I am sitting here at the internet cafe nursing my poor legs and feet back to health. The 9 days of trekking was the hardest physical thing I have ever done in my life...snd all through it and after it I still cant believe that i did it.
I trekked to the Annapurna base camp which goes to the center of the range. I climbed 4130 meters high over several days of ups and downs of thousands and thousands of stone stairs, hills, valleys, ledges, rock piles, trails, over water falls, through hobbit villages, farms and into rhodedendrum forests.
I really had no idea what i was doing, and never thought too much if i was going to do the infimous trekking in Nepal. After arriving in Pokhara and hanging out with a local I decided i wanted to get on the trail and reconnect with the traveling folks. I decided to go w/o a porter or a guide for money purposes and to claim my independence, challenge myself, and keep my options open as to the paths and people i would cross. I rented a jacket, backpack, sleepingbag, and gloves - procrastinated a little bit b/c of fear, and then forced myself onto a local bus and back into the unkown to what i thought was going to be a short 5 day trek.
The busride was very dodgy (new word i got from an australian) as the squealing brakes, wildly decorated, rundown, rikkedy mobile turned around several mountain ridges up to the start of the trail. Naya Pul. On the bus there was a french couple and all Nepalese grooving out to Indian music. We finally reached our destination and the bus dropped us off w/o much direction and no signs to let you know where the "trail head" starts. I tagged along w/ the couple for a while as we found our way, stopped at a water fall and walked a little more. The couple decided to find a cozy spot by the river to eat a snack...and to make a long story short: three is a crowd!
I headed off by myself on the trail (just what i asked for)...much later than all the other trekkers. I had all my stuff and my lonely planet and a chant in my head that i hope would guide me the right way. I was wondering through villages when I reached stone stairways. The locals told me "Up up up for 2 hours". I took a deep breath, forced a smile, and started up. Well, it didnt take long until i felt like i was struggling and wondered what i was doing out in the middle of nepal by myself, being so stubborn to go alone, and trying to find my way to who knows where and why. I started to get nervous as the sun began to set behing the mountain. All over are little home lodges...but i was the only westerner on the trail. at one point a really old Sherpa asked where i was going and he explained nonverbally that he too was going and he gestured me to follow. every so often he turned around and said "slow and steady". Well the later it got the more nervous i got and the incline was hard for breathing. i reached the top of this one ridge and my throat was tight, my eyes were swelling, and all i wanted was a helicopter out and into Kurtis's bed;) - i kept chanting Om Mane Padme Om and putting out positive thoughts that someone will surface that I can join - realizing there is no need to be alone. When I reached the top I couldnt breath or speak and when i finally could this old man asked me if i wanted to stay at there "tea house" he showed me the room. I really didnt want to but I didnt know what was ahead and it was getting dark. Just as i was about to sign on the dotted line this girl turned the corner listening to her i - pod. Lucy - from Australia: such a bright light. I quickly called out for her and ask if i could join them. She welcomed me with a smile and we sat and waited for her trekking partner - Simmone - to come. I smiled and cried with relief.
That night it was easily decided that i was going to join the girls on their 7 - 10 day annapurna sanctuary trek. the three of us settled into a rythem very easily as we shared lodging, lives, and food! By the next day it was easy to see that Simone and I had the same speed and idea around trekking and she soon became my partner anmd support through the next 9 days.
One of the greatest parts about this experience was the people we met along the way that created our little trekking family. Lucy met Ben - a moutain lover where each moring is like xmas who can keep up with her bunny rabbit speed, jemma and paul the everest experts and great with trekking wounds, Sofie and Christine; "the belgium girls" a true commedy act, me the token american and Simone the best trekking partner ever who was great at putting each step in perspective as close and easy and the end not too far away....and to top it off her favorite snack is popcorn:)
The team worked great as we all went our own way, some always got lodging and blankets for others, we shared meals, played card games, offered travel ideas and laughed A LOT!!!!! And through out the day you cross paths with so many people who offer encouragement, tell you not much farther or high up (sometimes they were lying), and inspire you. We saw a women at least 85 doing the trek!!!!! The days started at 6 am and ended at 7:30 - 8 at the latest@
Each day consisted of 5 - 9 hours of hikking and there were so many times that my body and mind thought that i just couldnt go any farther. But somehow i got through it. The thing was there is no way out. you cant turn back, you had to go forward and there were no taxis to take you home. Its just like life - theres no way out of it you just have to get through it somehow.
The sights were amazing and simone and i did a great job of stopping to take a breathe of air, a sip of water, a chat with a fellow trekker, and a photo oppertunity to make sure we enjoyed the views and stayed sane:)
The key was to just go one step at a time in either direction. If you go to fast going down you really hurt yourself and if you go too fast going up you really burn yourself out. Slow and steady, one step at a time, pay attention - so important!
As we got higher up, the white mountains got closer and the moon was becoming full. the sunrise and sunsets where magical movies and the stars popped out at night offering oppertunities for millions of wishes and prayers. The feeling when we finaly reached the top was such an amazing accomplishment and the sensation that ran through me was a release and an openess and a burst of joy. I couldnt believe it. I was surrounded by some of the largest mountains in the world and in a special place, a sanctuary shared and visited by so many people from all over the world. I had a different cry this time:)
The cosmic community of the trekking has extended on and on as we all are now back in Pokhara enjoying the warm weather and beautiful lake and variety of food....porridge and potatoes and rice and black tea gets old after 9 days. I now am nursing my damaged body back and heading off to either Chitwan or India - not quite sure yet. Tonight I hope to find a dance party with all the trekking folks who I have shared laughter and heart with along the way....and Dahl Baht:)
