Hi Everyone...
Well we made it to Nepal - via Hong Kong - don't like to make things too easy for ourselves but that's just the way OneWorld flies from Bangkok to Kathmandu. The upside was that we did get upgraded and flew in Business from BKK to HK. Nice!!!!
Once in Kathmadu ("KTM") we got met by our atxi driver who took us to a place called the International Guest house to find that they only had a more expensive room for the night - no choice so we had to take it... In the morning we got up, had a nice breakfast, and then I decided to chat to the hotel manager about the room situation and about advice as to how to get to Annapurna region and also about getting round it... Now for the uninitiated what hotels in KTM do is get you there and then sell you as many add on services as possible so that they get as much out of you as possible (and this hotel manager was no exception) - except I had done a bit of research and chatted to people on our trip about how much it SHOULD cost - not what he was selling me... Long/short - he basically told us we could leave his hotel as we weren't taking his chauffeur services nor taking his guide or porter (all way about market rates)... An unhappy Erin was then forced to move hotels (to a mere 3 mins away and a third of the cost) but when the situation was explained to her over much she agreed the guy was a d**k!!!
A few days in KTM were spent sorting out permits for the Annapurna Circuit (cost $25 per person), buying bus tickets to Besisahar (the starting point for the anticlockwise trek) and generally getting kit for the trek. We stayed in a place called Holy Lodge (the only thing Holy about it were the sheets but it was adequate enough although it didn't stop the tears from coming again when she saw it... KTM doesn't have that many decent affordable places - if any... and there is only 5 hours of electricity per day - if that!!! It is powered by Hydroelectricity so if the river isn't full enough there isn't any power - Simple huh!!! KTM is a capital city is hear you say... ;-) whatever!!!!!!!!)
So the next day we set off for Besisahar and arrive mid-afternoon, cleverly avoiding a 2 hour hike by jumping onto a moving minibus that navigates its way gingerly up the river valley and to Erin's great shock VERY close to the deathtrap that is a sheer ravine and river bed.
First time Erin sees the Tea Houses we are going to be in for the next 3 weeks she breaks into tears - what the hell did she think it was going to be like - a hotel!!!!!! Rooms are basic, think of two beds and a sheet on them... but they are cozy and I like the rustic feel to them... she of course, throws a tantrum so we have an argument and I tell her she can't do the circuit anyway... reverse psychology working she immediately changes tack and now wants to do it... so we set off for the Thorung La pass.
About 8 or 9 days later and with a lot of pain and suffering (I'm carry two person's backpacks worth of kit as mademoiselle has issues of her own (her toenails are cracking...) we gain about 2,500m in height to reach Manang at 3,600m (11,000ft). This is our resting place for a day whilst we acclimatise to the lack of oxygen and get ready for crossing the pass at 5,400m. As fate would have it three things conspired against us - 1) it started to snow and did so for 2 days - thereby putting 3 feet of snow on the Pass 2) Erin's knees were not up to the challenge of the massive decent the other side of the pass (5,000ft of downhill) and 3) Erin gets vertigo so the decent the far side and the drops she would have to look at might have endangered more that just her life... Difficult decision and massively disappointed, we went down to a lower village and flew down to Pokhara for her 30th birthday...
After her birthday which remarkably passed without too many tears and blubbing about being 30 (who cares anyway??? It's just a number!!!) we both became ill with the sh1ts but I got them first and then got rid of them and then Erin got them and then got rid of them - however, we wasted 3 days recovering in Pokhara when we were supposed to be going back up to the Annapurna conservation area to do more trekking. On the upside, it rained one afternoon so we took ourselves off to the local market area and I ended up buying the entire James Bond collection, Series 1-6 of "24", 17 new DVDs, a 24-language DVD and Series 1-4 of the US "Office for $48 - who cares if half of them don't work at that price... its like going to the movies in NYC twice... bargain!!!!! Just have to see if Her Majesty's Customs let me in the country with them... hehe...
Forgot to mention this before but "challenge Al" came out again in Nepal - the rule is simple - I have to actually PAY for a haircut but it is to be as cheap as possible.... (Note: One of the lads we were travelling with got one free so that doesn't count - still not sure how he got that one but nevermind...) - prior to Nepal the bar was set by Cambodia at $1.50.... well Nepal just beat it with a $0.5 one in Pokhara.... funny but it really wasn't that bad and I got a neck massage included for free... game on!!!
Eventually, both of us feeling better we got into a cab and went back up to start trekking again, this time from Birithanti on the Clockwise part of the circuit. We had heard that a place called Poon Hill was THE PLACE to see the sunrise over the Annapurna range and 2,500m of height gain later and feeling a little woozy from the lack of acclimatisation we were not disappointed (Photos to come later when I get back to GB but it was amazing). Only trouble was that it was a bloody early start for me 4.30am and I just don't like getting up that early!!! so I went back to bed and slept for a couple of hours...
The next day I set my alarm early again and realised that I could get virtually the same view as the morning before but without a 45 minute hike up to the top of Poon Hill from my bedroom - why didn't someone tell me that the day before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We then set off via a few testing hills to a place called Ghandruk and stayed at the prettiest little tea hut I have been to called Snow Lodge (perched on top of a valley with amazing views and great food) - not that Erin could tell as she had had a dodgy soup at lunch and had vomited it all up....
A 3 hour trek downhill - Killer on the knees - and we were back to Birithanti and civilisation again... Erin is mow much happier especially when I negotiate a cab for us back to Pokhara (I had previously threatened the local bus again as the taxis were too expensive). So back in Pokhara we have now showered, shaved, are getting our clothes washed in the hotel and are generally recovering... I think Erin might have PTSD (look it up on Google ;-) ) but we are ready for the next phase of our trip - back to KTM and then off to India where the trains and hotels are already booked...
Will update you more when something happens...
Love
Al
