Our trekking days are over in Nepal. We just finished a trek in the Annapurna region of Nepal which is further west from the Khumbu region where we first went trekking. The Annapurna trek was at a lower elevation than our Everest trek which meant warmer temps. The highest we climbed was just over 13,000 feet to Annapurna Base Camp more commonly known as ABC.
Our first day of hiking we ascended 3000 feet, it was a crazy climb, but the elevation was still very low. Our days hiking were a bit longer than in the Everest trek since we did not have to worry about altitude problems. We completed the trek in 9 days, but had two rest days since we had some time to spare. The scenery was beautiful as we walked through Rhododendron and Bamboo forests. The afternoons clouded up often, but the mornings were very clear and we often saw views of Mt. Macchapuchre (Fish Tail Mountain: the peak resembled a fish tail). From a village named Deurali at 9000 feet we were advised to leave early at 6 am for our ascent to ABC to avoid the avalanche stretch of the trail. Avalanche danger is not usually a problem this time of year, but if it is going to happen, later in the day is of more concern after the sun has had time to melt the snow. Along this stretch which took us about 3 hours to get through we saw evidence of old avalanches and had to walk across a few of them.
As we neared the base camp the afternoon rain turned to snow and we walked through a snowstorm and thick fog from Macchapuchre Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp about a 2 hour walk. Mountains surrounded us and other trekkers were close by, but Pat and I could see nothing but each other since the fog and snow was so thick. So when we reached base camp at 11am, we saw nothing and were a bit disappointed after the hardwork involved getting to the top. We knew we still had a chance to see the peaks the next morning, so we waited patiently all day, playing cards, reading, and conversing with other trekkers in the lodge. The next morning at 6 am we awoke to more clouds and fog. During breakfast the fog started to thin out and we could almost see the sun. We had already packed our backpacks and were preparing for the hike down, but around 7:30 it cleared fully and we were surrounded by peaks some towering at over 20,000 feet. We also viewed an awesome glacier. Every direction we turned was another snowcapped mountain and we often heard and viewed avalanches. We decided to stick around to enjoy the view, which remained for 2 hours. By this time it was too late to head down, so we decided to stay the whole day and sleep the night at ABC again. The next morning produced the same results, but we enjoyed the views as we hiked our way down with an American couple from Seattle. This day was one of the longest in time and elevation descent. We descended 7000 feet, our longest day of hiking, resulting in raw blistered feet along with swollen sore knees. We reached Sinuwa and stayed at a wonderful lodge named Sherpa Guesthouse also the lodge we stayed at on the way up. We were pleasantly surprised when we walked into the lodge and saw that Ann Marie and Rich (Irish and English) along with Raju (Nepali) their guide were also staying here. Later in the afternoon Melissa and Joseph (American) and separately Ginny (Australian) showed up and we all enjoyed each other's company again. The next day we again were packed and ready to go, but the day was so beautiful and warm and my knee was so swollen we decided to stay and relax all day. Ginny had the same idea and Ann Marie and Rich stayed for half the day. We all sat on the terrace overlooking the valley and enjoyed the warm sun most of the day. Melissa and Joseph also stayed but not out of choice, as Melissa was sick. That evening we met a porter named Shankar who drunkenly showed us many card tricks and Joseph kept us thinking with countless riddles. We all moved on the next day. Throughout the day hiking we often saw Sonia and Pietro (Spanish and Italian) whom we had met up at the lodge the second night in ABC.
This trek is a bit more traveled proven by the amount of luxury (hot showers and thick mattresses) in the lodges and the amount of times children asked us for pens and sweets. Even though more tourists visit this area we never felt overwhelmed by tourists and throughout our 7 hour days we were often trekking alone with the passing of the occasional trekker or porter.
Last night we arrived in Pokhara settled into a hotel enjoyed a hot shower, and then enjoyed a nice dinner with Ann Marie, Rich, Raju, Melissa and Joseph while watching traditional Nepalese singing and dancing. Even though still enjoying myself I was getting tired towards the end of this trek and was glad to sleep in this morning. My feet were also happy when I put on my Teva sandals instead of my hiking boots. If Pat doesn't put on some weight we will have to buy him a new pair of pants since his current pants keep falling down. Even with Pat's weight loss we are feeling good and healthy and will relax for the next 5 days enjoying our luxury hotel and the wonderful food here in Pokhara.
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