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Published: December 22nd 2009
Muktinath
The yak shawls are on the side of the roadDay Twelve - Muktinath (3760m) to Jomsom (2720m)
We had a leisurely morning after the long day before. There are many merchants in Muktinath selling what are supposed to be the best yak wool products this side of Tibet. The wool is imported from Tibet before being woven on the side of the road in Muktinath. While most people caught a jeep to Jomsom, we decided that our legs needed a bit of a stretch. We also wanted to see as much of the Mustang region as possible (Jomsom being the capital). Mustang is separated into Upper and Lower, with the Upper bit requiring a special (read expensive) permit for trekkers - 500 USD for 10 days. We didn't actually get walking until around 11 due to much deliberation about scarves and shawls. We both ended up getting a haul - though Beth protests that most of hers were ‘gifts’. We journeyed down to Kagbeni for lunch via Jharkot, an old village with the remainders of an ancient fort in the middle of the town. The village was on the top of a hill in a deep valley, with a stone wall around it to keep the rabbits out. After
Jharkot it was a steep drop down to Kagbeni, situated at the bottom of a wide valley which Beth correctly predicted created quite an effective wind tunnel. Mark had the best veg burger yet.
The rest of the afternoon was spent battling against the intense headwind that came up the valley from Jomsom. We walked along the wide river bed for a number of hours, and we were both thoroughly sick of it by the time we reached Jomsom, which on first sight looked barren and desolate. As we continued into the town the barbed wire and crumbling walls contributed to the warzone effect. The hostel district was about 10 minutes out of town towards the airport - and was a long time coming. When we registered at the tourist checkpoint we were ambushed by Jamie and Justin - the Brits - and faith was restored. Jomsom was incredibly odd place - crumbling, sprawling, barren - with a mountain warfare academy and a lot of barbed wire. The razor wire around the preschool was a highlight, as was watching the cream of the Nepali Mountain Warfare Academy struggling back into town as part of their morning run along the cobblestones.
Day Thirteen - Jomsom (2720m) to Tatopani (1190m)
Once in Jomsom we realized that we had very little money left, and Jomsom was our last chance to get any. There are a few ATMs in the town, but unfortunately none were working and it was very unlikely that they would be functioning in time for us to catch the 7.15am bus. Instead we were up at 7am to see the Brits take off on their flight to Pokhara. But after half an hour waiting next to the runway we decided it wasn’t happening. We were right, the plane from Pokhara didn’t make it in until around 10ish due to ‘fog’ (read smog) in Pokhara. After that it was a scramble to eat, get packed, get cash and upload photos onto a DVD before the 10.30 bus. This wasn’t helped by the fact that the ATM didn’t work until 10. It was a rush, but we made it - though we quickly realized that being on the bus was no relief. The trip was along a horribly bad road; crossing road works, waterfalls, mud, rivers, stone plains etc. We both had whiplash by the time we got off
in Tatopani 5 hours later, and were grateful to be on firm ground again. Tatopani was positively balmy - there were mozzies and no need for a down jacket. We stayed in a bungalow-style room set in gardens above the hot springs (tato means hot and pani means water in Nepali). Mark spent a while in the evening learning how to play table snooker (carom) with Bikash and the rest of it eating tomato and spinach lasagna.
Day Fourteen - Tatopani (1190m) to Ghara
We had a lazy morning in Tatopani enjoying the very hot hot springs and reading our books so that we could swap them for new ones. We set off after lunch towards Ghorepani, having said goodbye to Bikash earlier that morning. While both of us were sick of descending, we were reminded that ascending isn’t easy either. The trail, made predominantly of stone steps, climbed steadily through terrace farms. We had planned on reaching Sikha that evening, but it was getting darkish by the time that we reached Ghara. After looking at a few places to stay we found a ‘room’, in what was essentially the attic of the last shop/house in town.
Day 12
Solar cooker is out the front It was the best of the bunch, complete with adorable screaming children, so we settled in for a noisy night. We spent the evening supervising homework and witnessing older sister superiority while we waited for dinner.
Day Fifteen - Ghara to Ghorepani
From Ghara the trail continues ascending towards Ghorepani (2860m). It was a long but steady day - made slower by the herd of goats who became our walking companions for the next couple of days on their way to Nayapul. They crowded the track and attempted to escape over the walled sides of it - but were no match for the donkey trains coming the other way. Our newest, favourite spectator sport was thus born: Donkey vs Goat. The sport was particularly satisfying as Donkey always wins.
We had difficulty in finding a place to eat lunch as all the restaurants in the town we had chosen for lunch were closed - in all other towns they were open. Things got a bit panicked as we entertained the prospect of hiking to Ghorepani without a good feed but thankfully the last hotel in town was open - and the hotelier was very excited to serve
Day 12
Goat herding in Mustang. us some excellent pasta.
We made it to Ghorepani in time enough for Mark to scamper up to Poon Hill to watch the sunset - though unfortunately the cloud that lingered over the sun spoiled any chances of a spectacular sunset over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas.
Day Sixteen - Ghorepani to Hile
We woke up early at 4.30 the next morning as our neighbours had their clocks wrong and unhelpfully announced to the entire hotel that it was time to get up, and subsequently that the time was wrong, and that we could all sleep easy for another half hour. When we did get up at 5.30 it was still dark outside and quite cold. The walk up to Poon Hill is an ascent of around 300m and takes probably 20 or 30 minutes. A little while after we started Beth started feeling really ill and decided to turn back, only to get lost in a terraced garden of cabbages on her way back to the hotel. Despite the trauma we both made it to our respective destinations. The sunrise was certainly a crowd pleaser, with around 100 people at the top of the hill. There were
Day 12
Looking back towards Muktinath some clouds just behind Machapuchare which turned pink in the early sun.
We had been contemplating doing the Annapurna Base Camp walk, but now realized that it would be too tight a squeeze, and decided to head straight for Pokhara. ABC normally takes 10 days from Nayapul, though as we would not need to wait to acclimatize to the altitude would have taken us less.
From Ghorepani the path descended steeply down the valley - near Ulleri we had to descend 3280 stone steps. Once again we didn’t make it as far as we had hoped, stopping in Hile instead of Birethanti for our final night on the trek.
Day Seventeen - Hile to Nayapul
We started off early, hoping to make it to Nayapul in two hours. However we were slowed down towards the end by a wedding procession that we plodded behind for 40 minutes or so. We were progressively disenchanted with semi-rural Nepal as we exited the Annapurna Sanctury region and left the agrarian societies of the mountains for the stink and litter of Nayapul. From Nayapul we caught a taxi to Pokhara, where we had hoped to enjoy the famous lake and mountain
Day 12
The Thorung La Pass is in the saddle. views - but in reality couldn’t see much because of the thick smog.
Although our calf muscles were relieved to have finished the hike, by the time we reached Pokhara we missed the beauty and the slow tempo of life that we had grown accustomed to in the mountains.
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Menon
non-member comment
Merry Christmas from the Shop
Hi Mark and Beth, We have been keeping up to date with your adventures, can't wait for the next entry. Sounds like you are having a great time. Even when things get trying you're keeping chins up, hang in there and keep well. The photos are proof that you are putting in the yards and reaping the rewards for it. They are spectacular. Good to hear you have met some people along the way, hopefully you continue to do so, just when you need them. (Nice ones that is). Jac and I have done the o/sea xmas thing, it has its advantages, no crazy relatives. All jokes aside they will be thinking of you, as are we. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and all the best for the start of 2010. Look forward to catching up when you return, but till then stay safe and enjoy the rest of the journey. Take care, Menon