22 long slow days walking through a vast array of terrain from subtropic green luscious plantations and terraces with the sound of cicadas to dry arid windy plains with the sound of silence. And back again. Back to thick air from its thinnest. Oxygen. Breathe. From Pokhara's 800m to 5416m - up and down, down and up. I took you slow. Because I am slow. Fairly unfit. And because..you're the Himalayas. I didn't want to rush you. You've been on my mind a while.
Encountering, enchanting, vivid people along the way. Generation to generation to generation. I adore how you live and communicate. Smiling gestures, gestures of hard work, braving the cold, "Namaste" greetings never overused, some numbed by tourism. You see a lot of us. I wonder what you think of us? Sticks, wood, straw, plants, food, flowers carried courageously in mass on your head or back or both. Vivid villages. Vibrant vibes. Quiet quests. Positive porters and their strength! True strength. 45kg carried from the forehead. Respect. Totally.
Hinduism - BIG! Tihar! What a celebration. The music, the dancing, the offerings. I now know how you celebrate, dear Nepal. Diwali - how special. Let there be light! Tourists from all over the globe - a family - in it together. The circuit bringing it together. I find that the unified love for these mountains have brought us together. Bavarians, Black Forest, Basques, Pyrenees, Dolomites, Colorado, Picos de Europa, Alps, ski mountain people. Me... London - mountainless. Ha! Can I fit in... Please? It's a busy trek (and I hear it can be busier), but never have I felt so alone. The expansive Himalayas allows space regardless of how populated the trek is. A person starts 30 seconds before you and they're nowhere to be seen or heard of.
The cold - it's been cold. You're tellin' me. You never warned me of this cold. It hurt. my fingers and toes could have come off, but it passed. As with all. All passes. Dry hands. Those dry hands develop wounds and cuts of finger tips. Ouch. The part of the body; the peripherals that are always needed. Ouch. Pass, it'll pass. I suddenly feel I've developed stubble. Dry face. After 6.15am, The sun takes over, blisters through and warms. Soak it all in. And then get burnt and roasted hands like I did. They look like Tibetan cheeks, except my hands aren't cute. But again, it passes. 4000m+ above sea level and the sun really hits. But thank you, Sun. Denevard. You always made my day. Warm-ish days. Cold nights. I gave in to a "large" purchase...The Manang purchased bright red North Fake puffer jacket (2200 NRS) saved me, as did the burning communal wooden ovens at tea houses. Health and safety in homes-unnecessary. They're wise enough. Thank you, wood/bark. Thank you for those efforts. Hot water, you were there. It took a lot to shower.. an obstacle; queueing for the one shower, then going from a tepid lukewarm lacklustre shower to the zero degree temp (a majority of the time, lower), but you were there. Dribbling. Thanks for keeping me and my minimal clothes clean. Gas and solar power. The way of 2016.
The high altitude. I confronted you- I took you slow, and rightly so. Sleepless nights, shortness of breath. A fear one evening in beautiful Tibetan village Ngawal - waking up in an alarm..couldn't catch m'breath. Ran out of the room! ... calmed, soothed by the supportive guesthouse owners. Reassured. Psychological? Real altitude problemos? Nevertheless...Thank you. Battled. "Descend, descend!" These thoughts always on my mind. That's the best way to rid altitude problems..DESCEND. But if in the middle of the night, how so? The worry. The stomach had a hard time - doing somersaults fighting for limited o2. GAS. Neverending. But it survived. It forgives. It had to. Thank you knowledgable and charismatic altitude talk in Manang by the Association. Kidneys and altitude- the connection... I gotcha now. Diamox (altitude sickness pills... Chemicals) purchased in Pokhara. Unnecessary. Fortunately! Some tourists namely from Israel affected by the lack of oxygen. SOS! Helicopter Emergency rescue! Saved. Witnessed. Thank, Buddha
Sleeping bag, I wish I'd bought you thicker and more seasonal. Ahhh, the consequences of being a cheap. Investments are always necessary. ...The less you spend, the poorer you become...the more you spend, the richer..why do I not learn? Thick unwashed murky Blankets were thankfully provided- sometimes I request more than the default one. Thoughts: The cold kills off the bacteria, the cold.
Annapurna range;- you're spectacular... All of you: 1-4, Gangapurna; you and your little paradisal turquoise lake. Dalagiri - towering above..high high. Wide! Fishtail Machepuchare; you got the shapes. I still haven't seen you in fish form but I can imagine. Oh heavens! Manasulu; you stand so strong. Tilicho lake; super high, super blue, lapis blue, super huuuuge. I only witnessed a fraction of you but you seemed high and mighty. Natural waters standing high touching the sky. One shade of blue meeting the other. You made it to the highest and largest lake in this world. The walk to you was jaw-dropping and dangerous. Was I on planet earth? One mistaken step and down you go - wheeeee. Eyes on the ground May, eyes on the ground. And then, STOP. And admire the view. Take some shots. (A lot). And back to eyes on the ground. Repeat, repeat. Tilicho Lake, you took my breath away and blew me over - both so literally. 10-11AM winds always creep in. You've never been so punctual. Super-moon, I witnessed your superness. The world did. Super View (guesthouse - Ghorepani, I stayed with you and I'm updating from you right now. You could be my last guesthouse on the trail. You're neat, and warm).
Thorong La pass - highest pass in the world. Unaware it would be at the difficulty it got me at. Where was my warning!? Tough stuff. Just tough. Toughest ever? Followed the lemming torches up that dark 5am morning. Oh, the cold. Oh, the altitude. Reaching the 5416m mark and all those colourful Tibetan prayer flags. Slow mo slow mo, absolute slow mo.
Kagbeni- you're special, you're Mustang! And the only part of mustang I could reach within my boundaries. Without paying $50 usd a day. You're wrapped around landscapes so high and spatial plains.Desert, salt like, another planet. Tiri; a little village above Kagbeni, as far as one without an Upper Mustang permit can go. Immense views, just immense.
Prayer wheels- turned all when I can for ritualistic reasons and "karma". Keeping to the left. To the left, to the left - of the prayer wheels. The wheels...Some decorative, some aged. My favourites are the old coffee cans (Nescafé!). Almost all adorned with magnificent detailed Thangka paintings - worn and retouched, and shells, white gorgeous stones neatly placed and wedged, gompas - some aged around 900 years old- enchanting, tibetan prayer flags shooting high, Tibetan Buddhism...O. Mani Padme hum. Tashi delak. Pujas... Chants, very hypnotic with the drum, seashells, cymbals. Tibetan Nepalese - You live well. In mud and stone. Sustainable. His Holiness Dalai Lama present in almost every home. Monks young and old..learning, educating, learning, thriving. Living. In the ever present. Karmapa....respect.
Thank you, Chorten nun. Daughter of Deshi Lama. 68 year old nun. You're located high in Manang. Thank you for blessing me before the Thorong-La Pass.I'm glad I trekked up to meet you. We sat together in your humble cave. Me and you, you and I. Alone. In the quiet. Crossed legged on the floor. Your cave home, your kitchen, bedroom and shrine room. wind protected. Sun absorber. You were cooking your lunch, a dal bhat. With the sun rays filtering and beaming onto you. You boasted that the sun always shone through, heating you up. You offered black tea, own-grown potatoes and little-but-unforgettable conversation. That, included sound advice on where to buy things, where to save my dollar. I cherish that you gave me time. I learnt a lot from your wise thoughts, actions, Persona. You live in the present. I observed that. Each beautiful wrinkle developed through its presence.
Washed clothes = frozen clothes the next day. Frozen water...frozen. Buckets of water Preparations the night before are key. Frozen water pipes. The sky, so blue. Blue blue blue. Never so blue. We've been lucky. Clouds- not many in sight, but when I saw you, you were oddly-shaped. Lenticular clouds. UFO-shaped. Aliens, welcome. We have been very fortunate. All 21 days so clear. Clear. Only one day , penultimate day, were grey-ish clouds. Promiscuous. Not overpowering. Fortunate, still. Clouds adding a little drama to the clear sky. Moon visible in the morning as well as the night time. Always showing some presence. Night sky, full of stars. Twinkle, twinkle, many stars. How I wonder what they are....like a million diamonds in the sky.
Peace peace peace, the sound of silence. Nothing quite like it. Stopping after many a crunchy sliding footsteps, I hear nothing but...silence. Ahhhh, 'tis a treasure. It's not easy to comeby..Silence. Wise silence. Wisdom silence. Untouched silence. Must relish, must relish. Oh, Himalayas ...Abundant in water, healthy flowing sounds. You run, you run.... You flow so steady and powerful. Waterfalls! You seem infinite. Negative ions released. You're alive. Flora and fauna. Pink cherry blossoms adding colour to your already majestic scenery. I would say you're in the Spring season, dear Nepal but it surely is your Autumn. Sturdy warm Yaks surveying the land. And then eventually slaughtered by your owner for feed. The lack of vegetables at this height calls for the meat. "Yac-Donald's!" True. It existed, true true. Kagbeni. Red and yellow restaurant just like Macdz...a little more rustic, however. I haven't eaten meat on this trip and for awhile in the uk, but this was the day I broke my rule. WEAK! I tried a Yak Burger. I totally appreciated the Yak for its life for my feed. In all gratefulness. Next day, I suffered. Sorry. Sorry. Goats following their leader, cows grazing. Horses galloping by balancing their many-a-objects and people. Dogs being Tibetan and peaceful as they can be. Cats, purring ...longing for attention. Dusty and bumpy new Chinese-built roads apparent of vehicles - strike! Cover, cover! Do not inhale. Dust! Birds atweet Himalayan Griffin Vulture flapping,flapping, flying high. Searching for its prey, or are they playing? Both?
Apples! The apple pie Annapurna trek..commonly known as! Rich in Apples - Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious. Apple juice, crumble, pie, cake. (I miss bananas. Last banana witnessed after Bagharchaat... and avocados , never to be seen - of course...spoilt thinking). Snickers, Bounty, Mars Bar, Twix, OREOs!! Coca Cola Company; you've made your mark on this trail. The locals believe that adding raw garlic to Coke prevents altitude sickness. I tried both individually and not together. ACAP safe drinking water stations... A joy to see you, filtered and certified. Thank you. Bye bye water purification tablets. Bleurgh. Dal bhat eat your heart out! Carbs, proteins, vitamins. Lentils, rice, potatoes, veg. "Me toooo" (meaning delicious in Nepalese). Dal bhats-You have varied a whole lot but on the whole 8/10. (But now, at this present moment, I'm sick of you. It'll pass, it'll pass). It's rare, but I love seeing you with green greens. Dal bhat-24 hour power. That's what they all say. Keep reloading. I eat what you eat, guides and porters. I follow. I want to reflect your stamina. Tsampa thick porridge....dark, pasty and cloggy. Settles in the stomach. Momos! So cutely made. Potatoes- all over. Grown locally. Better than the skinny rice that I hear could potentially be artificial plastic rice from China?! I fear. Italy; you've made your mark on the trail...Pizza, pastas. Mexico; with your burritos and enchiladas. France; with your au gratin. Spain with your omelettes. And...Snickers Roll..where have you come from?!
Higher you go, the higher the prices. U.K. Prices. Well, not quite. But high, higher than the average Nepalese. Paying for efforts of the man that carries those gas canisters, bog rolls, water bottles up in high altitude and cold. Bless you. I'm happy to pay you. ATMs and money changers, rarely any. Must plan ahead, plan ahead! Ration, ration the monies.
Guides, porters so friendly and helpful. You advised me well. I absorbed as much as I could. Your countless steps and energies on these mountain ranges and whilst resting you play Nepalese card games which sadly I never learnt. My circuit Journal updates kept up to date. This is rare. First time in a long time. There's time to update, that's why. We tend to stop trekking by 4pm. That's my rule anyway. In tea houses, tourists surrounding the wood fire ovens...a peace, a quiet..chat is unnecessary. There is a mutual understanding of one another's tiredness and need for reenergising. Solitude understood. I goddit. "Every step is a new scene", as quoted by Alex from Kelowna, Canada. I agree. Tourist check points: I checked into you all. I want to be a statistic. I want to be tracked. I'm alone, heavens! Hole in the floor toilets, the best. The healthiest. More hygienic than a western. Squat squat. Beds, some soft , mostly hard. But at least I had you, bed. Tilicho base camp had no room once which led to sleeping in the dining hall. One of he highest yet warmest sleeps...memorable. Slumber party vibes.
Yak wool scarves, made on the spot. Muktinath. The efforts of weaving. Are you really yak wool? Whatever. You are warm! And soft.
Wearing Fleece almost everything. Warm but uncomfortably STATIC! Ting ting ting! North Face, Mammut, Arcteryx....extreme "brands". OBEY, BOY, DOPE woollen hats, beanies and cotton caps - some Americanisations witnessed. You've been apparent on this trek. Trends. Trends. Trends. Hey, what about the poor Topi! (Nepalese hat of Dhaka cloth). Still worn, but hard to be seen. Not warm enough? Not cool enough? Wifi- trends trends trends. It's the new trend. No wifi, no business mate. Sadly so. Go slow. Go slow. Walking poles - I love you. I've discovered you and your benefits. Walking won't be the same without you red and trusty "Lekis". So glad to have invested in you. (And bargained on you, heh!). My support. My bone. My saviours. My anchors?
Steel bridges, I prayed for my life each time I crossed you. You swayed when joined forces with others whilst crossing you. Sway sway windy windy. I took a chance on some occasions and stood in your centre to take some shots. I rarely looked down through your perforated gaps. Hurried along. Visualising the worst. Indiana Jones thoughts....Speeding waters below. More healthy running. Never short of water. Ice melting from hiiiiigh above.
Tatopani - hot spring delights. Gorgeous to bathe in you. High passes mostly taken. Jagged rock formations looking geometric and rugged.
I didn't walk the entire circuit. Winds and laziness/restfulness led to a bumpy jeep, hitch hiking and a roller coaster bus journey from Kagbeni to Jomsom, to Marpha, to Tatopani. A fun journey. I talk to myself a whole lot whilst on this trek. I think a lot too. Being alone, I fear and try to remain aware. What ifs, what ifs run through the mind. This is balanced with the feeling of freedom and solitude in the fine Himalayas. That wins it really. I chant, I chant... Tibetan prayers.. Om Mani Padme Hum....meditative. Meditation. Vipassana. Observe the steps, the breath, the ever-changing nature. Impermanence. Anicca.
Tears of joy, tears of pain, tears of achievement, tears of religion: its dedication-its peace, tears of thoughts, tears of teamwork, tears of understanding how ones live, how they survive, their tolerance, tears of seeing how hard animals (horses, donkeys, yaks) and humans work, Tears of community and human spirit.
You're well-trodden, yet you seem so untouched. Although the odd plastic wrapper here and there. I want to train you to stop throwing rubbish into the clean nature. Although saying that I'm impressed at how un-littered you are given the stats that pass you by. Well done, well done.
