not play. I eventually decided to watch the Mentalist and was rewarded with a movie The Hangover 2. Not much joy in the entertainment stakes.

We touched down in Bangkok at 9.30pm Brisbane time and made a beeline for the Louis Tavern CIP Lounge. A nice hot shower has refreshed us as we prepare for our degustation of the fine port a fair that has been laid out on the table before us. James is more refrained than me as he is sticking to the non-alcoholic beverages. I on the other hand have found my taste for red wine which will hold me in good stead for the final leg into Beijing.

A little tip for frequent travellers is to purchase The Airport Priority Pass. It costs $US249 but gives you 10 entries to over 600 business class lounges and I have to say that the Louis Tavern is a cracker.

Sunday 15th September – Touch Down Beijing

Our flight departed just after midnight and it wasn’t long before I was pushing out some z’s. I was woken up by the sound of the hostess offering more comfort food for the flight ahead. After demolishing the fried rice and prawns I opted for more sleep instead of the inflight movie channel which was working perfectly. James looked a little cramped with his frame wedged into a tight space that was being overrun by the Chinese girl sitting next to him and her assortment of packages.

After landing our aircraft took another 25 minutes to reach the terminal where we would disembark to set foot on Chinese soil. The usual problem confronted us at immigration. What queue should we line up in? Inevitably we chose the wrong one and had to dissuade a queue jumper who thought she could sneak in before us. They need a system like Brisbane which seems to work reasonably well. The terminal train which links the arrival lounge to the baggage area was like travelling between Roma Street and the Valley. Our pickup for the Leo Hostel was waiting for us when we cleared customs. We were glad that we arranged this because our brains were slightly befuddled after a night of limited sleep.

The hostel which is located in one of the hutongs in the old area near Tiananmen Square is down a reasonably quiet cobblestone street. Thankfully our room was ready for us and it wasn’t long before we had settled in to domestic bliss. Just after 8:00 we hit the pavement to locate an ATM as the cash it was going to dispense was going to afford me an English breakfast at the hostel. We hadn’t gone 10 metres and James spent the last of his Yuan on a bag of steaming pork dumplings.

The whole area is being renovated with some very large pedestrian malls with upmarket designer shops. There is no shortage of restaurants both large and small. One that we noticed was cooking up a large quantity of offal which the locals appreciate. Looked a bit too sickly for my taste!One of the biggest hazards is what I have termed the “silent death”. Unlike Vietnam where the Chinese sell millions of noisy motorcycles, the Chinese version is electric and as quiet as a church house mouse. You need to look over your shoulder before turning left or right. Your only warning is a very quiet horn. I want one for when I turn into a grey nomad!

After breakfast we wandered around the area and checked out the supermarkets and other stores. A 500ml cold beer was around 50 cents.

Now that is a bargain. By lunch time fatigue was starting to set in so we decided to have a foot massage at a shop next door to the hostel. The warning bells were triggered when we were ushered upstairs to a secluded room. Once there they started to upsell their services to see if we wanted a full body massage. We declined their kind offers and settled in for a nice foot rub. About half way through the pressure was on again. They were very persistent but we matched them with our consistent no thank you. Eventually, they got the message that we were not interested in that sort of proclivity. As a result and much to our relief our 45 minute foot massage was terminated early.

A little two hour nanna nap and we were ready for dinner. We picked one in our street which had been recommended by the lonely Planet. James could not resist another round of pork dumplings but the double cooked pork came out on top. I wasn’t game to try the fried enema that was listed on the menu. For under $20 we had a couple of beers and a decent meal. That’s Livin’!

Monday 16th September – Beijing by Bicycle

Yesterday James organised an all-day bicycle tour that would take in Beijing’s highlights. The tour was 750cny ($135) but given our tight time schedule we thought it was well worth the expense. We kicked off at 9:00am. Beijing is remarkably flat and has lots of bike lanes which makes cycling reasonably easy. In no time at all we had ridden through old hutongs, parks before arriving at the Bell Tower and Drum Tower in the Xicheng district. A couple of quick pictures and we were off to the Forbidden City.

It is unbelievable the number of visitors who come to view this wonderful world heritage site. We joined the masses and entered via the Meridian Gate and were soon at the Palace Museum. There is not a great deal to look at inside the various halls as most of the treasures were previously stolen. The area covers about 80 hectares and I reckon we walked about 4-5km looking at the sites

Back on the bikes and we were soon pedaling past Tiananmen Square and the Qianmen Gate on our way towards a well-deserved lunch break.

Next site on our tour was the Temple of Heaven which is situated in a large park in the Chongwen District. The main attractions are Qinian Hall, the Echo Wall, Circular Mound Altar and the Emperor’s Walk. After this we rode around a lake which may have been named Qianhai. Heaps of activity in this area with lots of bars, paddle boats and market stalls to tempt you out of a few Yuan. We finished up with a walk through another market where we managed to purchase a few postcards.

After departing the tour we had a bit of trouble engaging a taxi. Eventually one took pity on us and we arrived back at the hostel around 6:00pm. It was a great way to see the sites and one that left both of us completely knackered. We were both too tired to go out for dinner and settled for pizza at the hostel. The chef must have been tired as well because he left the paper on James’ pepperoni.

Tuesday 17th September – The Great Wall

At 9:30 we were picked up by The Great Wall Adventure Company for our two day hike on various sections of the wall. Our vehicle is upmarket as this is a private tour for the two of us. After clearing the Beijing traffic we travelled through the countryside on a modern tollway system. The last section was through the mountains where there were numerous hotels offering fishing and horse riding. It appears that this is an area where the Chinese like to holiday.

The Great Wall at Jiankou is located in the district of Huairou, about 80km/50 northeast of Beijing and finally to a village called Xizaizhi at the bottom of Jiankou Great Wall. In order to hike on Jiankou we had to climb up a path for about 60 minutes to reach the Great Wall. On the way up James regurgitated the pancake he had for lunch.

The Jiankou section is known for its ruggedness and wild beauty, and you will be in awe of the marvellous views it affords. As soon as we reach Jiankou we saw the deserted watchtower that gives you a panoramic view of the entire valley. This section of the wall is not well known by tourists, although if you see a picture of the Great Wall from exotic traveling magazines, chances are it is from Jiankou. This is the pinnacle of exotic Great Wall scenery.


This part of the wall is often empty but we did see four other intrepid hikers. Another highlight of Jiankou is the enemy observation tower known as, "Ying Fei Dao Yang", so named because this watchtower was erected on the highest peak in the area, and eagles and hawks often perch on it. This part of the wall is slowly being conquered by small trees and brambles, but although the hiking can be difficult the view from the top is still stunning!

From Jiankou we crossed over onto Mutianyu, a section of the wall that has been largely restored. Although it has gotten a face-lift, it avoids the army of tourists that plague Badaling. Mutianyu offers some breathtaking views of the valley and wall below. We decided to take the chairlift down (60cny) to avoid any additional jarring on our knees.There was a large sign engraved in the side of the mountain which Aaron our guide explained was a message encouraging you to “Cherish the teachings of Chairman Mao”. After exiting the chairlift we ran the gauntlet of souvenir shops selling “I climbed the great wall” t-shirts for $1.

Our hike today took about 4 hours and covered about 10km. Back in the car for a two hour drive to The Great Wall where we were able to take a shower and have a meal before heading off to sleep overnight in a watchtower. It was dark when we arrived at the base of the mountain so we could not tell how steep the walk was going to be. After about 30 minutes we could see the silhouette of the watch tower. After setting up our tents we sat on the edge of the wall which by this time was bathed in moonlight. The beer that Aaron had carried up for me tasted so sweet in this perfect setting. The only noise that we heard that night was the sound of each other snoring.

Wednesday 18th September – Walking In the Rain

We were up at 6:00 for an egg sandwich that the porter has just delivered. Our tents were soon packed away and we hit the trail dressed in blue ponchos that made us look like smurfs. The rain is not heavy but fairly consistent. After walking along the wall for about 30 minutes we left it to take a trail that skirted a military camp. We tramped through fairly thick undergrowth, corn fields and up and down reasonably high ridges. The scenery was spectacular but by the time we reached the restored section of the wall at Jinshanling our boots had taken on enough water to float a couple of boats.

At around 10:00 we had reached the end of this section of the wall. As it was still raining we declined the offer of another hour of hiking and headed back to the car for our return to Beijing. The trip back was uneventful but the traffic was not. Once back in the capital the traffic slowed down to a snail’s pace. Our driver managed to find a few shortcutsand had us to our lunch destination by 1:00. We had to limit our luncheon intake to save room for tonight’s dinner.

After a good afternoon rest we headed down the alley at  6:00 in search of a taxi that would deliver us to the Black Sesame Kitchen that James has booked for tonight’s culinary adventure. After a bit of haggling we boarded a 3 wheeler who drove kamikaze style down the various bike lanes. It was quite comical watching pedestrians and bike riders scatter as he ploughed his way to our destination.

The kitchen is located in a courtyard off an alleyway. When you see a red door you know that you have found the right place. Tonight it is a ten-course meal with unlimited pours of Australian wines prepared in front of you and served at two communal tables that seat a total of 23 people. We enjoyed the buzz of the open kitchen and watched the chefs in action as they prepared one delicious meal after the other. The food was absolutely fantastic and the company of the other diners from different countries made for a great convivial atmosphere. I left with a slight glow and feeling completely sated.

Thursday 19th September – Last Day in Beijing - We Hope

A light drizzle again this morning so with nothing planned it has been a restful morning. I am feeling a little stressed as our train tickets for our trip to Tibet which leaves tonight have still not arrived. The only positive note is that we have a print out of our travel permit for Tibet.

Lunch time had arrived and still no train tickets. You can imagine my chagrin when the receptionist informed me that she did not think they would arrive as today was the start of a three day holiday period. Immediately I started to formulate various strategies if this did eventuate. To take our minds off the ticket debacle James and I headed off for a good look around Tiananmen Square. It is a huge open space surrounded by museums and The Chairman’s mausoleum. During summer this place would be unbearable due to the heat radiating off the paving stones. It would be the equivalent to a 1000 King George Squares. I could not help but feel sorry for the soldiers who were in dress uniform standing rigidly at attention, surrounded by perspex with only an umbrella for protection.At present they were decorating the square with fresh and fake flowers in readiness for the upcoming October

1st celebrations.

Back at the hotel and still no tickets! The Leo Hostel has a sister called The Leo Courtyard so we walked off in search of this establishment on the off chance that the tickets had been sent there by mistake. Found the hostel without too much trouble and after a couple of attempts at explaining what we wanted we were able to discern that the tickets were not there. Cross the idea off the list! It was now 4:15pm and our train for Tibet is due to depart Beijing West Railway Station at 8:00pm. I decided to ring Tibet Travel again on Skype and managed to speak to the lone girl who was working on the holiday. She explained that she had been unable to contact Tony who was our liaison for the tour. She said that she would try again and asked me to ring back in 30 minutes. To kill the time and take my mind off our ever expanding predicament I turned my attention to my old faithful Sudoku book. I promptly rang back at 4:45pm and to my relief she said the tickets should now be at reception. James immediately leapt off the bed and made a bee-line for the front desk. He was soon back clutching the source of all my angst. We rang back and thanked the nameless girl for all of her help. In the end it all worked out but they did cut it a little fine considering that the tickets were supposed to arrive the day before.

To celebrate we headed off to the dining room and ordered two beers and a pepperoni pizza with the skin on of course. A beer never tasted so good as this one. After relaxing for an hour it was back to the room for a hot shower and pack the bags. Our stay at the Leo Hostel was excellent. The price of the room which was about $36 a night on Agoda and the location to main attractions makes it a place that I would recommend. It even has a dormitory for those (Jemma) on a tight budget.

The taxis were a bit scarce so we took an illegal taxi for 100cny ($19) to the railway station as the last thing we wanted was to miss the train. The station is huge as was the number of passengers waiting for various trains. James and I are in a first class, 4 berth sleeper in carriage 5, room 3. The beds and layout are very clean and comfortable. We are sharing the cabin with two young Chinese nationals who are on the way to Nepal for what looks like their first out of country holiday. The young girl has a fantastic English name “Alice” which makes it very easy for me to remember. Her travelling partner is a very gay young man named “Join”. Alice is very quick to point out that he is not her boyfriend. The train departed dead on time at 8:00pm. It is an electric train and as a result the ride is very smooth. Around 9:30pm I said goodnight and was soon asleep.

Friday 20th September – Train to Tibet

I woke up this morning at around 6:30am and felt very refreshed after a good night sleep. The train windows are large which gives you are good view of the countryside. We have been travelling through a semi-arid region with a few farms growing corn and an occasional heavy industry plant. The journey to Lhasa is about 4800 km and is expected to take 45 hours. Hopefully we will see some dramatic changes in the landscape.

James and I ventured down to the dining car and were able to order some fried eggs and Devon sausage (skin on), sweet bread with marmalade and Nescafe. The dining area was cleared at 9:00am so It was back to the cabin for a course of drugs. James is dispensing a half tablet of Diamox which should reduce the impact of altitude sickness on us. This is a very real concern as the train will be as high as 4500 metres when it reaches the Tibetan plateau and due to our travel speed there is only a limited amount of time for acclimatization.

Nearly midday and we have been travelling through an area surrounded by mountains. This has meant travelling through a few long dark tunnels. Corn still seems to be the staple crop that is being grown but I did manage to see some sheep that were being attended by their shepherds. Around 12:30 we ventured back into the dining car and were confronted by a chinese menu. A Chinese American translated for us and we ended up with a delicious stir fried pork with rice and tomato soup. Washed it all down with an iced cold beer as we watched the landscape roll by.

Back at our sleeping berth I had a little nanna nap and was woken from a deep sleep by some excited Chinese. It turned out that we had just passed a lake. The landscape is now mostly open plins dotted with the tents of nomadic shepherds. It isn’t to often you see a tent with a chiminey. A late dinner of chilli chicken and beer and we were ready for bed

The End

Tuesday 17th July – More Shopping

After a leisurely breakfast it was time to jump into yet another tuk-tuk for a trip to Liberty Plaza. The hotel staff was not impressed with this choice as they think it is a little expensive there. If it is, then we will have to try somewhere different. In the end it was slightly more upmarket as well as a little tired. There were two floors of small shops and boutiques where Alice did manage to find a pair of shoes.




















A quick bite of a pizza slice and we were back to the House of Fashion, Majestic City and Romafour. All of these establishments had something that we needed or should I say wanted. The merchandise at Romafour was a little more upmarket and priced accordingly. All in all the shopping in Colombo was okay but not easy like Bangkok. The market in Kandy would have been easier for items such as t-shirts and polo shirts.

The day was wound down with a swim in the pool and dinner at the hotel restaurant. I especially enjoyed the buttered vegetables that I had been craving for.

Wednesday 18th July – Colombo to Singapore

As usual the traffic in Colombo was as thick as a pea soup and moved as slow as frozen treacle. I’m glad that our ride is an air conditioned taxi that is impervious to the diesel belching buses and tuk-tuks. Luckily we left a little early as it took 1 hour and 40 minutes to travel the 40km to the airport.

On arrival our taxi was met by a gang of porters who were all anxious to guide us through the labyrinth and complexities of Colombo International airport. I noticed one of the vests indicated that the rate for a porter was 50 rupees per piece of luggage. Our porter was happy when he piled four pieces of luggage onto our trolley. At the first security checkpoint he unloaded all our bags for the x-ray machine and then was patient when we had to open Alice’s big case as the guards had noticed an anomaly on the screen which they could not identify. It turned out to be a packet of AA batteries that we had bought earlier in the trip. Better to be safe than sorry. The porter was certainly earning his rupees as we had to go through yet another security check with the x-ray machine. The Emirates check-in counter was at the far end of the terminal and I think that we would have taken ages to find it without him. There was no one in the queue at either check-in or immigration and we were processed infinitely faster than when we arrived fourteen days earlier.

Another flight, another meal, another movie and before you know it you have arrived in Singapore. There were no long queues at immigration and by the time we had reached the baggage carousel our bags were ready to be plucked off. We bought a bottle of Cabernet Merlot at the duty free and then went out into the arrivals hall for a taxi. Alice went to the ATM for some cash while I joined the queue which was moving rapidly. I had to let a few people pass me in the line before Alice arrived back. In no time we were at our final hotel for what has been a long trip.

I had selected a budget hotel, The Fragrance Hotel, Rose on Booking.com a couple of weeks back as they were offering a great deal of about $30 per night. The small room met our expectations as it was clean with a hot shower and working toilet. We were not expecting to spend much time in the hotel due to our late check-in at 9:30pm and our plan to spend all day tomorrow at Sentosa Island. A quick trip to the convenience store for some beer and snacks which will help us unwind from today’s travels.

Thursday 19th July – Sentosa Island
It must be a good room as we both slept in this morning. There is no breakfast available here so it was off on a short walk to everyone’s favourite, McDonalds. We were thinking of taking a taxi to Sentosa but our friendly receptionist convinced us to take the 145 bus to Vivo City where you can catch the monorail to the island. She gave us a quick lesson and some change for catching the bus.

The majority of residents have a swipe card so boarding times are quick. For miscreants like us there is a cash option, coins only which you drop into a hopper. No change is given so it pays to have a few denominations available. It was a full bus but by the time we had reached Chinatown there were plenty of seats available. The journey took about 45 minutes but seemed shorter as we had plenty of Singapore’s streetscape to admire. Alice had also struck up a conversation with an elderly Singaporean matron who was only too eager to practice her English and be of assistance to us.

At Vivo City we opted to purchase a day pass for Sentosa Island’s which allowed us access to 16 attractions. It was already 12:30 and did not think we would get much value from the ticket however the cheaper afternoon ticket was not available until 2:30. Our first attraction was the Singapore Cable Car. We boarded on the 15th floor of the Harbourside Building and were soon entombed inside the transparent “Angry Birds” cable car with picturesque views of Singapore’s landscape and harbour. Not to be content with this view we took a ride on the Tiger Sky Tower. At 131 metres this is the tallest observatory on the island and gives panoramic views.

Alice was in the mood for thrills so we helmeted up for a luge ride. It is a gravity- powered go cart that allows you to speed down a winding track aptly named the Dragon trail. We both passed some slow moving novices and thoroughly enjoyed our ride. After all those thrills we wanted something sedate so we headed down to Siloso Beach where we walked hand in hand along the shore. No surf, just the gentle lapping of the water on the gently sloping beach.

Lunch was a scary encounter as the prices were higher than the Tiger Sky Tower. I could not believe they wanted 13 dollars for a small bottle of beer. We ended up shelling out $42 for two burgers and one sparkling mineral water. You can imagine how I felt when 10 minutes later I spotted a McDonalds.

Next port of call was Fort Siloso which played an important role in the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in WW11. There are old tunnels, cannons and memorabilia from this period. There is also a wax museum that depicts the signing of surrender documents for the British in 1942 and Japanese in 1945. Further downhill we could have played a game of combat skirmish but Alice was not up for dashing around a maze with a laser gun. There had been a light sprinkle of rain so I also missed out on the trapeze. We did however line up for a try on a Segway. First we had to sign our life away and absolve the Sentosa Corporation of any liability just in case we maimed ourselves on one of these machines. We confirmed our agreement with a thumbprint just like in CSI. All the safety gear was donned and we ready for our instructions. Once we figured out how to stay balanced Alice and I roared around the circuit like seasoned professionals.

Time was slipping away so we jumped on the Skyride which took us back to the top of the hill where the Butterfly House was located. There were not many butterflies but in the adjoining aviary there were some beautiful parrots.

It was just after 5:00pm and I wanted to watch the short movie Pirates in 4D. It was a rollicking adventure which managed to scare a few children as well as us. We both think it was an old movie starring Leslie Nielsen that used to be shown at Sea World on the Gold Coast. A new experience however was the extreme log ride that had us ducking and weaving as the images from the Cineblast screen careened towards us. After that ride I can understand why they don’t want pregnant women to participate.

It was time to return to the mainland and one last trip on the cable car. One intrepid traveller had organised champagne and food in his car and it definitely looked like a wedding proposal was about to occur. Back at Vivo City and Alice killed some more time by trolling through a couple of shops. She would have needed all day to cover the lot. The 145 bus arrived just before we got to the stop. The driver waited and I guessed that he was new because he had to look up the fare ($1.5) to Chinatown. A quick look at the impressive temple and it was off for a stroll through the markets. The products on offer were same, same but not different so only one purchase was necessary. We took a chance on a busy Chinese restaurant but were disappointed with the food. Just a little to gluggy for our taste.

It was around 9:00pm and we both starting to feel a little ragged. The bus frequency was good and we did not have to wait long for our bus home. It was a busy little trip and I ended up standing for the last section. A big enjoyable day out that was enhanced by the remaining Cabernet Merlot and seeing a new part of Singapore.

Friday 20th July – Homeward Bound

Just like the words from the Simon and Garfunkel classic we are Homeward Bound. Back again to McDonalds for breakfast which has not been too bad. Endless cups of coffee and a nearby clean toilet make it a suitable place. Our stay at the Fragrance Rose which is part of an endless Fragrance network was enjoyable. As we stood on the footpath with our bags a taxi pulled up and disgorged two more cheap passengers for the hotel. We piled in and our driver quickly whisked us out to terminal 1 of Changi Airport. There was no queue for the Emirates line as we are 3 hours early for the flight. This soon turned out to be 4 hours early when we learnt that our flight would be delayed by about an hour. Time will tell!

A good way to kill time is browse the duty free shops and spend the last of our hard earned coin. The duty free area at Changi is huge with lots of variety to choose from. Our bags are now slightly heavier thanks to the addition of some Daim chocolates, beauty treatments and cigarettes for he who cannot be named. Lunch was taken at one of the many eateries and was quite good. It was half the price of yesterday’s lunch and dinner and twice as good. The Emirates flight has landed and it looks like we will get away by 4:00pm.

The flight back home was going well until I started getting stomach cramps. It appears that the delightful curry that I had for lunch was not as good as I had thought. I made a dash for the toilet and luckily there was no queue for the loo. When I eventually emerged there were about six people waiting. I smiled and thought poor buggers. No more food and drink for me as I don’t need to star in the new movie “sh… on a plane”.

Saturday 21st July – Home

Touch down, Brisbane and the time is 1:30am. A fast dash to the toilet with clamped cheeks for me and a last minute alcohol purchase for Alice was the order of the morning. This is the first time that I have used my new passport with the new chip and it worked a treat. In less than a minute we had been processed electronically and passed through the barrier without any hassles. I wonder how quick it will be when everyone has a chip? Alice is now a seasoned professional when it comes to passing through Australian customs. She has everything that the officials may find interesting packed in the one bag. This saves an enormous amount time as you do not have to ferret through everything or have a customs officer poking through your undies. You are not really home until you exit the customs area and after three months away it is good to be back even if it is winter.
 
It is always nice when someone meets you at the airport, especially when it is family. Jemma and Telissa have braved the night air just to pick up the”rents”. A few tears, lots of hugs and we were finally home.

THE END!