So we got the bus to Pokara which has the most stunning scenery enroute. Even though we had got up at silly o'clock to catch the bus and was knackered I still found it hard to sleep as didn't wanna miss anything. We drove through the Himalayas which were soooo lush. We booked ourselves on a 2 day trek, didn't we start off saying we were gonna go for 21 days??? Ah well. And being the sensible girls that we are went out and had a big ole session on the booze the night before our trek. We honestly only meant to go for one and get an early night but you know those sort of unexpected ones you have now and again.
There was a really good band on at the bar where we were having a cheeky one and as we haven't heard any decent live music in months decided to stay and party. It ended up with us wearing our hair in side ponytails, seemed a good idea at the time!, and dancing like total looneys on the dance floor, boy was I pulling out some moves, I'm quite shocked that I wasn't doing the caterpillar across the dance floor, I think I was just one step away from that stage. We ended up stumbling home at about 4 and had to be up for the trek at 7.
The next morning when Soph tried to wake me, apparantly I sat on my bed moaning that "I don't wanna fucking trek", don't remember that bit but am sure some of you remember what a grumpy old git I am if I don't get my sleep. Anyway we go to the trekking office and meet our guide Ram who is an absolute honey and we jokingly ask him if we can get a taxi up the mountain and he says we can. So we pay 500 rupees and get a taxi up most of the mountain, walk for 20 mins up to the lodge, get there and go to sleep for the next 4 hours. When we wake up we have lunch and just sit around playing cards all day. Anyway after hours of this we go to bed and we decide that we can't be arsed to trek tomorrow as the visibility is bad and what is the point really of climbing up a mountain when you can't see 5 foot in front of you???? So we tell Ram the next morning and he is cool with this but does jokingly tell us we are the laziest trekkers he has ever met. We also laugh and then ask if he can arrange us a taxi back down, do we have no shame??!!
Anyway we get the taxi back down and suddenly the car starts going pretty fast and the car is going all over the place getting scarily closer to the edge of the mountain and it is looking like the car is gonna roll over too, and the only way we stopped was that there was miraculously some sand like what they use for building work in front of us and our driver steers the car into that. It turns out that the brakes on the car had failed!!!!!! Just what you need coming down the Himalayas. We can't believe how bloody lucky we were, noone was hurt and we luckily didn't drive into anyone, go off the side of the mountain, or go into the wall etc etc. I can't believe how remarkably calm we were during it, I just grabbed hold of Soph's leg. I think it is a combination of the fact that I can't drive and am usually in my own little world anyway and didn't really realise what was going on at the time. Anyway we got out of the car and the whole village came out to have at nosey at what had gone on. Anyway we ended up getting another taxi the rest of the way as we figured how unlucky do you have to be for the brakes to fail on your car twice in one hour? So I guess I have learnt a few things from the last few days, I really am not cut out for trekking and why I ever thought I would enjoy it is beyond me. I remember doing treks as a volunteer on the kibbutz when I was younger and fitter and I would always rather go up the cable car than walk if I could. Also I do really enjoy walking but just not up mountains, give me a beach or a forest anyday or even a nice flatish mountain path. Anyway we are both really excited as heading back to McLeod Ganj tomorrow which is gonna take 3 days but at least we are on the move back. It is gonna be so cool to meet up with our friends again yay!! So enough waffle from me, sending happy thoughts to all of you, love ya Anniexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
