After arriving in Kathmandu, our group were whisked to the Nirvana Garden Hotel, a very busy one in the Thamel area. The location is great but wish they would spend some money fixing the hot water for showers and the plumbing while they are at it. Of course the water is still not safe to drink, brush teeth nor shower with your mouth open!
The city is still very busy, noisy with car horns and a million motorbikes whizzing past at fast speeds compared to pedestrian, rickshaw, cows, and dogs!
After breakfast our group went to Swayambunath, the Monkey temple across the Bisnumati river. The river is still very polluted, full of plastic bags but obvious that it is getting cleaned up. There was even a pig with an egret on its back picking through the heaps of garbage floating on the filthy water. But, this is Kathmandu.
Interesting to now notice changes. Our walk to the Hindu and Buddhist temples was good training for the legs on the many steps. We outmaneuvered the sellers and touts to get to the top. Good views of the city and a pleasant walk down to the kora and around. There are still beggars and those selling butter lamps, but there seemed fewer for some reason. Perhaps festival season?
Next day we were on the bus to Phedi, near Pokhara for our first day on the trail. We arrived quite late in Dhampus, but got some great photos of the Annapurna range in sunset hues. The night was clear and the stars amazing as ever!
Over the Deurali ridge and down through farms of millet, rice, potatoes and cabbage all the way to Landruk. The heat of the day felt good on the skin. Nights are cool and we are thankful for down sleeping bags. A breakfast of millet pancakes, bananas, muesli and curd, omelettes, etc we crossed the Modi Kola and on up to Jinhu Danda, where there is a hot spring. Lunched there and continued the big climb up to Chhomrong arriving early afternoon.
The next few days provided lots of up and down, but net elevation gains in the 300-500m range. Deurali was frosty and cold, but the walk up to MBC (Machhapuchhre Base Camp at 3800m) was clear and the views of Annapurna, Tharpu Chuli, etc were spectacular. We had a bowl of soup and tea before heading up to ABC (Annapurna Base Camp) at 4130m. Afternoon cloud started around noon and slowly built as the afternoon progressed. We heard a huge rumble and saw a serac drop down causing an avalanche through a gulley to the slopes below. We hung prayer flags, got some picture, and went inside for lunch and to warm up. The wind was biting cold. We all had our gloves, toques and heavier clothing on.
Back to overnight in MBC, a very cold night in our rooms. The lodge cook coughed over everything including our meals - yuk! Consequently, nearly everyone succumbed to a cold and cough over the following days as we trekked back to Chhomrong. We could see Tadapani a long way up the next valley and spent the better part of the next day gaining 900m to our tea house there. An incredible sunset and we watched a snowstorm hit Deurali and MBC where we had been only days before!
Within 2 days we were on our way to Birithanti where we had lunch and walked the final 30 minutes out to the main road where we found our bus. Off to Pokhara and checked into the Gurkha Havel hotel in damside. We ordered beer and snacks to share with our porters and celebrate by giving them their tips and a fun sendoff as they all wanted to hit the night bus to Kathmandu - it was Tihar, a big festival which they wanted to spend with their family and friends. We had hot showers, a delicious dinner and off to bed for a well-earned sleep.
Our 30 minute flight to Kathmandu was uneventful and we were back at the Nirvana Garden hotel by about 4 pm. Dinner was planned at Fire and Ice, the best pizza anywhere! Shopping was on the agenda for many over the next few days. A day tour to Pashupatinath (Hindu temples) and Boudhanath (the Tibetan Buddhist area and stupa) showed a bit more of the culture of Nepal.
The city is still very busy, noisy with car horns and a million motorbikes whizzing past at fast speeds compared to pedestrian, rickshaw, cows, and dogs!
After breakfast our group went to Swayambunath, the Monkey temple across the Bisnumati river. The river is still very polluted, full of plastic bags but obvious that it is getting cleaned up. There was even a pig with an egret on its back picking through the heaps of garbage floating on the filthy water. But, this is Kathmandu.
Interesting to now notice changes. Our walk to the Hindu and Buddhist temples was good training for the legs on the many steps. We outmaneuvered the sellers and touts to get to the top. Good views of the city and a pleasant walk down to the kora and around. There are still beggars and those selling butter lamps, but there seemed fewer for some reason. Perhaps festival season?
Over the Deurali ridge and down through farms of millet, rice, potatoes and cabbage all the way to Landruk. The heat of the day felt good on the skin. Nights are cool and we are thankful for down sleeping bags. A breakfast of millet pancakes, bananas, muesli and curd, omelettes, etc we crossed the Modi Kola and on up to Jinhu Danda, where there is a hot spring. Lunched there and continued the big climb up to Chhomrong arriving early afternoon.
