Day 4 Chomrong to Himalaya
Today we start on the path directly to base camp, meaning the trail will get very congested as everyone will be going to the same place. We leave at 6, planning to beat the crowds, but take a wrong turn heading for half an hour up the wrong hill. When we get back on track, we are stuck in the middle of the morning rush hour. We over take a group of about thirty Koreans, then jog all the way down the valley to over take a group of 20 French trekkers. When we get to the bridge below we rest of two minutes only to see them slowly but surely coming around the corner. So reluctantly we get up and march up the hill on the other side to the town of Sinuwa. I am exhausted and boiling hot when I get there and dismayed when, once again, it takes only a few minutes for the French to catch up and over take us. Slow and steady with two walking poles and a porter seems to be the trick to this trek.
The path goes upwards but gradually - no more endless flights of steps - though dense oak and bamboo forest crowned with rhododendrons probably only a week past their best. We had planned to make it to the town of Bamboo today, but end up going two towns onwards to 'Himalaya' at 2920 meters. This means that we can get to base camp a day early and I am excited at the prospect of seeing snow and needing to wear my down jacket. It is vey cold that night. Everyone huddles together for dinner in the draughty dinning room for dinner instead of sitting out on the terrace. I sleep with my sleeping bag wrapped tight around my head.
Day 5. Himalaya to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC)
Walking up to base camp is tough. The path is much rougher than previous days, with rocks and roots all across it, meaning it is impossible to get a good rhythm going when walking. It also means that I trip a lot because, instead of paying attention to the path, I am constantly looking up at the mountains on either side (snowy on the right and rocky on the left). There are lots of porters, incluing tiny women, carrying huge baskets, supported by a strap around their foreheads. Most of them are wearing jeans and flip flops and playing music from their phones. They all over take us. We pass through two towns, each about 40 minutes apart, before getting to Machupuchare Base Camp at 3700 meters. We stop here for an hour to aclimate and prevent altitude sickness.
There are helicopters flying up and down the valley constantly and landing to drop off people and equiptmemt. One person tells us there is a photo shoot going on for the Korean outdoor clothing company 'Black Yak', another tells us that a Korean documentary is being filmed about some climbers who died trying to summit Annapurna 1. Apparently there is a 50% mortality rate for summiting Annapurna 1, and it is a much more technical climb than Everest. Machhapuchhre on the other hand, has technically never been summited. Because of its flutted peak and Fishtail shape, the mountain is holy to Hindus. It is disrespectful to bring meat near the moutain and permits are not issued for climbing it, although one group got within 50 meters before stopping.
As we make our way up to Annapurna Base Camp (4130m) it begins to snow. An hour later we walk under the 'Annapurna Base Camp' welcome sign and find a dorm in one of the three tea houses. It is about 14:00 and we spend the afternoon huddled together with other trekkers in the dining room. I am wearing all my clothes and there is a heater under the table but I'm still frezzing. There is no view as the snow storm is too thick.
I order a 'dal bhat', a traditional Nepali dish of rice, lentils and vegetables. It is the most expensive meal on the menu at 650 rupees, but the price includes free refils. Nepalis eat this meal twice a day and fequently quote the expression '24 hour, dal bhat gives you power'. After three helpings it certainly fills me up and warms me up to some degree. Everyone runs through the snow from the dining room to their rooms at about 18:30 for bed. I sleep in all my clothes - leggings, trousers, t-shirt, thermal top, waterproof, down jacket and two pairs of socks - and tie my sleeping bag around my head, but I'm still not as warm as I would like. My alarm is set for 5:00 in order to be up to see the sun rise over the mountains.
Day 6. ABC to Sinuwa
When I wake up it is still very cold, but when I brave the outside I see that the storm the night before had been worth it. Where as when we arrived everything had been grey and dirty, now everything was covered in about a foot of snow. Slowly people emerge from their rooms and congregate a little way away from the tea houses to capture the sun rise. It gets even busier as more and more people arrive having made an early start from Machhupuchhure base camp and everyone is trying to get photos without other people in.
The walk down takes longer than we had hoped, as the path is slippery with compacted snow. Walking off the path is tricky as there are rocks on either side and its hard to tell where a big hole might be. Apparently the walking time between Chomrong and ABC is only twelve hours going up, about ten going down. The guide book advises spreading the walk over three or four days to avoid altitude sickness. We go up in two (I only get a mild headache and pins and needles in my fingers), but we would like to get back to Chomrong in a day as we are running out of money (no ATMs!) and it is cheaper further down the mountain - meaning we can spend more time trekking. We don't get to Chomrong because of the slippery walk down, but we get to Sinuwa, one town across the valley and 1770m below ABC at 2630m. It is nice to be warm again, although there is no hot water, meaning I have been wearing the same clothes without showering properly for three days. Yuck.
Today we start on the path directly to base camp, meaning the trail will get very congested as everyone will be going to the same place. We leave at 6, planning to beat the crowds, but take a wrong turn heading for half an hour up the wrong hill. When we get back on track, we are stuck in the middle of the morning rush hour. We over take a group of about thirty Koreans, then jog all the way down the valley to over take a group of 20 French trekkers. When we get to the bridge below we rest of two minutes only to see them slowly but surely coming around the corner. So reluctantly we get up and march up the hill on the other side to the town of Sinuwa. I am exhausted and boiling hot when I get there and dismayed when, once again, it takes only a few minutes for the French to catch up and over take us. Slow and steady with two walking poles and a porter seems to be the trick to this trek.
Above: Chomrong to Sinuwa
View of ABC from Sinuwa
Walking up to base camp is tough. The path is much rougher than previous days, with rocks and roots all across it, meaning it is impossible to get a good rhythm going when walking. It also means that I trip a lot because, instead of paying attention to the path, I am constantly looking up at the mountains on either side (snowy on the right and rocky on the left). There are lots of porters, incluing tiny women, carrying huge baskets, supported by a strap around their foreheads. Most of them are wearing jeans and flip flops and playing music from their phones. They all over take us. We pass through two towns, each about 40 minutes apart, before getting to Machupuchare Base Camp at 3700 meters. We stop here for an hour to aclimate and prevent altitude sickness.
Valley leading to MBC & ABC
Female Porter
Machhupuchhre Base Camp
View from Machhupuchhre
Path to ABC just before it began to snow
As we make our way up to Annapurna Base Camp (4130m) it begins to snow. An hour later we walk under the 'Annapurna Base Camp' welcome sign and find a dorm in one of the three tea houses. It is about 14:00 and we spend the afternoon huddled together with other trekkers in the dining room. I am wearing all my clothes and there is a heater under the table but I'm still frezzing. There is no view as the snow storm is too thick.
I order a 'dal bhat', a traditional Nepali dish of rice, lentils and vegetables. It is the most expensive meal on the menu at 650 rupees, but the price includes free refils. Nepalis eat this meal twice a day and fequently quote the expression '24 hour, dal bhat gives you power'. After three helpings it certainly fills me up and warms me up to some degree. Everyone runs through the snow from the dining room to their rooms at about 18:30 for bed. I sleep in all my clothes - leggings, trousers, t-shirt, thermal top, waterproof, down jacket and two pairs of socks - and tie my sleeping bag around my head, but I'm still not as warm as I would like. My alarm is set for 5:00 in order to be up to see the sun rise over the mountains.
When I wake up it is still very cold, but when I brave the outside I see that the storm the night before had been worth it. Where as when we arrived everything had been grey and dirty, now everything was covered in about a foot of snow. Slowly people emerge from their rooms and congregate a little way away from the tea houses to capture the sun rise. It gets even busier as more and more people arrive having made an early start from Machhupuchhure base camp and everyone is trying to get photos without other people in.
It's a Squirrel (the yellow helicopter) luv Farv
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying reading about your travels.
ReplyDeletelove Amanda