As we ascended up the trail we began to feel the slight affects of the altitude. Shortness of breath and a hot and heavy sun were the most apparent. However, these minor annoyances were overshadowed by the increasingly amazing views.
About 5 days in we got our first view of a snow capped peak - Annapurna 2. It was incredible. We had to wait for the clouds to dissipate, but the view was indescribable and hopefully our pictures will convey that when we get them up. I'll refrain from describing the views too much and let the coming pictures speak for themselves. Another good thing about being higher up was that the rain had stopped. After 4 days of damp clothes and shoes, it felt wonderful.
While all the days had epic views and hard grueling hikes, there is only one day worth mentioning specifically. The day we hiked up and through Thorong-La Pass was one that will forever stick out in our minds.
On usual days we have breakfast and get on the trail by 8am, but because of high winds at the Pass we had to be on the trail by 4:30am. Unlike the other days at higher altitudes it was raining, but it was different than rain, it was like we stepped out into a big, wet cloud that was surrounding the town of Phedi, which is situated at 14,445ft.
The day before the pass we had made to sure to drink lots of water, eat garlic soup (per our guide's suggestion) and take an acclimatizing day hike up 1000ft. These efforts were well worth it as we began that morning. We began hiking in the rain with flashlights that attempted to cut through the misty darkness and illuminate the way. We began huffing and puffing hard - choo-choo trains or morbidly obese shut-ins walking up stairways came to mind. For me, I started having flashbacks of my chubby 8th grade self running the mile during PE.
As we ascended about 1200ft the rain stopped and the snow started. First as hail and then as large flakes reminiscent of heavy Boston snow days. But we kept on keepin' on. This was the climax of our trip and nothing was going to stop us. The affects of the altitude got worse as we got higher; we started having more trouble breathing and began to get headaches. However, these affects are considered light as compared with the major symptoms such as vomiting blood, passing out and walking as if drunk.
When we got to the top it was glorious. Not because of the view (there was none because of the snow), nor because of the actual scenery of the pass (it was a pile of rocks and a small tea hut), but because we had made it over 4 grueling hours. We ascended 3280ft in all and felt like rock stars. What we didn't realize is that going up was the easy part.
After reaching the pass we had to descend 6000ft to the next mountain village. This descent would take place over 4 hours and as we later learned it would take place on a 7o degree slope on loose rocks and gravel. We slipped, fell, ran and tumbled downhill for over four hours before we reached our destination. Our joints ached and our minds were blown from the need to focus on every single step.
No matter. We were ecstatic. Over half the trek was over and we had survived the worst that high altitude could throw at us. We got to the tea house and slept and then slept some more.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Act 1
A little background first. The Annapurna Circuit Trek is a 150 mile trek along the four Annapurna mountains and countless other snow capped peaks. The trek is often completed in as many as 21 days, but being the crazed savages we are, we did it in 15. The trek ascends hikers up to the Thorong-La Pass, which stands at 17,769 feet, reaching the pass in the middle of day 10 (more on this later).
The theme of the first few days was water. Rain, rivers, creeks, puddles, waterfalls, drinking - the gamut. We hopped over smalls creeks, we forded small rivers (almost waist deep), we jumped rock to rock over class III rapids and we were splashed by waterfalls pouring overhead. All this was coupled with monsoon rains that were sprinkled throughout our day and often dominated the nights.
The trail started as a jungle and slowly began turning into a pine forest as we ascended higher. It actually began to remind me of the many American forests I've stomped through. Although, there was one small difference: Leeches. The leeches in Nepal are about the size of a small, skinny worm and they attach to your shoes as you walk along the wet ground. They inch their way up your boots and latch onto your ankle, sometimes above your sock and sometimes through it. They likely have some anesthetic property that prevents you from feeling the bite and as I later learned they also likely have some anti-coagulant that prevents you from clotting. Midway into the third day I had three on my ankle. They had become fat with my blood and no longer resembled the leeches on the ground. Finally, I yanked them off, a painless but frustrating experience because they try then to latch onto your finger. After pulling them off the bites continue to bleed like a mad saxophonist who won't let that note drop. No amount of pressure helps, only sweet time - but lots of that we had. (Tip: bring black socks, my white ones are covered in blood).
During the first few days we hiked about 6-7 hours and covered about 10 miles a day. We started the trek at about 2600ft and didn't get much higher than 8000ft during the first few days. So there was no chance of altitude sickness, but the climb was considerable.
I should probably say a little about our traveling companions - both guide and porter. Our guide's name was Monaj (pronounced Moan-us) and he is a friendly, Nepali who pauses after every semi-funny thing we say and then bursts with a chubby laugh that can be heard for miles. A guide in Nepal is more than someone who shows you the trail, he is also a friend, protective parent, moonlighting waiter and cook. Along the trek there are teahouses (basic hostels with four walls, a roof and sometimes a shower) which you stay in. At these teahouses your guide takes your food order, helps cook and delivers your food. As for us, our only job was to sleep, eat, walk, eat, walk, eat, sleep - in that order
The porter was another sort. A quiet, shy (even among fellow Nepalis) and soft spoken man who was the same age as our guide, but appeared 10 years older. A porter in Nepal is someone who helps carry your stuff along the trail. In America I would never dream of having someone help me carry my backpacking supplies on the trail, but our decision to use one in Nepal was threefold. Mylinh hasn't ever really been on a long trek before and I didn't want here experience to be awful - I also didn't want to carry all of our stuff in one pack. Moreover, neither Mylinh nor I had ever ascended to over 17,000ft and the threat of altitude sickness is real as some people every year have to be helicoptered out. Finally, we wanted to support the local economy and found out later that giving a porter a job is looked upon highly by the other Nepalis (they talk shit about those who do it without guide or porter). In the end our porter was a life saver as he skipped nimbly across the Himalayan landscape without a care or worry, all while whistling, as we struggled, slogged and stomped our way up to the top.
The theme of the first few days was water. Rain, rivers, creeks, puddles, waterfalls, drinking - the gamut. We hopped over smalls creeks, we forded small rivers (almost waist deep), we jumped rock to rock over class III rapids and we were splashed by waterfalls pouring overhead. All this was coupled with monsoon rains that were sprinkled throughout our day and often dominated the nights.
The trail started as a jungle and slowly began turning into a pine forest as we ascended higher. It actually began to remind me of the many American forests I've stomped through. Although, there was one small difference: Leeches. The leeches in Nepal are about the size of a small, skinny worm and they attach to your shoes as you walk along the wet ground. They inch their way up your boots and latch onto your ankle, sometimes above your sock and sometimes through it. They likely have some anesthetic property that prevents you from feeling the bite and as I later learned they also likely have some anti-coagulant that prevents you from clotting. Midway into the third day I had three on my ankle. They had become fat with my blood and no longer resembled the leeches on the ground. Finally, I yanked them off, a painless but frustrating experience because they try then to latch onto your finger. After pulling them off the bites continue to bleed like a mad saxophonist who won't let that note drop. No amount of pressure helps, only sweet time - but lots of that we had. (Tip: bring black socks, my white ones are covered in blood).
During the first few days we hiked about 6-7 hours and covered about 10 miles a day. We started the trek at about 2600ft and didn't get much higher than 8000ft during the first few days. So there was no chance of altitude sickness, but the climb was considerable.
I should probably say a little about our traveling companions - both guide and porter. Our guide's name was Monaj (pronounced Moan-us) and he is a friendly, Nepali who pauses after every semi-funny thing we say and then bursts with a chubby laugh that can be heard for miles. A guide in Nepal is more than someone who shows you the trail, he is also a friend, protective parent, moonlighting waiter and cook. Along the trek there are teahouses (basic hostels with four walls, a roof and sometimes a shower) which you stay in. At these teahouses your guide takes your food order, helps cook and delivers your food. As for us, our only job was to sleep, eat, walk, eat, walk, eat, sleep - in that order
The porter was another sort. A quiet, shy (even among fellow Nepalis) and soft spoken man who was the same age as our guide, but appeared 10 years older. A porter in Nepal is someone who helps carry your stuff along the trail. In America I would never dream of having someone help me carry my backpacking supplies on the trail, but our decision to use one in Nepal was threefold. Mylinh hasn't ever really been on a long trek before and I didn't want here experience to be awful - I also didn't want to carry all of our stuff in one pack. Moreover, neither Mylinh nor I had ever ascended to over 17,000ft and the threat of altitude sickness is real as some people every year have to be helicoptered out. Finally, we wanted to support the local economy and found out later that giving a porter a job is looked upon highly by the other Nepalis (they talk shit about those who do it without guide or porter). In the end our porter was a life saver as he skipped nimbly across the Himalayan landscape without a care or worry, all while whistling, as we struggled, slogged and stomped our way up to the top.
What Actually Happened...
The chairs only went midway up your back so sleeping was impossible, unless of course you got one of the coveted seats against the never-cleaned wall; snacks were triple the price as they are in most airports; the loud-speaker announcing delayed and canceled flights buzzed unharmoniously every few minutes. The gates of purgatory opened and we jumped through.
Two days passed as we sat in the Kathmandu Airport attempting to fly to Lukla to get to the trail head of the Everest Base Camp trek. The weather report predicted more monsoon weather in Lukla through the week. Sensing our frustration and peering into our bloodshot eyes - ravaged from two 3:30am wake-up mornings - our would-be guide laid out the alternatives. Wait another day in the fiery pits or start right then and there along the Annapurna Himalaya Circuit trek - the most popular in all of Nepal and his personal favorite. We grabbed this lifeline and charged.
So we left Everest behind and took a bus - thank god - to the Annapurna trail head. Finally we were moving forward, moving on and climbing up.
Looking back, the 15 day trek through the Annapurna Circuit felt like a play in three acts.
Two days passed as we sat in the Kathmandu Airport attempting to fly to Lukla to get to the trail head of the Everest Base Camp trek. The weather report predicted more monsoon weather in Lukla through the week. Sensing our frustration and peering into our bloodshot eyes - ravaged from two 3:30am wake-up mornings - our would-be guide laid out the alternatives. Wait another day in the fiery pits or start right then and there along the Annapurna Himalaya Circuit trek - the most popular in all of Nepal and his personal favorite. We grabbed this lifeline and charged.
So we left Everest behind and took a bus - thank god - to the Annapurna trail head. Finally we were moving forward, moving on and climbing up.
Looking back, the 15 day trek through the Annapurna Circuit felt like a play in three acts.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Once in a Lifetime
We have been in Nepal now for almost 3 days. It is everything we had hoped for. Nice people, good food, cool weather (as compared to india) cheap-ish beer and lots to do. Having spent our days here exploring Kathmandu we have come to love the city and could spend forever walking its streets and eating at one the many delicious restaurants.
Alas, greater ambition calls us onward and upward. We are leaving tomorrow for a 15 day trek to the Mount Everest Base Camp, which is located at a staggering 17,090 ft above sea level. We will start at Lukla and spend the next 8 days reaching the base camp followed by a descent through the Chola Pass, which provides a different path back to Lukla. A detailed version of our trekking route can be found here.
We are excited to say the least. Wish us luck and read all about it here sometime after September 8th.
Alas, greater ambition calls us onward and upward. We are leaving tomorrow for a 15 day trek to the Mount Everest Base Camp, which is located at a staggering 17,090 ft above sea level. We will start at Lukla and spend the next 8 days reaching the base camp followed by a descent through the Chola Pass, which provides a different path back to Lukla. A detailed version of our trekking route can be found here.
We are excited to say the least. Wish us luck and read all about it here sometime after September 8th.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Shit River
And finally, there was Varanasi. The sacred city was also the site of touts, floods and the Ganges River that has fecal-coliform counts of about 50,000 bacteria per 100 milliliters of water, 10,000% higher than the government standard for safe river bathing. Literally, thousands of people were bathing in and drinking from the river. That being said, it was beautiful to see, but not touch, the river which had ghats (temples) with steps leading right to the water's edge.
When we arrived in Varanasi we had the same usual problems with the aggressive rickshaw drivers, which led to more arguments between me and them, but in the end we got a pretty good deal on a place to stay and a cheap rickshaw ride - but the hassle was barely worth it.
The city itself was congested and busy. There were few restaurants and the ones available were expensive. The first night there it rained and rained and rained some more. When we awoke the streets had flooded - literally 2-3 feet of water everywhere. We ventured out for some breakfast and waded through the water (which was inevitably filled with fecal matter, if not human, than definitely cow and dog). Oh, and did I mention, the water in our hostel stopped working because of the flood. Lovely day.
When we arrived in Varanasi we had the same usual problems with the aggressive rickshaw drivers, which led to more arguments between me and them, but in the end we got a pretty good deal on a place to stay and a cheap rickshaw ride - but the hassle was barely worth it.
The city itself was congested and busy. There were few restaurants and the ones available were expensive. The first night there it rained and rained and rained some more. When we awoke the streets had flooded - literally 2-3 feet of water everywhere. We ventured out for some breakfast and waded through the water (which was inevitably filled with fecal matter, if not human, than definitely cow and dog). Oh, and did I mention, the water in our hostel stopped working because of the flood. Lovely day.
Eventually the flooding subsided and we strolled along the ghats and river, which was actually somewhat peaceful. Less peaceful was the negotiating with boat drivers to take us out on the river, but we did the most sensible thing possible and walked away. It ended up we got a much better deal by booking a boat ride through our hostel, which allowed us to view an evening Hindu river worship ceremony.
All in all, Varanasi had its highs and lows, but the stop was worth it, if only to see the magnificent (yet polluted) Ganges. Although, a working ATM would have been nice.
All in all, Varanasi had its highs and lows, but the stop was worth it, if only to see the magnificent (yet polluted) Ganges. Although, a working ATM would have been nice.
* picture - Sending puri (offering of lotus flowers and butter candle) down the river at sunset
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Observations
No one wears socks - you may say this is because it is hot, but most men wear long sleeve pants and button up shirts with sandals.
Thousands of men hang out on the street everyday in every city we have been in. Additionally, men are always our waiters and clerks in stores. A few women are around, but maybe 1 woman for every 25 men. Where are they?
All drivers honk their horns incessantly. Now I see why NYC imposes a $350 fine for honking your horn in certain areas.
Tropical climate, but a discouraging lack of exotic or unique fruits and vegetables. Hello, apples and bananas!!
Thousands of men hang out on the street everyday in every city we have been in. Additionally, men are always our waiters and clerks in stores. A few women are around, but maybe 1 woman for every 25 men. Where are they?
All drivers honk their horns incessantly. Now I see why NYC imposes a $350 fine for honking your horn in certain areas.
Tropical climate, but a discouraging lack of exotic or unique fruits and vegetables. Hello, apples and bananas!!
The Taj
After leaving Delhi we arrived in Agra, a city not featuring much, except of course the Taj Mahal. The main touristy part of the city feating most of the hostels and restaurants is built around the landmark. So we spent most of the day walking the streets, exploring the city and peering at the walls surrounding the Taj.
We had decided that an early morning visit would be best because it would have the most chance of sunshine (since it is the end of monsoon season) and it avoids the tour groups who are bussed in from nicer hotels on the outskirts.
The Taj Mahal was everything it was supposed to be and more. Magnificent, beautiful and overwhelming are just a few of the words that best describe it's radiance in the morning sunshine. Despite the fact that pollution has slightly yellowed some of the marble, it still appears to glow white.
The rest of Agra was a bore, but it was all worth it. We are wrapping up the first leg of our trip as we will be heading to Nepal at the end of the week. More to come.
We had decided that an early morning visit would be best because it would have the most chance of sunshine (since it is the end of monsoon season) and it avoids the tour groups who are bussed in from nicer hotels on the outskirts.
The Taj Mahal was everything it was supposed to be and more. Magnificent, beautiful and overwhelming are just a few of the words that best describe it's radiance in the morning sunshine. Despite the fact that pollution has slightly yellowed some of the marble, it still appears to glow white.
The rest of Agra was a bore, but it was all worth it. We are wrapping up the first leg of our trip as we will be heading to Nepal at the end of the week. More to come.
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