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| 21 April | Kathmandu | US$1 = 25.15RP |  |
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I woke up early to say my good-byes to Jula. After breakfast, we took a taxi to the airport. While I waited for my flight, we ate a second breakfast of rambutans and mangosteens, me savoring both my last taste of these fruits, and my last moments with Jula. When it was time, a big hug lifted her off her feet, a kiss good-bye, she tells me to come back. And that was it for Thailand. Became a beach bum, found yet another paradise I will return to someday. Somehow. Friends. Gulap. Beckie. Lover Jula. Other good times. Sniff. I liked it! The beaches, the temples, the hill tribes, the people, everything. I'll be back... For now, on to the next chapter: Nepal!
My flight left at 10:55, and took about 3 hours. I'm nervous, this is rougher going from now on. The holiday part is over until I reach Turkey. We'll see what happens... What a shock. Arriving in Kathmandu was just like my first day in Bali. I took a "taxi" into Thamel with a couple girls I was sitting next to on the plane. As soon as we got in the car, the driver and his mate started the hard sell for a "friend's hotel". I had directed them to take us to the Kathmandu Guest House, just to start somewhere. The girls were still fresh from Australia, just 2 weeks on the beach in Thailand, so they were defenseless in front of the onslaught. I was a bit overwhelmed myself after so long in easy going Thailand. I managed to "convince" them to take us to KGH, where we were immediately set upon by more relentless touts, following us from place to place, always pushing their hotel instead. We ended up at the Acme Guesthouse. It wasn't the cheapest I could find, but it was nice, easy going. I generously but foolishly helped the girls get a better price for their room. Then, of course, I couldn't get any concessions on mine. Still, I found a clean, quiet room. Good enough.
After checking in, I went out to explore my new surroundings. I encountered a constant barrage from all sides from merchants, touts, and beggars. The constant refrain of "change money, ganja, opium?" sounded the entire way. There was great stuff for sale. Back to cheap living I think! Finally. After a few stressful blocks, I was soon back into it. Chatting with touts, blessing holy men who tried to bless me, playing the whimsical tourist at ease. No problems once I adjusted. Still, wow! This is just what I needed. A vibrant, moving, belching, alive country to wake me from my beach time mellowness. The city is very dirty. It is the worst I've seen yet. As usual, I starved myself until I adjusted, and soon ended up back at the guesthouse, lightheaded from fatigue and hunger. I'm a little nervous about eating here. After the last few months, I have lost the self protective habits regarding eating. It is supposed to be bad here. Ah, I took my chances anyway with a pizza and a large Tuborg bier. (850ml) No problems, except the beer made me sleepy, on top of an extreme lack of sleep over the last 2 nights. That was it. The power in the city was out as I walked home, so everything was dark. I went back to my room by candlelight and to bed about 9:00 Nepal Time. 1:15 earlier time difference from Bangkok. |
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| 22 April | Kathmandu | |
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Woke up early after a poor night's sleep, hunting that nasty mosquito that persisted despite the deet I put on. Nice, very hot shower, taking my time under the hard pressure. Now, to explore a bit. Maybe I'll see if Gulap's in town?
I just spent the day wandering. Gulap wasn't at the Century Lodge, I hope she hasn't left town already... I wandered out to embassy territory, just wasting the day, trying to adjust to my new surroundings. I really like this place. I find it very exciting. Already, I can ignore all the money changers, etc. Too bad all they want is to make a buck. Walked out to change money at the Nepal Bank. They charged a 40Rp commission. I was told that some shops would give a better exchange rate, but most are closed now... Returned to the hotel to find Jody and __, the Australian girls, talking with a Nepalese guy. I took him initially for a typical guide out for baksheesh. He asked if we wanted to see the "monkey temple." Why not, it shouldn't cost much... After walking across town, passing over a river, and climbing a steep hill, we arrived at Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple) just as the sun was setting. It was absolutely beautiful. Large stupa, prayer wheels, bells, etc. The golden light added to the effect as well. And yes, many monkeys around. Cheep, cheep. After satisfying our curiosity, we all walked back in the dark. Jeran recommends a good restaurant for dinner, why not. I had an excellent zucchini lasagna. Jeran next tries to get us to go drinking with him, he thinks I'm after one of the girls. We're all tired, though, and bow out. And that was it. He didn't ask for money or anything. He turned out to just be a good guy after all. Play by the rules, my Father said |
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| 23 April | Kathmandu | |
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Excellent cinnamon roll for breakfast. I'm starting to get into this... Late start, I didn't get going until 11:00. Walked out to Durbar Square to see what all the hype's about. Very nice, quite impressive, but the constant assault on all sides by very polite, very friendly people all trying to sell things, be my guide, got to be too much, and I couldn't take it anymore.
I decided to get away from the tourist mobs and took a long walk into the countryside, circling back towards Swayambhunath. I stumbled across a very peaceful monastery along the way. Sat and watched the mountains grow for a few hours, soaking in the peace I felt there. Stopped by the monkey temple again, then back to guesthouse. Dinner again at the pizza house along with another large beer. Considered going out, but never made it... |
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| 25 April | Kathmandu | |
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Up very early to see Durbar Square sans tourists. I managed to get there about 6:00. The city was already awake and busy, but no tourists yet. Yay! I sat on top of one of the temples and watched the city pass by. A couple of early guides roused themselves to get me, but I told them I had already been here a week (I lied) and that, yes, I had already seen everything. Yes, I've seen the monkey temple, yes, I've been to Bodhnath, yes, I've seen Patan, etc. After that, they left me alone and I spent a peaceful hour watching the world go by, Nepal style. Fruit vendors setting up their stands, army soldiers jogging around the square, prisoners marched by, all the various transports: pedestrians, motorbike, car, rickshaw, tempo, tractor. A stray cow wandered through. It was a relaxing time.
Then, out to Indian embassy. I joined the long queue I found there. Hm. Problem here. A transit visa is only good for 15 days from the date of issue. For everything else, they must fax your embassy to verify your id. I don't think there is an Irish consulate in Nepal. They will have to fax India, if they are even willing to do such a thing. I can't use the American passport, because Americans, and only Americans, are charged an extra 1000Rp (double) for a visa! Bullshit. I decided to take my chances. The transit visa would not last long enough to get me into the country, get my Pakistan and Iran visas, and get out (my current plan). It won't be ready for a week, so I will pick it up after trekking... I just hope it works. Next, out to the GPO. Nope, no mail yet, but I didn't expect any yet. There was, however, a package for Gulap! She may still show up! I spent the afternoon wandering, exchanging my books. Books are much cheaper here than in Thailand. I bought my last book in Bangkok for about 160B. The same book here costs 160Rp! Half the price. Excellent dinner at Clay Pot. The power is out again tonight. I found out that it's no accident. Every Tuesday and Friday, from 6-8, they shut down the power to the entire area(city?) to save power. I had a nice candlelit dinner anyway. |
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| 26 April | Kathmandu | |
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Late start. Went out to see if Gulap's back.
Nope, so I left her a note at Century. Someone else (Karen) had also had left her one on the 15th, so that means she will be back, she hasn't left yet. But too late for me... Sniff! I wanted to see her again. Damn. I'm leaving for Pokhara tomorrow, I need to start trekking! I've noticed the strangest corruption of the soul lately. I have been thinking of returning home. Not immediately of course, but I will just breeze through India, put off S. Africa, etc. for another trip. Where did this come from? I guess I can blame it on burn out, again. What to do, what to do... I ended up staying in all afternoon, reading, labeling my latest batch of photos, relaxing. I bought my minibus ticket to Pokhara. It leaves at 11:00, arrives about 5:00 at Lakeside I'm told. Decided to go for a drink after dinner at Greenleaves (excellent), so went to the Tom and Jerry Pub. I started talking with a Canadian guy, now here on business with Air Canada. But he has been traveling around Asia since 1980. Has it changed since then! Samui without the tourists, hotels in HCM city in Vietnam throwing him out every night, etc. It was an interesting talk. I overdid it on the drinking, just a bit. The place closed at 11:30, strange, but between 9-11, I had 3 large (650ml) beers, plus the one I had over dinner. I was just a little pissed as I stumbled the 15 metres to my guesthouse. Luckily someone was outside to unlock the gate, which shut at 11:00. |
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| 27 April | Kathmandu | |
| Up early, with no after effects, luckily. It's time to pack! I was packed and at the stop at 10:50, but no bus, no people. Hm. An hour later, still nothing. I was a bit upset, but polite back at the Acme. Turns out, the bus left early. Go tomorrow? I guess I have no choice... Back into the same room for another night. Wasted the day. I found a place called Global Communications near the registration building that had an Internet connection. I managed to send email to Marc and Mom. 80Rp per kb. I also found a good Annapurna trekking book. Finishing copying my journals for Marc. | ||
| 28 April | Pokhara | |
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Rolled out early. Got on the bus this time with no problem. It was an extremely rough 7½ hour ride. Yeow.
I was planning to take a taxi with a couple girls I met on the bus when I got to Pokhara. When we were getting our bags, Heinrich, a Swedish guy they met a month ago in India, came up to the girls, "I know you!" The 4 of us decided to share a taxi. We collected our bags and turned towards the taxis. A virtual mob of touts were there, standing behind a line enforced by a cop. As soon as we crossed the line, the attack began! These were the most aggressive touts I've ever seen. Grabbing us, pulling us towards a car, blocking our way, getting into fights with one another over their "prey". We decided that the 4 of us wouldn't easily fit in one car, so we split up. Heinrich and I literally knocked a bunch of touts aside, dragged our bags with us into the car, and told the driver to get us out of here! A guy tried to climb in with us, "This is my car!" Bullshit, just another tout. We physically threw him out and take off. The driver was cool, asks us where to go, not pushing anyplace. And so, we asked him for a place. OK. "Hotel TransHimala." It was a very nice, expensive looking place near the center of the Lakeside area. Heinrich plays the super haggler and gets us a room for 100Rp! Great deal. After we dump our bags, out to meet the others. The girls have vanished, but Heinrich was supposed to meet some others for dinner at 6:00. They seemed a good crew. There was Bill (Yank) and Anke (German), a couple, Andrea (Yank), and Heinrich. They're also doing the Annapurna Circuit, starting maybe Monday. One of the girls asked me to join. OK. We all had a good dinner on the lake. Heinrich has been suffering for the last month with amoebic dysentery. He's now very thin, having lost much weight. Eating heartily to recover. |
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| 29 April | Pokhara | |
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Late start. The Group wants to bike, so off we go. Crappy bikes, but they were only 50Rp. OK. Around the lake. Soon after we leave town, the road vanishes, the dirt road vanishes, the path vanishes. We ride out across the dry rice fields, wade through rivers, good time. I'm exhausted by the time we get back and hungry.
Dinner after showers. My urge for garlic has returned and the others share it. Garlic bread (extra garlic!), garlic pizza (extra garlic!), garlic everything. I'm glad we all shared the taste. As it is, whew! Get a load of that stench! We're planning to leave on Monday, so we need to make preparations tomorrow. |
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| 30 April | Pokhara | |
| Preparing all day. I got my trekking permit (4 weeks) and extended my visa (14 days) for 1600Rp. We had a lot of work to do, in and out of shops all day. Arranging our bus, a porter for the girls, snacks for trekking, and all sorts of gear for the others. 100Rp for the bus to Besishar. It was a bit of a scramble, but the girls want to go tomorrow, the guys shrug, "Whatever." I couldn't find a decent pack, so I decided to take my own. Got a sleeping bag for 10Rp a day. Bought a Tibetan blanket, 150Rp. Nuts, etc. I almost fit everything in my large daypack, but not quite. Big, heavy backpack it is! | ||
| 1 May | Besishar | 820m | |
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Up and out. Left our excess stuff at the hotel. We took a local bus to the bus station, then grabbed our bus to Dumre. Chin, our porter/guide, told us we would stop here for a 45 minute stop, so we all got off (with our bags) for a bite to eat. An half hour later, a sudden roar, blasting of horns and some screams roused us from our porridge. The bus was pulling away! We all scrambled for it. It was now absolutely packed. Our seats were still empty, people respected our reserved seats, but the aisles and doorways were so packed, how could we get on? Chin had vanished. Uh oh... The girls squeezed on, I decided to go for the roof! Bill joined me.
Fun! We climbed up to the broad roof of the bus, leaned against our packs, and watched the world go by, stretching out. It was 4 hours to Besishar. It got to be a long trip. About halfway there, Chin showed up. His mother forced him home in Dumre, made him sit down to eat breakfast, and he missed the bus. Mothers. He was able to hitch a ride with someone else. He's a good guy, 21, funny. We three survived the rest of the trip on the roof. The sun turned it into an oven, very hot, but with incredible views. We passed the time eating mangos picked from the passing trees, talking. Good time. The police at one checkpoint made us climb down, but as soon as we rounded the corner, Bill and I scampered back up, with the bus still moving. Scary stuff on these roads! As we neared Besishar, Chin told us that he knows a place to stay. Interested? He probably gets a commission, but we might as well. We finally got to town, dusted ourselves off, and climbed down. We decided to go to Chin's place. 10 Rp each!? It was a funny place. Very basic, but good enough... Spaghetti with garlic (of course) for dinner. Bill and I had bought 1 kilo of garlic back in Pokhara so we have been snacking on garlic bread, eating plain raw garlic, etc. We have to keep our stench up! Walked around town a bit, trying to find the girls a sarong (just like mine!), success for 200Rp. Back to rest, showers, etc. I had my first dhal bhat for dinner. It was delicious! After dinner, we all stumbled back to our rooms in the dark. To bed under a mozzie net. Snore! |
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| 2 May | Bahundanda | 1310m | |
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Up early due to Israelis tramping up and down the stairs. It was a bad night for me, but I got a little sleep. It was very bad for the others. Andrea had bedbugs, Bill and Anke had bed bugs and rats. Heinrich had bedbugs as well. I was the only lucky one I guess, not a single bite. A Tibetan bread for breakfast, then the packs goes on and we start moving. I immediately take the wrong path, corrected by Chin. It was a serious downhill to start. Feeling fine. Brunch of dhal bhat and bread at Bhulebhule, yum. We are all very tired, and the day's heating up. The pool we had counted on wasn't there at this time of year, so it was an hot slog. Dying in the heat, taking many breaks. Finally, a killer uphill into Bahundanda. It was extremely windy. I mean Very windy.
The place Chin takes us to has character. By that, I mean that it's dark, drafty, no electricity, and holes in the wall. The toilet is an outhouse and the shower is an half open booth with a view over the valley. All for the princely sum of 10Rp. We order dinner and wait. And wait, and wait. When it finally arrives, it is very tasty. We were the first to arrive, and others now start showing up. They order, but the wind is now at hurricane levels, so strong, it is hard to walk against it. The poor people just can't keep the fire lit to cook. We had ordered dessert before the others ordered their dinners, so we feel a bit guilty. The crowd grows, but no food is coming out. The wind is now so bad, they ask us to move across the street because the lantern won't stay lit, plunging us into darkness. We all huddle in a small room while the wind howls outside. 3 hours later, food finally starts arriving. No one is very upset, it is a very casual gathering. Early to bed, plugging the holes in the walls with pillows. Right to sleep. |
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| 3 May | Chamje | 1430m | |
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Up to a beautiful morning. It was quiet, the views were incredible, the entire village was relaxed. The ferocious winds of the day before had left behind a perfect morning.
Out into the day. Hard hiking, incredible views. We got to Chamje about noon, very tired. After a lunch of a mediocre dhal baht, we attempt to rouse ourselves back onto our feet. Andrea has a bad blister on her heel, we're all wiped out. We finally decide just to stick here and take a break. 5 Rp per person, no problem. I tried to take a shower, but the tap was broken, so I settled for a cold cup shower, then some more food. I had dumped my stuff on one of the beds in Andrea, Heinrich, and my room earlier. Came back now to find they had moved it off so they could sleep next to each other. They put me on the bed with no sheets plus all their gear piled on it. It annoyed me far more than it should. I avoided them for the rest of the evening. That night, I told Bill and Anke that I'd be trekking on my own tomorrow. I would meet them at the end of the day. I just needed to get away for a day, plus I have wanted a day all to myself just to enjoy the magnificent scenery. |
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| 4 May | Latamrang | 2400m | |
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Up at 4:30, out of the room by 4:40, and out of Chamje by 5:00. Very peaceful. The sun hadn't risen above the walls of the huge valley I was walking through. It was a cool, easy morning, with only a few mule trains along the path. Just me and my lathi (walking stick) cruising along.
Walked into Tal by 7:00, the town was still waking up. I met the same Canadian couple I had met earlier at the Indian embassy. The guy was a virtual look-alike of Mr. Canfield, a friend from home. On and up. Beautiful waterfalls, a raging river, rickety suspension bridges. It was a very good day, all to myself. I didn't see one single other westerner all day. Arrived in Bagarchap very early, about 10:00. Figuring that I had many hours yet to wait, I enjoyed a relaxed breakfast at a lodge there. Hung out, played my penny whistle. A Nepalese guy and his son stopped by with their flutes, and played along with me (sort of). Very good time. About 1:00, I walked out to trail to intercept the others. While I waited, I drew some celtic knots on my staff to pass the time. About 2:00, the others show up. "Hi!" They also enjoyed the day. We all have a small "lunch", then the others mentioned that they are considering continuing on to the next town in order to get a jump on a hard climb tomorrow. The only problem is that Chin hasn't shown up yet, he was also going his own pace today (meeting a girlfriend we all suspect). We all took off anyway, and Bill stayed behind to play the bastard and inform the exhausted Chin that he's not done for the day. 2½ more hours of hard climbing still to go. Poor guy. It was a bad decision as we soon find out. It started to rain, the hills were killers, and the afternoon became very cold. We got to Latamrang about 5:00. It was a extremely basic place. No shower, a filthy outhouse, hot springs down in the valley, but far too hot to use and the pools which were being built for the tourists were not finished. The room only cost 5Rp again, no problem. But we needed to bundle up, it was very cold. The Canadian couple were here again. It turns out that Steve Fleck is related to the Canfields by way of his grandfather. He carries a strong genotype too. He says he looks just like his father and grandfather. So looking like Mr. Canfield I guess is no surprise. Small world. Good bottomless dhal baht for dinner, free refills. My shoulders were very stiff tonight, but Chin gave me a good rough massage to relax them. Early bed into the sleeping bag. Followed by yet another massage from Andrea. Ahh. |
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| 5 May | Chame | 2670m | |
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Woke up this morning to a bitterly cold day, 12 hours after going to sleep. We had decided to sleep in this morning. I guess we were all tired... Porridge and omelet made for a late breakfast. We didn't start walking until after 11:00. Kind of a late start... Once we did start walking, it was a relatively easy day, with no difficult hills.
Got to Chame around 1:30. This time, we listen to Chin. Went to the hotel he recommended. I dumped my stuff in a room, Andrea does the same. Later Heinrich comes up and Andrea informs me she and him are sharing the room, kicking me out. Maybe Steve (Brit) will share with you... Yes, I'm a bit annoyed again and this time, I let her know. She's such a typical American. Very irritating. It turns out that Steve wouldn't mind sharing to save money. After moving my stuff, I savored a hot bucket shower for free (usually 20 Rp for hot water) from Chin. It felt good to be clean. I had some hot water left, so I washed all my clothes. Just like everyone else, from the look of all the clothes hanging from the rails of the guesthouse. Then, a wander around town. It was relatively civilized. There was electricity, a post office, a bank, several shops. I even bought some postcards to send, but the PO was closed early because it was Friday, so I will have to wait until Manang. The others were all buying hats, gloves, etc., but I (maybe stupidly?) think I have enough. Good bottomless dhal baht for dinner. Excellent apple pie. Also tried some chang, the local mountain wine. Not bad. Nice easy day, no pain... |
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| 6 May | Pisang | 3200m | |
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After an early breakfast, out on the road by 7:00. Took it easy today. Andrea and I were walking slowly, enjoying the absolutely breathtaking scenery. I am running out of adjectives here to describe this place... Peaceful pine and cedar forests, towering Annapurna II, Paungda Danda, a huge granite cliff (tidal wave!).
We got to Pisang about 3:00. The others in our general group were all staying at another, slightly nicer place, but we're staying at Star, due to Chin. Good enough. Good food, fast. Bill had loaned me his Buck knife, and I'm busy (obsessed) carving my lathi. Bill, Anke, and I went up to Upper Pisang. I'm limping because I had accidentally slammed my knee with my lathi while spinning it around. Ouch. Damn. Upper Pisang was very interesting. It looked very old, seemingly untouched by time. Incredible views of the surrounding mountains, the river and town. We found the doorkeeper for a gompa there and asked him if we might see it. Very interesting. Back to town. Very good bottomless dhal baht, friendly people. Good place. Bed into the nice warm sleeping bag... |
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| 7 May | Manang | 3540m | |
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Into Manang for a shock. A room here is 120Rp! The ACAP controls here, and they determine the prices. So we went from 10RP per room to 120Rp in one day. Oh well. It was a good place. Solar heated hot shower! Ahh! Clean at last. More food, I always seem to be eating! No altitude problems at all. I'm sleeping like a log, eating like crazy, my breath comes easy, no headaches. It's looking good. The town is really up in the Himalaya. Glacier lakes, mountains, right at our level. There is snow right in town. Bit cool... Chin takes Steve(Canadian), Bill and I to see an archery festival. Interesting. I'm just buzzing from the whole scene. Back to carve some more. The lathi is turning out rather well, if I do say so myself... More good food for dinner. Bed at 8:00. |
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| 8 May | Manang | 3540m | |
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Up about 6:00 to see the morning. The others were all sleeping late, so I ordered breakfast and caught up in this journal for the last week. I haven't been very good keeping current... Mailed off my postcards to Mom and Dad, and Angela and Brian. I had left my address book in Pokhara, so I couldn't send any more, couldn't remember any addresses.
Steve, Bill, Heinrich, and I climb the ridge above the nearby glacier lake. Somewhat easy climb, though the altitude was a little draining. The glacier was quite active with avalanches and running water. Beautiful views of Gangapurna, Annapurna II, the valley. We reach a field overlooking the entire area. The others go on, but I find a comfortable rock and sit down. It's just so peaceful, I felt the need to be alone, to grasp this place. First, carved my staff a bit more. Then, sat and listened. The wind, the river, the trees rustling, rumbling from the glacier, the birds. It brought on a very intense meditation. Surprisingly, I didn't feel what I had expected. These mountains, while powerful, didn't give me the timeless feeling I had expected. Instead, they felt alive, dynamic, aware. Not glowering towers of rock. Rather, they were bright sparks into the air. Wow. The others eventually return, and we jog down the ridge. On our way up, it was rather calm, but now the wind is whipping so hard, even my walking stick is being blown aside. I can see why we need to get over the pass before noon! Back at the hotel, grab a bit of food. The good cook who had been working here had just found a new job in Pokhara. He left today, so the food was not as good as yesterday. Relax the rest of the day away, carving, reading, taking hot showers - ahh! Stuffed again on dhal baht, to bed at 8:30. |
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| 9 May | Manang | |
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Good porridge for breakfast. Then, of course, I started to carve. Bill says I'm obsessed, I think he's right...
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| 10 May | Letdar | 4200m | |
| Up early to gain altitude. Andrea has bad stomach problems, diarrhea. Very slow walk up out of Manang. The wind is strong, even if the walk was rather easy, but we climbed 700m. The local kids admire my carving. We got to Letdar about 1:30. The altitude was affecting me a bit. I felt rather light headed. Felt stoned, in a way. Everything was bright and surprising. Relaxed all afternoon, very cold, windy. Yet more carving. Big good dhal baht (of course) for dinner, and dash off to my sleeping bag soon after. Bitterly cold. | |||
| 11 May | Thorung Phedi | 4450m | |
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Up very early. Someone told me once that the altitude causes strange dreams. They were right. Every since Manang, I've been having the most powerful dreams and nightmares, even remembering some when I wake. A constantly recurring nightmare simple centers around the word "ulayo". I have no idea what it means, but all sorts of dreams keep having this word pop up, usually from the source of terror... What could it mean? Chin doesn't recognize it, so it is not Nepalese... Hmm.
We're all feeling relatively fine this morning, but Bill and I are worried about Chin. Last night, he asked for aspirin for a very bad headache. Today, he was just not his usual smiling self. He's not drinking enough water either. He might have already done this circuit 4 times already, but it looks to us as if he might have minor altitude sickness. He denies it, though, so we just sit back and keep an eye on him. Funny thing, early on in this trip, Bill and I have become sort of the team leaders, deciding where we'll go each day, where we'll stop for brunch, keeping track of the others' various ailments and problems. Curious how it happened... It seems like all the others have been having problems of one sort or another. Caused by the altitude, and I guess the food as well. All have had extreme gas. Heinrich and Andrea both have had serious diarrhea. Anke serious migraine headaches. Me? Well, not much at all. Is it because I've been traveling through Asia a few months now and have developed an immunity to the more common bugs? I would like to think so, and it might be, but it might also just be sheer luck. Whatever. I'm just glad I'm not in their shoes...
More meandering, my pack. Looking like it's going to happen. Ship my [unfinished...] |
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| 12 May | Muktinath | 3800m | |
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Rising at 3:00, I look up at the stars. The skies were full of more stars than I imagined possible. The moon had set, there was no electricity for kilometers around. Constant meteor showers streaked the sky with their dying light. I couldn't even make out most of the constellations because there were so many new stars to confuse the eye. The Milky Way was a blaze across the sky. I even made out some constellations I've never seen before. The others were all bitching and moaning. "It's too early!" "I'm tired" "I didn't sleep" No altitude sickness, but looks almost like we won't go today because they're too wimpy. Bill's the only other capable one. Everyone else was in a pissy mood. Andrea had yet more stomach trouble. Anke sent back all of our porridges because she said they're burned. Mine was dumped before I got a chance to grab it. Time kept passing and no one was making any move to go. I finally confront Andrea, the only possible stopper for the day. Yes or no? "I don't know, my stomach hurts, I didn't sleep. Maybe..." Yes or no?! "OK... We'll try."
On that, Chin springs to go. I was out the door 5 minutes later. It was already 5:00, we had a late start. I quickly left them all behind to moan some more. I was going to do this on my own! I took it very slow. 50 steps, stop, breath. 50 steps, stop, breath. No problems yet, feeling good. Very difficult, long climb. The worst part was that you never knew when you would reach the top. The trail kept twisting and turning, going down into ditches and over ridges, with no end in sight After many false summits, snow, and scree, I finally reach Thorung La at 8:30. Other than Chin and one other porter, who continued on, I'm the first to the top! Sitting alone now on a hill above the pass. Everything but my struggling heart and lungs is absolutely quiet. There is barely a breath of wind. A few avalanches rumble around me. I am now at an altitude of over 5500m. The sky is not the usual blue I know. It's more of a slate color, very dark. The clouds are rushing in from all sides. I'm going to wait a couple hours for the others up here. If they don't show, I guess I'll meet them in Muktinath tomorrow. OK, now I see a few people far below coming my way. It took me over a half hour to get here from there, so I have just a bit of time. I am feeling a little altitude sickness. Slight headache, lightheaded, feeling somewhat confused, like I'm stoned. None of the critical symptoms though, so I think I'm safe. Hey, awesome echoes off the cliffs! Play a bit on the whistle. It is hard with the thin air, must blow softer than usual. Also, no breath. The music drifting on the wind sounds almost sacrilegious up here.
Some other climbers eventually showed up, and took some pictures. Then Bill and Anke arrive. Rest a bit. They both had serious diarrhea on the way up. Ug. After pictures, rest some more, then Bill and I descend to chorten below, dump our packs, start climbing again. Bill wanted to reach 18000ft. "We are almost there..." It wasn't that hard, except for the pounding headache that got deadly whenever we exerted. We made it! We actually climbed too far, as it turns out. Look below to see Andrea and Heinrich show up, little ants far away. We ended up over 200m higher than the pass instead of our intended 100m. No clear thinking here... Rested a few minutes, then we raced down the scree slope at a fast run, slipping and sliding through the loose rock. Whee! Idiots! Got some dirty looks as we exploded back on the scene at the chorten. Got our group photo, and started down. I am very tired suddenly. No surprise. The adrenaline has worn off, and the altitude starts really taking its toll. Lots of snow, wet feet, Very steep slope. It took forever to get down. I was so exhausted, I kept pounding along when others stopped to rest. I finally collapsed after the yak herder house ruins. Made the unwise decision to try some carving. I barely flinch as the sharp knife takes a chunk out of my finger. Ouch? My body is so tired, I hardly felt it. Just stared as the blood slowly drips down my windburnt hand. Went into a bit of a trance. Andrea comes by, I can't shake it off. Heinrich comes along, sits talking to me until he notices I'm not moving and shakes me out of it. Whew. Really knocked out here. His knee is killing him, just like everyone else after the steep descent. Puts knee brace on, but I don't bother. Eventually, I move on. Bill's head is hurting like a demon. Just as tired as me. Maybe 18000ft wasn't such a good idea after all? Beautiful views of the Kali Gandaki valley here, also of Dhauligiri (8167m), the worlds seventh highest peak. I collapse at one point, the others continue on. Play a little more whistle, with the nearby mountains accompanying me with their echo. "Y maent yr mynyddoedd yn canu, ac y mae'r argleyddes yn dod." - The mountains are singing and the Lady comes. After yet more grueling downhill, I get to a teahouse where just about everyone is collapsed. I'm so out of it, I don't even refill my empty water bottle or get some food. I have only had 2 rolls to eat all day. Not good. Only 1 hour to Muktinath, though, so slog on. Beautiful setting for the village. The first real green we've seen in days. Get into town, Chin's there waiting for us. His head was hurting too much, so he couldn't wait at the top. He has been here since 10:30. Nice enough place. Hot shower. Ahh! My first one in 3 days. Good to feel the air on my skin again. The guesthouse only has doubles here, so Andrea and Heinrich will finally get the privacy they've wanted. I was planning to take a single anyway, but this made it easier. Back to "normal" prices, 10 Rp/person. Much better. Friendly people here. Excellent, though small, 'za. Wash some clothes, stare blankly into space until dinner time. Dhal baht, dhal baht, dhal baht! Very slow service for this. About 7 of us ordered around 6:30, didn't get it until nearly 8:00. We're hungry! More dhal! More aru (potatoes), more baht! Talked with some Aussies, Brit, Dane. To bed in my own room. Nice. India will be hellish by the time I get there. It is expected to be hottest summer in years. Delhi is already close to 50° C! Yikes! I have no choice, I must go there to get my Pakistan and Iran visas... A couple days before we went over the pass, 2 Singapore girls we had met in Chame had tried it. No acclimatization, no warm clothing, no knowledge even of what altitude sickness was until getting to Thorung Phedi. They tried anyway. On the way up, someone noticed one of them leaning up against a rock, trying to continue despite all symptoms. He gave her some diamox to get down. Stupidly, instead of going down, she continued on. Just before the pass, the other one collapsed. Fiana(Brit) and group of Israeli guys noticed her and went into rescue mode. They carried her up over the pass (15 minutes away) and down the other side at a fast run, taking turns carrying her and the extra pack. She stopped breathing several times along the way, but they kept her alive until she started to recover as they raced down to Muktinath. It was a close call. She ended up OK, seeing a doctor in Jomsom. |
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| 13 May | Muktinath | |
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Lazy morning. I am still tired and famished, but other than my perpetually sore left knee, no problems. Bill, Anke, and I go up to the temple compound to check out the second holiest place in Nepal. Interesting, but nothing stunning. An obnoxious French tourist group there when we arrive, shooting pictures and yelling at each other across the place. We find an out of the way step and wait for them to leave. 108 water spouts, nice bells. We wander around, going into the various buildings. Stumbled upon our goal, the Mai Temple. A nun invites us in. It is interesting, but nothing spectacular. Then, she lifts a curtain under a small "altar". Deep within, we could see water coming out of a crack. Above it danced a blue flame, looking like the water itself was on fire. Another curtain revealed more blue flame and water. Hmm!
Our group goes to dinner at the North Pole, traitors to our hotel. My first dinner that's not dhal baht in almost 2 weeks! Vegetable, bean, cheese burritos, chocolate cake. Yum. Afterwards, we slink back to our own place, hiding our faces while the others eat their dhal baht downstairs. |
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| 14 May | Jomsom | 2713m | |
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Up to a rainy day. I encountered deep mud, and that was just on the way to the shower. We waited until it cleared up a bit and started down about 9:00. And down. Steep down. 1000m today. The path is very busy with pony traffic, long arid stretches broken by oasis. Debilitating downhill to a river where we break for lunch. There's a "guesthouse" there which looks completely out of place. To all outward appearances, it is a 5 star restaurant. Needless to say, we went to the other place.
Bill and I search for ammonites in the river bed while waiting for our food. I found a shell fossil, but that's it. Back to eat our lunch, a decision I was soon to regret. The others dragged on forever talking, I sat outside and carved, feeling very tired. We finally start the hike again against hurricane force winds, walking down the river valley. The entire valley is supposedly full of ammonites. Heinrich and Anke find some, but no one else has any luck. The wind has become a demon, roaring in my ears, so strong it is sometimes impossible to move against it. A moments distraction, and it takes my hat, ripping it loose of the cord that binds it. I chase it flat out with my pack still on my back for several minutes, before finally catching it with a well placed jab of my staff. The devil has done his work, though. I am having great trouble continuing. Severe stomach cramps, great fatigue. The only way I made it to Jomsom was by getting mad and letting the adrenaline carry me through. But food poisoning has got a hold on me, so I barely made it. No nausea, etc., but still not doing well. When I finally get to Jomsom, I find a very nice place, 75Rp for a single room, 100 for a double. The place has hot showers, TV, very clean, very attractive.
I didn't notice, because as soon as I was shown a room, I walked in, locked the door, and collapsed, instantly losing consciousness. This was about 4:00. In my coma, I had a dream that the others had decided to move on to Marpha. During this time, the rest of the group were upstairs, watching MTV, having the best dhal baht of the trek, and powering down many glasses of the home made "wine". Through the blackness, the demon whispers in my ear using their voices, "He'll catch up tomorrow..." That's all I remember. |
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| 15 May | Tugche | 2590m | |
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The darkness passes. I wake after 14 hours of oblivion. No hunger, but I felt much improved. I got up, took a scalding hot shower, and went back to my room to pack my stuff. After all, I have to get to Marpha to find the others! It was so real, I was walking out the door with my pack on before Chin spots me from an upstairs balcony, calling me back.
The others slowly get up, a little slow after last night's festivities. It turns out they had all been very concerned, constantly knocking on my door to see if I was OK. Chin most of all. He practically camped outside my door, knocking every hour or so. I had heard none of it. Sorry guys! They want a late start today. Anke wants to send a telegram, Heinrich wants to get over his hangover. We don't get out until after 12:00. The wind is back to tornado levels, but it is somewhat easier today, walking on trails rather than a riverbed. We get to Marpha about 1:30. Everyone we met along the way had been saying to get the lasagna at New Dhauligiri lodge in Marpha, Very good. When we got there, we ran into Sherie, Frank, __, and __, just finished eating there. They agreed, yes, it was out of this world. The others were not hungry, but it was too good for me to pass up. They go ahead, "see ya in Tugche." Well, yum, it was probably the best meal I've had on this trek, maybe since coming to Asia. It was worth the 15 minute wait as well. Heh, wait until I rub the others' nose in it! Caught up with the others about 1½ hours later, found them sitting in the dining room eating. Anke was playing the guitar and singing rather prettily. Dhal baht of course, early bed. |
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| 16 May | Ghasa | 2000m | |
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Everyone walking alone today. I followed a couple porters out of town. We had been told that at some point, we'd have to take our shoes off and cross a river. So I wasn't surprised when they did just that. I followed them in. Immediately, I realized I was in trouble. The current was so strong, my staff was vibrating. I already couldn't feel my toes. With each step, the river almost tips me in as the current grabs my raised foot. I made it maybe halfway across before I slipped on a rock. At once, the world turned to ice and greyness. When I struggled to shore, I found myself washed about 10-15 metres downstream. I was absolutely drenched, shivering, my shoes full of water. But luckily, my pack remained dry inside, and I still had my hat and my staff somehow.
When I collected myself, I found that I was back on the original side. This was when I noticed the bridge upstream... Sopping boots would be the best way to blisters, so I decided to try my Thai won calluses on my Tevas. Crossing the bridge, I noticed my feet felt sticky. I looked down to find them completely bloody from being cut in the river. The cold and shock had kept me from feeling it before. Ouch! As I continued on, I missed the path turnoff, and found myself high above the river. Uh oh. Soon, the path dumped me in the jungle. I crashed through trees, thorns, streams, constantly diverted by stone walls with briars on top. Until I abruptly explode out onto the river bed. A group of Nepalese watch me warily, Where'd you come from? It is just not my day... I find the others eating lunch comfortably in Kalopani. I had no appetite, so I continued on after stopping for a rest. Bill also had wet feet due to a short jump across a wide stream. We get to Ghasa and settle in. Kali Gandaki Guesthouse, home of an excellent and energetic cook. Everything from macaroni to fried rice to doughnuts, very delicious. I had some fried rice and 1½ doughnuts even though I was not very hungry. Dhal baht that evening. It was the best I've had yet, but I was feeling nauseous tonight, so I could barely make a dent in it, to my shame. System powered down immediately afterwards. Went to bed at 7:30, barely making it back to my room... |
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| 17 May | Tatopani | 1190m | |
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The weather outside reflected by general health, rather poor. Pissing rain, mist, cold. At breakfast, stomach will only accept a doughnut and pot of milk tea. The rain stops, the sun comes out, and we are all out the door by 7:45. With the passing rain, the morning is magical. The sun shining through the mist, many sadhus returning from Muktinath (just past Buddha's B-day), villages. Very nice.
Ran into Sherie along the trail. She was being hassled by an Indian guy putting an aggressive move on her until she spotted me. Desperate to get rid of the creep, she yells "That's my boyfriend!" He quickly takes off and we walk along together. The trail is very busy today. The path is nothing but wall to wall mules. Hardly 5 minutes go by before we must step aside for yet another train. This must be what peak season is like. If so, I'm glad I'm late! The whole way to Dana was accompanied by a horde of shitting, farting, shoving, smelly donkeys. Very frustrating. Collapsed in Dana for a drink and rest. I'm feeling seriously debilitated. Sherie continues ahead, and I plod along, barely able to walk. Exhausted, my stomach hurts, light headed, nauseous. Not good. Finally get to Tatopani to find everyone else there at Kamala guesthouse. They're joking, laughing, eating (urp), I just stand there, swaying, until someone mentions which room they got for me. "Seán, you're sexy!"(16) Something's definitely not right here... Only slept a couple hours. Up feeling only marginally better, but good enough to go down and get a shower. No fever, so it's probably just leftover food poisoning, plus weak from low blood sugar due to no food today. I can't stomach the thought of it now, though... It is beautiful here. I think I will stay an extra day even if the group moves on. I think I need it... The others were all concerned, stopping in to talk. Gratifying. I knock out around 6:45, with no energy. A feeling of loss surrounds me.[Damn, I'm feeling gloomy today!] |
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| 18 May | Tatopani | |
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Up still not much better. Decided to fast another 24 hours (making it 48 in all) just to flush whatever this is out of my system. Ah, it's probably just food poisoning... Basically rested all day. Then I decided that if I'm going to hike tomorrow, I'd better eat today. As it is, I can barely make it up the stairs. Tried some garlic bread. Went down OK, so tried some chicken and rice. Mistake. I could only eat maybe half of it before I felt nauseous again. Worked on staff all afternoon. Hot day. Good music being played on speakers...
At dinner, 2 Fantas went down very easy. Chris brought his new Cranberries tape down, and I sit listening with my eyes closed, feeling mellow as the others down their bang lassies. Early to bed, tomorrow may be hell... |
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| 19 May | Ghorapani | 2775m | |
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Well, tomorrow was hell. Up at 5:30, out by 6:30. No appetite, so no breakfast. Waited for Bill and Anke in Ghara. No sign of the others, and the day was already horribly hot. I was pouring with sweat. Still very weak today. After all, I had only eaten about one full meal in the last 2 days... The heat didn't help, and the constant steep uphill just destroyed me. Only had 5 Fantas, no food all day.
I'm bad, but Bill's nearly terminal. He poured with sweat all last night, 39° C temp. Coughing all day like he's dying. He said he could continue, though, so we move on. Very bad day, very hot, looking out for leeches (the woods here are full of them), I'm dying, Bill's really dying. We get to Ghorapani about 3:30, and collapse. Over 1600 metre climb today. It was even more than we descended from the pass. But this was up! Bill collapses in bed. His fever's now 39.3° C. Not good. I'm exhausted, but OK. I even have a bit of an appetite back. Nice hot shower, just beat the rain... Actually ate an entire meal, even a yummy chocolate cake with custard. Good evening. |
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| 20 May | Ghorapani | |
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Up at 4:30 to check the skies. All overcast, so won't attempt Poon Hill today. Back to bed.
Up again at 7:00 to beautiful clear skies, but very hazy. Chris had gone up and reported a hazy, but visible sunrise. Oh well. Nice to relax without having to hike today. I'm finally almost healthy. Bill's no better, but he tries to pretend that he is. Stubborn one. 39.4° C now, but he's up and doing laundry. I carved all day long, ruining my hands. Pizza for lunch. More carving, trying to finish the staff. We all decided not to do the Sanctuary, we have had enough trekking for now. I love it, but I think a week more will be too much. Looking forward to getting my mail in Kathmandu! |
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| 21 May | Pokhara | |
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Up again to attempt Poon Hill. Perfectly clear skies this time. Bill and I run up (~400 m rise), the others follow along. Anke and Andrea never make it. The day slowly lightens to display a beautiful scene. Dhauligiri, South Annapurna, Fishtail, many other mountains. The sunlight slowly picks out each peak. Very nice. Last day in the mountains, started right.
Then down to Pokhara! Jogged down the trail for the first two hours. We didn't see any of the fearsome leaches everyone had warned us about. If they were there, stomp! they didn't last long in our path. Very steep downhill. From Ulleri down to the next village, it was 3500 steps. Yes, I counted! The others all jogging along. We made it to Birethanti in 5 hours, knees shaking, feet aching. But we finished! The road is only a 20 minute walk from here. "Gee, Billee, what are those loud smelly things?" "I don't know, maybe some strange sort of yak?" Hm. It was strange to see buses again. The local bus would have cost 30 Rp to Pokhara, but it was packed and would take over 3 hours. We decided to splurge and took taxis, 3 people each. 500 Rp/car, 45 minutes. Might as well treat ourselves... It was an interesting ride back, to say the least. In a land where dominance on the road belongs to the larger vehicle, you find a novel driving style when you're smaller than the buses... Finally back to town! Ah, that shower felt good. I even tidied up my beard to actually look halfway respectable. We all felt like getting smashed tonight. Treat Chin to dinner, he drinks right along with us. We each gave him about 500Rp, Heinrich also gave some trekking clothes. And Bill, sniff, Bill gave his Buck knife. Chin was looking very happy by the end of the evening. As for me, well, I got more pissed than I have in a very long time. A very long time. I only had six 650 ml beers, but my tolerance was gone. Fun night. |
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| 22 May | Pokhara | |
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Up early expecting a hangover. No worries, just a little slow... The hotel on the other hand... It was full of Indians this morning. I couldn't get to the toilet, couldn't get to the shower. They're all standing around, shouting at the top of their lungs right outside our door. Clothes hanging everywhere. Some even come to our room, poke their heads in and stare at us, chattering away. I think I broke one guy's nose when I slammed the door in his face. Bam! Very annoying people. Then, the water and electricity shut off and I can't even take a shower. Enough for us. Sherie, Heinrich, Andrea and I get a room next door at Green Lake. Smaller room, but it was the same price (100) and had ensuite. Unfortunately, no more rooms, so Bill and Anke were stuck.
Didn't do much all day. Just enjoyed the feeling of not walking and of our accomplishment in finishing the circuit. Dinner at the Everest Steak House. The others had delicious steaks, I had a very good grilled chicken. First meat I had eaten in a month. Yummy brownie at Tea Time later, then I took my leave. I had been with these guys almost 4 weeks now, longest I've been with anyone this entire trip, unless you count off and on with Sabine or Andy of course. It was sad, but I don't find it as hard to leave people anymore. Hm. Funny story, Anke had had a gold filling fall out a few days ago. She went to the dentist today to get it fixed. First, she had trouble finding one. A guy sells her a token for 100 Rp which they are to take to the dentist down the street. The guy there starts filing on the filling! No! it fits already! Then, he starts drilling on the tooth. No! Finally, he cleans the hole, and glues the filling back in. But. He somehow messes up even that task. After the glue sets, Anke discovers he has put it in crooked, not seated squarely in the hole. 3rd world dentistry for ya! She will be stuck with it until she finds a decent dentist who may be able to fix it. Somehow. Maybe Bangkok... |
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| 23 May | Kathmandu | |
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Very long, hot bus ride to KTM. No shocks left on this bus, so it was bouncing all over the place. Another bus breaks down along the way and they all pile on our bus. As a result, the old thing barely makes it over some hills. It took over 8½ hours to get to KTM. When I finally got there, I rudely brushed aside the touts and rickshaw/taxi drivers and returned to Acme. Got my old room for a cheaper price. I would have tried harder, but I was tired, good enough.
Dump my bag and run to the GPO. I'm going to get my mail! I got one letter from Marc and one box from Mom. That's all? I was a bit disappointed I guess. Marc's now leaving July 7. Getting eager. Mom sends candy, cookies, a note, and a T-shirt with "Not all that is gold will glitter; Not all who wander are lost" translated into Gaelic on it. Nice! If only she had chosen some color other than white... Going to get dirty. Back to room to rest. Very tired, no appetite. Will start again tomorrow. |
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| 24 May | Kathmandu | |
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Out to check on my Indian visa. I get almost there, doh! Forgot my passport! I decided to check the lists anyway. My names' nowhere on the board. Hm. Go to window B, got yelled at by Indian there. Go get your receipt! India. I'm already getting a bad impression of the place... Go back to my hotel, pick up my money belt, and plod back. The guy searches through books of lists, but can't find my response anywhere. He then tells me to go see someone else. This guy then hands me a form to fill out, a visa application. In other words, even if I received no response to my telex, they'll give me a visa anyway. Bureaucratic bullshit! Fill the form out, get it stamped, punched, signed, rustled, etc., then across the compound to window A to pay 1000Rp visa fee. And that was it! Come back at 4:30 to pick it up. I was surprised it went so smoothly after the previous trouble.
Miscellaneous chores for the rest of day. Bought US$500 more in travelers cheques. Have only spent ~US$800 in cheques since leaving Australia 5 months ago, somehow. Sent Mom an email asking her to email back or call. A calling card just doesn't work in this country. Confused the times, unfortunately, so as a result, I told Mom the wrong time to call me and kept her up 1 hour later than necessary. Shopped for India, Pakistan, Iran LP books. Reading new Pakistan and Iran books, it looks like getting visas and crossing will be tolerably simple. Good. Forgot to pick up my Indian visa, will do tomorrow. Must still be a bit sick. Other than Mom's cookies, I hadn't eaten in 2 days, but still no appetite. Annoying. Go to Clay Pot anyway for dinner. Delicious chicken curry but couldn't finish. Even left half a glass of beer behind! Oh, the shame of it! Dragged back to room, very tired. Read my new book, then to bed. Snore along with the mozzies. |
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| 25 May | Kathmandu | |
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Changed some money, checked at the Century Lodge in case Gulap left a message. Nothing, and my message is still there, so she never even saw it. Too bad.
Back to Global Communications to wait for mum's call. She calls right on time. Bad news. While I was off in the Annapurna, having the time of my life, Grandpa died. It happened a few weeks ago, the funeral is already over. Damn. It was quick. The day before he died, he went grocery shopping. While he was out, he bought some flowers for Grandma. He was so excited to give them to her that he left his groceries behind. Haggled a good condition Lonely Planet India book for 600 Rp. Picked up pictures! Some really good ones, a lot of, now why did I take that one? Got a few copies made to send to Marc, Steve, Jen. Out to GreenLeaves for dinner. Very early to bed. |
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| 26 May | Kathmandu | |
| Nothing. | ||
| 27 May | Kathmandu | |
| Nothing. Tried to ship my large pack home, but the office was closed. Start cover for new journal. Finally getting better. Breakfast and dinner today, went down well. Bought bus ticket to Sunauli, 118 + 50 Rp charge for the agency to pick it up for me. It leaves tomorrow, 7:00, and takes about 12 hours. Yikes. | ||
| 28 May | Bus to Sunauli | ||
Shipped my large pack home, US$79. I was tired of lugging around that huge thing. Besides, in the places I'm going, I need to travel light. Even my new small pack is far too heavy. Have to lighten even more here... Extra AoSept weighs ~1kg. Hm, what else? Water filter? ~1kg. Maybe. Tape, definitely. Washing powder, ~1kg. Better. Hm. Rain jacket, ~½kg, maybe after India. Dump the boots, wear the Tevas, 1Kg. More, more. The small pack is now crammed, but it is still easy to zip up, so I'm not straining it, my only worry is the straps. Not designed to carry so much weight, might be a problem if I can't get the weight down to maybe 6 kg. We'll see. Drew rest of the afternoon. Seems I've acquired the nickname Lathi around here, after my staff (called lathi in Nepalese). Talked a bit with a Brazilian guy with Yank accent. He was trying to decide whether to struggle and visit Tibet, or relax in Thailand. Grabbed a taxi to the bus station, no problem. The long night began about 7:30. The bus was completely full. There was positively no leg room, my legs were in the aisle because I couldn't fit in. Very hot, and the bus keeps stopping for the driving crew. These guys either have very weak bladders or are drinking up a storm up there, based on the number of times they had to piss. We also stopped one very long time to clear a rockfall that had blocked the road. No sleep, sweating buckets. I've seen worse! Only 10½ hours to go...
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©Copyright Seán Connolly |
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