Happy Hikers

Gallery: early circuit

cind-n-walt — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:25:00 GMT

trekking 1st weeks

Annapurna Sanctuary

cind-n-walt — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:49:00 GMT

Morning in Pokhara, the Trek o Tel, we bid farewell to our favorite banana salesman who waved, all smiles. Another crazed drive in the tiniest of tiny vehicles-between our packs and the driver we couldn’t have gotten much more in. Off to be delivered to the stairways to Dhampus, we were driven, dodging cycle carts, resting cattle, dogs, tractors, slower cars, oncoming traffic, streetcrossers, willy nilly without regard for any sign or line once suggestive of order but fully ignored. It’s exciting to travel by taxi here and you are always happy to reach your destination in one piece.

Several hours of uphill trekking later we came to Dhampus, an elongated village with several teahouses and a checkpost. We dutifully handed over our ACAP permits(which did specify we were doing both the circuit and the sanctuary) and were shortly informed they were no longer any good and we would have to pay $100 each to continue-hah! After nearly an hour of phone calls, developing a large crowd-we were the main event with most of the town arrived to watch!- we finally learned we would be permitted to proceed.

On to Deurali, 2 small lodges perched in the trees on a ridge overlooking the Modi Khola across from our trail to Birethanti several days prior. From this vantage point, a large landslide is visible cutting across that trail. And yes, we recall the lost stone path and a river rock strewn gouge with a small makeshift log bridge. The slide occurred 5 months previously during the monsoon. Luckily, between villages, and just a trail destroyed. The night is cold, we enjoyed apply fritters and sharing tales of the tour with a few travelers from Canada.

We traveled in open sun dappled forest thru Lhandruk(across the river from Ghandruk). A large private school attracted red uniformed students which we passed regularly this morning. An unusual amount of begging along this trail, we had no chocolate or school pens! But we were able to provide a bandaid for a cut toe and some dried apples which quickly disappeared. Down to New Bridge(in name only) past many waterfalls and finally stopped midway up another steep stairway in Jahunanda. They had welcome and superb “veggie burgers” and a hot spring close by for another soak. I had an opportunity to use a bit of my French! That night an unknown festival took place outside our door with lots of singing, dancing, and drumming. A marigold necklace left on the trail next morning made the remainder of the trip to the ABC(annapurna base camp) on the back of my pack.

We’ve now started stair insanity, daily multiple changes in altitude to avoid slides and cliffs and the river. Breakfast in Chomrong, and on to Dovan. Waterfalls everywhere. From Chomrong on the few lodges are built specifically for trekkers and climbers. The steep valley invites annual avalanches and regularly changes the trail system. With all the moisture, in warmer seasons, it is also a leech field. I’m very happy to have cooler days! We can see fresh snow on the peaks ahead. Snow from the cloudy days we recall a week past when looking this way from Tadopani. We are meeting up with a multitude of hikers without the entire circuit under there belts to acclimatize, plenty of huffing and puffing as we quickly gain elevation.

Along the river are forests of bamboo and orchids in season. An early morning start out of Dovan and we made ABC(4145m) by 11 am, clear skies, surrounded by Hiun Chuli(6484m), Annapurna South(7219m), the Fang(7647m), Annapurna 1(8091m), Khangsar Kang(7485m), Glacier Dome(7089m), Gangapurna(7455m), Annapurna 3(7555m), Gandharwa Chuli(6248m), Machupuchare(6980m), Mardi Himal(5553m), and Tent and Fluted peaks closer in . The recent snow has left ice surrounding the 2 lodges here. Nice and warm in the sun, we hike thru 100’s if cairns commemorating climbers and trekkers who have passed this way as well as the many who have not returned from climbs to these many peaks. A narrow ridge gains access to one of the hanging glaciers between Hiiun Chuli and Annapurna South. Small avalanches are constantly audible. The sun dipping behind HC is brilliant, glowing, mysical. Sunset finally sends us in to share the heated table with about 20 other lodgers, and dinner served up at 6pm. It’s amazing they keep us all straight and know what we have ordered. It is a star filled night but too cold for much outside contemplation.

From here we hike out the way we came in staying in Bamboo rather than Dovan. It is surely easier heading down! In no hurry to get back to Pokhara- we stayed a night in Chomrong, enjoying cheaper prices of goods from the kerosene depot and taking in the last views of the sanctuary-at a distance. Found some ancient glacier goggles in an old shophere. They have to be 50+ years old, worn leather surrounding a smoked looking glass or maybe it is cut and polished quartz! hard to tell... The town is steeply settled on a series of terraces.

Onward to Ghandruk again for our final night out trekking. Waved in to the “Excellent View Lodge” by the lovely elder owner, she was ever so happy to have us stay. We had an excellent view to be sure-of this traditional old Gurung village. The homes closely placed with stone courtyards for threshing or holding livestock. Most two stories, the top for storing grain or dried goods. A colorful, abundant garden here, and clean small rooms. A fine location to contemplate our journey. Next morning, our final walk out on the trail to Birethanti, we had several shop owners recognize us from the week before!

Off to Pokhara and the Trek o Tel!

Tatopani and beyond

cind-n-walt — Fri, 7 Nov 2008 07:29:00 GMT

Ahh! Hot springs. Though a cement lined bath shared by all(tourists to one side-locals to the other)this was a wonderful soak and needed. Pipes pour over onto a platform for washing. Clothes and body. Plenty of little shops on this stone path and thus a bit buying. Important not to gain much in weight, however! Here the speciality of the day is chocolate cake-and we indulged in a couple of varieties after a hefty dinner. Good thing too as the next day our hike took us up and up to Ghorepani(2000m elevation gain and all stone stairways!whew)

A coolish morning, and Walter forgot his hat in the room so had to run back for it. We ascended from the valley on multiple series of steep stone steps to Ghorepani(2874m) which is a destination in and of itself. Here lies the famous Poon Hill with 360 degree views of the Annapurna range and the local valleys. It is a beautiful site. We are back to hillsides cut into terraced fields for millet. It's harvest time and thus many folks out cutting and layinig the crop out in linear rows. The homes are topped with slate, no longer flat. Large courtyards supply space for threshing and drying.

We finally made it to a little lodge-quite pooped. Unfortunately the paper thin walls here made for a tough sleep accompanied by the arguing couples on either side! Everyone is up by 4am to hike the final stretch to the top of Poon hill to watch the sunrise on the mountains. We were blessed with a very clear morning. Back to our packs and off to Tadopani. Up and along a thin ridgeline with awesome views and finally down along a cascading river/waterfall. We are seeing lovely little flowers in abundance and the stairway up to the village has primroses gowing in profusion-beautiful! From here we should see Macupuchare-but it is cloudy so just a few glimpses. Lodged with a Japanese group-some singing in the evening, they enjoyed an interesting porridge with dried fish in the morning-blah! From this location the usual route would have taken us into the sanctuary, but we decided to head out to Pokhara for a day to get a new camera and have a minirest. Thus-hiked down thru Ghandruk-a traditional Ghurung village, and ended in Birethanti(1000m)

This day was a fairly long flat stone trail gradually declining to the Modi Khola, the river that cuts the valley into the sanctuary. A pleasant reprieve from all the stairs-a fairly long but comfortable walk out. We stopped for lunch in Gandruk. I ended up with a Lassi made from waterbuffalo cream and curd with ground apples! hmm. It tasted a bit like a creamy smoked gouda milkshake with apple. Not terrible. The couple of this lodge were so excited to have us eating there that they stood around watching us eating and smiling. We did end up having some delicious momos!

We are seeing oxen used inplowing and also threshing. In places where they have harvested all of the rice, they are flooding the fields. Beautiful carving on many of the door and window frames. There are beehives which are made of short cut logs hollowed and capped at each end. The honey is very good. We enjoyed fresh popcorn and an Everest beer at the Laxmi lodge in Birethanti. Visited a local art gallery with many nice watercolors. There are a few native umbrellas on the walls(very large woven grass hats. The Thakali owner also had a nice collection of Thakali masks which they use in their every 12 year celebration. Quite colorful.

This morining a short jaunt thru Nyapul which turned out to me a dumpy shanty type town-quite filthy and crowded. It was a suprise and eyesore after all of the beautiful little villages we have been in. Hadn't expected it-but it is the "end of the road" from Pokhara-and thus Kathmandu-so to speak. Everyoune walks from here so has become the main location for commerce out into the surrounding villages. We caught a taxi to Pokhara-an hour and a half of bumping about on a winding pitted road! And our first auto in weeks.

Retired the night in the Trek-o-tel with a nice hot shower and clean dry room! what a treat! Also a great celebration of our NEW PRESIDENT ELECT!!!Cleaned a few clothes, bought a camera and packed up to go back to the sanctuary. Also pared down the packs a bit and left some things with the hotel.

the Thorung La

cind-n-walt — Thu, 6 Nov 2008 13:28:00 GMT

Slept this night in Letdar. A plan to hit the high camp was in order, et starting out earely we made hi camp by 10am. A few sick trekkers here and thus a bit of doctoring while at tea! The temp is near freezing, but it is clear and a perfect day to hit the pass. Our day went from 4200m to 5416m. The pass holds a small hut for tea and snacks. most of teh snack shacks along the way have the typical mars bar, snickers, or bounty candy bar. Pringle potatoe chips. COke, fanta, or sprite. ANd many types of teas. These being the best. We enjoyed the warm up tea while looking back and forward to the peaks around us and the valley below us. The start of our trek in the Kahli Gandaki valley to the deepest valley point in the world. From this prayer flag strewn location we descend to 3800m. with a bit of math you can see this was quite a day for the knees and the quads! GOod thing for a history of telemark skiing no matter how distant! Muktinath-or destination, contains a walled temple which is teh sight of a pilgrim retreat for Hindu and Budhists. Many temples, and the famous flame from rock and water are here. We leaned into a chorten to hear the rushing river below. 108 brass cowhead fountans fed by a loacl stream pour onto a long platform and will completely clean all of your sins-with icecicles hanging along the rail, i will keep my sins. A very ggod meal of tibetan fried bread, and dal bhat. A dog barking night, and some shopping-Walter is a favorite with the local ladies and quite the bargain shopper! Much weaving on the home m ade looms, some spinning. O

The new day of down a less than common path directed by the hopeful locals but not easily followed by our eyes-ended with crossing thru fields and past yaks, horses, goats, to drop down a river bank and Lo! an ammonite right there in the mud!! These are reported to be 24 million years old so quite a find. Heavy to cart but no trouble for Walter! So across the river in bare feet, a rickety old hewn log, and up to Dhong. In this tiny village we come to a memorable Gompa. 100's of Buddhas line the cased wall with flower offerings. The walls blackened by hundreds of years of incense and smoke fires are coverd with paintings, carvings, as well as teh ceiling. A ceremony was ataking place upstairs. Lovely harmonistic chanting.

The new night in Kagbeni. There are curious paintings and statues in this ancient village-animistic culture here. The elderly matron of this bhatti(hotel/home) passed on while we were here and the mourning wailing, crying, moaning ensued. Added to this the chanting and drumming and horn blowing of the monks who came to attend the 3 day ritual. This is a lovely town, clean for the most part. Several small rivers run through and around it as it sits on the bank of the Kahli Gandaki. IT is the entrance of the Mustang valley north to TIbet and forbidden without special entrance fees to tourism. Her we found the Yak DOnalds cafe and 7 eleven! They did have french fries. ALso, the homes are built above stables, around courtyard stockyards. In the mornings all of the goats and cows are let out to wander the streets or in the goats case, off to work as Walter sees it-off to hte higher fields for feeding. They all return at dusk. A bit of prodding here and there with sticks or rocks. Somehow they all know hwere to go! The chickens are in and out of houses all the time. Our lodge has a cat with wee kittens-we were happy to give up our warm milk! Walter did an early morning foray while i rested my knee from the hike down.

Not too sorry to leave the sorrowful house, we headed to Jomsom. Here teh airport and location of the arrival of many pilgrims on their way to Muktinath. Also arrivals and departures for the Jomsom trek. So- many new faces here. Hmmm-this "airport" is snuggled into a deep river valley with a single runway about as short as possible. The maybe 20 person planes, or mostly cargo planes which come in and out are subject to storng winds and thus fly only for a couple of hours in the mornng. They never turn off hteir engines-the folks hop out-new folks hop in as fast as they can and off they go. Our hike out of Jomsom brought us up to a high chorten on a hill overlooking Jomsom and we watched these flights come in and out abruptly-making several turns in the narrow space to wait for the right wind. Waving-;practicaly into the windows as they pass-I am VERY happy to be on foot! JOmsom was the location of teh crazed internet writings earlier! There was only one computer for everyone-we waited some 3 hours to get on and with the lineup-not much chance to look at what i was doing!

Back up on the hill-this was a great vantage point-looking back up the wide river valley. The winds pick up here in the afternoon and threaten to blow us off the trail at times. There is a road now from Beni-priimitive and potholed, mostly dirt or stone tracks, lots of little river crossings, so occaisional buses or tractors or motorbikes pass us. Not too many and as we start out ealry in the day we are mostly free from the harrassment.

We stopped into a l ocal museum. Much great cultural info. Many dried plants on display in great distress-brown and broken up-but nonetheless accounting for all that the locals use for eating, clothing, feeding livestock, medicine, etc. A carefully placed sign suggests the displays are poisoned to prevetn bugs so ask that we not eat them. One of the final labelled objects-Pellet of the Wild Ass!!

Divali festival has started and for three days brothers and sisters dance and sing in the evening to celebrate family harmony. Candles are lit in the windows. The children come from house to house with incense and plates for food or money.

Marpha(8760m) is considered by most as the cleanest village. They have a town council which will fine a family for any trash or debris in front of their home. Homes are lined side by side on the stone walkway. Reed brooms brush the dirt away. Ther are cans stating Please USe. Cliffs above with hand dug monk caves which apparently connect to multiple caverns and tunnels, all dug over 1000 years previously. Most monks use the GOmpas now.

The valley slowly narrows. We are weeing more waterfalls. It is getting warmer. Larjung(8366m) is the location of teh trail into the nortth ANnapurna base camp and the site of Herzogs base camp. We can see the ice field on Dauhligiri. Here, watching the pounding of garlic-we enjoyed the best ever garlic soup. My few Nepali words have gained us access to the kitchen. Thes dark enclosed low roofed rooms are smoky and dark. They contain a grinding stone bowl to grind flour form loacal wheat, barley, corn. Add a bit of water, some greens or spices, maybe cow or yak milk, and kneaded inot the dough for our bread or the wrappings for momos(pot stickers) or spring rolls. This is the reason for the long delays. Each meal is made up from scratch! Also, often they have to start the fire-wood or coal-rarley kerosene> SO we are patient with our meals and do our best not to eat off times for the fire issue.

On to Ghasa(6594m) thru more forests and along multiple clifs with great long weaterfalls. THis is a tilling season so we see many fields plowed by oxen and wooden ploughs. Also, drying foods on the rooftops once again. Threshing of wheat or barley. Corn, pumpkins, strange looking unknown vegetables also. We are getting back to fruit trees-besides the apples which are the main fruit in the higher altitudes and suppply the making of the local brandy. Bamboo also coming into view. ANd we are greete d in the morning by the singing of the ringign bu\gs. They look like an enormous bumbl;e bee inside a big case at their heads. they rattle theri back ends and it sounds like an outrageously l ooud bell.

Ok our next stop Tatopani and hot spring soaking. BUt I am done for this internet time. The sticky keyboard is driving me crazy! Much love to all! We are off to the sanctuary so likely no email again for a week or so.

the next installment and new pres!

cind-n-walt — Wed, 5 Nov 2008 23:15:00 GMT

We are VERY happy to celebrate a change in the US government!

I beleive I left you alond a trail of rhededendron and fragrant hardwood and pine. We continued along this trailpast newly hewn wood beam homes, a bit of kitten time, and an overnight with GREAT solar showers. Nothing like hot water to clean off the grime. The banana trees and oranges are no longer abundant. Now we walk along fields of illicit(to us) plants which teh locals use to smudge their homes with in teh morning. That and with cedar branches. Marigolds are abundant. The steep green hillsides breqak way to the snowy visible peaks beyond. I found a seamstress to repair my little daypack. . We stayed in Dharapani near a hot spring-quite filthy. The food here was delicious-vegetabel spring rolls, momos, fried rice, tea. We get to sleep at about 7pm and are up typically by 6. Breakfast is tea and tibetan bread-a nice fried bread.

Beyond Chamre we passed beneath an immense sloped wall of, perhaps, granite. Smooth mostly and a 50-60 degree angle and probably 2000ft. The entire wall forms an enormous corner in teh trail and we now loose sight of Manasalu at the entrance to path to Tibet. As we climb, the sky is darkening to a very deep blue-lapis. Plenty of donkey traffic and horses now. All adorned with their tinkling bells and embroidered headwear. As well they carry enoomrous loads, yet never as large as that of the porters. We crossed a rickety old footbridge to a thin path up to upper Pisang, now gaining to 14,000ft. This midieval town sets along the hillside, withprayerflags flying from each home an log poles, topped with sacred offerings of juniper. A little food and we hiked to the foot of the trail up to Gyarhu. Sitting at teh Mani wall below, we have to extend our necks completely to jsut barely see teh town above. And teh steps and path a small zigzag straight up 2000ft! Wheew. The views of Annapurna 2 are awesome! It is right in front of us, snowcovered, with spindrift whirling off of the peak. Now the nights demand all of the down gear. VERY chilly in drafty stone rooms. At least no mosquitos. And tonite no barking dogs! Our hot shower today was a abit of boiled water in a bucket. Splurged on french fries-nice fresh cut locally grown potatoes and salty-mmm. We're now seeing folks having altitude problems. So far so good for us.

As we head out past a monastery the monks are out having a chant and watch us pass. There are mostly flat rooved homes here. Grains, vegetables and fruit alll are threshed, sliced, dried on the rooves. Oh, and of course the meat if eaten. We hiked trhu interesting hillocks of stone and gravel and sandy soul. Lots of goats and many cows. No water buffalo here as it is too cold. We are finally seeing Yaks, with alal of their bushy fur and huge horns. Every now and then we pass a school. Today the treat was chocolate cake-the best ever, from the Braga bakery. Sitting outside a large buddha statue below the Braga Gompa. Crossed a dry river bed with folks scattered around. Evidently this was a slaughter day and we have seen numerous people carrying their loads of various Yak body parts in baskets or just tied and hung from their headstraps! Manqang is famous for it's yak meat! Yak cheese also-and this is pretty good-like a strong gouda. Many of bakerys here for some reason. They have very good cinnamon rolls-at least now we are finding bread with leavening. Not the norm. And also Seabuckthorn juice which is so good. Sweet and tart like apricot nectar!

From Manang we took a side trip to Tilicho Tal. First a stop in Khangsar for breakfast. The lovley smiling matron lead us up on teh roof to take in the view. Our first oppportunity to use the cut out log which is teh common ladder here. We can see Annapurna2 and Tilicho Peak, and "Le Grand Barrier" which stumped Herzog during the french assault on Annapurna 1 in teh 50's. The trail continued to climb along an avalanche slope. From a distance, this did not look like a hopeful trail. I opted for the high route which took us over a pass at 15,700' and then dropped us immediately back down another debris slope! We made it unscathed but certain not to return by that trail. Spent the night in this rudimentary dorm surrounded by several other trekkers. The early monring took us up the remainder of this trail to the worlds highest lake, at this time not frozen, but nestled in and surrounded by firm, styrofoam sounding, hoarfrost coated snowfields. Here it would have been delightful to have skis, though Walter insists this was not corn. The winds howled and we had to cover all explsed parts to prevent frostbite-but the scenery is unreal_had we the time and equiptment-quite a place to spend some time snow and ice climbing. We watched as many porters dragged casmp up here for a French group walking over this pass. Tables and chairs and even live chickens! They each carry some 70-80kg! And not always with more than sandals on.

Had to backtrack someways and then on ot the not so set path-the width of a boot in many spots with 1000' above and below-steep. The signs kindly suggest avalanche danger and obiously the path is altered yearly. A little hard breathing here, I far prefer the altutude with solid footing! Ah, I have forgotten to mention our delightful toilets-of course they are squatters. The Tilicho camp squatter jsut the bare minimum of wood planks over a hole. NIce!

My shirt, after a washing was frozen solid inposition upon awakening in our next location. We could see the face of Bob Marley in the snow slope across from us! Walter thought it was Christ, but with all of the colorful prayer flags and in the snow here in Nepal, I think it is Bob for sure. We have some new friends from Prague. Walked with them to the next town. We now head over the Thorung La! 17,650'.

This

Gallery: Annapurna Circuit 2

cind-n-walt — Tue, 4 Nov 2008 15:57:00 GMT

the 2nd half

circuit since pokhara

cind-n-walt — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:29:00 GMT

AS the internet service and enlectridity are as fickle as the wind this may be short and will certainly be interesting typing. I will not correct-so sorry to the sensitive reader. WE left Pokhara in a 4 wheel drive vehicle with a necsceptional driver and headed to a small river bead town Karputar. Descending the mud rutted tracks and suprisingly making it thru as I much doubted, we arrived to a lovley scene of rice fields terraced. It was warm and tropical in many ways. WE started off by foot from here-the end of the track. On mud/dirt paths thru a tiny village and then along the riverbed of stone. Changing into our sandals to wade along. Our guide-for this 2 day tour was quite helpful. WE would never have found the trails wihtout him. This was a very infrequently hiked section, the old original trail. WE passed a small school and all the children ran out to greet us. WE compasired our numbers and names-much to the amusement of the teacher. They were quite interested in the photos in our guide book. WE at last ascended out of the river valley up hundreds and hundreds of steps-Saila our guide stating the old stone paths and stpes have been in place for over 500 years-I believe it. The tiny "hotel" we stayed in for the night cost a huyge 180 RS with dinner and breakfast ($2) And teh stern owner was very specific about returning our change correctly. We were greeted by lovely views at last of teh Annapurna Range and Manasaluy. Our destination took us along a ridgetop route at first to a wmall village in the distance. We from there had to step down the thousand stesps-this time the trail had become a small river of rocks. Quite slppery and to our unentusiastic discovery-a haven for those lovely little inchworm like indestructible brown wavey blood seekers-leeches! Our guide wsed raw tobacco rubbed on our shoes to prevent their attachment. THough Wlater ended up with many sucker spots! ICK. This was a sure way to cure me of ANY interest in visiting teh jungle. We finally emerged in the rice fields well below adn hiked the remainder of a dry route to Bhulebhule, a hot shower(solar) and Dal Bhat. THis is where we said goodbye to Saila. WE set off inthe ealay hours for Jagat. The going was lovley. WE entered a steep walled valley. Still quite temoporate. Very green. Lots of rice grown here and potatoes, chard, garlic, carrots, pumpkin. The people here are farmers and subsist exaclty with all they grow. Supplemented with sugar and salt, and a few things brought u pby porters. Carried in wieghts of 200 lbs or so by straps the strap across their foreheads! We have passed many groups, not so many lone travellers as ourselves. Mostly dutch, German, French. The general greetinmg is Namaste for all. We enjoy the passing of the donkey trains and goats. THey are all w3earing little bells and sound most lovely. We climbed steadily day by day. Finally to make the top of the river gorge to Tal. THis is teh beginning of the Manang region very dry and now into forests with evergreens. The homes have changed from rpimarily stone to haveing wood beams and flat rooves. Quite nice to sit upon and gaze at the scenery-ever impressive. WE are also finding now teh typical dress uof the Mustang area with horse riders-again jingling bells-jsut faster and they all have fancy head dresses(the horses0..This area alos brings us into a more BUddhist influence. THere are Mani walls aften along teh trail, particulalry jsut before and just after the towns. We have left behind walls of waterfalls to beautiful stone cliffs. We passed teh trail to TIbet along this route. It being only 30 miles distaaaant! Tehre asre many fragrant rhodedendraons also!

I will sign off for now as teh line is becoming quite long awaiting the computer-it seems the only one to function at the moment. I will write more as soon as I can. WE are in JOmsom now so much to still report before we get to this point. THanks for the patient reading. Love to all! cindy and Walter

Annapurna circuit

cind-n-walt — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:22:00 GMT

Off tomorrow for the start of the trek. We have acquired a guide for the first few days as it is off of the beated path. The mornings remain clear, the afternoon brings huge cumulous clouds and I suspect rain. We just picked up some rain covers for the packs. Tonite, paddled along the shore and watched monkeys leaping from tree to tree-a wild acrobatic act. In teh evening the egrets fly back to the north end of the lake after a day perched in the trees here. Flowers everywhere, all homes with many clay pots of marigolds. WE'll be offline now for likely a couple of weeks. Many smiles-happy trails ahead! c and w

Gallery: pretrek nepal

cind-n-walt — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:51:00 GMT

delhi-ktm-pokhara

Delhi/KTM/Pokhara

cind-n-walt — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:28:00 GMT

We arrived(20 hours of flying) in India to a sea of faces without a single placard with our name! A taxi line and off to the Shantigriha, and getting lost on the way as the taxi driver could not find it, we at last found that we arrived a day later than expected. After a short sleep we were off to the airport again and on to KTM. WE'll get a day in Delhi on the way back. KTm, as one might imagine with +1 million folks, is a busy, bustling place. THe people are kind and ever smiling.

MOst interesting was a tour of a monk's art studio, and seeing what goes into painting the Mandalas, Buddhist life story, etc. We also fed crackers to monkeys in one of the temples and walked along the river of a muslim shrine as bodies of the dead were cremated or prepared for such, and then swept into the river. NOt a place enticing for a swim.

Our flight to pokhara set off in the early dawn and we were greeted in that half hour flight with a magnificent panorama! Having wanted to see these mountains for a lifetime I could not have been more impressed by them!! Our flight @ 18,000ft was yet short of the peaks! Absolutley takes the breath away. We are situated for another day how at the FIsh tail Lodge-a tranquil oasis surrounded by Phiwa lake and a tropical little paradise. it's so nice to sit away from the crowds and watch the clouds circling the ANnapurnas. We hiked up to the World peace shrine yesterday and then to the Sidaraha shrine today with 2000' climbs to prepare ourselves for the upcoming trek. Now, many hours of standing and waiting for permits and visa extension which proceed in the usual extreme casual Nepalese manner, we will stroll the streets a bit, get a bite, and paddle across to our hotel. WE are happy, healthy and well fed and ready to strike out on trail! xxx c and w

Gallery: PreAnnapurna

cind-n-walt — Mon, 6 Oct 2008 13:06:00 GMT

wedding

Our Itinerary

cind-n-walt — Mon, 6 Oct 2008 12:53:00 GMT

Hey all,

Here is our itinerary! We’ll do our best to stay in touch via our travel log site

http://journals.worldnomads.com/cind-n-walt/

OCT 8

9:30am San Francisco to Chicago AA flight 1612

7:10pm Chicago to Delhi,India AA flight 292

Staying OCT 8&9 Hotel Shantigriha , New Delhi ph 91-98181 49019

OCT 10

1:05pm Delhi to Kathmandu, Nepal Jet Air flight 262

Staying OCT 10&11 Pilgrims Guesthouse, Kathmandu ph 977-1-4440565

OCT 12

9:15am Kathmandu to Pokhara, Nepal Buddha Air

Staying OCT 12 & 13 Fishtail Lodge, Lakeside, Pokhara ph 00977-61-520071

We head out on the trail from here. We are walking counterclockwise on the Annapurna Circuit. We expect this will take no more than 25 days. We will have only a few options to get online during this time as most of the areas have no electricity. We’ll add to the travel log as much and as often as we can. In Pokhara we should have a better idea of timing and will send out notes on the further travels. We will go into the Annapurna Sanctuary when we finish our circuit route.

We have to fly back to KTM from Pokhara by November 18, staying at the Pilgrims Guest house once again. We then fly out of Kathmandu to Delhi on Jet Air on the 19^th and stay again at Shantigriha, then fly out to the US on the 20^th. Flight 293, AA.

The three hotels are all on the internet so you can look them up there if you would like more info and phone/faxes.

Furst, Jane, and Oscar are staying here with our lovely neighbor, Jasmine…(c530-588-5964)Her mother is Shauna Jarocki(530-872-8103)

Please vote appropriately!!!We already did.

Au Revoir! Namaste, etc!! xxxx cindy and walter

the main pretrip event

cind-n-walt — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:30:00 GMT

On Septemaber 22 we said our vows atop a favorite running trail at Bidwell Park in Chico, CA!