Trekking Day 5: Tadapani to Chomrong, Nepal
There would be approximately six hours of walking until reaching the trekking hub of Chomrong with an initial descent of at least three hours. Tadapani was located at an altitude of 2,600m/8,530' and this initial descent was 700m/2,000'+ until we'd climb up the other side. Descents are even harder on knees than uphills and everyone has a preference. You are either an "uphill" person or "downhill" person. Adri loves downhills and can run them with no problem, probably because she has great balance. I am an uphiller. Can manage to get up almost anything but have to pick my way down. The "usual" sunrise on Machapuchhre with its twin fish-tail peak, and breakfast. Vimal said there would be a good chance of leeches when we lost altitude. Oh Happy Day!
Most of our group were on lengthy trips throughout the world and did laundry each night, hanging the wet clothes on clotheslines to dry. Dry? Almost never and was usually hung off a backpack for drying en route. ex-Marine and I subscribe to the theory: bring as many old articles of clothing possible and toss along the way. Someone can always use the clothes and we don't have to launder them. Each T-shirt was a two-day wear and it was exciting to pass them on to one of our Porters and/or Sherpas. Even our very old Gore-tex and fleece jackets were promised to Purna, Lila and Rachmat for trek end.
Goodby grundgy Moonlight Lodge and down we went towards the bottom of the valley before crossing a river. The group would take a short rest about every hour and it wasn't until the first rest that we started seeing leeches. Lyn had one on her boot and if you looked closely at the ground, they were crawling all over the place. Instant leech patrol, looking at each others boots and clothes to see if one was on anyone. Despite leech vigilence, Thea made the mistake of sitting on the ground to rest. A few hours later, Kathy pointed out blood on her pants. Sure enough, a leech had enjoyed a hearty drink before dropping off, probably a few pounds heavier. Leeches can swell up more than three times their actual size after drinking! Difficult to imagine how much blood one little leech could cause to drip before the blood coagulated.
It was disheartening to look off in the distance and see the trail stretching into infinity. There was still so far to go...View image...before heading up the other side...
Heading down the trail towards the river and suspension bridge, Vimal started shouting..."everyone get off the path, now." I turned and there were three farmers and one yak beyond us, almost running down the trail with the yak in the lead. We smooshed ourselves against the hill and watched them running until the yak got to the bridge. He was not going to cross that and stopped dead in his tracks. The farmers started hitting the yak, pulling from the front and pushing from the rear for several minutes until they got him to move across the suspension (swinging) bridge. Once the yak started across, he trotted as fast as his bulk allowed. Probably thinking..."fine, you're making me do this and I'm getting across as fast as possible." Didn't blame him the slightest bit. I wasn't looking forward to it either. Vimal and the Sherpas were amazed because we are way too low for yaks and even Vimal has never seen a yak on this trail.
Cameras put away, the group continued down and across...and started up the other side on the last leg to Chomrong...
Today was one of the more interesting trekking days as we walked through fields of millet...with big fluffy heads...View image...and bright red Amaranth flowers, a important grain crop in the Himalaya. The Amaranth grains can be toasted and used as a source of protein. Many individuals on the trail doing the trek with a guide/porter because no one else would go with them. Aren't we all crazy? The days have been long. Nothing is "easy" and I sweat off pounds every day. But my skin is looking good. All that sweat encrusted on my face has become a cheap dermabrasion or skin peel.
One villager was spinning wool on her porch...other men were tilling fields the old-fashioned way with yokes on their shoulders...View image...and finally a sign pointing to Chomrong...
Chomrong is the only place from which you can reach Annapurna Base Camp and has developed into a major trekking center. We could see Chomrong close by and raced up the last flight of stone steps thinking that was where our teahouse was. Hundreds of steps up. Wrong again. That was UPPER Chomrong and we were staying another 20 minutes below.
This guesthouse had a scalding hot shower that was impossible to adjust. Got in line, and waited my turn...took a 10-second scald...soaped up...scalded the soap off...and tried to get dressed without dropping clean, dry clothes on the floor. It then took 45 minutes for everyone to order dinner. Starting tomorrow, three people to a room, no electricity. As we get higher, it is kerosene only. Please last, little flashlight...
