Nepal 2017

Sunday5thNovember

We leave Chame and as predicted, we start by turning the mills. Uh, no, the predictions were wrong. Too noisy and risked waking the neighbors.  

A quick morning run to get fresh bread for breakfast ???

Quick chat with a passing local. Take the opportunity to look at Subash's hiking shoes... Sandals! Fortunately, he has real hiking shoes! The question is, when will he take them out?! At 3000 meters? At 4000?? At 5000??? Suspense...  

To make up for our morning oversight, we conscientiously turn all these old prayer wheels that have surely seen many inhabitants of this planet.  

Oh yes, we've already left the 3000-meter mark 90 meters below!

The Bhratang Farmhouse

Pines still cover the mountain, but the higher we climb, the less dense the forests will become...

Snack break!

Lunch in Pokhari. Spring rolls, momos, you don't change a winning team...

In the background, the small mountain Paungda Danda with its easily recognizable semi-circular shape.

The Marsyangdi River and the Paungda Danda.

Domestic goats (Capra hircus) have no borders. They are present almost everywhere, in all regions of the globe.

Horses are quite rare in the region. Here are at least two!

Optimal sun protection for Man Bahadur! For Narayan, priority to the eyes!

Oh yes, by the way, remember that we are on the "Annapurna Circuit" trek, the name given to the mountain range we follow most of the time. Three mountains in this range are named Annapurna. Well, here is the second, Annapurna II. We will also see the third but never the first (the highest in this range at 8091 meters). Annapurna II's summit, on the other hand, culminates at "only" 7864 meters...  

The Paungda Danda. Nepalis call it "Swarga Dwar", meaning "Gate to Heaven". According to local beliefs, the spirits of the deceased must climb this mountain to reach heaven.

As for us, we are very much alive and choose a much easier route (at least for now  ). It's still climbing, here we are at 3200 meters altitude.

We arrive at Upper Pisang. At the bottom of the valley, its big sister Lower Pisang.

It's only 2:30 PM and the day's walk is already over, but we still climbed 600 meters since this morning.

We will stay at the Tukuche hotel, here is its kitchen.

While everyone puts their belongings in their room, Narayan, under the watchful eye of Man Bahadur, pays the hotel owner.

A short visit to the Buddhist monastery located at the top of the village.

This monastery was built in 1999, replacing the old monastery.

It's a small jewel of colors.

One of the ceilings.

Suspended from the ceiling, a Tsekhor, a fabric tube, a link between earth and sky.

Some details of the frescoes painted on the walls.

At the very bottom, Lower Pisang, and at the very top, the summit of Annapurna II.

Back to our Tukuche hotel for a small game of Dhumbal.

A small "Knor" mushroom soup and fried vegetable spring rolls.

Here is the "classic" menu offered in the Annapurna Circuit hotels. 300 Nepalese rupees for my soup, which is a little over 2 euros! Prices are high for the country, but we are in high mountains and restaurant supplies are more difficult, but above all, the foreign trekker has a fuller wallet...  

Small attempt at astronomical photos from the hotel balcony. I'll let you find Altair and Vega.  

Monday6November

6:30 AM. The rising sun brushes the summit of Annapurna II.

Meanwhile, in the restaurant room, just like last night, the grandmother of the place tirelessly rocks her grandson on her back to the sound of whispered songs.

I got used to a bowl of chocolate pudding to start the day, the only food I could swallow...  

And we're off again for this 5th day of walking. The arrival is scheduled for Manang where we will stay a full day to acclimatize to the altitude.

And as we move away, Upper Pisang awakens.

But others are already at work.

These fodder carriers are surely returning to the village to feed the herds of goats and cows.

An ancestral line of prayer wheels, left abandoned.

Engraved stones have replaced some mills.

The paintings resist time, here 5 postures of Buddha.

This small furball of about twenty centimeters is a pika (Ochotona himalayana). This cousin of the rabbit is also called a "whistling hare".

And finally, Annapurna III reveals itself, 7577 meters high!

And now, on the same panoramic view, to the left and right, the snow-capped peaks of Annapurna II and III.

The old prayer wheels where we were just now.

Photo on the left, Annapurna II. Photo on the right, Annapurna III.

This beautiful climb takes us to the small village of Ghyaru where a stupa and its prayer flags welcome us, facing the Annapurna range.

A large-billed crow (Corvus macrorhynchos).

We leave Ghyaru behind and now enter a completely changed landscape. The pines have almost entirely given way to scrubland. The ochre color dominates the landscape.

The last pine cones, but also the first yak hairs!  

Will we take on the challenge of turning 92 mills??? Narayan and Christophe try their luck. And yes! Challenge accepted!  

Lunch will be at Ngawal at the Tibet Restaurant.

The atmosphere in the kitchen seems to be great!

We skip the yak offal drying from the ceiling and turn to a reassuring plate of noodles and Tibetan bread...  

We hit the road again. In 2h30, we will be in Manang, our final stop for the day.

The weather is superb. November is one of the best times to do this trek. The paths are dry and dusty, my black shoes still remember it...

Checkpoint stop.

4 PM. Arrival in Manang. The sun is behind the mountains. It sets a little after 5 PM, which is why it's important not to arrive at your destination too late in the afternoon.

This small town is an almost obligatory stop for all trekkers before tackling the next few days that will take us beyond 4000 meters. The custom is to spend an acclimatization day here. That's what we're going to do. After 5 days of walking, a well-deserved day of rest awaits us!  

We will stay at the Himalayan Singi hotel. Since the beginning, the comfort has always been very spartan. Cold water and squat toilets. But this time we are lucky, they are en-suite!  

The nights are cool. Fortunately, the wood-burning stove is quickly lit in the common room to warm everyone up. And for tonight, we're trying a yak burger!