Our trek begins

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October 20, 2008 Monday 9:15 p.m. Pokhara

We’re in Pokhara after a 6 hour drive. Very fun drive, not as scary as I was led to believe. For one thing, I’ve developed a lot of confidence in the ITrekNepal drivers. Crazy driving, but not really careless at all. And what can you expect with no lights, no stop signs, cars, trucks, bikes (motor and pedal), people and animals in the road.
We did some shopping. I enjoyed it. Bruce went out after dinner to get a book (and probably a drink). We met with Dilman (our guide) for a quick orientation. He’ll meet us tomorrow at 7:30 to actually start this trek.

I’m nervous but feel much better than yesterday. Hope I can keep up the pace!!

October 21, 2008 Trek Day 1

We left Pokhara at 7 a.m. for the short drive to Phedi (which means Starting Place or Dropping Off Place - I forget which). We stopped a few times in Pokhara to buy fruit and snacks. Our driver dropped us - Bruce, me, Dilman (our guide), Dirga and Dharma (our 2 porters) - and then we went up - very, very steep, straight up for 1 to 1 ½ hours. I thought I would never make it. At the top on the ridge were Tibetan souvenir stands. After buying bracelets for good luck, we continued along the ridge through a rhododendron forest. We had lunch after 1 ½ to 2 hours at Dhampus where our ITrekNepal schedule had us stopping for the night, but we continued on to Tolka. Dilman wanted us to make it to Landruk, but since it was getting a little dark we stopped at the last, I think, Tolka lodge at 5:45. The lodge is quite basic, but quite sufficient, western toilets and a shower, though I was too tired to shower but simply washed away sweat from my face and let it dry on the rest of me.

Hard walk but sufficient breaks. Feeling pretty good, not stiff yet. Views are spectacular. People are friendly. Villages are beautiful and picturesque but life must be horribly hard. Dilman said this morning that huge number of houses on the outskirts of Pokhara were new housing villagers who had moved down into the city. We were only in the tourist area of Pokhara by the lake, which was swarming with Anglos and Europeans and tourist shops.

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Photos

Sovenir Stand above Phedi
Notice the road way down below where we were dropped off to begin our trek.