See Exodus Annapurna Sanctuary. A trek with porters to Annapurna Base Camp
Kathmandu.
Arriving via Dubai it’s dark at the Hotel Singhi and the rest of the group are out bonding. We change our money into a ream of Rupees and enjoy our first curry and “Everest” beer (there’s a surprise) in the hotel restaurant. Meeting at breakfast the next morning we find the group are keen to meet us thinking we’re exotic having come from Dubai, but it’s just Exodus routed us that way. The coach trip is a real adventure, one half of the road is concrete the other gravel, you can overtake anywhere and we arrive at our base camp with our senses reeling from the sights and sounds of the journey.
Trek off. We wake in the chilly shadows of Machapuchare (fish tail), are breakfasted and walk off through the bright fields and valleys, past tea houses, making friends with our colleagues from Canada, Ireland, Holland (or is it the Netherlands?) and share an aye-up with a Yorkshireman and a camera that’s permanently attached to his wrist.
Yes, It’s uphill for 5 days now. That’ll be the story of Poon Hill, altitude acclimatisation, the curious, basic but overall acceptable accommodation, the tibbertan [sic] bread, the birthday cake and quiz, what you can and can not have for breakfast, do we really need gaiters, and of course the confusion of having two Sarahs. We are well looked after by Kasher, Durga and the porters who are always up early to race off with our luggage to the next stop before anyone gazumps our group for better accommodation.
It’s beautiful. With terraces, flowers, only a few chickens but wonderful sunshine in the shadow of towering snow covered peaks, but it is getting colder as we ascend and we need our 3 season sleeping bags. We see porters carrying Pringles and Snickers bars to re-supply the teahouses, everything has to be carried on foot. We visit a school and a home and appreciate how hard life is – the Pringles (and the chickens by the way) aren’t for these folk who get by happily enough on buckwheat, rice and cabbages that make up the staple Dal Bhat. There is beer up here, but the altitude has affected our appetites and although we are all fine (sorry Rosemary), the smaller portions, great exercise and fresh air mean we find we don’t need or even miss it.
Annapurna base camp. Is snowed in and we sing along with the Nepalese trekking song and a Korean choir. The Kiwi helicopter pilot has to wait until the next day to rescue two French climbers stranded on Annapurna, and as the glacier floats down, cracking and grinding, we too head off back via a few more overnight stops, including more singing and dancing. Whilst the porters have been paid it seems they’ve spent their new found wealth on alcohol and a few cross words and a scuffle peek our curiosity before Pokhara welcomes us with a robust hotel with a warm shower and an Everest beer or two.
Winding up. That’s an interesting flight back from Pokhara, circling Kathmandu whilst they give us permission to land, but at least it’s not a road transfer. The sights and sounds of the capital, its markets and temples assault us, but we do get a chance to visit Bhaktapur temple town. Sarah English says we’ll not meet again, but we do 🙂
Following the earthquake (a couple of years after our visit) the Nepalese need our western dollars and euros. It’s a splendid place to visit and we’d go back again at the drop of a warm hat
Thanks to Terry for his video
