Day 2: Thikedunga to Ghorepani

Right after breakfast, we embarked on our “3000 steps” morning on cobbled rocks and loose stones, occasionally giving way to donkeys coming downhill with chickens and suppliers for the locals. I think I climbed 300 steps (which is already 15 floors if you think in city terms) and I asked my guide if we are near…he laughed and said we have at least another 1.5hours to go. It was then I realized how bad my judgment on distances and height was :P. It was heartening to have many trekkers with us, encouraging one another.

It was humbling to see older porters carrying 40kg on their backs or local old men carrying heavy logs passing us! Our guide also told us that his grandfather, who is an ex-gurkha, who is in his 70s but still able to walk with 30kg load today. All these sights and stories only remind me of the mental barriers I have created for myself. If so many other older people can do it, I can definitely too, with God’s help!

After lunch, there are 1-2 more hours through a forest trail before we reach our Ghorepani teahouse for tonight.

The parallels of mountain climbing to the Christian walk also crossed my mind as I tried to distract myself from my screaming hamstrings.

• Firstly, even though there are many people on the same journey, the actual climb is an individual one – between God and me.
• Secondly, there is one main direction to the final goal, but there are many routes to take to get there. One wrong step could lead to a slip, one right step brings one closer to the goal. Everyone chooses their own path and rocks.
• Thirdly, encouragement helps. We all have our ups n downs, slow moments, or falling down moments. But having a fellow trekker who understands your struggles alongside you with encouragement of words or just company, is so helpful.
• Fourthly, having an expert guide who has been there helps. He/she can tell you their stories, good or bad treks to take and helps speed up the total journey.
• Fnally, resting and pacing is important. What matters is finishing.

And finish the day we did, our endomondo app told us we climbed ~3 vertical marathons which is around 250 floors and walked for another 2 hours on top of that. We collapsed into our beds at Sunny Hotel Teahouse!

Day 3: Ghorepani to Poonhill to Tadapani

We started the ascent to Poonhill at 515am. This was the more physically trying climb of the trek because I was climbing in the dark, sliding on occasional ice and I learn that the mountain air is even thinner in the early mornings, making me have to stop for breath even more often. But the ascent was totally worth it.

On the way up, the view was already BREATHTAKING (both figuratively and literally). There were sunrise hues when we were three quarters up the mountain, with this golden orange line merging from utter darkness.

When we arrived atop Poonhill, it was so beautiful I could almost tear. On top of the sunset hills, to the left of the Dhaulagiri ranges, there was a blend of pink and blue in the sky as the sun has not totally risen.

Spanning from left to right, I saw the Dhalaugiri ranges, followed by Machapuchare (Fishtail) Mountain and the rest of Annapurna ranges with Annapurna South towering. Watching the sun slowly risely and its rays hitting the right slopes of Annapurna summit covered in fresh snow, was what I always dreamed of seeing in real life as I watched National Geographic and I am so thankful to be able to see it in real life!! So thankful that the clouds hid from us that morning so we were able to see both the ranges in its full glory.

More shots of the beautiful Poon Hill view; we couldn’t stop snapping!

After Poon Hill climb, we went back to our Sunny Hotel for breakfast and to pack, to prepare for the day ahead. I had thought it would be a relatively easy downhill descent, but who would have guessed, the hardest day of the trek had only just begun. After breakfast, we need to ascend to another peak (~3200+m like Poon Hill), then descend and finally ascend again to our teahouse for that night at  Tadapani.

I let the pictures speak of the trek’s beauty, but this was the CRAZIEST 9 hour 15min climbing day. That means after completing 3 vertical marathons & 2 hours gentle ascent yesterday, today we walked up and down for 9 hours and 15mins, which means even if we walked at 5km/h slowly, we would have more than completed a marathon. Needless to say, my muscles were screaming and it felt really good mentally to know we completed this feat, before spending the night at Panorama Hotel Teahouse, with more amazing views!

For the entire Nepal Travel Review series by EatPrayFlying, please refer to the list below:

• Nepal– Kathmandu City Tour
• Nepal – Kathmandu Hotel – Dwarika Hotel
• Nepal – Kathmandu Hotel – Shanker Hotel

• Nepal – Pokhara City Tour
• Nepal – Pokhara Hotel – Templetree Resort & Spa
• Nepal – Pokhara Hotel – Waterfront Resort

• Nepal – Poon Hill Trek 1 (Thikedunga)
• Nepal – Poon Hill Trek 2 (Ghorepani, Poon Hill)
• Nepal – Poon Hill Trek 3 (Tadapani, Grandruk)