Nepal 5

Day 13 Muktinath to Kagbeni 2800 m / 9186 ft

This day saw us in 3 unique and beautiful terrains.  We decided to take the 19 km hike off the main road through the town of Jhong.

After dinner yesterday evening the snow began to fall. Although not a welcome sight to those on the pass, the snow cover in the morning was  like walking through a new and beautified city for us.  All the trees and bushes were glistening white and the hills in the distance bright beacons.  This was the first fresh snow I have seen in 2 years and the effect was calming.  As we left Muktinath we encountered a series of small stone villages and filled our cameras anew.  This second terrain of villages and hamlets was rustic and well worth the detour to stay off the main road.  As we left these last patches of trees the immense bareness and erosion that is haunting so much of Nepal began and stayed with us for the next 2.5 hours of the hike.  The winds increased to blistering levels and all around us lay rocks and gravel.  The snow capped mountains in the distance only highlighted the surrounding infertility.  The last bit of downhill was through a tunnel of wind eroded cliff and with winds so high the whistle on my bag strap began to sing.  We had finally made it to the stone city of Kagbeni, filled with newly built hotels for tourism by bus.  We luckily found a”homey” hotel in the Snow Lion & Dancing Yak, where the woman working spoke no English and has treated us as honored guests of her home.  She served us tea and popcorn after inviting us to watch her small TV and has made us feel nothing but comfortable.  Tomorrow will be another rest day with the chance of a short hike to the town of Tiri (only Greg and Mark did this and only semi-impressed).  Or we will fill our day exploring the labyrinth lanes that is Kagbeni.

Note: After crossing the pass we expected a large drop in prices due to the road from Muktinath to Pokhara.  But in some cases we have found they are the same or even higher than the high altitude, minimum access, hotels.  All are still confused on how this could be but with a little searching and distance from the larger commercial looking hotels we have found some reasonable prices.  The Snow Lion was a delightful surprise with low prices, neatly painted mud walls, high ceilings, and a very sweet & friendly host.  It is clear that the older establishments are trying to keep up and refurbish themselves but I am afraid the hotel Goliaths will be drawing in the big crowds.  Visitors seem unable to part with creature comforts and cup cakes; the character, quaintness, and budget prices of these humble hotels may not be enough to keep them in business.

Nepal 4

Day 10  Yah Kharka to Lattar 

Day 12 High Camp to ThrongLa Pass 5400 m/17,716 ft                                                                                    to Muktinath 3800 m/12,467 ft

We were off this morning at 630 and done by 3 pm.  It was a full day and the most strenuous yet. (Do you see the pattern?)  Up to the pass we encountered snow filled, breezy, and freezing conditions.  Gloves and face covers were necessary for the entirety of the morning.  There were people jams in the beginning with some ahead of us getting worked over by the altitude and steep paths (we saw no one go down hard or any evacuated, although it is known to happen).  Our group took few breaks but stayed slow and steady on “the chili walk” and Rachel set our pace most of the way.  Focusing on my breathing and singing my repetitive song, the top of the pass was a surprisingly quick 2.5 hours.  We took our pictures and I devoured the Nutrageous I had been carrying since Katmandu to celebrate.  We started our descent, without tea from the little shop up there, just as altitude headaches set in.  The difficulties of the day came mostly from this arduous 5 hour, 5, 249 foot, descent over snowy/slippery then muddy/rocky trails.   We took many breaks as fatigue and headaches increased and it took a lot of focus to keep from sliding off some of the narrow trails and steep cliffs.  The afternoon sun was warming but made for dangerous terrain as the snow melted, Mark and I both taking spills in the slush. (only funny now, infuriating then).  Our knees and backs were again tested but the lower we descended the more our bodies eased.  The sight of Muktinath from atop a ridge raised spirits and then the town of Charabu at 4230 m provided us with a celebratory tea.  Refreshed, we completed the final flat yet rocky path to Muktinath.  We all now await the more official celebratory Gorkah beer in our clean clothes after the only truly hot shower in 12 days.  CHEERS!

~Altitude Induced Song~

I lost my hands on the Annapurna / It’s just too damn cold   x3                                                               I lost my feet on the Annapurna / It’s just too damn cold   x3                                                                     I lost my mind on the Annapurna / I’ll never find my way home   x3

I followed my baby on the Annapurna / I hope I don’t get burned   x3                                                I brought my friends on the Annapurna /  But they ain’t friends no more x3                                    I lost my breath on the Annapurna / But still I sing this song   x3

ThrongLa Pass 5400 m

Nepal Part 3

Day 7  Ngawal to Braka 3470 m / 11,385 ft

We woke late, around 7:30 and watched our breakfast being made. Then before taking off we got a picture with the family.  They tried not to charge us for the electricity used to charge cameras, but we insisted because of their genuine hospitality.  The hike was short today and the first 45 minutes was a steep decline, showing us how our knees will feel as we head down after the pass in a couple of days.  We put our bags down around 12:30, did the laundry, laid down for a rest and have just eaten a late lunch.  Me a veg burger w/ fries, surprisingly good and Rachel a spicy Dal Baht.  Tonight we relax with another meal, local whiskey and some carrot cake.  Tomorrow we set off on an acclimatization hike to “Ice Lake” with light packs.  They say it is 4600 m and the views at 180 degrees are the best around.

Day 8 Braka to Ice Lake 4600 m / 15,092 ft to Braka 3470 m / 11,385 ft

The most challenging but worthwhile hike I have ever completed.  We started off around 7:20 after our typical chapati and fried egg breakfast, brought a loaf of “trekkers bread” (full of buckwheat and 2 kg dense) and some boiled eggs for lunch.  The first 4 hours was completely uphill.  The actual Ice Lake was covered in snow and only Mark went the whole way.  The real payoff was the 5 to 6 peaks of the Annapurna range that were clearly in view.  We took lunch around 4200 meters and split a peanut clif bar, homemade carrot cake, and a snickers bar between the 4 of us for dessert.  We were seated in rocks and snow with a panorama view of mountain peaks with a grandeur impossible to find anywhere else in the world.  The pictures from this day of hiking will be the best yet I am certain.  Towards the top we were hiking in snow and muddy snow but it made the experience all the more beautiful.  The hike down was as steep as the hike up of course and we slid and teetered on the edge a few times because of it narrowness and grade, but for a 3 hour descent our legs and knees held up very well.  The only cost for me was a slight headache and nausea from altitude (and possibly dehydration, take enough water on this hike! There is none to find along the way) but after a very cold bucket shower and an hour in bed with water, my appetite has returned and I await my evening Dal Baht.  This day in sheer natural beauty with no roads, power lines, or settlements will rival any to come.

On the way down from Ice Lake

Ice Lake view point at 4200 m

On the way to Ice Lake

Quarter of the way up

Hard- earned photo of Ram at Braka

Morning at Pim’s

Pim’s breakfast

Nepal Part 2

Day 3  Germu to Tal 1700 m / 5577 ft

After a breakfast of Chipati and fried egg the 4 of us headed out to what has become the most strenuous day (thus far).  Still some view of the road and a bit of construction but we are mostly surrounded by mountains and trees with several waterfalls along the way.  We passed through several towns and stopped for lunch of chicken fried macaroni and a waterfall view.  Just prior to reaching Tal (meaning ‘flat’) the climb was arduous and rocky.  But it was a much welcome challenge and we realized the difficulties that lay ahead with so many days to go.  Tal is a riverbank nestled inside the mountains and sitss just along the chilly river.  Unfortunately construction picked up again when we arrived and even a tourist on a motorbike had made it.  Apparently he plans to ride to Manang, hike the pass, then return again over the pass to retrieve his bike.[(He actually did do this. We briefly saw him many days later looking very haggard and says he regretted having rushed his return back over the pass] It was a very unwelcome site.  Especially as Rachel was telling us that when she arrived in Tal it was full of mule trains.  I’m not sure we will ever get the complete detachment from the civilised world as we long for…  for now our chai has arrived and I am ready to rest my back.

Day 4 Tal to Odar (side route) to Timang 2750 m / 9022 ft

It was a rainy start to our day as we left Tal.  The valley of Tal is know for inclement weather and as usual it was foggy with drizzle.  We had our rain flaps and jackets on until we reached the town of Dharapani and it’s hiker checkpoint.  Here the trail forks to the Manaslu trail on the right, Annapurna circuit straight ahead or to the left on a side trek and a steep climb to the Gurung village of Odar (meaning “Cave”).  We made the 2 hour climb toward Odar and all the work paid off.  The village had much agriculture with green fields of wheat and opportunities for pristine mountain views, on a clear day of Manaslu.  The restaurant at the top was run but a local who spoke perfect English and his son/son in-law team made us a spict Dal Baht with a mint, tomato, red-onion, and pickled pepper chutney. Magnificent. We lounged for over an hour as the food was prepared and made small talk with our host. [after a total of 1 month in Nepal this Dal Baht ended up being the most delicious I found] This side trek was beautiful, challenging, and a great chance to leave the road.  The day was up and down from there and our legs were extra sore ascending the final hill to Timang but the large pink Rhododendrons and marsala tea at our hotel, it feels that our day was well spent.

**Dal (‘lentils’) Baht (‘rice’)- rice, veg curry, greens often spinach, pickled veggie, crispy ‘bread’, lentil soup, sometimes curd.  Served as 2 large servings and traditional eaten with the right hand.

Day 5 Timang to Dukur Pokhari 3200 m / 10,498 ft

The views at the beginning of the walk were stunning and we took it slow in the morning.  Annapurna II, pine needle mounds, large grey langur monkeys, and many stone lined streets filled our cameras, if only they could capture the clean smell of pine.  It is the kind of morning to drag out as long as possible.  We ate lunch in Chame and met a friendly Sherpa who had family in Colorado Springs who sell Nepalese merchandise.  From there he told it was a nice hike with subtle inclines for about 3 hours.  He also informed us that the bridge in the area was not yet finished so we would no longer be seeing cars or trucks although the road had already been built. (surely by now the vehicle bridge is completed) The only hitch in the day was the alternative route designed to take trekkers off the road.  This “alternative route” is simple down down down then an exaughsting incline that really brought us no further down the trail.  The final push to Dukur Pokhari was much more difficult than necessary for having climbed those extra switchbacks for no reason at all.  Alas, the views and smell of pine is still strong from this morning… but I did require my first tylenol.

Now over black tea we are discussing the next couple of days.  As we have reached 3200 meters we can ascend no more than 400-500 m a day to sleep.  For our days now we will first reach a village, store our bags, then hike a bit higher to acclimatize our bodies to the altitude, and descend again to sleep.  If we climb to quickly in one day and stay high for too long we may risk altitude sickness. Tomorrow we will take the more difficult Upper Pisang route which is supposed to have better views and allows us to reach higher altitudes.

 Day 6 Dukur Pokhari to Ngawal (Upper Pisang) 3700 m / 12,139 ft

It was a rocky start but today was the best use of my legs, ever.  My first step as a child was meant only to carry me along this day’s path.  It’s views were beyond belief.  The morning route was relatively flat until we reached the route to Gheru and the switchbacks started with little respite.  But no complaints on my part and I would have walked double for the views of the rest of our day.  Lunch in Ghyeru was a local noodle [actually Tibetan] dish called Thukpa (filled with veggies, handmade noodles, and some pine needles for seasoning.  At the restaurant, then the next 2 hours the Annapurna II with blue skies and the river valley were in full view.  I have never encountered such beauty.  We reached the town of Ngawal around 3:30 and the clouds began to roll in.  There are currently some flurries, thunder, and dense cloud cover as we sit in the kitchen of our small guesthouse and chat with our host Pim and his wife.  They are lovely and I am glad to give their small hotel our business.  The rooms are mud walls and stone floors and a bit more what I had anticipated of our “tea house” trek.  We are getting toasty by the cooking fire and I am looking forward to my Potato Rosti and Veg Mo-Mos.  Today was all trails and well off the road, although we did glimpse some construction across the valley.  The Upper Pisang has given me the first glimpse of what I expected of Nepal trekking.

Nepal Part 1

*This is the record kept during my 2013 trek through the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.  Aside from a few correction I have not changed any of the journal.

16 March 2013  Kathmandu, Nepal with Rachel and Mark

Arriving in Nepal yesterday felt like we finally made it to a place that was completely outside of what I could know.  The streets are dirt or barely paved and narrow.  The cars are constantly honking and people, shops, and monkeys line the streets.  When traffic is clogged a bus full of children is at eye level to wave and say hello.  Much like Thailand the streets are full of vendors but with a drastic contrast in wealth, these vendors are not focused on their hand held computer screens.  They are still interacting with each other and their customers.  This morning, afternoon, and evening were each started with a cup of milk tea as we watched passing traffic and ate the local cuisine of smoked chicken, fermented veggies, spicy potato soup and lentil bread, along with a very strong glass of local moonshine rice wine.  These tastes and smells took me instantly back to truck-checking in Iraq with herbs and spices, garlic and onions, strung throughout the driver’s cabs.  But I am beginning to gain a much better association as I grow accustomed to the powerful tasting foods.  Charm is an insufficient word but the chaos, dirt, smog, dust and trash has little affect on my positive feelings for this city.  We watched monks and elderly, many in Nikes and hiking boots, do laps around the ‘Monkey Temple’ Swayambhunath all this Saturday and a short bus ride outside the city center brought us to walk to narrow streets of the Newari section of town, Kittipur. As a tourist we felt more a sense of welcome from the locals than the annoyance and skepticism often felt in Thailand.  Hotel: Sparkling Turtle

Katmandu from Kittipur

17 March 2013 — Morning bus ride to Pokhara

Pokhara, west of Kathmandu, was about a 7 hour ride, but only 200 km. (hills and curves, hills and curves)  We paid about a quarter of the price of those who bought their tickets at the hotel (we bought at the station in the morning)  and with only a little fight with the elderly Swedish tour group, got seats on the right side of the bus for a river view the whole route.  The town is much smaller and has more of a mountain town in CO feel, with bars and a lot of gear shops on the strip.We walked to the trail license shop to pay our $40 for passes just before they closed.  Ate some veggie mo-mo’s with a cup of chai (tea) and bought a few more gear items: gloves (wind-proof), walking poles, waterproof bag cover, and “yak wool” scarves.

View from the bus, Pokhara to Besi Sahar

Day 1 Morning Bus ride to Besi Sahar  840 m/ 2755 ft

Started the hike today after a 4 hour jam packed bus ride.  Sat next to a German woman and chatted lightly as we both fidgeted to get comfortable.  People (fellow trekkers) weren’t as friendly as I anticipated although amiable.  But when 2 elderly Nepalese women got on the bus only myself stood up to give up my seat.  The other, more fragile, woman was forced to hold herself up by the handrail then eventually sat on the floor.  The view from the mountains was gorgeous.  Snow covered mtns in the background and coniferous tree filled mountains in the fore.  We got off at Besi Sahar to re-set our packs and have lunch.  Some of our bus mates continued on further by bus but we opted to walk the 3 hours to Bhulbhule.  It was along the river with nice trees and not too steep but we were constantly being passed by trucks, buses, and motorbikes.  I can understand not needing to do this leg of the hike, and although it was nice to stretch our legs and back, I am looking forward to being off this road and onto the trail.  We found a hotel overlooking the river, have showered and soaked our very dirty clothes (same shirt for 5 days of hard traveling) and am enjoying some milk tea, the view, and a rest.

3 start the circuit from Besi Sahar

Night one from the dinner table

Night one from the dinner table

Day 2 Bhulbhule to Ghermu 1130 m/ 3707 ft

Left the tea house around 8 am and began our first full day of the hike.  The beauty was there but we had to view it from a road that was finished just 20 days prior to our arrival (a second road across from existing for… what?)  Rachel is blown away at how different the hike is from just 1.5 years ago.  We saw dump trucks hauling rocks, diggers in the river and the mountain sides, and we even had to wait and walk under one digger on the road with a cluster of Nepalese school children who could only be experiencing what we call “shock & awe.”  We made it to Germu in later afternoon and decided to call it a day.  We had a big pot of lemon tea shared amongst the 4 of us, Greg from CO was picked up along the way, and ate some apple pies.  They weren’t the apple pies we think of but the filling was nicely sweet and the outside crisply deep-fried.

More contruction

Bhulbhule

Shock & Awe on the walk to school

Path along Day 1

Tea in Ghermu

Deep fried Apple Pie

Farewell Thailand

Farewell Thailand.   I leave you this evening.  It has been great but I am ready for what is next…

Pokhara, Nepal

Peace Corps Reading List

Reading time was never in short supply the last 2 years.  Reading could be used to fall asleep, stay awake, pass the time, feel busy, or even divert the mind.  A New Yorker, Economist, Outside, or Scientific America magazine was always hidden away in my bag because there was always extra time, but mostly I was reading books.  Every mornings first chore was to make a cup of highly sweetened coffee and read for an hour or 2 as the sun came up.  I couldn’t have asked for a more satisfying routine.  Some might even call it “good clean living.”

Recurrent authors appear throughout this book list and fond associations, understood only to myself, return as I review.  Memories of moods, locations, and mentalities arise when looking back at each book.  I will never be sure what was more influential, the attitude toward a book because of the current situation or the attitude toward the current situation because of a book.  One thing I can be certain of is that too much study in “objectivism” during 2 years of volunteerism will be detrimental to any attitude.

If you click on the pictures below you can follow the links to a list of books read during my 2011-2013 years in the Peace Corps Thailand and then to the September – March 2009 reading list during my time in Baghdad, Iraq.   It is obvious to see my mindset during both of these very stressful and pivotal experiences.  What is it that a solider/hippy reads when he is far away from home?

Click to view Iraq reading list

Click to view Peace Corps Reading list