May 2007

the annapurna circuit. deemed the most popular and diverse trek in nepal by the powers that be. since this was the first trek i attempted in the people's democratic republic, i was and still am in no position to refute that sentiment. although a little support for the publishers of the backpacking bible never hurts.

what started off as a rain-filled first day turned into an epic, yes epic, journey across the mighty thorang la pass (5,416m, 17,770ft.), and then back down to a more earthly elevation of 1000m. in total the roughly 215km trek took 14 days, 35 iodine tablets and countless breaks to look at the natural weeds growing by the trail. my horticulture skills have vastly improved.

as an eager hiker, i started off the first few days powering up hills and cruising down valleys. the elevation gain didn't effect me until we crossed the 4000m barrier. at that point i could tell my SE asian lifestyle didn't prepare me for a walk in the alpine. atleast not with 12 kg strapped to my back. so along i went, with encouragement from fellow hikers in similar predicaments. i reached high camp, situated at 4800m., watched true romance, killer flick by the way, and attempted to fall asleep before the "big day".

the morning came all too quickly and i opened my eyes to a cloudy horizon. not the best reason to hop out of bed and walk 600 vertical meters up a mountain, but i wasn't about to look down at what i had already done.

the most demanding day cleared up and my view of a glacier and desert in the background was stunning. none of the pictures taken by the professional guys will do the scenery justice, nor will my words, but if you can believe a sincere statement, you'll know that this was the most beautiful place i've ever been.

during my descent from heaven i came across a few yaks, mountain sheep and gnarly water buffalo. as enticing as yak steak sounds, i never devoured the chewy meet. my diet consisted mainly of "wild" mountain vegetables, lentil soup and anything with peanut butter. always a heady treat for the hungry hiker.

i will upload the pictures at some point, but not here in pokhara, atleast thats what the internet dude is telling me. "no upload, sir".

and so it goes, and so it goes.

after a few water buffalo became entwined next to the ganges in varanasi, some bathing men had to lend a helping hand.

monkey child sucking some milk

eyes of the world

spin the wheel

monks playing

prayer candles

cool, crisp mountain air. a respite so fulfilling after weeks of baking in 40C heat that i nearly forget that glorious feeling of the first sweat of the day. though, those bad dreams of sticky, sweaty heat still linger in my mind.

darjeeling was the first stop on my himalayan tour, not too memorable a place given the fog which blanketed the town for the duration of my stay. its famous tea did not delight, but the combination of beer and the world cup of cricket was pleasant.

making my way north, i entered into sikkim, which is technically part of india, though should be its own country if my questionnaire was valid. it consisted of the following:

Q: where is your family from? usual answer: "nepal" or "tibet"
Q: do you like india? why or why not? usual answer: smirk, head shake and an audible "no, india bad country"

if my efforts were indeed objective and thorough, and i obviously think they were, then "democracy" is failing once again. the virgin territory in the far north of this Buddhist area is still heavily protected, but the southern half of sikkim, the area which i visited, is prone to indian and western tourists tossing trash anywhere but the proper receptacle. despite much effort from the sikkim tourist office, the number of tourists is still relatively low so the rubbish issue hasn't gone too far, yet.

on the flip side, the views of the snow-capped himalayas, which form part of the border with nepal, are absolutely breathtaking. the first morning i awoke for sunset i was greeted with more clouds, but later, during a spectacular jeep ride, i was able to see the white crystals in the distance. a bit of a tease, but still grand. after a few days mulling around sikkim's capital, gangkok, i spent a few hours (20) on various different buses and arrived in kathmandu. the city is full of friendly people, hindus and buddhists alike, some monkeys, and heaps of japanese restaurants. i still can't bring myself to order sushi outside of the motherland, nihon. more trekking stories will follow in the coming weeks, in addition to (hopefully) more photos depending on the internet connections in the mighty kingdom (people's republic) of nepal.