Annapurna Trek

---

…the Trek - where to start? I think this hike was one of the hardest physical things I have ever done, but as with most challenges, it was also the most rewarding. The scenery was beautiful, the people were lovely and friendly and the strain on the old body felt goods - or feels good now - 3 days later 😊. We ended up finishing the trek in 15 days without taking a break. Its hard to say if it would have been better to have a break and stay at the high altitude or finish how we did - I guess we’ll never know. The only bad part of not having a break was that I think I mentally ended the trek on day 10 after the Pass, so then it was not only 7-8 hours of walking, but it was also 7-8 hours of wishing it be done. Oh well, if I was ever feeling bad, I just looked up and again was surrounded by the beautiful Himalayas and realized quickly how lucky I was to be there. So, there doesn’t see to be a firm number but including the acclimatization hikes, we put the total at 200km (not the rumored 350km), and about 10,000m up and down.

Rather than describe 15 days of hiking, I decided to write down a lesson every day.
Day 1 - Besishahar 820m to Ngadi 890m
Always carry 2 litres of water with you - I had no idea how hot it would be and the first 3 days were probably over 30 degrees and sweaty!!!!
Day 2 - Ngadi 890m to Jagat 1300m
Eat a bigger breakfast - most mornings were porridge and 2 hard boiled eggs - my only source of protein! The food was mostly veggies and rice, although it did start to get more varied after the first 5 days. It also took at least 1-1.5 hours to prepare, so if you just finished walking for 4 or 5 hours, anything would have been delicious by the time it was ready!
Day 3 - Jagat 1300m to Danaqyu 2100m
Never leave your things laying around. This was my most stressful day, as I left my sunglasses sitting out on a table at night and didn’t realize they were gone until we’d walked a half an hour. My guide Parveen actually went back to find them and couldn’t. At lunch they weren’t in my bag that the porters carried either, so I was quite bummed - seeing as it was really sunny! Leaving lunch, I saw some ladies that had been at our hotel and asked them if they saw the glasses - they had in fact given them to a sherpa or a porter, they couldn’t remember which…. This was a bit awkward seeing as the sherpas and porters helped me look in my bag during lunch…. Praveen asked them about the glasses at night and when I came down for dinner he was wearing them - I was glad to have them back and decided not to ask any questions about where they had been, but it was all a little funny!!!!
Day 4 Danaqyu 2100m to Chame 2670m
I learned how to do a good farmer blow! My nose had been running pretty much none stop. Apparently I didn’t really think about the whole walking along a donkey path thing and what it could possibly do to my allergies. Seeing as my toilet paper was a bit stretched, I took to the farmer blow- Dad would have been proud!
Day 5 Chame 2670m to Lower Pisang 3200m
I learned to always remember to look up! I thought that many times throughout the trek but even more so that night when Laura (my roommate - very cool Irish girl) pointed out the stars. They were absolutely incredible. I have never seen the milky way so ‘thick’???? J It was beautiful! It was also my first time to get a really good view of the mountains. Laura and I took a little hike up to Upper Pisang before dinner and sunset was stunning. The view and the fact that I hadn’t taken my camera on the hike was enough for me to get up and go back for Sunrise…. Almost….
Day 6 - Pisang 3200m to Manang 3540m
My lesson was to always remember to say “Go Fish”. As we were in Manang for two nights and only doing a ‘short’ 500m acclimatization hike the next day, we thought it was be fun to have some wine and play cards. It was quite fun - you had to have a drink if you replied no instead of go fish or if you pulled the card you asked for - sounds extreme, doesn’t it! The night also involved locking Myles and Claude in their room for the night - as all the doors to the tea house rooms had a spot on the outside for a key lock. Luckily for them it was the first night we had a toilet in our room!
Day 7 - day hike
I learned its always a good idea to get a blessing from a monk before you do anything in the mountains! It was cool - there’s a monastery built into the side of the hill, so we hiked the 500m up there to get blessed and and have some tea!

Day 8 Manang 3540m t0 Yak Kharka 4018m
I learned it can change 20 degrees in one day without having a Chinook! It started as a beautiful clear morning and somehow at lunch things turned - the winds picked up and it was freezing - I think it was just a sign of what was to come!

Day 9 Yak Kharka 4018m to Thorung Phedi 4450m
I learned this lesson at night - you really can be cold at night even if you are wearing every garment of clothes you own! I stayed warm during the day for hiking in the morning - through the 20cm of snow that fell throughout the morning, but at night it was a bit of a challenge b/c everything was cold and wet. Also b/c of the snow, a lot of people didn’t do the Pass that day and they stayed in the nice rooms we were supposed to have while we stayed in mud huts with doors that would not close. Brrrrrr. Sadly there was actually one death due to exposure on the Pass that day - we heard about after we were over luckily, or I think we would have all been a bit freaked out!

Day 10 Thorung Phedi 4450 to Muktinath 3800 via Thorung La Pass 5416m
I learned that the only way for me to make it up over the Pass was to go VERY slowly. I can’t remember ever feeling that tired hiking. My legs and lungs started burning 3 steps after a break - it was wild. I guess had I taken a high altitude drug, it would have been easier, but drugs are for wimps J So instead I hauled myself up the 1000m and then down for 1600m - I was about ready for that to end as well by the time we finished! Thank goodness for my walking stick, although my knees may never be the same.

The Pass was gorgeous. We ended up with a blueskies and sun and the mountains were stunning. We had a 4:00am wake up call and were trekking by 5:30. It was pretty cool going up the mountain in a long row of headlamps. Some people left around 3:00am to be at the Pass for sunrise, but I liked where we were for sunrise - great views and great photos. It’s really hard to describe what the whole day’s experience was like, but it did feel fantastic! I even cut a little piece of my hair out for and tied it to the Stupa at the top of the Pass for good luck 😊

Day 11 Muktinath 3800m to Marpha 2670m
I learned I’d rather have a dirty squat toilet than a dirty Western toilet. One of the big surprises for me, was that for the first 10 days there had only been squat toilets… I can’t believe what I was able to get used to…and what a dirty toilet could actually be like. Still somewhat less disturbing than China though. Maybe it’s b/c we were in the country - it kind of makes sense that things won’t be perfect but in China you’d expect a little more cleanliness??? Anyway, probably enough said, but the other side of the mountains we much more touristy, so our tea houses usually had western toilets… and eventually showers!!! Oh yes, I also didn’t shower for 5 days as it was so could and Praveen warned against it in case you get a cold. Seeing as I definitely already had a cold going on, I didn’t think it would be a good idea. I was also surprised with what I could get used to on a personal stink level!

Day 12 Marpha 2670m to Ghasa 2010m
I learned there doesn’t have to be a lesson every day! Sometimes you just have to enjoy the experience for what it is rather then attempt to get something inspiring out of it! Although I do have a good quote for you from the one married guy on the trip who was traveling without his wife….”love is something you do, not just something you feel”.

Day 13 Ghasa 2010m to Tatopani 1190
I learned I had no regard for cleaniness and I was okay with sitting in a hot spring with 20 strange man who were wearing underwear that probably hadn’t been washed in at least 13 days… given that they were mostly porters and sherpas. But it was fantastic - it was the most relaxed I had been in 2 weeks! I even got in on happy hour in the pool - a 650ml beer AND popcorn for about $3.

Day 14 Tatopani 1190m to Ghorepani 2750
I think this was the longest day of the trek for me and I had some lessons written down, but they aren’t very positive… lets just say after walking up 1700m NO ONE was happy and we had a bit of a group incident…. I’m done with group tours. On another note, this is definitely the best group I have ever been with in terms of great people, everyone getting on, and just being fun and easy to talk to.

Day 15 Ghorepani 2750 to Birethanti 1150 - and a 4:30 wake up to watch sunrise on Poon Hill - 3120
I learned you really can bust a move to Indian dance music! Another long day - hiking up Poon Hill was almost too much for me- my legs were seriously done and I couldn’t understand why everyone seemed to be racing up the mountain. It was the closest I’ve come to just sitting down and not going on any further - I suppose the previous 5 days of 7 hour hikes didn’t really help, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt that in my life! Anyway, somehow we managed that hike and then the 6 hour trek to Birethanti - which was 3000 steps down - give or take. Praveen set up a bonfire for our last night and the porters brought out some music - it was a fun little party to finish up the trip! I even stayed up until 11 - impressive as most of the nights were about an 8:30 bedtime.

We spent the last two nights in Pokhara, which was a really nice town - it was great to decompress there before coming back to Kathmandu today. I needed to get used to cars and computers again! And good food - which there was plenty of in Pokhara. Delicious meals and coffees and of course...shopping 😊

That's it! Sorry, there seems like so much more to tell, but it's hard to squeeze 3 weeks into on quick story. Needless to say, I had a great time but I really had no idea what I was getting into. Anyone that says that's an easy hike is a lot more hard core than I am!

So tomorrow I head to Bangkok. I'm thinking I'll spend 2 nights there before going to Northern Thailand and staying in Chiang Mai for 5 or 6 nights. Then I meet Lana and Shelly!!!!!! I'm pretty excited about that. It's hard to believe it's been 2 months already - and I think the next 2 will go even faster.

I'll put on photos during another computer session - sorry they are getting burned on a dvd right now... hopefully!

Hugs to everyone
Love Steph

---

Photos

Acclimatization Hike
Prepping for Thorong pass - we hiked up to high camp the day of the snow. I wasn't sure it would be worth it to go up the 400m twice.... but then I got there....

Over the Pass...
... and looking hot!!!! that's Steph without a shower in 5 days :)

Sunrise on Poon Hill
With my new buddies Kate, Mary and Ryan

Bustin' a move....
Trying to learn Praveen crazy moves while wearing my pj's :) Check out the porter in the background!