Day 53 - Pokhara and the Seti River, Nepal

Day 53 – Hers.

Tien and I both awoke early, packed up our things for our rafting adventure and went out for breakfast at a ‘German Bakery’ we had noticed in town.  I am not certain what was German about it – there were croissants, sweet breads, cinnamon rolls and apple Danish pastries.  Anyway, we were the first customers of the morning so everything was fresh - we sat at a garden table, eating cinnamon rolls and drinking coffee, trying to learn a bit of Nepalese from the back of the menu. (I must get a phrase book before volunteering....)

We all loaded into a small minivan for the hour long drive to the Seti River.  Even with our short legs, Tien and I were a bit cramped in the back seat, our chins nearly resting on our knees as we bumped along the rutted gravel and dirt road.  We stopped in what seemed the middle of no-where and met our rafting crew: Beemel  (the skipper) and his brother, the first mate.  We had a quick lesson in boat safety and paddling instructions, donned life jackets and helmets, put everything into tightly sealed water-proof drums lashed to the raft (This was starting to look a bit scary...), climbed aboard and set off.

It was fantastic.  After all the rain, the river current was quite fast – there was almost no need to paddle. The water was a murky white – filled with chalky clay sediment washed down from the hills we had trekked only yesterday.  Beemel steered into any rapids he saw, just to give us a bit of excitement.  He would steer the boat sidewards, taking turns port and starboard, to get us wet – as the waves broke over the gunnels.  Every once in a while he would shout ‘Ready.......Forward’ – and we would begin to paddle furiously until he shouted ‘Stop’.  Hardly a work out – but very pleasant in the hot sunshine with beautiful scenery on both sides and once again no sound but the rushing of water and chirping of birds.  We saw egrets, vultures and a few smaller birds – that nested in holes in the cliffs, just like at Reculver back home.

After an hour or so, Beemel asked if anyone wanted to swim; the first mate and Barry jumped in – it looked so much fun that I asked if anyone else would get a chance.  Beemel assured me that I could have a go after lunch.

We beached the raft on a natural shelf near a large cave for lunch.  There were scraps of brightly coloured clothing hanging from the trees.  Tek told us that they marked the location of a village, just up the ridge from where we were.  Later, a few local boys came down to watch us eat.  They were nearly the only people we saw – the only others were solitary fishermen in quiet pools across the way.

Our lunch was an amazing spread – cheese, salads, Spam, fruit, bread, biscuits, peanut butter, marmalade, lemon juice – all beautifully displayed on a tarp. We lazed around after lunch, Cindy and I looking for footprints in the sand in the caves, Barry snoozing with his tummy hanging out....

Back in the raft, we carried on – Beemel steering us into the small rapids and, once, under a waterfall from a mountain spring.  I got my chance to swim – with Beemel himself – though it came to a rather abrupt end as we approached some rapids and he grabbed my life jacket, almost throwing me back into the raft.  Barry grabbed me from the other side and pulled – dignified, it was not.

One more hour on, we turned into our campsite, three tents lined up on the shore – just in front of a posh-looking riverside lodge complex designed for the over sixties luxury tour.  I envied them at first – and no doubt would have been even more jealous had it rained – but I actually enjoyed our night in the tents.  The lodge staff dug us a latrine – the modesty curtain open to the riverside for a view (It was quite cute – you took the red helmet off its hook to show it was engaged and it was the first place in Nepal to provide plenty of toilet paper) and we were provided with a candlelit, open-air feast: curries, rice and dahl, vegetables and fruit – with a freshly baked cake for dessert.  We had a grandstand view of black-faced lemurs in the trees, butterflies dancing through the elephant grass and an old woman driving her goats and water buffalo home from the hills. We also played a bit with foliage – it may sound odd but there’s this plant that closes up its leaves when you touch it – very entertaining....okay, simple things for simple minds...  Anyway, the lodge-dwellers had cocktails in a dining hall.  I think they may well have ended up jealous of us!

Day 52 - Dhampus, Phedi, Pokhara (Annapurna Range, Nepal)

Day 52 – Hers.

We awoke early, feeling refreshed and again watched the sunrise over the mountains. From the balcony we could see 6 of the 7 major mountains of the Annapurna range.  Tek pointed out and named each one – we tried to remember – but I think I need to buy a map or guide to the region to get it to sink in.

Our last breakfast from the Annapurna set menu, group photos on the balcony, tips and goodbyes for our porters and Dennis – and then off for the last 2 hours to Phedi where our bus would pick us up.  About halfway down, we began to hear traffic noise – parp, parp, rev, rev – and with a sigh, resigned ourselves to rejoining civilisation. The forest disappeared, in its place terraced rice paddies, edged with soy beans.  Children in the little cottages, dressed in their uniforms ready for school, used water from pumps to smooth their hair.  One last surprise on the flora and fauna front – we saw a maple tree with leaves nearly as big as my umbrella – honestly, who knew things could grow that big?

So – for this trek – (at least at the end of September) – you do NOT need: puffer jacket (though I did wear my fleece one evening), woolly hat, gloves, thick socks.  You DO need: suncream, sun hat, a GOOD rain jacket, water, salt, a lot of toilet paper, and at least 2 quick drying bras, shirts (that cover your shoulders for modesty) and long shorts or trousers (that cover your knees for modesty). About twice the amount of money you first thought is also a good idea.....

Anyway – we finished our trek at a little stone bridge that crossed one last stream adjacent to the road.  Our minibus collected us with all of our gear – and took us back to our hotel in Pokhara.  We knew we had once again joined the main Nepalese highway when we had to overtake twenty colourful lorries and fifteen local buses (We saw a man actually climb out of one bus while it was moving to retrieve something from the roof rack and then climb back in...) all on a treacherously narrow, potholed and winding road halfway up a mountain.....

Back in Pokhara, we had a free afternoon.  I read, found an internet cafe and sat by the beautiful lake.  Action girl Tien, of course, had to fill it with something a bit more exciting so went paragliding. (Actually it sounded quite cool; I might try that sometime....)  Barry and Cindy, like me, chilled, did laundry, and got in touch with children, etc.....

Tek took us to a lovely restaurant by the lake for dinner – with another show of local dancers. (We recognised the songs this time and sang along to the ‘Song of the Mountains’.)  It was such a shame that we were nearly the only customers.... I am certain it will be full when peak season starts.

Day 51 - Tolka and Dhampus (Annapurna Range, Nepal)

Day 51 – Hers.

I awoke feeling myself for the first time in a few days – if still a little weak.  It was bright, sunny and, not yet, too hot.  The views of the mountains and little cottages in the valley were stunning as the sun rose, lighting each section in turn.  After breakfast from the area’s set menu, (the selection and prices are set by the Annapurna Conservation Trust, getting narrower and pricier the higher you go....) we set off uphill toward the pass at Bhichok Deor, soon traversing a long and wobbly suspension bridge.  We had some additional travelling companions this morning – a local family was taking a young boy off to boarding school, bringing along their infant and all the little boy’s belongings.  It was a steep and slippery – after yesterday’s rain – climb, and Dennis even helped to carry the little boy a ways, giving his young sisters a break.  Our first rest stop was quite short – as the leeches came out of nowhere and began to climb up our boots from the moment we stood still.  Tek came to the rescue yet again – clearing our boots and hurrying us along to a little lodge where he bought salt to rub into our boots and socks.  Whew. That worked – and we carried on, climbing through forests of some odd strain of oak and giant rhododendron trees (I never had any idea they could get that big...) until we reached the very misty high pass and felt a little chilly for the first time on the trek.

From the pass, we began a gentle descent – still through the forest - where we saw mushrooms, orchids, a striped woodpecker and an assortment of butterflies. It was a beautiful walk, a couple more hours, to our lunch stop at yet another mountain lodge.  We were there to watch the beer delivery in advance of high season: twenty-odd donkeys, each weighed down with sacks of bottles of Everest and Gurkha beer for the tourists.  Perhaps they should have to carry their own.....

We had less than an hour to walk after lunch, still gently downhill – but Tek was looking decidedly worried and as we stopped to have our park passes checked, he went on ahead.  We rounded the bend and saw our porters sitting near the gate of an unfinished lodge – still a building site, really – and Tek walking back and forth between two other lodges.  It seems that our accommodation was overbooked and the alternative that the lodge had provided us was not up to Tek’s standards.  As usual, he soon had the situation under control and we strolled on a bit further to a lovely lodge with a balcony for viewing a panorama of nearly the entire Annapura mountain range.

Tonight was not the time to see it though – within 10 minutes of our arrival, the heavens opened – torrential rain, hail, thunder, lightning – all very spectacular in its own way!

We showered and then dashed through the raindrops to the ‘dining hall’.  Tien and I chatted to Tek, Dennis, our host and two Australian men – brothers, one of whom worked for United Missions in Kathmandu, advising on water supply – that we had first met the evening before at our previous lodge.  We ordered popcorn and hot lemon drinks.  TIen then disappeared – she had inveigled her way into the kitchen to watch the cooking.  When Barry and Cindy joined us, we all peeked in – but there wasn’t enough room for all of us, so we chatted until dinner.

After dinner, the atmosphere changed and developed into a bit of a party – our last night on the trail.  Barry bought the local rum (It’s called Kukari, I think.)for the porters, our host brought out his traditional drum and we sang (and even danced a bit – though Tien refused that idea....) for a couple of hours until it was time for bed.  The rain had finally stopped and the place was rife with leeches and frogs..... A tiny frog jumped out of our way as we walked back to our room; his daddy guarded our bathroom door.  Tien gently shooed him back outside – and we settled in for the night.

Day 50 - Ghudrung, Landruk, Tolka (Annapurna Range, Nepal)

Day 50 – Hers.

I have a new hero – Tek Bir Tamang, Gecko guide extraordinaire.  I awoke 3 times in the night with severe stomach cramps and diarrhoea.  Not good. I took Immodium for the first time in my life and asked my roommate Tien to give my excuses for the 5:30 sunrise over the mountains call.  Tek then came in to see me.  He took my temperature, checked I didn’t have appendicitis, gave me ibuprofen and antibiotics and sent me back to bed.  I missed the morning visit to the Gurkha village and finally found out what food poisoning is.

Now for the problem.  Our next stop at Tolka was down one mountain and up another – and we were well beyond any sort of transport access.  Not a problem for Tek – the others went ahead and he supported me all the way down every step of that wretched mountain - I was leaning on him so heavily, he might as well have carried me – and meanwhile phoning ahead to a village to arrange a horse to get me up the other side.

As we caught up with the rest of the group at the bottom, poor Tek was confronted with yet another challenge.  Cindy, who had also been suffering – first with a chesty cold and then with a slightly milder case of food poisoning to mine (We had both had cheese sandwiches that seem to have been the problem – wise Tien had had boiled eggs and popcorn...) – had developed heat stroke on the descent and also couldn’t make the climb.  Tek to the rescue again – the horse took me up to our lunch stop at Landruk where a bed had been arranged and then went back for Cindy. That poor horse - - it was struggling on its first journey with me.... and it still had 3 more to do: Cindy to the lunch stop, me to the overnight stop at Tolka, Cindy to the overnight stop.  If I hadn’t been so sick as to be oblivious, I would have insisted on walking.  As it was, all I could do was remember to hold on and lean forward going up and backward going down..... Cindy had never ridden a horse before – I’m not sure she really enjoyed the ride.  I did, actually.  In fact, I think Gecko might consider offering it as an ‘optional extra’....  To add to the fun, a heavy downpour began at lunchtime, so the second part of the ride was through teeming rain – thank goodness for my new blue poncho....  The little local lad who was leading the horse kept having to remove leeches from his ankles.  Barry and Tien claimed that walking through the rain was one of the highlights of the trek for them.  I think I was actually happier on the horse!

I had plain boiled rice for dinner, followed by another antibiotic tablet and went to bed – promising myself that I would remember to take a few photos of the amazingly picturesque scenery in the morning.

Day 49 - Pokhara, Naya Puhl and Ghandruk (Annapurna Region, Nepal)

Day 49 – Hers.

We packed up our bags – leaving what we didn’t need for the trek in storage... I now have things in storage in three places; I have very little idea what’s where and only hope the right things are with me.  It is HOT and steamy.  This is not at all what I expected from a hike in the Himalayan foothills.  A minibus drove us the 45 minutes from Pokhara to Naya Puhl where we met our porters and Sherpa guide, Dennis (Is that a Sherpa name???).  We walked along a gravel and dirt road and then deeply rutted mud track following the Modi Khola River upstream.  We passed a beautiful waterfall,  crossed a small wooden suspension bridge – nothing like what Rob had to negotiate – and tested out the beginnings of a rocky ford several locals were building across a flooded area.  (I’m not certain how long it was going to take them to finish, but a local ‘bus’ – more a sort of jeep -  filled with people was waiting to cross it when they did!)

We climbed a very steep rock staircase to a ‘restaurant’ hut for lunch in Kimche. My stomach was a bit off so I just had some noodles with vegetables and lots of water.  I am drinking over 3 litres a day here – the heat and humidity are draining.  Rob says that horses sweat, men perspire and women glow.  I am glowing very profusely.....

With such a small group, we tend to stay together –with Dennis at the front and Tek encouraging anyone who falls a little behind. We are all finding the steep stone steps tricky in the heat - still well under 2000 metres here, so at least altitude isn’t yet playing its part.

After lunch, we continued climbing, occasionally crossing streams using whatever makeshift bridge or stepping stones were available.   A welcome little break was wading across a larger stream – it came up to my thighs, so even shorts would have got wet, so my quick-dry trousers had been a good choice for today – and the cool water felt so good....we rested a while there, sprinkling water over our heads and necks.  The parts of the trail that weren’t steep steps were more muddy ruts with amazing reflective silver and gold stones and rocks, almost like stepping stones.  I think perhaps the rocks were mica and pyrite.  I asked Tek – but he just assured me that they weren’t worth a fortune....

All along the path, children came out of their homes to greet us ‘Namaste. Sweets?’  We would say ‘Namaste’ back but then just smile and move on.  It is frowned upon to give the children anything.  As in other places we have been, children do not need encouragement not to go to school.  If they can get treats from tourists, why bother studying?   There were very few other people on the trail – the peak season begins in a couple of weeks when the rainy season has definitely finished.  We had to step aside for several local goatherds, though, moving their herds  - one talking on his mobile phone as he used his stick to move them along.  Other locals carried large baskets of grasses to feed animals, building materials and who knows what else – on their backs with straps that went around their foreheads.

We had another break at the ‘Don’t Pass Me’ lodge.  They had a sideline selling books made from paper handmade locally.  We each bought a small book – it is important to support these tiny traditional communities – and nice to see an enterprise other than pure tourism.

After one last killer set of steps, we reached Ghandruk and our lodge for the night – we watched the sunset over the mountains, had a very welcome shower, dinner and went to bed.

Day 48 - Namche Bazaar and Pokhara, Nepal

Day 48 – Hers.

A message from Rob: I am in Namche Bazaar and I have found a little internet store and am spending a few rupees just to let you know the plane didn't crash we made it to the main stop off point and I had to cross a suspension bridge 300meters up - it swayed a meter backwards and forwards as i crossed - to be honest i was terrified. But i made it - In all honesty the walking has been easier than the inca trail - i am pretty sure you could have done it....

Hmm... that was just the first day –

On my less arduous journey, we set off in a minibus for what should have been a beautiful, if slightly hairy, 6 hour drive over the ridge to Pokhara.  In fact, because it had rained all night and continued to rain, we had to negotiate two landslides, a lorry half over the cliff and a flood – in addition to the overloaded lorries, buses and tourist coaches (all brightly painted with streamers and tinsel for good luck...) so it took closer to 9 hours including two stops for local food, clean (but primitive) loos and tea.

The valleys are not what I expected – they are decidedly tropical – terraced rice paddies, banana trees and all – I wonder if I am going to need all the cold weather gear I brought after all!

Today was the Hindu festival of Women.  Nearly all the women we passed were wearing elaborate red saris, embroidered with gold – often over a bright green undershirt.  Every village had a fete – with music and dancing competitions.  When we reached Pokhara, Tien and I watched one competition.  The older women sat on steps, singing, clapping and passing judgment on the dancing of one young woman standing in front of them.  It was quite curious, but they seemed to be having a good time.

Pokhara is a very touristy town – but so much calmer, quieter, cleaner and more pleasant than Kathmandu.  The lake is beautiful – when we return from our trek and rafting in 5 days time, we have the chance to take a boat out.  Today, we had to settle for a walk along the shore, applauding the fishermen who were catching fish from the lake using bread as bait.

Day 47 - Kathmandu, Nepal (Pashupatinath Temple and Boudhanath Stupa)

Day 47 -  Hers.

Still no word from Rob – hope all is well up that mountain! 

I was awoken again this morning at 5 – Tien had booked a flight over Everest and had to meet her guide to go out to the airport.  She had done the same thing yesterday, but had seen only cloud.  Given the torrential rain, I doubt she will have seen much more today... (In fact, the flight never even took off today.)

When Tien returned, our group (minus Cindy who has come down with a bug - - poor timing for her!) met Rita, our local guide for the morning, and went first to visit Pashupatinath Temple, one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world and located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of the city. 

The temple was established in around 400 AD but rebuilt 17th century by King Bhupendra Malla after the previous building had been consumed by termites.  Countless further temples have since been erected around the main two -storied temple, notably 11 to the ‘widows’ who traditionally threw themselves onto the burning funeral pyres of their husbands. The river banks are lined with pyres and the smoke from cremations and murmurs of funeral services hang over the entire area.  Although Rita said we could take photos, it seemed insensitive to me to do so, intruding on the relatives’ grief.

Until the declaration of the Republic and destruction of the monarchy, the chief priest of Pashupatinath temple was answerable only to the King of Nepal. In new ‘secular’ Nepal, the priests have complete autonomy; and there are many priests around the temple, accepting funerary offerings and giving blessings. Sadhus come from far and wide and live together in an area outside the temple – seemingly taking turns at being photographed by tourists for money.  This, also, did not seem quite right. There are also many monkeys, scampering in and over the various temples, shrines and balustrades, looking for their share of any offerings brought by worshippers – and the invariable trinkets sellers:  ‘Mandalas, 100’, ‘Necklace, very cheap’.  The guide book says that this area is particularly bad on a sunny day – one silver lining of all the rain!

The Pashupati area is regarded as one of the most important places of pilgrimages for the followers of Hinduism. Thousands of devotees from within and outside the country come to pay homage every day. Tomorrow is apparently a major holy day. Hindu women will fast for the whole day – praying for good husbands, or if they’re married, for good health for their husbands and children.  As on many holy days, many will also take ritual baths in the Bagmati River.

From there we travelled about 15 minutes in the morning traffic to Boudhanath Stupa, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu with reputedly the largest spherical stupa in Nepal.   There are a number of legends concerning the establishment of the stupa.  It is not even known when it was established – various accounts give dates between 400 and 850AD.  Visiting this important Buddhist site immediately after the Hindu temple allowed us to make some comparisons..... The area surrounding the stupa was much calmer and quieter.  Prayer flags flapped in the wind, prayers wheels turned silently, soft melodious chants came from the monasteries on two sides.  Monks and worshippers walked clockwise three times around the stupa’s base, silent excepting the drumming of rain on umbrellas and the squelching of sandals.

We toured an art school where young people studied and practised – up to 15 years to become a master... – to paint the beautiful Tibetan Buddhist Thankha paintings using natural pigments and gold to create intricate detailed designs showing the Dalai Lama’s peace mandala, the Wheel of Life and scenes from the life of the Buddha.  We didn’t buy anything, but we all left donations to help with their work.

We returned to the hotel and were joined by Cindy from her sick bed and Tek – with our kit bags and instructions on packing for our trek.  We leave for Pokhala in the morning – gateway town to the Annapurna Region.  Please, please, can the rain let up!