Day 44: to the highest point

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We discovered that Raj had ESP. One of the main attractions of this hike is to make it to the top of Poon Hill at sunrise. This requires hikers to leave their guesthouse at 4:30 AM hike at one of the coldest parts of day to make it to the top by sunrise. Raj said he thinks we’d much prefer sunset if it is clear tonight because the colors are better in his opinion, we do not have to get up early and we will be more warm. ALL THREE are spot on especially not wanting to get up early. Mind you, each day we will be up by 7 AM hiking by 8, but those extra 2 and a half hours are vital. All day we hiked with the hope of clear skies and getting to Ghorepani early enough to make it. This led to Raj telling us slower slower as we climbed the stairs. But with a group blaring techno on a speaker behind us, we could not be stopped. Needless to say, the sunset hike was amazing because it was both quiet (almost all hikers do sunrise), to watch the mist come into the valleys, and the colors transforming on the mountains as the sunset. Most of it looked surreal as if someone took a canvas and enlarged it before us. That night Rische taught us a new card game, but led us to be up later than all other hikers and guides. None of the guesthouses are heated so once the sun sets, the temp drops quickly. In the main lobby area is where most people gather because there is a stove that provides the only heat source. Well it burned out with about two hours of cards to go. We were able to order tea, but I quickly learned as my feet became numb why everyone is in bed by 8 PM. The elder woman of the house came about an hour before we went to bed and Rische asked if she was going to put in more wood. She laughed at us and said ”NO you go to bed, it is time.” I vowed not to make the same mistake again...being up later than the end of the fire, even for a new card game.

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