windblown: November 2012

How appropriate that the blog is called Windblown, since almost every day we got pounded by the gale-like winds that start like clockwork at 11 AM. The weather was nearly ideal otherwise. But let me start at the beginning.
We trekked most of the Annapurna Circuit for 13 days and 146 kilometers, starting in Besisahar and ending in Marpha. The ultimate goal of the trek was Thorung La pass at 5,416 meters (17,769 feet). It was a struggle both for the uninitiated (hello!) and the experienced. We trekked each day for up to 20 km, with night stops at the local tea shops, which offered both board and food. We decided to trek alone, without the help of either a guide or a porter (totally feasible), mostly because of the Polish mentality of "we can do this on our own". Pawel found a written guide by Andrées de Ruiter and Prem Rai, "Trekking the Annapurna Circuit including new NATT-trails which avoid the road", which allowed us to navigate, more or less easily, the trekking paths outside of the main (term used loosely) road. It also provided some backgrounds and tips for a better trekking experience.
Well, we did it. It was brutal a times, but the experience was ultimately wholly satisfying. As P said, you would not remember it if it was easy. And I will definitely remember this Himalayan trek for the rest of my life. Here are some of the highlights and observations, in no particular order:

- The views are spectacular and there are plenty of photo-taking opportunities;
- The quality of gear is important - big shoutout to Smartwool, Polartec and Merrell;
- Tall men should watch out for low (adjusted for Nepalis) door frames - P experienced the painful consequences first-hand;
- Kagbeni and Marpha are amazing little villages on the Annapurna Circuit - the former is a maze of narrow streets in an old ford, the latter is made up of bleached white buildings and spotless streets, known for its production of apple products - both are simply enchanting;
- Before the trek, a friend was telling us how a McDonald's deals with a lack of beef items on its menu (holy cows and all). Leave it for the inventive Nepalis to come up with a different solution, as we saw in Kagbeni. It is called a YakDonald's :)
- I expected this but it still makes for a pleasant surprise - the people you meet on the way: the Canadian-Russian couple with whom we shared an evening of funny stories while warming ourselves by a wood-burning oven; the Nepali man who randomly grabbed my hand and helped me cross a scary river over a precipice; the tea shop owner in Timang, who let us sit and dry ourselves in her kitchen after we got wet; Marcus from Germany with his interesting stories; the porter of a New Zealand couple, who shyly practiced his English with us; etc, etc, etc. - I love it that since we did the trek on our own, we weren't as insulated from certain people;
- With travel in a poorer country, you learn to appreciate SO many things, considered essential back home: Western toilets instead of a porcelain hole in the ground, preferably one located within the building so you don't have to march out in freezing temperatures in the middle of the night; hot showers that remain hot for the duration; warm rooms where you do not see your breath when you wake up; variety of food options, instead of the ever-present rice or noodles;
- Seabuckthorn juice, Tibetan bread and yak burgers are so delicious - try them if you have a chance;
- Suspension bridges are more fun than expected - or you just get accustomed after the 20th one;
- After 2,000 m up in altitude, you choose your tea shop based on a lack of holes in the walls or a heated dining room, instead of a "rooftop" restaurant;
- Buy a thermos and bargain for the price of hot water - hot tea prices get astronomical the higher you go. Did I mention the rooms are not heated? Gets interesting after a while;
- Trekking poles are life savers;
- Aspirin can help with altitude acclimatization;
- Nepali made "original" equipment does not hold up to the expectations - my new gloves are getting tossed after they failed when needed most;
- Most Nepalis, especially in the rural areas, are some of the sweetest people we ever met - depending on their caste, it may be difficult to get them to interact but once you do, it's with sunny smiles;
- With that said, some young kids got accustomed to receiving $ or chocolates from tourists and can become quite demanding - this accomplishes little, and donations to charitable organizations, as urged by the government, can be more effective;
- Trash - where do I start? Despite permits from a conservation project, there is no discernible method of trash disposal. We've seen it burned, buried, left behind. Many people simply throw things where they stand - you should have seen my face when a bunch of things went out a bus window. Little is reused, not to mention recycled, and often enough beautiful, scenic views are polluted. What a waste. I'm not even sure where to start with a solution, but there are things we can do, as tourists. One aspect: water bottles. Instead of buying them, bring your own along with a sterilization method - we use a Steripen and it works beautifully. In this way, you don't contribute to the polluting burden and save yourself some hassle and money. And tap water is readily available;
- Nepali skies are something out of the movies this time of year, so ideal for star-gazing;
- If you get lost, it's logical to look for the ever-present animal poop - it's sure to point you in the most used direction!
- Most importantly, be patient with yourself, your boyfriend (haha!), your new environment and its people. Oh, and forget personal space. There is none. And it doesn't matter as much as I thought it would :)

Now we are recuperating physically in Pokhara for a couple of days. Then, we're are off to Kathmandu to pick up our Indian visas, and then to the Royal Chitwan National Park for some elephant safaris. Thanks for following!