2012_11_03 Trekking Day 3 - Gurung Lodge to Sanctuary Lodge

SANCTUARY LODGE, BIRETHANTI

1025 METERS, 3362 FEET

One of the cottages at Gurung Lodge

This mirror was on the front of the dining hall at Gurung Lodge.  The porters showed us the reflection of the mountain in the mirror.

Connie and I in front of "our" cabin (#9) at Gurung Lodge.  It was pretty cool each morning.  I really liked the cat and Connie was grateful for the North Face jackets supplied at each lodge.

View of Annapurna South and Fish Tail from local village just above Gurung Lodge

This guy was pretty interested in us at the local village.

He was watching intently as the group was being told about the village just below

This lady didn't want her picture taken.  After quite some time she came over and told Shyam it was ok.  She fixed her hair a bit and smiled.  She then asked if she could see it - and then if we could send it to her.  I am going to email some images to Shyam and he said he would print them and distribute them.

I know it doesn't look like much but this shows the extent of our climb from the Sanctuary Lodge up to the Himalaya Lodge.  The Sanctuary Lodge is where we will be hiking down to later today.  It is off the far left bottom edge of this image.  On the day of the long hike we will follow the road at the bottom for about 45 minutes and then start UP.  You can see where there is a path going up almost at the end of the road on the bottom.  If you click on this image it will enlarge.  We walk upwards through the villages that are in the sun lit area.  About the height of the shadow top we go to the right, eventually passing under the landslide on the far right and then around that ridge.  THEN the real hard part starts.  The last hour is continually UP until we reach the Himalaya Lodge.  Annapurna South (snowcapped mountain in the background will be right in front of us!  7 to 8 hours and up 3500 feet!  I hope the views are worth it!

Good morning Nepal!  Another amazing sunset with slightly different views of the Anapurna range.  The whole of Anapurna South is right ahead of us but Fish Tail is just peeking it's head over a ridge to the right.  The same procedure was followed this morning - coffee and tea brought to our cabin as we watched the sunrise.  Then another breakfast and we had a talk about what to expect for the day.  Those who wished to visit a a local village hiked up the 7 million steps (slight exaggeration) to the gate of the Gurung Lodge and then UP some more to the village.  We got an idea of how the villagers live, and met a blacksmith who showed us his forge.  The whole village works like a co-op with each person having a specialty and all share by bartering hat they have of what they need.  There was a house that has been converted into a museum which housed many items from the past.

Signing the guest book at the museum entrance

Just outside the museum a lady prepares to cook a meal.

Storage vessels in the museum

A retired Ghurka soldier donated the house to be a museum after he moved his family to Great Britain.  Amazingly, we met his wife on the way back down the trail after visiting the village.  She had come to Nepal for a month to see that the museum was being run the right way and to visit old friends.  I noticed that she had quite a bit of jewelry and nice clothes as we passed her.  Raju explained who she was a bit later.

Here she is!

We left a bit later than usual as the day was mostly down hill to our next stay - The Sanctuary Lodge.  Today's walk was easier and in fact will be the easiest of the whole trek.  Having said that it was still pretty hard because of ALL the steps downward.  We completed the trip in only 2 hour and 45 minutes and arrived around 5:00.  The Sanctuary Lodge was the first lodge built by Ker and Downey in 1990.  It sits right along the Modi River and is quite a bit different than the setting for the other lodges.  We will have a very nice rushing water white background noise to help us sleep tonight.

The steps on the trail go down, down down.....

Local dog looks on as the group crosses a creek

Bridge over the Modi River was a bit intimidating for several who have some height issues

Video of bridge crossing.  Way to go, Mardi!

Dinner?

We made it.  Raju bobble-head on left?

Another view of Fish Tail.  This time at sunset from the Sanctuary Lodge

After another fine dinner we were briefed about the next day's trek - by far the hardest of the treks.  Expected to be 7 to 8 hours and UP 3500 feet.  That's about 3 times higher than we have walked to date.  Everything is pushed up for the trek - earlier tea, breakfast and a 8:00 start.  I am a bit anxious as my right knee has been hurting pretty bad.  Medication and stretching has helped so I hope it will be ok.  Raju says he likes the Himalaya Lodge the most of the lodges.  Sadly we will be getting there pretty late to enjoy it and the will have to rush off as we are returning right back to the Sanctuary Lodge tomorrow.  8 more ours of downhill steps!  

They just knocked on the door with tea so let the day begin…….

Tea on the window sill - breakfast right around the corner....

Another fine breakfast.....