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Published: December 18th 2006
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I’m going home…. It’s a strange, quite surreal, but on the whole very nice feeling. I cannot believe how fast the last nine months have flow by. Nine months that have probably been one of the best periods of my life and definitely the most relaxed. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to have such a great adventure.
It’s funny - I remember when I first set out, talking to people that were ending around the world trips and thinking that the end for me was so far off… Now I am meeting people that are just starting their journey and it is I who is only a few days from home. A small part of me is envious of the great times and experiences that they will be having and wants to carry on travelling and experiencing new things. The rest of me however, is longing to see the people who are the closest to me, Nins, my friends and my family. I have been away from you all too long (well at least I feel this is the case ;-)…).
I am now in Delhi and I am surprised to report that it is pretty chilled
out. Although not quite as relaxed and revitalising as Nepal, where I spent a fantastic three weeks in Kathmandu, Chitwan and high in the Annapurna mountains.
My first taste of Nepal was on the bus journey from the Indian border to Kathmandu. We were crammed into a minivan like sardines and yes one of the locals was throwing up out of the window, but this did not matter in the slightest as I was mesmerised by the views. It seemed like we climbed up and up forever, winding our way through terraced hillsides bathed in sunshine and saturated by thin, clear, cool air. It is impossible to describe how beautiful the scene was. We turned one corner and the Himalayas sprung into sight, a ridge of snow covered, serrated peaks carrying on for infinity, with Everest in prime position surrounded by clammering subordinates. From this point on I was itching to set foot in the mountains, but first it was time to relax for a while in vibrant Kathmandu.
We met up with Ann-Marie, Malc’s friend from Cyprus and toured the city taking in the Dunbar Sq and Monkey Temple and shopping, eating and listening to live music
in the Themal area. It is a lovely City to spend time in. We also managed a day trip out to Patan, an old town in the Kathmandu valley and a good place to stretch the lags…
From Kathmandu it was on to the Chitwan National Park in search of Tigers… Well we managed to find a footprint, so almost! We explored the park on foot, in carved out tree trunks and on the back of elephants and in doing so managed to get up close to a few Marsh Mugger Crocodiles, a couple of Rhinos and a selection of other wild life.
It was then on to the mountains…Malc and I hit the Annapurna circuit for some trekking… At 8090 meters the highest peak (Annapurna I) is only a little lower than Everest (8848 meters) so the sights are incredible. We teamed up with our ever smiling guide Rupesh and hit the paths. The first two days were constantly ascending - it was like walking up stars for seven hours a day, so pretty tough going. The rewards were well worth the effort though. Snow tipped mountains loomed over green valleys. Blue skies and clear air revitalised
the body and there was always something interesting to look at along the way. Whether it be mountain folk farming terraced plots of land or spotting Marijuana plants growing amongst Cabbages and other vegetables.
The weather changed dramatically on the third day. I had woken at 4.30 to trudge up Poon Hill in hope of catching a spectacular sun rise. Instead I was confronted with a blizzard… Well maybe that’s a bit of artistic licence - not quite a blizzard and I was not struggling Scott of the Antarctic like through it, but it did snow a lot… It was really nice to walk in the snow and we pressed on though the day getting well up over 3000 meters. Unfortunately snow turned rain and by the end of the day we were soaked through. That evening we dried ourselves and our cloths in front of an open fire, in a shed that was used by the trekking hut owner for drying Cannabis! It’s amazing the situations that arise when travelling… We had broken the back of the journey and during the remaining days we were walking on the flat or making our way slowly downward. The sun had
come out again so they were a really pleasurable few days in the mountains.
On returning to Pokhara we were invited to have dinner with Rupesh and his family. It was a real privilege, but as on many occasions, made me realise how lucky I am. Rupesh, his wife and two young children share one tiny room. In this they cook, eat, sleep and shelter from the cold. They treated me so well, plying me with more food than they probably have between the four of them and constantly smiling and joking. Such generosity from incredible people.
So as I grow close to the end of my travels, do I feel any different? To be honest, not really. I am still the same person who left nine months ago, all be it, slightly less fat and in desperate need of a hair cut… I do value my situation more though and think I will have a slightly different view of the world I live in. The trip has definitely taught me a lot.
I have just over 24 hours left here so it’s bye for now, to be continued in person in next to no time. I
am really looking forward to seeing you all soon, in fact, I’m getting incredibly excited!
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