Day 01 (10.10.2007) : Bus Ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara
On Wednesday the 10th of October our group met in Kathmandu and drove with a tourist bus about 6 hours to Pokhara. During the ride we stopped twice for lunch and toilet break. Actually, it was not clear to all of us who really was being part of the group. Nepali planning does not provide a lot of information... Finally we figured out that the group does not count neither four nor five people. A real multicultural group came together with Janice, a Malaysian living in Taiwan, who met Il Portuges Filipe while doing Yoga in India, with the two giants Dave, an Australian living in London having Spain-Italo roots and Matt, a British guy with American, Italian, German and French roots, with Tom, a not very interesting British and me. We were accompanied by the guide Deepak and the two brothers and climbing sherpas Nima and Dendi, and not to forget the four porters who had to carry quite a lot of stuff.
Day 02/03 (11. - 12.10.2007) : Trekking from Phedi via Landruk to Chomrong
After a short lift out of Pokhara we started stepping up the trail, passing small villages where children played chards, boys played volleyball or an old man proudly presented his marihuana plantation. When we reached a village, we stopped for a ginger tea or lunch. Already after the first one we learned not to order western food. The pizza looked very strange and the lasagne tasted as disgusting as it looked like. Then the guys found Mars roll on the menus and even I-dont-like-trekking-Matt's (who only joined Dave because he instead joined his bungee jump some days ago) time got better. At Nanny's International Guest House in Chomrong we spent our second night, before taking the last hot shower.
Day 04/05 (13. - 14.10.2007) : Trekking from Chomrong via Himalaya to Machapuchare Base Camp
Unlike the past days, the trail went more and more only uphill. Since the temperature was still summer-like not even the common rainfalls in the afternoon stopped us from enjoying the time and the wonderful view of the mountains. The valley got narrower and the more and more snow covered peaks appeared. At the lodge in Himalaya everybody was listening to the private concert Dave and Deepak gave. As on many evenings, singer and songwriter Dave played his guitar and fulfilled nearly every song desire. Only one the fifth day the mood dropped meanwhile, with Dave whose camera died and therefore run up to the next lodge with full speed and Janice who had to go to the bathroom (Portuguese formulation of going to pee outdoor) every ten minutes due to her stomach troubles.
Day 04/05 (13. - 14.10.2007) : Trekking from Chomrong via Himalaya to Machapuchare Base Camp
Unlike the past days, the trail went more and more only uphill. Since the temperature was still summer-like not even the common rainfalls in the afternoon stopped us from enjoying the time and the wonderful view of the mountains. The valley got narrower and the more and more snow covered peaks appeared. At the lodge in Himalaya everybody was listening to the private concert Dave and Deepak gave. Like on many evenings, singer and songwriter Dave played his guitar and fulfilled nearly every song desire. Only one the fifth day the mood dropped meanwhile, with Dave whose camera died and therefore run up to the next lodge with full speed and Janice who had to go to the bathroom (Portuguese formulation of going to pee outdoor) every ten minutes due to her stomach troubles. To avoid any altitude difficulties we then stayed the following night at 3700m in the Machapuchare Base Camp although it was only a short walk from the last lodge. Around noon, when we arrived at MBC the view to the mountains was already clouded. After having the first hot tea on the terasse of the lodge we felt that with the wind it was getting colder up there and that the night might be not as comfortable as these before. Under the table of the lodge they put like a rechaud (heater) in order to warm up our stinky socks and instead of hanging around outside we stayed inside the lodge, played cards or just chatted.
Day 06/07 (15. - 16.10.2007) : Trekking from Machapuchare Base Camp (MBC) to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) and Rest Day at ABC
Because we could not see any Annapurna peak when the sun set, we got up early the next morning and found perfect weather to trek to Annapurna Base Camp. Enjoying the beautiful and impressing panomara we stopped every few meters to take a look or a picture... I just could not get enough of it. After arriving at ABC and before the clouds were appearing again in the afternoon we explored the spot, took a look over the ridge of the glacier or talked to others staying at one of the four lodges.
I expected the next morning to be the same and therefore wanted to get up early in the morning to see the sunrise, when I saw lightnings and heared thunder at 5.30 am. Whit the thunder storm outside it was quite easy to stay in my warm sleeping bag and waited another two hours. When I stepped outside at 7.30 the world at ABC looked as if I was still dreaming... the winter has arrived within a few hours. Snow covering everything as far as you could see! No more shirts but only people wearing down jackets and standing around astonished by what they saw. So went the plans to start any climb that day. After breakfast the four trekkers put on everything warm they had and started their way down the valley in their sneakers. Because there was nothing else to see or to do I accompanied them in the snow flurry back to MBC. After saying good bye I went back up to ABC... and because I did not 'use your head to save your feet' I had to get down again because I left my gloves at MBC. So I spent my rest day mostly between ABC and MBC ;-).
The weather was getting better again in the evening and we decided to start the next morning. But instead of doing Singha Chuli we changed the focus to its neighbour Tarpu Chuli which is closer to ABC and requires setting up only one High Camp. After having Momos for dinner where I talked in my very rarely used Italian to some non English speaking Italians we had the briefing for the coming days and I went to bed to dream a last time in a warm place.
Day 11/12/13 (20. - 22.10.2007) : Leaving ABC and the Mountains Behind
After the great party the past evening we did not get up very early and took the time to say good bye to everybody. Finally Dendi, one of the porters and I left the camp around 10 am to start trekking back down. Between ABC and Naya Pul where we took a taxi to get a one hour lift back to Pokhara I stayed one night with an Australian couple who friendly shared their room with me because there was no free left, and we spent one evening organising Dendi's next trip or his return to Kathmandu, respectively. The agency's planning was somewhat chaotic and ultimate Nepali style. That's why I was already back in Pokhara on the 22th. That day we ran (...!) from Chomrong to Naya Pul in about five hours which takes for some about two days because Dendi had to catch the bus the same evening and his flight from Kathmandu to Lukla the following morning.
