Nepal pt. 4: You never walk alone

Monday 4.11 - A bit of Wales

Morning comes and we all feel better. I get some nice chocolate pancakes and I reconfirm my decision to get on the road again soon after breakfast, splitting away from the group. I feel like it may be for a bit longer this time, as there's no real plan of going forward - the pass indeed marked a symbolic end of the main trek. We enjoy some nice coffee on the terrace with Maik and Emma, I say "see you laters in Pokhara" and then I head off.

"See you later" selfie at the morning sunlit terrace of Bob Marley hotel

Muktinath is indeed a bit smelly, dirty and "overcivilized" for my taste. The track leads by the busy bus and jeep depot and with the view of the new road, twisting downwards to the valley, I can see why many people choose to end the trek here. After the lovely Manang valley and side trips to places like Tilicho lake, one could question the reasons for hiking these parts of the circuit. But it needs to be said that there are trails that avoid the road, and that there's great lot to see on this side too! And one such trail is the one to Jomsom, via Lupra.

The busy "bus station" area. The road is paved here near Muktinath, but a few miles away it comes back to the dirt road hell

This was a suggestion from the Dutch people, who set off about 30 minutes before me, followed by the Welsh group. My guidebook classified this as a whole day hike, taking something around 7 hours. As I left around 10:30, I was a bit weary of the time, so I tried to keep up the tempo, but kept thinking that everything will be easy now, after the pass was behind us.

It turned out that the trek was quite a challenge though - first a proper ascend into a pass at 3800m where cold winds made me put on extra layers, followed with a looong descent into the riverbed by Lupra that more than stood up to its description of "knee breaking". Here I paused for a quick lunch, but then hurried towards Jomsom, as it felt like it will rain any second. And soon enough, after crossing the river, the rain started in its earnest, accompanied by winds so common to this valley.

Descending to the Lupra valley

Riverbed below Lupra

Lupra

I was on the main road now and slowly catching up with Jo and Grace in front of me. Just before Jomsom, it stops raining and we enter into the town together and start looking for accommodation.

I guess we could say "high street" of Jomsom

Jomsom does not feel very pleasant and there don't seem to be many tourists, neither many lodges. We enter a few and struggle to find something under 1000rs a night. At the "Hotel Spa" we immediately learn they don't have and never had a spa, but can give us a room for 500rs. We ask about hot gas shower and the staff confidently nods their head. Unconvinced until we see the proof, we ask them to show us, and a they lead us to a room downstairs where the guy turns on the shower, puts a hand under the water and quickly pulls it out saying "auch, it's hot!". Jo tries himself and laughs: "it's freezing!", after which the whole bunch bursts laughing too. So maybe no hot shower, but at least we have fun? :-)

Nah, we settle for rooms at a different guest house, 1200 a room, but in return we get super nice en-suite rooms, perfect showers and even a towel or toilet paper! Incredible luxury!

I wash my clothes, shave and generally make myself a human again, then head off to town to find pharmacy. There I mention that I have a chesty cough and "what could I get to treat it please"? To my surprise, the pharmacist pulls out antibiotics, antihistamines and a cough syrup and hands it all over to me without any prescription and free of charge!

In the industrial vibe of Jomsom, one almost forgets they're still deep in Himalayas!

As I make my way back to the hotel, I admire a beautiful snowy peak towering above Jomsom, the height of which is put to something around 7000m by a friendly local. I also stop by the ticket counter to book a bus to Tatopani for the next morning. It seems like the only bus leaves 6:30 and I curse under my breath - why so early - having had a plan to spend a lazy morning in bed.

At the hotel, I aim straight for the dining room and get some garlic-y soup and noodles. A French Canadian named Pierre joins and is very much in a mood for conversation. I play along and he tells me about the highway to hell I can expect the next day, as he's done the same thing in the opposite direction a day before. Good.

The Welsh folks come down too. Being a bit short on time, they finish the trek here and booked a flight for the next morning to Pokhara. We have a few beers and a good chat. At some point Pierre is clarifying where we're from and I am labeled as Welsh too. Hah, perhaps there's some truth to it, and thoughts come to my mind about how I'll miss Wales and its friendly people...

Welsh contingent - Jo, Shelton, Gladys and Grace and Pierre from Canada

Tuesday 5.11 - The highway to hell

Wake up 5:15. Ouch.

Quick, light, but delicious breakfast at the Paradise guest house. And off I go to the "bus station". It's just round the corner, I am the first one there, and so I feel like an idiot for leaving so early. Few more tourists come soon tho and so do some suspiciously looking dogs - poor dirty creatures that don't seem to fare very well in this town and remind me of the Kathmandu dogs…

A bombed-out "deluxe" bus waits there already. The standard set of stickers of WiFi, A/C, seat recline, charging points, MP3, DVD, Facebook (and who knows what else) span the back window, but I am not fooled this time and mentally prepare myself for the next few hours..

The buses remind me partly of some sort of safari buses (tho I've never really been on one) and partly of the high-suspension buses of Iceland that had to cross rivers. Whatever the bus used to be though, its best days were long gone and as we set off at 6:30ish, I kind of think it's kinda for the better that they're old wrecks already, as a new bus would be quickly finished on the surface of "the road".

Despite feeling like an ice-cube in a shaker, I actually enjoy the journey. It's definitely a unique experience. And I'm not saying the word unique just for fun - it's unique because you're unlikely to repeat it again, unless you - for example - are a masochistic maniac, or are feeling suicidal.

The bus actually does cross some rivers. It seems to climb the impossible. It roars and jumps, never really reaching beyond the second gear.

My attempt at capturing the jolly vibe of the inside of the bus.

Now some maths (geometry?): I sit on the right side of the bus, the bus is going on the right side of the valley and in Nepal cars drive on the left side. If you add it all up, I was spared of some unnerving views of cliff drops just a few centimeters from the edge of the bus. An older French lady did not have such privilege and was literally clasping the seat in front of her for 5 straight hours.

At least the road is well build and there's no risk of landslides.

Right?

About 10 minutes from our destination, a landslide made the road ahead of us impassable and we waited some 30 minutes for an excavator to clear the debris.

So 5 hours, some 50 kilometres. Again, bit of maths here and even an idiot understands that the bus is not exactly at the risk or breaching speed limits (not that there are any in Nepal). It's simply a way to save a bit of time and effort, though you could easily do at least a half of the bus's journey in a good day of hiking.

The bus eventually stops in Tatopani and I hop off, feeling like I need to learn to walk again. I stroll around confusingly for a moment, trying to get my bearings and see where the trekkers' lodges are. I fail to notice the main part of Tatopani and take a room in one of the first lodges I see, a more expensive and less pleasant one. Never mind.

After some food I head to the town to find the famous hot springs. I eventually find it just by the road and few minutes later, I pay the 150rs entrance fee.

The hot spring pools of Tatopani

Although far from the pure-nature hot spring experience that I've had e.g in Iceland's Landmanalaugar, the water is really nice and hot and for a moment I truly feel like on a lazy holiday. The moment is even more accentuated when Oli (A) and his friend Shema enter, and after the initial catching up on the last days we grab a cold beer and enjoy it in the hot springs. Now that's a deserved one! Oli furthermore finishes the trek here, having done the proper full circuit from Besisahar to Tatopani, something I originally planned myself but ended up cutting short of the ~3-4 day bit from Jomsom. But thinking about the choice between the amazing Tilicho & Ice lakes and this last dusty segment on the road - no regrets.

I eventually head back to the lodge and have a bit of a lazy evening, mainly on my phone doing absolutely nothing productive…Huh. But then again, this was my day off, right?

Yet I kind of look forward to trekking again, and trying it on my own for a bit. There's something nice about being in the nature alone, and having that time for yourself. True - having a good friend along is even better, but it's good if you can make that friend be yourself for a while.

Wednesday 6.11 - YouTube tourists

An expected 1700 meters of elevation gain is what eventually gets me out of bed - if I am to do this, I better hurry up! Reluctantly, I get on my feet and pack my bag, then head for breakfast, where I opt for Tibetian breakfast set, including a salty tea which tastes a bit like a soup, but otherwise seems to do its job of giving some warmth and energy.

The Old Kamala Lodge, where I stayed in Tatopani, definitely cooks tasty food, but something I ate made me feel not too well, and I end up swallowing my first Imodium tablet. Luckily, only couple more follow that day and by the evening I feel back in shape.

I set off at 8 but am soon stopped at ACAP checkpost at the end of Tatopani, only to be stopped again 5 minutes later on the junction to Ghorepani. I mock the lady writing down my details as I re-fill the water bottles. And then - off I go, up, up and up.

The first bit of the journey is sweltering and sweating. The sun is already getting stronger, altitude is back to the lows and one literally climbs a staircase, or, if not, following a dusty jeep road, the construction of which is very much still in progress. I quickly finish my 2 liters of water and look for some more in a local village.

There's considerably fewer tourists on the track, although that may also be because I started quite late. I really enjoy the trek though, gradually weaving its way through the small settlements and little forests. The peak of Annapurna South keeps me company from time to time and plays hide and seek behind the clouds. Behind me, the massive of Dhaulagiri, with the world's 7th highest peak of the same name, offers gradually better and better views.

Annapurna South peaking through the clouds

I get into my "zone" and after shaking off the initial tiredness, I make good progress, reaching Shikha (1935m) around 10:30am. I contemplate breaking for food there, but decide to push it to Chitre. Doing 1200 meters of elevation gain without a break gets me to run on on sugar, but I finally reach Chitre (2390) just around noon. A lovely guest house appears round the corner and I enter the sun-lit front yard and drop everything on the ground.

I dry my t-shirt, open up the solar panel to soak in some energy (for my phone, but maybe they soon make a USB cable which we could use to recharge ourselves?), take off the shoes and enjoy the superb views of Dhaulagiri while waiting for food.

Dhaulagiri views from the front garden of the restaurant

A few groups of tourists lunch here too, and a couple friendly dogs come round, spying the food on the tables for a moment before sprawling on the grass and sunbathing, kind of like my solar panel does.

Dog charging his solar panels

The latter prompts a conversation with one of the groups, who just did a truly off-the-beaten-track hike, through Tribung Danda and Pode. I guess a solar panel can come really handy there, further out of the civilization. Here at the circuit, it found its use occasionally, e.g. when using electricity was charged in the high altitudes but perhaps did not really justify carrying the extra weight for 200km…

After lunch, refueled, I set off at quite a pace and realize that Ghorepani is really just round the corner now. It's 2pm-ish when I climb the last stairs of the track. I look above and spot a hotel room with a superb view, which I decide to go for. And I am perhaps lucky - the lodges seem to be quite full already and are bustling with tourists, but I get essentially the room I want. On the other hand, clouds soon descend on the town and my super views are finished, at least for the day. : (

The views from my room, before they disappeared behind
the clouds...

I get down to the dining room around 4:30, which by now is quite busy as tourists stream in to enjoy the heat of the large, centrally based stove. That's my intention too, and after ordering dinner I spend a nice while reading a book on a bench next to the stove.

A Nepali guy next to me is trying to impress Chinese girls by showing them that "he has Facebook", and then proceeds to run (at full volume of course) several annoying YouTube videos. I half consider telling him to shut up, but then stick my earphones in the ears and keep reading.

Poon hill is an accessible trek, and a popular one, so it can be expected to find more of these type of tourists - you know, the kind that wears jeans, trainers, small Adidas backpacks and shouts at their friends hundreds of meters away. Or shows YouTube videos at full volume to impress Chinese girls.

After dinner, I go up to my room, which is directly above the loud dining room. After 8ish, the chatter and laughter downstairs slowly dies out though. For people start turning in earlier and getting ready for the next morning ritual - sunrise at Poon Hill. Some say it's the "nicest sunrise in Himalayas". We'll see.

Thursday 7.11 - Goodbye Himalayas

My alarm rings 4:45 and I consider another sweet 15 minute nap. The whole lodge seems to be waking up though and eventually I jump on my feet, get dressed and start the 350m climb to Poon hill. By torchlight, I join the masses of tourists that relentlessly climb the stairs to the hilltop step after step. It's a bit quirky experience, to hike in complete darkness, but "bumper to bumper" with loads of other people, kind of like in London underground.

It's also surprisingly warm and so I slow down the tempo, but at some point I notice the feeble light already emerging on the east horizon - even though it's almost an hour till the "scheduled" sun rise time! I thus speed up and come up to the top as one of the first ones.

I assume a position at the top of the observation tower and set up the mini-tripod for a time-lapse. Unfortunately, as the light increases, it becomes more obvious that it won't be the clearest of skies - the clouds are everywhere and are hiding the peaks of Annapurna South, Machapuchre as well as the distant giants of Dhaulagiri massive.

No, it's not Trafalgar square. Poon hill sunrise attracts people...

The morning theatre is still worth it though - the few visible peaks glitter under the first rays of the sun and the clouds often actually add to the spectacle. After a few minutes though, the sun goes behind a thicker cloud and I decide it's time to go.

After the breakfast back in the lodge, I embark on the final bit of the Annapurna Circuit trek. At first, I was contemplating doing a couple extra days in the direction of Annapurna Base Camp, but the forecast turned a bit pessimistic. And also I just felt like it's a good time to finish trekking. When I later looked at my boots and the now considerably widened cracks and tears, it seemed like they were thinking the same.

At an ACAP checkpost of Ghorepani, I run into Peter and Manuela - two Austrians whom I've overtaken the day before. Peter has the same backpack as me, just a smaller version. We chat a bit and we end up hiking together for the rest of the day, which I'm happy about, as the path is otherwise not very exciting and the constant downhill feels badgering.

Peter and Manuela also have a guide, who shares some interesting insights. E.g I was curious as to how he got to "guiding". He responds that as almost any other guide, he started as a porter, doing it for 4 years, before passing the guide exams. Since then (12 years now), he has done Annapurna Circuit over 80 times, as well as many other treks in Nepal.

As a porter, he says, it was (obviously) physically more challenging (although apparently Nepali guys are quite used to the way of carrying the bulk of the weight on their head), but guiding represents much more responsibility. E.g securing the accommodation, ensuring nothing happens to the clients etc. On the last note though - this time it was himself who got sick from the altitude, even though it has never happened to him before!

We stop for lunch about 2 hours before our destination and Peter and I opt for Dal Bhat with Chicken - which turns out to be the best Dal Bhat of the trip so far! I also try a "mustang coffee", some sort of alcoholic drink that I imagine would taste like premium cognac, but which in reality tastes like shit gone bad.

With Peter, Manuela and their guide

Back to the sub-tropical climate.

Mustang coffee - not recommended

The final couple hours of the Annapurna circuit really feel like final hours - we're tired, sweaty, dirty and there's not too much to see. Peter (perhaps not on purpose) lightens the mood by overenthusiastic greetings to the trekkers going in opposite direction, which prompts me asking if he's all right.

But other than being tired, it really feels like there's no more good views waiting in front of us - all the beautiful snow-covered peaks, the adrenaline raising views, the picturesque mountain settlements and the expensive lemon-ginger-honey tea pots are now behind us. It dawns on me - it's over. I have yet to fully realize the immense achievement of the moment, or the full beauty of the circuit trek, which brings such incredible variety of landscapes, climates and experiences in such a short time span…

But it is over, and perhaps that's why I opt to stay one more night "on the trek", here in Birethanti, just a few meters away from the bus stop to Pokhara: to soak in the unique atmosphere of the area, to listen to the sounds of waterfalls for one more night.. And - of course - to wash all the shit and dirt off me here, so that I don't come to Pokhara like a hobo.

These will take the wear and tear...

My last refuge on the Annapurna
circuit

I start writing the blog and an old British dude sitting at the neighbouring table attempts conversation. It does last long though, as his style is to ask a closed question, get my answer and then proceed to an unsolicited 10 minute monologue of his own experiences. I feel a bit sorry for him, as he obviously just wants to talk, but I am not in the mood for this...

A group of young Nepalese guys come over too, spying my cool bluetooth keyboard. They look a bit dodgy at first, but after a while I realize they also just want to chat, possibly practicing their English which they are studying on the side while working. I ask them where they are from and if they can show me on Google maps. After 2 minutes of hopeless scrolling through whole of Kathmandu, we enter their neighbourhood name in the search bar. Eventually, they ask for my Facebook.

I count the days - this is day 16 since the start of the trek in Besisahar. I sit on a terrace, sip hot chocolate and nib on some biscuits that taste like they're way past their expiration date. The air is pleasant and it's not too cold even after sunset. The sound of the waterfall rings in my ears as I type up these words.

Yep, good choice to stay here tonight. But tomorrow - Pokhara.