The rain season lasted long this year, and the morning of the 6th of October, when I set off for the Annapurna Circuit, did not give cause for optimism: rain was pouring from the sky… Not a comforting start, but by early afternoon, the sun was already peeking through in the village of Ngadi Bazaar. Gradually, the days became sunnier, the weather got colder and the landscapes got more and more spectacular. As from Manang (3500 m), acute mountain sickness (AMS) becomes a genuine concern for most, and taking some acclimatization days is usually not a luxury. Moreover it makes perfect sense to linger in that region, which, without a doubt, offers some of the most incredible views on the circuit (think: Ice lake trek, Tilicho Lake trek, Upper Khangsar to Yak Kharka, …). Slowly but gradually, the greenery disappeared, landscapes became more rocky and making it safely over the 5416m Thorung La Pass became the main focus of trekkers. Then, once that hurdle taken, the scenery changed again, with vast views of desert-like surroundings, then again more plants, trees and Nepali village life (including vast packs of goats and sheep, on their way down to the lower lands for being turned into Nepali dishes…). In short, Annapurna Circuit was an amazing and unforgettable experience, with breathtaking views, decent food and, last but not least, superb travel mates. If you ask me, everyone who has a good pair of legs, and is in reasonable health, should put Annapurna on their bucket list, at the very top!
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It does not take long to realize that Pokhara is a town where the Nepali couleur locale is hard to find: pizzas, German Bakeries, hamburgers, and tons and tons of bars… But for a couple of days pre-trek relaxing, not a bad spot altogether.
In between Kathmandu and Pokhara lies the charming village of Bandipur: small, laid back, with beautiful views of the valley and the Himalayas beyond (provided there aren’t too many clouds).
Pharping, a town renowned for its many monasteries, was somewhat further away from Kathmandu: it took some time to get there, bumping at 10km/hr over roads in terrible condition, in a bus with so low a ceiling that a standard-sized European tourist cannot stand upright. And no, it is not customary that every passenger actually has a seat - you are lucky if you can actually stand with your two feet on the floor ;-) The day of my arrival in Pharping appeared to be the day of an important Newari holiday. The festivities would apparently be held at night, “probably after 10pm”. It seemed indeed that by that time, the entire village was out in the streets, a.o. to witness the ritual sacrifice of an ox. Timing of the spectacle was, as usual, very blurry: nothing seemed to be happening for a very long time, until about twelve o’clock, and then it was all over before you knew it… Very near Pharping is - or would be - the site of an important Hindu temple for making animal sacrifices - but the lack of any tourist signage and language barrier with the local goat herders made it impossible for me to find it.
Like Patan, the town of Bhaktapur was once once a fierce competitor of Kathmandu. The first impressions of Bhaktapur are good: the entrance road to the historical town is virtually traffic-free and packed with old and sometimes beautiful houses. However, the historical charm of Bhaktapur quickly vanished when one dove into a side street: understandably, many inhabitants preferred to rebuild their houses in a bland but earthquake-proof manner, rather than in the authentic but not so shatterproof way. Nevertheless, the town is charming, with beautiful historical sights, top-class and super cheap momo’s (Nepali style dim sums), yummy fresh king curd and - for the very brave - nice home made ice cream.
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