I’m really excited about going on this trek. I think a big reason for that is that it’s something completely new and challenging for me.
I have a coffee for breakfast and order a brownie with it. Expected them to just slap it on a plate but instead they did this.
Excited and on sugar rush I head back to the guest house to prepare for departure. If this was a cartoon, I’d be jumping up and down, shouting “let’s go trekking! “.
Guide Kamala is on time and at 8:30 sharp we sit in the taxi to the bus station. The travel gods are with us and the bus leaves minutes after we’ve arrived.
The road up to Naya Pol winds out of the valley and offers some really cool views over a mist covered Fewa lake. Will post pictures once I’m back and have a laptop.
We can see that the night brought snowfall on the mountains, some as low as 3000m. Which is uncool, cause that’s where we want to be in 2-3 days time.
At 10:45 the bus reaches Naya Pol and we have tea and noodle soup.
Half an hour later it’s backpacks on the shoulders and off we go. At a checkpoint my permit is inspected and we learn that 120 people have come through before us. 200 yesterday. Not surprising, as the first two days are the same as in the very popular ABC and Poon Hill treks.
A dusty road leads along terrace fields of wheat and rice. Hardly any other tourists, we are rather late.
The weight on my shoulders feels fine. I’m used to carrying 20kg and know how to make it comfy. Just usually it’s for 30 minutes max.
The weather is warm and sunny, Kamala says the next days will be different. She is not too chatty (which is good) and can answer all my questions. Good sense of humour as well.
13:10 lunch break for 45 minutes in Ram Ghai. Dal Bhat.
15:15 Hile @ 1400m, our stop for the night.
Quiet guest house, only one more guest+guide. Everybody sits together in the afternoon. The host is a born entertainer and gets everybody to dance to Nepali music after dinner.