Annapurna Circuit (Manang/Muktinath)

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19/11/09

Suddenly there were much more tourist in Manang, later find out many people flown in and did the Pisang circle for the started and then attack the Thorung pass afterward. Sound reasonable as the first part from Besishaha not really worth if one didn't had enough time, and most the the scene started right after Pisang. It wasn't a long trek today so I stole some times in the morning hike up to the Chongkor view point on the other bank, with more than a month exercise I scaled the slope with ease! A small lake on the right after crossed the river, looking back on Manang while the sun cast its light on the village, another wild west sight with the brownish barren mountains. And on this side the Annapurna IV with the Gangapurna (@7455m)stood in front a little bit, and spread its glacier across to the right. And the Tilicho stood further in the north west. Before heading out of Manang I stepped into a local teahouse for breakfast, a young Gurung man served me yak meat and buckwheat pencake, "local restaurant local price for you" he emphasized. He told me he used to do business trip in Asia, "Singapore, Hongkong and Bangkok, I buy in Bangkok ang sell in Singapore" he said. Yes, that was what I heard about people in Manang region could go outside to made trading business. He proudly showed me his passport with all the entry stamps on, "see, this is Italy" he told me he went there one to Pisa. But since 2 years ago he stopped it because there wasn't that easy to sell thing in other countries, "regulations getting more tight" he complained, so now he settled back at home with this shop and also working at post office. Looked at his watch, he said time to go to work as it was almost 10am. And I swallowed up my last piece of Yak meat and we went our own way. The trail slowly ascend and we caught up with the Kone Khola to the direction of Thorung La. After Gunsang the Chullu West(@6419m) appeared on the right like a huge dam! Further into the valley I was planned to sleep at Yak Kharka, but it was too early so I pressed on to Ledar(@4200m) where most guidebook suggested for sleep over. And it was even smaller than Yak Kharka with only 3 lodges, "no electricity here" the lodge owner said, ok better well planned for my battery then. Took a hike up the hill out from the lodge, just for acclimatizing, so I checked on my barometer all the time, 4300...4400...4500m...right, that should be enough, that was then I had time to looked up and surprised to seen many musk deer up on the hillside, spot counted it was 29. I advanced carefully but still they sensed me, but only jogged further on. I think I better let them alone and I switched my attention back to the surrounding, beautiful Gundang(@5312m) on my back,Khatung Kang(@6484m) and Syagang(@6026m) further up the trail. Annapurna IV and Gangapurna still there, but the further I climbed up, another mountain top appeared and it should be the Annapurna III(@7555m).again...I was on the wrong side facing the sun, but the whole picture was great enough to admired with most of the ground still covered by snow, will there be snow tonight? getting too cold up there and I better back down and ordered my dal bhat!

20/11/09

Thorung Phedi was only 2 hours away, so I could started late. Same kind of barren scene on the small trail ascend 600m I arrived at the high camp, an hour above Thorung Phedi, so...1 hr less climbing tomorrow morning, perhaps mean 1 hr more sleep! High camp was a single lodge with about 100 beds. I hate it the minuet I walked into the reception, the unwelcoming look with no smile, reminded me of Luboche. I really didn't want to stay there so I decided to walked further up 30 mins, as the sign written by the trail, the Yakawa lodge, "no place to stay up there, just a tea-house" the man in high camp told me. I ignored him as I would just took it for gaining height for today and return back if there was no place to stay. More than 100m more climbing on a snow path the Yakawa stood on the col, a young man run the place and show me the room, although with kind of stone wall, but the roof had a big gap where cold wind could came through, the nightmare of Luboche came back, "200 rupee" he offered. I had no choice but return back to the unfriendly high-camp, took a room for 280, just for the night so I just avoided any unnecessary encountered with the worker there.

21/11/09

4 o'clock I could hear people preparing for departure, I kept myself inside the warm blanket until half past 5, sky still dark and breakfast was a bit too early for me, got some hot drinks and down a pack of biscuit then was on my way when there appeared light on the eastern end. It was rather cold especially when blasted by gust of wind, and most of the paths were covered by snow, my shoe wasn't made for this kind of icy trail, my toes were asking for mercy, so I tried my best to walked faster. Although there were many tourist today, but most of the time I was by myself, need to concentrated on my breathing though. And most of the time I got the Khatung Kang(@6484m) along side with me, there was only 1 tea house after 30 mins from the high-camp, then you would need to wait until an hour before Muktinath for a drink. After 2 hours I was standing on the summit of Thorung La(@5400m),it was faster than I thought and easier than I'd expected. Wind was strong so I hurried down from the other side, it was a long descent for about 2000m, after the first part of snow covered path the trail turned into scree and...steep! The surrounding were so barren that only one colour could be seen...yellowish brown! And in the far west stood the Dhaulagiri Himal(@8163m). After crossed a hanging bridge I saw Muktinath(@3700m), looked at my watch, not even noon! I was fast! So I took some times to walk in the valley after settled down. Jhong(Dzong) was a Bhot village stood on the other side of the valley, what attracted me was the ruin looking structure, later find out it was an old fort, and that was where the village name came from, Jhong in tibetan mean fort. The walk took 30 mins down the valley, crossed one extreme simple foot bridge and jumped over another stream, then a steep climbed for a short while. The village also had an old monastery could dated back to 17th century, it got a really long name, the Dzong Chude Shedup Choephet Ling Monastery, of course the original monastery had been collapsed but the ruined still stood next to the present monastery. Great view onto Jharkot village with the Dhaulagiri on the background.
Muktinath had many temples and monasteries itself, a sacred place where fire, air, earth and water meet. but most of them looked rather new, and beside I wasn't really interested in visited any monastery. the village had many lodges but with tasteless name, the Bob Marley hotel, the Monalisa, the Hotel California, totally out of range of the name list along the trail, I wouldn't even thought about stay there, I choose one name more decent...the Sunshine! Here you find some handmade souvenirs, tibetan women weaved scarf with small loom, other than these, all the jewellery were the same stuffs you could find in every tourist area.

Note
Tourist check post in Muktinath for trekking permit.

22/11/09

From Muktinath you could see cars again, in fact every morning at 9am the first jeep would depart for Jomsom, 500 rupee each. And most of the time I needed to crossed over the dusty road along the trail. Jharkot was the 1st village I came through, with an 500 years old monastery at one end of the village, same like Jhong there also a ruined fort structure stood redundantly. The village got couple of lodges as well, I should had came further and stay here yesterday as I find the village was quite interesting with an medieval air. Walked on I came to Khingar right on the main dirt road, again...lodges with name like Romeo & Juliet or Sweet Dream etc, strange!? on the right over on the other side of the valley, you could see many old caves on the cliff surface. Walked on the main road for about 2km then took the short cut down and Kagbeni was there by the Kali Gandaki, and surrounded by apple orchard. Kagbeni(@2800m) had many lodges, I even saw the 7/11 sign, and one red sign imitating MacDonald. But the village was even more medieval than Jharkot, also with an old gompa, the small lanes inside the old sector criss-crossing, low doorway, dark corridor, suddenly a chicken would fly across, baby sheep wandering aimlessly, or you face to face with a yak when turned a corner, most of the houses were lacked of maintaining, you feel like walked into a ruin. Decided to stay even it was only 11am. Left my bag in a small tea house after tasting the sheep meat and the blood filled dried intestines, tasted quite ok actually and only for 80 rupee! I went looking for room, and I did upgraded myself with a room with attached bath, 24 hrs running hot water...waohhhh, luxury!!! And it was only for 150 rupee(bargained price). The village was small, but I wouldn't mind to made rounds in within the old sector, the motifs above door frame, the locks on wooden door, the engraved windows, there even a strange looking statue on a street corner, hand hold knife and with an erected penis! the notorious strong wind in the Kali Gandaki valley wasn't just a rumour, many times I need to recomposed myself or looking for something to hold when headed on with the wind. another new snow mountain could be seen here, the Nilgiri North(@7061m), but the look wasn't that attractive.

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