GURUNG LODGE, MAJGUAN
1450 METERS, 4756 FEET
Woke up around 5:00 this morning to type some notes so I would remember all this. The sunrise was to be around 6:00 and I surely didn't want to miss it. First one out at 6:00 and it was still pretty dark and COLD. They supplied us with North Face parkas and it was a very good thing to have. THe sun actually appeared around 6:30 and it was worth the wait! By that time all 12 of us had wandered out, even RIch who had said he would rather sleep in. He had been here before after all and saw the sunrise then.
Before us were Anapurna One (8091 meters), Anapurna III (7555 meters), Anapurna South (7219 meters), Machhapuchre "Fish Tail" (6997 meters) and Hiunchul (6441 meters). Of these, Fish Tail (or Fang) as named by Paul S is the most different than the others in appearance. It looks like the fin of a shark to me.
Here you can see proof of which mountain is the tallest. That's Annapurna One in the background getting hit with the first light in the morning. Annapurna One is actually many miles behind Annapurna South (on the left) and Fish Tail on the right. Annapurna One is taller but you would't know to look at it until the sun comes up.
Nice sky just after dawn. Nice light on Annapurna One again!
Annapurna One is the 10th tallest mountain on the earth.
The staff brought out tea a coffee to drink as we watched the sunrise. Around 7:00 tables and chairs were set up right there on the veranda for our breakfast. Breads with jams, eggs, chicken sausage porridge with fresh fruit….. What a nice way to start the day.
Morning tea with yoga in the background at Basanta Lodge. Almost time for breakfast
After the sunrise we ate our breakfast on these tables set out in front of The Basata Lodge.
After breakfast we took a short walk up the trail to see a local village. Got to a high mesa where we got another spectacular group image with the Himalayas as a back drop. I tested out my new little video camera and the results were pretty sweet
Video from walk to village above Basanta Lodge
Took a short walk up to a local village near Basanta Lodge. Amazing sky!
One more video - Helipad I think. Not very exciting!
Local road sign. We're not heading that way!
The group on a mesa just above Basanta Lodge - Helicopters land here sometimes.
Happy couple
View from helipad back through the village and Basanta Lodge
Leaving Basanta Lodge
Around 9:00 we set off on the day's trek. We bid farewell to Basanta Lodge (elevation 5570 feet, 1700 meters) and headed towards Gurung Lodge. Set what the porters must have though an incredibly slow pace (lots of picture taking) and headed upwards to the "town" of Pothana.
Porter trainee Dr. Blood hoists a basket for a brief moment
Connie bought some scarves from this local textile lady
One of many farmer's fields we passed on our trek to Gurung Lodge. That's a field of millet on the left.
Here our porter Bharat (red shirt) is getting ready to lift his carrying basket supported by the strap in the head.
View of rice terraces from above on the way down
Group picture in an open pasture with a nice view in the background
Porters toted our duffels in those baskets. H A R D !
Along the way
Way station for the Ultra Marathon Race. Snickers Bar's and water on the table on the left
Along the way
Way station for the Ultra Marathon Race. Snickers Bar's and water on the table on the left
Along the way we passed a checkpoint that turned out to be for a ultra marathon that was being run today. 22 foreigners and 10 Nepalis were actually RUNNING 100 kilometers from the ABC (Anapurna Base Camp) back to Pokhara (where we started from yesterday). Mind you we were driven for an hour up incredibly steep hills to where we started our trek. Plus were were pretty tired just walking up the short distances we had done. So most of the 100 kilometers were downhill but are you kidding me? It is hard to keep from twisting an ankle walking! I can't imagine how anybody could do this! As we waited for our meal several of the runners passed right by us. I missed the first female racer (someone told me she was from France) but saw the rest of them. You can see one of them above. Everyone in the town cheered them on - I think it must have helped them a bit to hear our cheers!
At Pothana many of the trekking trails cross and there are small lodges and restaurants. The last time Rich was there he said he knew where he wanted to eat the next time he came back. So, we placed an order and waited for about two hours for the food to appear! One woman with 2 helpers was preparing 90 Momos (Tibetan dumplings) from scratch! She actually made the dough and then filled the dough with chicken, vegetables and tuna and cheese (huh) and then steamed them over an open fire. After the moms were going we had some noodles and fried rice as well. The wait was well worth it. The momo's were way better than what we had had the in Katmandu!
Trail map in Pothana showing branching off trails from the "Main Line", which we had met here in Pothana.
Lady on the left and her helpers prepared our lunch in this small kitchen. They were a little overwhelmed, but the meal was delicious! Momo's are steaming in the pot at back over a open fire.
Main street Pothana, where several trekking trails cross. We stopped here for lunch
Shopping in Pothana - Sign on right mentions "draining hitter". We figured out it meant "draining heater", we think.
Here was our lunch spot.
One more take on the lunch spot - R. Rediker image
View through a Tibetan prayer flag in Pothana
Pothana was the highest point along today's trek (around 6500 feet) and we went generally downhill to the Gurung Lodge (4756 feet). The downhill is not really easy - lots of steps but at least you're not feeling like you lungs are going to burst like on the upward paths. Part of the way a new road has been started and we were forced to walk along it instead of the stone paths. Really hard to walk on the road as was all loose rocks and uneven surfaces.
Someone asked Raju about the age of these walkways and he said they are a THOUSAND YEARS OLD! What? I guess we're following a path of many footsteps.
Paul and Gayle heading over a ridge in the rhododendron forest
"Shoot us", was Sunil's idea
This will give you an idea of the types of stone steps we went up and down each day.
More steps
For quite a while we had to walk on a road that the government of Nepal had started and never completed. It was hard walking on the uneven, rock strewn road so we I stowed the camera away to concentrate on the walking.
Almost there!
Eventually, we arrived at The Gurung Lodge and met - what else, MORE STEPS!
These steps were from the road down to where you turned right and went down MORE STEPS to reach the cabins. 10 cabins were set into the hillside and there were 5 houses with 2 cabins each. We were all the way at the bottom (of course) in cabin 9, but we had a spectacular but different view than yesterday of Annapurna
This is the bottom of the stairs right at our cabin level. The stairs mentioned above are right up there at the highest prayer flag. They came down from the road to the left of this image and then you come down these. I took this tomorrow but am using it for details of this lodge.
Everyone was drinking their lemonade when I got down the last steps. Well, not really the last steps. This is half way down the hill where the dining room is.
Connie with a cup of tea. The local "boys" set out our lounge chairs and brought tea and hot chocolate.
Shoes off and Nepali fleece hat on. It was getting pretty chilly - I wanted to buy the fleece hat - no dice. "Our" room was #9 - the left door.
Beginning of sunset on Annapurna South from a new viewpoint
Here's Mardy's take on the same view. Really nice!
"Fish Tail" is barely peeking over the ridge to our right.
Sunset a little further along
THIS was just after the sunset tonight at the Gurung Lodge. Untouched image. Lorraine and Connie looked over that way and started yelling! Amazing sunset. This is looking back to the west - not the same view as seen above which was basically north
Getting ready for our dinner!
Getting ready for our dinner!
Rich had told us last night that the Gurung Lodge was the best of them all and was he ever right! Ker and Downey seem to follow a similar style in these lodges. The same but not the same if that makes any sense. Basanta Lodge had rooms right next to each other all in a row in one large long building. At Gurung Lodge we each have an individual cabins (10 of them that are at various levels down a hill) all facing Anapurna South. Spectacular views and the cabins are something. High ceilings bigger rooms huge shower (with LOTS of hot water) and did I mention the views? Connie and I are in cabin 9 which is the farthest down the hill. Happy hour and dinner are nearing. I'm sure it will be fantastic!
