I woke early, perceived haze and did not do the traditional Poon Hill hike for sunrise. Instead I slept for another 30 minutes or so and then headed off for Chomrong. I should have had great views on the first section of this trip as well because it climbed up to a ridge. The top was pretty with views of the tops of a couple mountains but hazy and not what it could be. The rest of the day was alot of up and down. I ran into Ben from my guesthouse the evening before. He told me an amusing story about the abrasive US woman dressed in orange. Apparently, she was yelling at people and pushing them out of her way at the top of Poon Hill. I am glad I didn't go. I would have been cringing to be at all associated (by nationality) with her.
This day seemed never ending climbing up and then down over three mountainous areas. I saw Ben again later on and he said something like "What was that - 1.5 hours of going down steps?". By the time I got to Chomrong I was wiped out. I think the guesthouses at the top here must have the best views. I ended up staying farther down at a really nice place called Chomrong Cottage. My room here was one of the few that I have stayed in that I wouldn't mind hanging out in. Lots of windows with views and a very soft blanket on the bed. Also I had a nice hot shower here.
I spent the remainder of the afternoon speaking to the lodge owner whose father also has diabetes. She told me that yoga and wheatgrass juice have significantly reduced her father's issues. I am not sure if my dad will take this onboard. She also makes a great pizza.
Later at dinner I spoke to her husband who is very politically minded (I later found out a Maoist). He explained that strikes are a result of a coalition government. When one aspect doesn't agree with another a strike or bandh is called. It rained alot this evening.
April 21 - Himalaya
There were some nice views of Annapurna South this morning as I headed down thousands of steps to cross a river. Then I walked up another thousand to Sinawa. From there I walked to Bamboo and on to Himalaya. I came across a group of monkeys. They ran away when they initially saw me and then as I waited quitely they came back. They were so cute. I watched them eat and play until a large group of hikers came down and scared them.
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| From ABC |
About an hour from Himalaya it started raining. Learning from my earlier ezperience with rain I put on my rain coat immediately. The rain gradually increased to the point that I tried to put on the gaiters that I bought on the Annapurna Circuit. I realized that on the clips was broken. Oh well, I used a rubber band and that seemed to keep them up. I ate lunch in Himalaya hoping that the rain would subside. Instead it turned to hail. I decided that I would stay in Himalaya and just have a longer day the next day. I think that was a good decision. The trail was already sloppy and who needs to get that wet to save an hour or two the next day. For that matter I am sure if I need an extra day that I could take it.
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| From ABC |
April 22 - ABC
We were up early and moving to try and get to ABC by noon fearing more rain/ hail / snow. I am breaking the AMS rules and ascending 1200m today hoping not to have any ill effects. I took a preventive Diamox and crossed my fingers.
I saw another group of monkeys - a good omen for the day? I had to cross to the opposite side of the river today. It was brown and gushing from snow melt and rain. I crossed over on a feeble looking brown metal bridge. It didn't make me feel at all confident. On the other side I had to follow white flags and cairns. I found myself off trail almost immediately and had to back track but I was soon following the correct path. During the day I crossed several more rivers / swollen creeks. Some with "bridges" (wood planks with rock on them crossing the water) and others without. I began to long for the suspension bridges of the Circuit.
At Machhapurchre Base Camp (MBC) the views started and got better from there. The pointy top of Machhapuchre was peaking out from behind clouds. A few other in that direction were doing the same. Annapurna South and Annapurna I were hidden behind clouds. One of the guides heading up at the same time as myself told me and his client a story about Machhapuchre. Apparently only one climbing permit had ever been issued for the sacred mountain and all the climbers and their porters died after climbing. Fearing that God had been angered no climbing permits have been issued since.
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| From ABC |
From MBC we walked through snow up to ABC. It was quite warm. At one point just below ABC I broke through the snow and my foot got a good soaking in the stream below - not a warm stream I might say. The guide who told me a story latched on to me as I got to ABC and got me a room at the lodge he was at. It seemed pretty standard so I stayed there. The lodge owner was very concerned when I told him I went through the snow. I assured him I wasn't hurt - only unhappy about wet feet.
I ate a good pizza and then sat in the sun listening to my ipod admiring the views until it started raining (and then hailing and then snowing) again. After that everyone sat in the dining hall swapping stories.
April 23 - Sinawa
There is a little accumulation from yesterday's snow but everything is clear. It was amazing watching the mountains light up from the sunrise but very, very cold. ABC, also called Annapurna Sanctuary, is a bowl surrounded by something like ten peaks. After taking my fill of pictures I started heading down taking more pictures along the way.
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| From ABC |
I walked down, down, down first through snow and then on trail. I saw wildflowers surrounded by last nights snow. It warmed up fast. I was stripping layers and soon I was down to only a long sleeve shirt. I couldn't believe as I was passing an avalanche zone (where all the literature says not to stop) that I feel through the snow again and I saw a couple taking a break right below what was left of the last avalanche. I got up as fast as I could and out of there. The rock face goes straight up and apparently Hiun Chuli is directly above you here even though you can't see it.
I considered going all the way back to Chomrong and staying at the nice Chomrong Cottage again but instead stopped in Sinawa. I got a fairly cheap room that included a hot shower.
I meet a couple of UK med students who were trying to organize a trial for an alternative AMS treatment. I gave them some advice about ABC and the last of my Diamox.
April 24 - Kyumi
I woke to some nice views of Hiun Chuli and Machhapuchre (also called Fishtail). From Sinawa is was down many, many stairs to the river and then up many more to Chomrong.
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| From ABC |
From Chomrong I walked to Jhinu (home of hotsprings) and then on to New Bridge. Along the way I met a bunch of porters. I asked them how weight much they carried in baskets of things like coke. They told me 60kg. They picked up my pack and told me it was about 15kg. There was a young boy (age 10ish) with them. He was carrying 30kg. I felt like such a whimp. I saw another porter who was like a walking market place with veggies and a scale. He was walking from village to village selling produce.
Kyumi is a nice place near the river. I stayed at the Beehive guesthouse. It has a hot shower but it was quite warm so even a cold shower would have been welcome. It is funny because our guesthouse became quite crowded and the next one which could be seen just down the trail was quite empty. In fact, another group wanted to stay at the Beehive and there wasn't enough room. They asked me and this German girl I didn't know to share a room. I had already negotiated a good price and wasn't into that besides the other guesthouse was minutes down the trail.
April 25 - Pokara
A few hours walk from Kyumi brought me to Nyapal. I had planned to catch a bus to Pokara but a guide that I met the previous evening told me that I might be able to negociate a taxi for as low as 600 rupees. I was able to and treated myself. After spending so many hours free and couldn't imagine being squeezed into a local bus for two hours. It was well worth it.
See all full size photos here or watch the slideshow below.
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