In just another day or two we will finally have our day of rest, my sore and achy muscles are screaming YAY! The past few days have been a constant uphill battle with no slack or rest for the wreary. Day 7 proved to be the most challenging, of course that would be excluding our hellish day of hiking in Baglung Pani (Day 3). Our seventh day had us hiking from Tal to Chame, over a thousand meter ascent and full of steep downhills, followed by more uphills. This constant up and down motion is termed a “Nepalese Flat”, something I became to loath as there’s nothing flat about it.
After a week of inclines we were rewarded with the most spectacular scenery. The first part of the day was filled with sights that, surprisingly, were reminiscient of the west coast of America: rivers flowing through mountainous valley passages, gorgeous evergreen trees rolling over the landscape and giving off the aroma of Christmas, and everything underneath a brilliant blue sky. I easily lost myself and my thoughts but quickly was reminded of my location when the tinkering of donkey bells was fast approaching. Normally the tinkering of bells would be a soothing sound to hear but when you're trekking on the circuit it's the warning that a trekkers archnemesis is nearby...the Donkey. Now I am a fan and lover of all creatures but these guys are truely the enemy. Here are some reasons why:
1. If they are approaching you head-on, it's imperative for you jump to the side closest to the cliff wall. A failure to do so could result in you being knocked over the edge, it happens. Sometimes, these guys are really hauling ass (HA!..Ass, no pun intended but I guess I would too if I had someone spanking me with a whip all the time). If you hear them coming from behind, you suddenly have this urge to quicken the pace no matter how tired you are, it's now a race between you and the donkey!
2. Another thing is that they block your path and it always seems to happen when you're trying to hike uphill. Just when you've got a good momentum going it is ruined by a stockade of donkeys.
3. When you do get stuck behind them, it's near impossible to pass them. There's always the danger of being defacated on, either as you walk behind them or pass them. And no one likes to hike all day wearing donkey dung on their clothes. Plus, the trail is comparable to a mine field but full of donkey dung and stinky farts! Stepping in fresh poop is a shame cause not only do you smell but it can make the stepping a bit slippery.
Later in the day, we received our first glimpse of the magnificent peaks of the Annapurnas and were ecstatic to reach our resting point after 9 hours of hiking!
From that point on, everyday has been filled with awe and wonder as we hike alongside the most magnificent mountains. The day's become more effortless as the views become more astonishing. In Upper Pisang, our hotel view directly faced the mountain and the following night, in Ghyaru, we were even closer to reaching the heavens. Our hike to Ghyaru was the steepest incline in the shortest distance. However, the never-ending switchback was enjoyable as each bend was rewarded with a breathtaking view. Another bonus is that once we arrived there we found ourselves to be the only Westerners, a rarity on 'the Circuit'! Also the architecture was absolutely fascinating, each house is built on top of the one below it. Therefore, the front 'yard' used to store goats or crops is actually the roof of your neighbor. Fortunately each home is adorned with a ladder on the outside and we were able to climb upward to our lodging (of course our room would have to be the highest one because we are cursed with the constant battle of uphill). Not too bad but when you and your pack begin to climb and you hear a snapping sound along with a waverly sway, you begin to pray that the little bits of firewood that have been tied together to form the ladder will continue to support you! Plus, it's just another wonderful challenge to add to the midnight potty break. I gues all are worthy prices to pay when you get to look out and the first glimpse of the day begins with a majestic mountain. What better way to energize us for our trek to Braga, where we get our day of rest.
