I started the trek in a pretty somber state. First off i had to postpone one day due to food poisoning. (bloody Kathmandu!)
I’ll start with the local busses, it cost me about 420 rupees for a 9 hour trip to Bhuleblule (thats about $4.9 AUD)
So, its cheap… BUT.. i was sitting in the front seat, and there was 16 people in front of me, sitting all around the driver, in the hallway, on the engine inspection manhole thing, everywhere! There wasnt any space someone else could occupy. It was nuts!
I had heard stories about dodgy busrides in the mountains, but this was real, it wasnt a story, it was an experience.
Literally 200-300m cliffs. The outside wheel of the bus was on the side of these cliffs, no guard rails, 2 way traffic and only one lane.
Some other trekkers were saying that their driver was texting and making phone calls whilst driving on this road.
I was sitting in an aisle seat which has one seat next to it then the window. I have a vivid recollection of looking out the window and not seeing anything, no road, no trees, just air and the bottom of a cliff.
Because i had to take that sick day in the beginning, i had to make that day back up as i had a deadline for this trek. . (this is when the sherpa cracked it). We did 3 days trekking in the first day.
I think that due to my bout of food poisoning it knocked my immune system around and i stated to develop flu symptoms at around day 2 or 3 of the trek. Around 2100m – So still pretty low. I thought i might be able to fight it off before i got any higher.
The lower portion trek was relatively easy, some sections were a steep incline, but they didnt really last that long.
The demographic of the trek was middle to retiree aged people (which surprised me) I gather this is due to the length of time needed to complete the circuit.
There was plenty of rope bridges that crossed raging rapids.
We saw some locals blasting the side of a cliff to make the “New road” which will eventually go the whole way over the pass. (at the moment it only goes to just under Chame 2600).
After a few days trekking we got to Upper Pisang which is a village that has been cut into the side of a steep hill. This made for awesome views from the common tea room at the lodge.
I should now mention that accomodation at these lodges is basic, they provide a bed, cold shower( some were heated via solar but still not hot) toilet and a common dining room.
From upper Pisang, it started to get pretty steep as we ventured up the hill towards a Gumpa (which is a temple) The Buddhists seem to like putting these temples on top of peaks, or viewpoints.
The view of 8000m peaks was starting to become pretty damn amazing! They are all snow capped.
The next stop was at Manang, we stayed here for 2 nights to acclimatise being 3700m.
Manang is the busiest village of the whole circuit because it is recommended people stop here for their rest day, t hey supply a cinema showing both bollywood and western films, safe drinking water stations and a doctor surgery that has daily lectures about altitude, its effects and how to avoid sickness.
I spent my rest day resting, i had planned to go to the ice lake, but i felt the flu coming on pretty strong now.
I just hung around and took photos of this old village.
In the afternoon we went up to see the ’96 year old’ Lama w ho literally lived in a cave around 1km away from Manang and about 400m in elevation.
The following day was to Yak Kharka (4200m) although we stayed in the little village around 20 mins past this one.
This night it snowed, around 20cm, lucky we werent the first to leave in the morning and someone had already broken the trail for us.
Some decisions had to be made this night, my flu symptoms weren’t getting any better, i felt really lethargic, aches and pains and had a fever. I constantly felt cold until i had a paracetamol which stabilised my temperature. I needed to get out of altitude. The decisions to be made were to either head back down the hill, which would take around 6 days, or.. push over the pass which would be 2 more days, but i’d have to climb up to 5400m.
I took the later, but i enquired about taking a horse from the next camp 4500m to the pass, then i would only have to walk down hill from there to Mutinath. The Horse would cost $128 AUD, which is pretty big money over here!
I got to the next camp and booked the horse in.
The following morning, 4500m most people had left for the pass. I got on my horse, bareback (no saddle) and up the hill we went, after about 100m the horse was puffing real hard, and slowed right down. They were twisting her tail to get her to move. We came to an icey patch so i got off to help the horse across it. She was struggling, i walked her up to the high camp and left her there with her owners.
She was only a small horse, these locals are only small people but i am bigger than most of them so it was cruel to the horse to make it go on. She got me to around 4800m. And… it was eating me inside that i was taking a horse… i mean.. i only had the flu, how hard could it be????
From here i got my pack, (which was way fuller than normal because i was taking the horse so could take some of Nimas weight) and walked to the pass.
How hard could it be… i was dying after about 1 hour. There are 3 false summits on this pass (where you think you only have to get to the next ridge, but there is another behind it! …. 3 times)
I was following 3 English women who were moving at a real slow but steady pace which suited me.
Finally i got to the pass. Knackered! I had to sit down for 5 mins, had a hot tea and regained some strength. Took heaps of photos, with heaps of people.
The french couple, Simon the pomm, a guy from Argentina who gave me a biscuit, and of course Nima!
From here was around 2 hours of descending to Mukinath (3700m). The decscent is always nice and fast because you know you only have to go downhill and the air is getting thicker, so you are able to warm up easier.
The hotel we stayed in had a gas heated hot water system which was very nice compared to the solar hot water systems that might make it 25 degrees.
The hotel next door was boasting awesome yak meat, so i had a garlic yak sizzler. Man this was a nice change to Dhal Bhat (lentil rice) that i had been having for most lunches and dinners.
The following morning from Mukinath we Jeeped to Jomson, where there was no more flights to Pokhera so we had to take the local bus.. This was another 8 hours in these jam packed buses. Got to Pokhera at 11pm that night.
Pokhera is just over 800m in height so the air was nice and thick, i slept really well and was on my way to combating this flu.
The following day we had breakfast at a fancy Italian place, did a bicycle tour of the city, had lunch at a fancy Korean place (i think Nima was getting his own back here! he was eating up big at my expense)
I had a flight back to Kathmandu at 3pm where i have to do the final touches to my shopping, kill this flu and get all prepped for Everest on the 12th!