Just to clarify, One Australian dollar is about Rs 50 and despite things being generally very cheap (sometimes unbelievably so) I am cheaper than all. Also this: http://ncthakur.itgo.com/map09.htm is the best map I could come across, and it's a pretty poor effort. We started say, a little bit south-east of where Ghorepani is. Also, I use quotation marks (imagine me telling the story and 'air quoting'. Shudder) way too much.
November 5 What Is 'The Happening' About Anyway?
I basically spent the whole nine(? maybe it was seven) hour flight to Singapore exploiting Singapore Airlines' amazing entertainment system, I spent the whole of the four hour flight to Kathmandu wishing I still was. In between we had nine hours to kill in Singapore airport which was rather painful. Driving out of the rather lacklustre airport (X-Ray operator was far more interested in her phone but a presence of WWII era firearms was reassuring) Kathmandu slapped me hard and fast across the face. You don't drive, you beep your horn and go exactly where you want no matter if it's on the other 'side' of the road, the footpath, or where someone is standing. Trash everywhere and I've yet to see a structurally sound building other than the new royal palace. And for every person there is three mangy mutt dogs with rabies. The city is quite beautiful though in the ugliest way possible. Got some cheap some legit, some good enough knock-off gear.
November 7 Ow, Start!
Bus to Pokhara, Taxi to Phedi, walk to Dhampus. Started trek with a 500m ascent of stairs. Some nice villages and first good Himalaya view including Annapurna I. Apparently John Cena is a massive cult figure here. I know.
November 8 U Shapes.
Going up stairs is hard going down is awkward whinge, whinge, whinge. Every time we walk past kids its "sweets?" "sweets?". I wish I had some sweets. For myself. Seriously though, as much as I would love to be that super generous tourist who give the kids candy, pens and chocolate, it just encourages begging and the government organisations who work in these areas prefer you don't. Besides, moneys too tight for sweets. And steak. Nice walking today though. Except after lunch Down one side of a valley, up the other, took four hours for about 700m of horizontal distance gain. Almost collapsed onto my dinner. All day three disgraceful songs have been battling for headspace: 'Woman', 'Umbrella' and that Numa Numa guy song.
November 9 Your Throat Is On Fire
Walked to Ghorepani today, ascended at least 1300m getting to about 3300m. Two sloggy days of walking in a row. Tired. Ghorepani is very nice though and our lodge host is hella entertaining. All grunts and awkward lingering. Got a first glimpse at Dhaulagiri, the lump of an 8000'er we'll be walking around in a fortnight or so.
November 10 In & Of Descending Stairs
Went down today. Down. Lots of down. 1750 vertical metres of down. Tatopani should supposedly remind us of Pokhara and Kathmandu due to its gardens. Well it does remind us of those places, but only because it's a filthy hole of a town (well it is). The road comes here and further and with the road the town degrades into a cheap Chinese crap selling hole. First time we've stayed at a lodge with more than two other Westerners, but all the tourists here give me asshole vibes (well they do). Maybe I'm getting surly. No, wait, a fat Australian slapper just started shaving her armpits in the outside dining area (NOT KIDDING).
November 11 Vehicular Walking
Oh, what a day. Found out yesterday the road goes heaps further up the valley and it's super dusty. We didn't really want to walk it but were told it's hard to get a lift up the valley. Ha. Five seconds after we got to the bus park a jeep arrived that could take us 10km up to Dana for Rs 100. Yes. The road is a disgrace though, narrow, rough and sheer cliffs on either side. Plus the jeep was at least fifty years old and the steering was about as responsive as a dead rock as far as I could tell. The driver took great delight in scaring the shit out of us continuously. After Dana we came across a 'road crew' which was this guy in an excavator clearing a landslide by hurling massive car sized rocks down into the river. In the monsoon this road will be completely destroyed, there is no doubt. Luckily in Ghasa we scored a tractor ride to Khobang saving us perhaps another 25km. It was rather rough though and one guy insisted on sitting on my leg which I'm sure hurt him more than me. Walked to Marpha with some nice folk and got a Rs 30 kilo of amazing apples.
November 12 Lonely Planet Lies
I swear the guidebook times must have been for jeeps. Didn't get as far as we expected but can see Thorong La. We're at about 3600m so have to be very altitude-conscious from now on. Don't really want to die from AMS. Pack is giving me a bit of grief, carrying a good 8kg of climbing and snow related paraphernalia which seems stupid when it's close to 30 degrees down here but we will need it soon enough. I'm getting very addicted to my raspberry Vitamin C Tablets.
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