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Published: December 19th 2009
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23/11/09
Took the time to visited the Sakya monastery this morning, again with a long name, Kag Chode Thupten Samphel Ling! For a 100 rupee they let you inside the red house by yourself, said the wall paintings were very high standard, but it was newly painted and child-play compared with other that I had seen in China. This 500 years old monastery has couple of old buddha status in the main hall. There were about 35 monk belong to this monastery, but they all not reside there as there wasn't enough fund to supported stay-in monk, that why now they long terms open up the monastery for tourist to raised funds. The roof top offered some views for the village and the valley, but I preferred the higher view after some climbing up the northern hillside. The walked to Jomsom was straight forward along the river or...seem like most of the time I was on the river bed for 2 hours, but it was better than walked on the dusty road. I thought Jomsom(@2720m) should be very busy as there was an airport, although much more buildings but none of the commercial atmosphere arise, more lodges on the right
side of the river around the airport, after checked in the police post and the tourist post I marched out of Jomsom. A military school for mountain warfare was on the right occupied a huge area before left town. Frequency buses bound for lower destination stirrup whirlwind of dust. Luckily after the ECO-Museum(not open on Monday, that was today!) there was a fork to the left for trekkers. Boring walk today as there wasn't much scene, not to mention the dusty road, and the head-on strong wind made the journey rather uncomfortable. By 2pm I arrived my destination in Marpha(@2670m). A clean and tidy village with whitewash houses and dark red window and door frame, and most house still kept piles of wood-logs on the flat rooftop, which created some kind of unique pattern. Plenty of lodges for a places like this, no dramatic view for the snow mountain, but it was the trail head for the Dhaulagiri Trek. Marpha claimed to the home for apple in Nepal, there was a distillery for apple brandy, but now with the fruits was out of season, so...no operation at the moment. But I brought a small bottle(180ml) in town for 70 rupee,
and it taste like some kind of herbal wine in China, not bad and not strong in alcohol, seem like there was some homemade brandy in the shop too. And there also apple juice as well. 70 rupee for a 300ml bottle, good stuff and very refreshing. Marpha was a Thakali village, there were many souvenir shops selling the same thing all through Nepal, and with a Tibetan refugees camp nearby(read it in the local map), there was scattering vendors selling those buddhism souvenirs.
24/11/09
The trail was all the way on the bus road to Tukuche(Tukuche mean fertile plain in tibetan). Luckily it was only an hour distant, and Tukuche(@2590m) was a rather pretty village, I would had stay here if I knew about it before, no souvenirs shop, the houses were all with nice wooden engraved door and window frames, which reminded me of Rajestan in Indian, the alley around the distillery(closed for off season) was rather pretty, even the factory itself was an old house, peered through the door gap I saw an nice patio. The village also offered great standard of lodges. I went in the Tukuche Guesthouse for a coffee, sit on the
rooftop for sunshine, the coffee was so good! And I checked the room was neat and clean, definitely recommended. Tip off by the owner that I could walked on the other side of the river to avoided the bus route, "just followed the river bay" she told me. It was a nice and comfortable walk with up and down, although almost 2 hours more than from the main road, but it was worth with the superb view of the Dhaulagiri(@8167m) and the Tukuche Peak(@6920m). You could see the vertical distance of almost 6000m from the river to the top of the Dhaulagiri. Kokhethanti was the only village offered accommodation on the route, picked up my lunch in a small diner, great sheep meat! Suddenly I realized it was only 2500m sea level, no wondered they all replied no when I enquired about yak meat. Little bit further after Dhampu and crossed a hanging bridge I arrived at Kolapani, my destination for today. Walked into the Magic Mountain as the terrace seem nice for photo, and the room rate was good. Here in Kolapani you could see the Annapurna I(@8091m) for the first time, and her neighbour Bharha Chuli(@7647m), and to
the left was Nilgiri South(@6839m) and Nilgiri Central(@6940m). Of course... Together with the Dhaulagiri and the Tukuche Peak stood on the other side. No wondered it was a recommend place to sleep the night.
There was kind of training school in Kolapani for tourism industry, so I took the opportunity to tried the cooking in the lodge, but in fact, since after the Thorung la, I opened up my wallet, was I sick of Dhal Bhat? Or sick of the look of the lodge's owner? Now I go for the western style food as it was still cheaper than ate Chinese, Italian, French, Mexican...and they actually prepared it good. I asked that guy in the lodge, "yes, I studied in that school" Dhan said, but then he added he didn't even able to made anything after the school because leaked of practice, "I worked in Porkhara more than 12 years" he told me, he only came back here to help during the trekking season. Ok then...perhaps I was lucky to stayed here, and wondered what would be the cooking like in other lodge?
25/11/09
I wished I had a tripod last night when I went to toilet in
midnight, the stars were brilliant and with those mountains shone up by the moon. I could only captured it with my eyes!
Not much sunrise for the Annapurna as the sun was on the wrong side. A few steps further was Lete once started the walk, then through short cut trial downhill and in an hour arrived at Ghasa(@2018m), the Annapurna I had long gone, still could said goodbye to Dhaulagiri. stopped by the tourist check-post before carried on, "you could take the trail on the left side of the valley to avoid the bus road" the police told me, great...although it would be much a more longer trail and few more up down, but...away from the dusty road was more important, I read some info last night, actually this valley/gorge should be the deepest in the world, the Kali Dankadi cut through in between the two 8000m mountain down to Tatopani, and the river bay mostly at around 2000m altitude. The walked on the left bank wasn't that difficult, in fact sometimes uphill better than go down all the time. Buses got more schedule by noon as I could see more dust whirring up the sky. Followed the trail
and crossed a bridge and I was into Dana(@1440m), this was the trail head for the old Annapurna base-camp for the French team in 1950, now the base-camp had been transferred to the inland by the English team, which I am heading in a few days. I was a bit frustrated to had to walked again on the dirt road, but then followed a local young man he took me back to the left bank and "no more than one hour to Tatopani" he said, although again facing some more climbing but my spirit heightened. It really took less than an hour I saw Tatopani(@1190m), once crossed the bridge and back on the main road for 10 mins, lodges and tourists could be seen. A bus park was right underneath the village by the main road. Left my luggage in the lodge I headed straight to the hot spring a little bit off the main road right underneath my lodge, 40 rupee entry, 2 small pools dug out from the ground, pretty warm water, a rewarded for the last 2 weeks walking! and of course to got myself cleaned! Here things were a little cheaper, could stocked up some dried
snacks for the next few days. Not much to see here, the only nice view through the north valley was the Nilgiri South. but unluckily cloud flow in and block the sunset view.
Note
Another tourist check post before left Tatopani.
Bus from Jomsom to Ghasa 600 rupee,and Ghasa to Tatopani 300 rupee.
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