Annapurna Circuit Part 4- The Western section of the route

April 16 Jomsom
Despite my best intentions to sleep in, I found myself up early and ready to go. I watched the porters get ready in the morning. The tie together two large duffels. Then add a small daypack. To carry it they take a loop of rope and put is around the duffel and then over their head. I can't even imagine.

Most of the trek today was desolate and windy. Although I figured today would be all on road walking, I noticed where porters and other trekkers turned off and was able to walk on a trail for part of the time. The road is rather unpleasant with jeeps going by stirring up dust and billowing diesel fumes.

From AC Part 4

I did see the cutest baby donkey in Kagbeni. I also had an up close and personal experience with a goat just past Kagbeni. I had to make an emergency stop after lunch (I should have stuck with the boiled potato). I barely made it to a fair sized rock. I dropped down, put my hand in a very spiny bush [painful], took care of business and looked up and there was a goat right in my face checking out what I was doing. It kind of startled me but in retrospect it is kind of funny.

I got to Jomsom early (1:30) but was told by two lodges that they had no rooms. Later I realised this was probably because I asked for a single and they could make more money if they rent a double versus a single. I did eventually find a place to stay. It wasn't too expensive but they charged for showers so I didn't have one. Lyb and Graeme coincidentally ended up at the same guesthouse.

I found some internet (slow) and some awesome chocolate apple crumble.

April 17 Kalopani
Got up and ate chapati for the first time. It is kind of like a fresh tortilla. A good meal would definitely be chapati and egg as Emily had advised me early on. Today must be a very good date in the Hindu calendar because I saw two funerals and a celebration. A small part of today was walked on the other side of the river on a trail but the majority was on the road. It is much warmer down here and my feet are rubbed a bit raw with a few blisters.

The guesthouse in Kalopani had an awesome view of Dhauligiri once the clouds cleared. I saw Lyb and Graeme and motioned them to the guesthouse. The girl running it was really nice and it had hot showers. This area is really suffering because people tend to take a jeep down because they don't like walking on the road. (I am just a bit too cheap to pay for the jeep - they make you pay the fare all the way to the end no matter where you get off)

April 18 Tatopani
Today is a longish day (24 km). There was a large section on the opposite side of the river off the road. I was lucky because I was heading to a bridge to cross the river. A bunch of kids told me not to go that way. There was a second bridge farther down that I could cross. As I was heading to it I saw a couple of guys who must have crossed on the first bridge. They were negotiating a large landslide. Glad those kids warned me. When I did cross the river I went through a couple of villages. In one a man making baskets. He was very friendly and told me that he sells them to local people (versus trekkers).

In Dana I had a good view of Annapurna South and got a few interesting photos of it with bougainvillea in the foreground.

From AC Part 4

It was really warm by the time I got to Tatopani. Tatopani is famous for its hot springs but the last thing that I wanted to do was go to a hot spring in the heat. I stayed in a nice guesthouse with a great garden. However, my room was not so great. I could see the light of the guy next door and smell his cigarette due to a definite gap in the ceiling.

April 19 Gorepani
Today's hike is up, up, up from Tatopani (1190m) to Gorepani (2860m). It is also very exposed so I got up very early and headed out to try and maximize the morning coolness. Well, the morning wasn't exactly cool but it wasn't hot either. I met up with a group along the way that asked where I started from - they were just starting out for the day. They were amazed that I started from Gorepani. I guess it had taken them eight hours the day before to get to that point. They basically thought I was a bit crazy I think. I will call the main lady from this group the Orange lady as I encountered her again later.

There were some rhododendrons on the way but it looks like I missed most of the flowering.

I got to Gorepani early. There are alot of guesthouses - most of them blue. I found a nice one called the Hungry Eye. I would have a good view from my room if the clouds cleared. It had a hot shower and a heater in the the dining room. After I had a nice shower and washed my clothes, I went for a wander. I encountered the Orange Lady and her crew again. I cringed as she called this Nepali guy "an asshole for telling her where to stay" in a very, very loud American voice. Then I saw her heading for my guesthouse. "Oh no" I thought.

Awhile later I saw Lyb and Graeme come to town. Graeme was definitely wiped out. They looked at a few places and then decided to stay at the same guesthouse as myself. We were all sitting around the dining area talking and talking to another guy named Ben. Ben it turned out works in Afghanistan as a diplomat dealing with the illegal immigrant/ refugee crisis. Prior to that he worked in London in counter terrorism (this was during the time of the London bombings). Anyway, he told us the Orange lady moved on. We had a couple of beers to celebrate our last night together on the Circuit. From this point I will be moving on to Chomrong to start Annapurna Base Camp. Lyb and Graeme will walk out and catch a bus to Pokara.

See full size photos here or see slide show below.