The trip from Kathmandu to Pokhara was very bumpy, with a steep single lane highway allowing every bike and freight truck to swerve narrowly past one another with only inches of gravel shoulder to spare. Just like every other vehicle on the road, the driver's seem the least bit worried as they concentrate on the lyrics of their favorite Bollywood-esk music more than the road. Comparable to a Nepalese version of Banff, Pokhara is a busy town offering every opportunity to explore the countryside. Walking down the main strip you pass a continuous row of businesses; tourist office, imitation North Face retailer, Italian Restaurant, Mini-Mart, tourist office. Repeat. People sell everything from rafting to massages, and guides offer their services whether it be trekking or mountain biking. Whatever you find yourself in Pokhara to do, chances are someone is making a living selling it. After arriving, I gathered some last minute supplies and prepared for my 8-day trek into the Himalayas. A sleeping bag and fleece was highly recommended to me for the higher altitudes along with some mitts, and any other snacks you might want to haul up the trail yourself. I was delayed a day however; the faulty plastic-seal on my water bottle didn't grab my attention as I guzzled it down. Most bottled water in Nepal is treated, but occasionally the plastic wrapping and ring on the bottle caps are melted to give the appearance the bottle is being opened for the first time. Amateur move, but I wasn't going to let it stop me for more than a day!
With my 15kg pack (most people recommend you try to stay under 10kg) I hopped on a local bus and rode to the trail-head of the Annapurna Sanctuary Trail, my destination being the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC). I had collected all the necessary permits and printed enough passport photos to last me the rest of my lifetime. As I trudged up the initial steep section of trail jeeps filled with Russian and Chinese tourists roared past me kicking up plumes of dust. I envied them initially, but the steep dirt path was just warming me up for an even harder approaching section where the road ends. As I coughed and cursed in the dust cloud a small boy hustled by me carrying at least 30 kg of bananas on his back. The dust settled and it turned out to be an 80 year old woman who was completely immune to the whole ordeal. I sputtered up the hill as sweat dripped from parts of my body I never knew could even produce sweat. My whole backpack was a soaking mess by the time I caught up to the 80 year old setting up her banana stand. I gasped for air putting the soaked backpack on the ground, she laughed. As I inquired about the cost of the fruit she named a relatively high amount. I shook my head confidently and said it was too high and counter-offered her a lower price. She looked around giving obvious notion to the fact there are no other banana vendors for miles and said the original price again. I paid the amount and she shook her head at me. Guess the bargaining is best left for back in Kathmandu.
By the fourth hour my pack weighed an additional two kilograms due to the moisture it was accumulating. The temperature was no more than 30 degrees, but the altitude I was gaining was enormous. From just under 1000m I ascended to nearly 2000m with approximately 3800 steps straight up the hillside to help me accomplish this. I had not hired a porter or guide and was stubbornly dragging myself step by step up the mountain. After each brief moment of rest another porter carrying nearly 30kg of baggage would smoothly sail by me up the hill, some even wearing sandals! Luckily I saw a couple beads of sweat on their forehead which made me confident I wasn't the only one getting a workout. Upon arriving at the small village of Ulleri, I stayed my first night at one of the many "teahouses" scattered across the trail. They are simple small rooms with a foam mattress on a wooden frame. They claim to have 24 hour "hot and cold" showers, but that's more of a prospect than a promise, for the hot water at least. For meals you have two choices; daal baht (rice and lentil soup) or a hundred different combinations of tomato, yak cheese and onion. The latter is usually served up as a pizza (on a chapati), burrito (rolled up in a chapati and sprinkled with yak cheese) or a sandwich (served on, well, you get the point). Breakfast has a fair amount of variety though, with traditional Nepalese bread (a type of donut), fruits, cereal, porridge, etc.
The next day was another steep hike to Ghorepani (2750m), the stop for a famous viewpoint known as Poon Hill. Because the season is warming in Nepal the cloud cover is consistent and usually smothering most of the Himalayas. The only chance of good visibility is at sunrise when the earth has cooled enough to allow some clouds to dissolve overnight. When I hiked up to Poon Hill (3210m) at 5am the next morning the clouds still shrouded most of the view, but small pockets eventually gave way to the gorgeous ridge of mountains that lay ahead. They looked enormous looming in the early light with snow peaks of 7000-8000m clustered in the Annapurna Range. After an hour the clouds began to fill the patches in the sky and I descended back down to collect my backpack and carry on to my next stop. From Ghorepani there was a small segment that climbed to a pass riddled with gorgeous bright pink rhododendrons. Most had lost their flowers, but a few protected patches hidden in the hills were still flourishing with their bright colors. It warranted slowing down my pace and taking in the beautiful forest.
The descent to the town of Chhomrong (2020m) was long and painful on the knees. The distances don't look big on the maps, but with each stream and valley you cross the path turns into an enormous staircase going all the way down, and then right back up. By the third river crossing on this leg of the trip I was absolutely spent. My soaked clothing made it feel like I had been in a water fight, though I'm sure I didn't smell like it. The towns across the valley from one another seemed so close, yet the descents and ascents to cover the distance between them was murder. Upon arrival to Chhomrong, I enjoyed the typical tea-house cuisine, but noticed the prices increased dramatically. Having turned off from the circuit trail that only takes trekkers to Poon Hill and back, I was now on my way to ABC. Here I met another Canadian, Jeff, who had a similar itinerary as me for the final hike to the top. The nights were cool, but didn't warrant a sleeping bag, yet.
The next two days as we climbed, the valley became steeper and stepper with the surrounding peaks even more impressive. Routine afternoon showers were common, but didn't slow us down much. The final stop before ABC was Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC) at 3720m. The air began to cool by this point, but it was greeted with immediate relief after all the climbing we had done. That being said, breaks were tricky as the wind cooled you off instantly and you had to be careful not to expose yourself for too long no matter how incredible it felt. The clouds greeted us at ABC (4095m) which was common for the afternoons there. Just to put this elevation into perspective, Mt.Robson is the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies at 3954m. Thankfully, living near a thousand meters for most of my life kept any type of altitude sickness at bay. Though some fellow trekkers along the way had to turn around and stay at lower elevations that night to allow more time to acclimatize.
The porters and guides at ABC played cards, as the range of other activities were few and far between. They gambled most of their guide fees away and drank a majority of the alcohol being hauled up. For the local Nepalese porters the hike we did was managed by most in two days with whatever enormous loads they were carrying up. We saw propane tanks, cases of beer (3-4), PVC pipe, and wound up re-bar all being diligently carried up the steep steps. Some wore shoes, but most had rubber boots or flip flops. It was very impressive. The cost for a chocolate bar at ABC was roughly $2-3 USD and a beer $8-10 USD. I had brought a small bottle of rum up with me thankfully, and enjoyed it with Jeff as a toast to our success.
Without much warning the clouds began to disappear later that afternoon. The sky opened up and every resident in every lodge came out to catch a glimpse of the enormous surrounding landscape.
It was GORGEOUS ! ! !
The base-camp sits on a ridge overlooking a gravel/slush glacier that descends from Annapurna I (8091m) with Macchapuchhre or Mt. Fishtail (6997m) looming in the distance behind you. It was a spectacular sight to see and worth every step to see! Phenomenal!
The nights are early on the trail, as proprietors try to conserve what little solar power they've accrued during the day. It gets a bit chilly at night, dropping just below zero maybe at ABC. The lodges have blankets, but they appear more likely to be thrown out after a few years of use, before ever being washed. Maybe a sleeping bag wasn't such a bad idea. After going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I looked up at the crystal clear sky and saw the Milky Way streak across the sky sharp as a razor. It was pretty fantastic being so high up, so isolated, and so close to these powerful mountains. You really do feel like you're on top of the world. By 6am the next day I hurried outside to catch the first glimpse of sunshine hitting the peaks on a beautiful blue-bird day. Before anyone else came to join me, I took advantage of being by myself and kicked some more good-sized stones down the ridge to the glacier below; Warner and Frans would have been proud. Jeff and I decided to head back down to MBC before the clouds completely covered their view of Mt. Fishtail as well. It was a gorgeous day to descend as the sun shone and we luckily avoided the rain clouds brewing in the distance. It was an incredible sight to see!
Hiking in Nepal is so different from Canada. First, there's steps. So many steps! Second, every couple hundred meters there's tea-houses and restaurants loaded with available supplies (although a bit more expensive than Pokhara). The paths are easy to navigate and locals are friendly and always willing to point you in the right direction. Each proprietor will try and convince you to stay for a rest if you ask them for some advice, as the distances and times they offer can be a bit exaggerated. Otherwise, the Nepalese on the trail are very kind, but have become accustom to seeing thousands of foreigners pass by their front steps each year. The towns along Annapurna's Sanctuary and Circuit rely heavily on tourism for their livelihood. Other trails in Nepal pass through traditional towns that don't rely on this source of income and are said to be far more authentic. It is still apparent though, that locals still need to make an income once the monsoon arrives in June and the trekking season sputters out. During this time of year I got to witness both types of communities along the way.
My biggest surprise was the humidity and relentless heat that followed me nearly all the way up the trail. Most people venture this trek in the autumn or winter months, and I can easily see why. It was a really good challenge though. Eventually, your body goes into autopilot and the stairs become a pattern of slow, strong, steps taking you to a beautiful destination. You do a lot of thinking during this time as you drone onward.
It almost feels like meditation.
I thought back to friends in Canada, family across the globe, and all the hospitality I had received along the way since my departure in February. For me, this hike represented the apex of my adventures and I literally felt, "more high" with every stride. It gave me the chance to appreciate the people in my life as I sifted through every memory; reminiscing the laughs and tears shared over the years. It sounds a bit cliche, but climbing these mountains is a life changing experience. I felt so incredibly lucky to have had such a wonderful opportunity.
The descent down to my original starting point was quick but painful. The steps were equally as grueling as the way up. My knees began to burn by the second day, but luckily a small hot-spring wasn't too far away on our final night. Back in Pokhara, I found myself being the loudmouth telling newcomers about the hike, instead of the one listening intently. It sounded a bit like:
"Oh, you don't need a guide, I managed just fine!"
"Definitely, bring some of your own alcohol for sure."
"You don't really need a sleeping bag."
"Well, I managed Poon Hill and ABC in only 8-days. So...."
Yup, the high-altitude air had definitely gotten into my head. Good thing I had some time in Pokhara to let it all out and return to my humble backpacker-status. Pokhara is a great place to launch any adventure, but I was more interested in seeing the more traditional sights of Nepal and getting the local feel.
All it takes is one non-tourist bus ride to find it.
Tim
Tim
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