intro

The Route

We did part of the Annapurna base camp trek.  It is one of my greatest disappointments that we didn't have enough time to make it to base camp.  After the third night our guide pointed toward the mountain and said, "Base camp is three days that way."

I said, "Three days!  We have three days!  Let's do it!"

"It takes three more days to get back down."

"Oh."

At least we have a reason to go back.   

The Cast

three handsome men
and

ME!
I was the envy of every woman on the trail.

We met Inaki and Alberto at the trekking office in Pokhara.  They are from Bilbao, so when I told them I'd lived in the Basque country for a year they jumped up and down and hugged each other.  They were the best possible trailmates.  We miss them already.

It's going to be hard to write about each day, because it's mostly like this: walking, walking, eating, eating, walking, walking, eating, drinking, sleeping.  In all we did 80 kilometers in about 5 and a half days.  At night we stayed in tea houses, which had varying ranges of amenities.  Sometimes we climbed hills, sometimes we went down hills.  Sometimes we took naps after lunch, sometimes we pressed on.  Always we enjoyed the sights, the fresh air and the ever-generous and humble welcomes of the Nepali people.