Rain and Albert.

Albert is from Switzerland and speaks French. He has been traveling for six months - first cycling across the whole of Turkey and Iran with friends, then visiting China, Tibet and Nepal on his own.

I loaned him my ipod and we talked about music in Ghorepani and Tadapani. He's a musician - bass, guitar, accordian, etc. He translated Serge Gainsbourg and Jacques Dutronc for me, which was quite funny because his English isn't so good.

If I ever go to Switzerland again he has offered to take me on a cycling tour of the whole country. That, I think, would be awesome.

Nepali Knee Brace

We paused at a tea shop to give ourselves a break from the rain. Dipu turned up with this knit knee brace (he's good for something) which I could buy for 250 rupees ($4). About five Nepalis were clustered around me trying to fit it properly, and we had to do some snipping, but once it was on I was relieved of a lot of pain.

"You walks like old lady."

Dipu's incessant commentary, but he didn't leave me stranded.

We walked about one hour before it really started raining. Rain gear can only prevent so much. The path along the side of the river was submerged by it, so we did a lot of wading. When your boots are flooded there's not much you can do but slosh through the mud to your next destination. Luckily, it wasn't cold so it wasn't even that uncomfortable. I'd say it was actually pretty fun, despite the injured leg.

There is the fear of landslides, which happen, quite frequently, but it would have to rain for several days before that was a real danger.

Day Three continued - Poon Hill to Ghorepani to Tadapani

Around 7:00 a.m. we walked back down the mountain to Ghorepani. Somehow, most likely as a result of waking up and climbing a mountain 10 minutes later, I managed to injure myself. I think I pulled my hamstring in my left leg. I think. It hurt to climb and it hurt to descend. It really hurt to do anything that required bending my left leg. Stretching didn't help.

But, we had breakfast and set off for Tadapani anyway. Slowly.

And me.

Pondering the meaning of life. As usual.

...

Dhaulagiri

The clouds moved along at just the right time.

Here we go. Annapurna South, Huinchuli, Macchapucchere (Fishtail).

Day Three - Ghorepani to Poon Hill

4 a.m. Wake-up for the hour's walk to Poon Hill (3200 m). Sunrise at 5:30 and an absolutely spectacular view of the Annapurna range. As the peaks emerged from the darkness, the guides would scream and point and rush to one side. One hundred eighty degree view. Absolutely amazing.

Dipu, my guide.

Dipu is pointing at Annapurna South, but you can't see it anymore. He's my guide. He carried my bag. He never stopped talking. Honestly, I don't know if I could have made it a full ten days with Dipu.

Daal Baht # 3

We had some rain. It's still the monsoon season after all.

Rainbow over the teahouse next door in Ghorepani.

Things I saw carried up the mountain on a man's back.

Live chickens - I'm sorry I don't have a picture of this. Imagine a massive wire crate, from about two feet above someone's head, to their knees, split into sections. Each section contains one chicken. Four sections across, and probably six sections high. That's a lot of chickens on one man's back.

Sliced white bread. Tourist necessity.

Pieces of a satellite dish. Amazing.

A dining table.

An old lady.

Three backpacks, like mine, lashed together and carried by a boy of about 15.

Baskets filled with anything you can think of - grass, hay, plastic buckets, beer, honey, everything and anything.

A color television.

Things you can buy at the top of a mountain.

All of this stuff, is mostly available everywhere. But, you have to keep in mind that someone has to carry this up the mountain. Porters are everywhere and carrying everything. Some big things are airlifted by helicopter, but I don't think anyone will pay to airlift Pringles. I could be wrong about this.

It's mushroom season in the mountains.

Everyone is drying them, everywhere possible. I got lucky enough to have some one night in the daal baht.

Still heading up.

Teahouses.

We're staying in teahouses. This means you get a room to yourself, but you bring your own sheets and towel and things. No camping gear, and someone else cooks your food. It makes trekking easy (especially when you've got someone else carrying your bag). And it's cheap - $3-4 per night.

Day Two - Ulleri to Ghorepani (2750 m)

Same schedule as before - up early, 6 a.m., lunch around 11:30, arriving early afternoon. Walking for a good five hours or so. We're making good time, especially since Dipu carries the heavy bag and I only have a backpack. Asleep at 8 p.m. Honestly, there's not much to do at the top of a mountain but read and play cards.

Daal Baht # 2

This may have been my favorite of the week. When you order Daal Baht, someone actually goes out to the garden, picks the vegetables, and makes your food. Awesome.

Daal Baht # 1

This is the staple diet of the Nepalese. Rice, daal (lentils), some kind of vegetable curry, and some kind of pickle. I had it for every lunch and dinner for a week. You'll see.

Followed the river for awhile on the first day.

Heading for the clouds...

Only 3,200 on the first day...no problem.

Day One - Pokhara to Ulleri

6 a.m. Wake up in Pokhara
8 a.m. Drive to Nayapul - start of the trek
9 a.m. Begin trek at Nayapul - 1100 m
Butterflies everywhere!
11:30 a.m. Lunch - Daal Baht #1
1 p.m. Arrive Tikhedunga - 1540 m
1:30 p.m. Up up up
3:30 p.m. Arrive Ulleri - 2050 m
6:00 p.m. Dinner - Daal Baht #2
8:00 p.m. Sleep.

I'm back...two days early.

It's all right. I'll tell you about it.