Manang and beyond

The blog is a bit tricky to set up with the vagaries of Nepalese internet  - having it dropping in and out - and with my novice status as a blogger  - hence the photos following the text after one aborted attempt to put them together. But hopefully things will improve with both me and the connectivity at Lumbini.

But maybe you get the gist of the scenery on the trek.

I spent two nights in Manang – a busy tourist spot  - and on the second night ventured out to the local movie house to see Into Thin Air – the reenactment of a disastrous climb to Mt Everest – not perhaps the ideal movie for those about to head over  Thorung La – the highest pass in the world. The movie house was great – a small space with tiered cushioned wooden seats and a wood fire burning in the centre of the room. About half way through the movie the lights- a single globe - came on and while the movie continued to run black tea was handed out in metal cups together with a bag of pop corn. I walked back to my hotel in the dark under an incredible star filled sky. It was a great night.

A half day walk from Manang up the side of the glacier was also great – with amazing views down over the glacial lake and the town and up to the giants. The walk up was steep and icy – the walk down was frightening – with white and black ice underfoot and sheer drops off to the side – I clung onto Kalu a lot. 

Then headed back to Humde – three hours down the hill – stopping off for tea at Braga. That night in Humde involved some nice chats with a few others flying out the next day  - including a NZ doctor who had just finished a two month volunteer stinta the local clinic (Including wrestling down and treating a yak that had been attacked by a snow leopard) –throwing up on my shoes and many trips out of a warm bed to go outside and along the verandah – where the water in the rinsing bucket was full of ice.  So good timing to head out by plane for a bit of a rest.

The flight was to Pokhara in a ten seater from a dirt runway down the valley– a bird’s eye view of the peaks. Pokhara was another world – full of shops and action. I was picked up by Bim a hotel owner and driven on the  back of his motorbike to a room with hot hot water and a bath. So for three days rested, read, sat by the lake and visited a clinic  - again on the bike with Bim to get some drugs. While in Pokhara I indulged in a massage at Seeing Hands – an organisation set up to train blind Nepali students in this profession. It was pretty good.

Then after some procrastination I indulged in another flight  - back to Kathmandu -  rather then endure a gruelling 8 hour bus trip. Spent two days in Boudnath at Shechen Guest Houseby the monastery and hung out with Lesley, doing a walk in Gorkana forest – the hunting grounds of past kings - a oasis of green and giant trees a short drive from Boudha - where we saw spotted deer and macaques. Then a few circumambulations around the big stupa where we lit candles and bathed in the glow of thousands of butter lamps.

Now here I am  - antibiotics finished, eating well, dodgy leg healing, indulging in a few comforts  – seems like time for Lumbini. And as usual photos appear in odd spots but hope you get the idea.