December 23 500.
Said our final goodbyes to Chhiri, Ganesh, Binod, Surya and Dipak, we're on our own again after five or so weeks. Will try to spend as little as possible rupee over the next week or so, until India, about Rs 500 a day, should be easy enough as it's low season. Walking today was pretty easy, back on well defined paths with loads of people, although there were far less tourists than I had been expecting. It's the end of the Winter off-season and the hundreds of restaurants and lodges up this valley are eerily quiet. Had a steep climb down to the river in the early morning then flattish alongside and over the river for the rest of the day, felt like it was 6am till about midday, misty and pleasantly cool. Left the main trail at the turn off to Lukla and got to Chaurikharka about four, went to the same place Ant and Frank came to two years ago. Disappointing. Expensive, and the food didn't justify it. It wasn't too bad, I suppose, just fails compared to last time apparently. Although we do have a room each and the toilet is magical. It's a squat. With a chair above it. With a hole in the chair. You had to be there. The hosts remind me of that old couple from The Neverending Story.
December 24 Buy Direct And Save!
There was a chapati incident at breakfast, the less said about that, the better. Going pretty hard till we get to Jiri, so a few big days ahead of us. Today was pretty up and down, as will be the rest. Mandarines have made a big reappearance, although they're Rs 10 each (because we're white). No dice. Managed to talk one guy down to three for ten, I think he just didn't want to carry. Good Daal Bhaat for lunch and seeing lots of big porter loads, 150kg+, very impressive. There is no road up here (yet) so everything is ported or flown in to Lukla. Discovered the savings in buying other stuff direct of the porters too, like biscuits. So I'm carrying a kilo of Coconut Crunch. Delightful. Kharikhola is super cheap, but his portions are tiny. Christmas tomorrow. Weird.
December 25 Damn White Christmas...
Not big on Christmas around here (it's the first step in getting out of the third world Nepal, take my advice here) but that's fine by me. Started the day with a 500m descent to the river again then began the sloggy 1500m climb to Taksindu La. Got to Nunthala, about halfway, for lunch. Had a very different feel to pretty much everywhere else. The layout of the town is different to most others, wide and uninviting. The people are exactly the same. I think they got pretty thrashed back in Maoist season. The weather closed in after lunch, had this really nice Autumny feel to it that I love. Then, at about 2800m, it started to snow. Yep. White Christmas. Crossed the pass and got down to Ringmu in really good time, actually did all of today in really good time. We have free accommodation if we eat here, currently waiting to see if it's worth it (yeah, pretty much, except the noodles). The room is big and empty and the building has that haunted feel about it. Which is cool as. The people have been interesting since leaving the Namche trail, a mix of super friendly, super surly, and super trying to rip us off (because we're white). But we are superior...
December 26 Damn Painfully White Christmas.
Another long, sloggy, up and down day. Up, across, then down to Junbesi, which was to expensive for lunch. By the time we got to Taktor Lamjura La was well covered with snow cloud, it wasn't pretty, but we decided to just try and smash the 850m climb ASAP, in three inches and rising snow following a fast disappearing trail. It was quite nice I suppose, snow, forest trail and everything, but so exhausted and so happy to reach the top. Walking down to Goyam was slippery, uncomfortable, tired and cold. So glad there's only two days left.
December 27 Philosophy? Chapati!
Had a pretty outstanding breakfast, including a massive chapati with probably the best jam I've ever had. Actually, it wasn't the most comfortable, but last nights' lodge was close to the best yet. Our Sherpa host was amazing and her son was entertaining as. Big, knee thrashing, 1500m descent out of the snow, down to Kinja for lunch where we had the best and cheapest Daal Bhaat ever. Walked up all afternoon under threatening but ultimately nothing rainclouds. Terrain is pretty boring, not much more than village dotted, agriculturally shaped hills and river valleys. Lodge tonight is the cheapest yet, home-made honey, home-grown tea. Delight.
December 28 Put The Banana In A Pie? Of Course! Amazing!
Breakfast was special this morning, great start to last day of hiking. Massive greasy omelette and huge lemon sugar pancake. Began with a 600m climb into the clouds (again), over the pass then 900m down to Shivalaya. Got some awesome bread and solid noodles, although a blatant rip-off attempt was made (getting rather tired of that). Anthony and especially Francesca have been talking up this Shivalaya Banana Pie forever and we were there, it was now. Most everything else they talk up ends in disappointment. Not This. It was huge, dense and amazing. It's basically a banana turnover. But so much more. Very special. Up 550m again, then down to Jiri. Done. Yes. Jiri is an expensive (because a lot of folk start Everest trek here) hole (because most of the bigger towns around here are). A hotel owner wallahed up to us and offered free room, free hot shower and 20% off food (there's no tourists here at the moment, off-season and all). The food is disappointing, we got 20% off the price and at least that off the portion size, but the hot shower after 37 days of cold or none was unbelievable. Back to Kath tomorrow on an eight (turns out to be 12 and awful) hour bus. Will be glad to be back there and cannot wait for Mo Mo's. Very happy to be finished hiking for the time being. If I feel this relieved to be finished after two months, five months in the states? No problem.
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