Day 4: Tadapani to Grandruk

Panorama Hotel Teahouse at Tadapani awoke us to the most amazing view after Poonhill – a different side of the Annapurna ranges including Machapuchare (Fishtail) Mountain. It was an experience of a lifetime eating Shin Ramen breakfast facing these amazing Himalayan mountains.

More photos of the amazing view:

After breakfast, it was a relatively easy descent in the forests, and we stopped by Lonely Planet Restaurant for my favourite Chicken Dal Bhat this trip. It was my favourite, because shortly after we ordered our lunch, the lady boss walked downhill to her backyard, plucked fresh leaves and broccoli, brought them back to her kitchen to watch and cook for us! Nothing gets fresher than this!

We arrived at Grandruk after a leisurely 3-4 hour walk for the day. I found Grandruk extremely scenic, with fields of wheat growing, nice cascading fields and donkeys on nice cobbled stairs. Our teahouse for the night, Manisha Hotel was also the most “advanced” hotel we had the entire trek, with attached bathroom n one electricity plug in the room.

Day 5: Grandruk to Pokhara

After a 3 hour leisurely descent, we reached a little town to take the jeep back to where we started the trek and Nayapul and eventually back to Pokhara.

By now, I had truly learnt the hard clichéd line that we truly take many things for granted. For past few nights, we didn’t have access to an attached bathroom, didn’t have concrete walls or heating or even sufficient hot water to finish a bath (the water ran cold in the middle of the bath). There was no electricity in the room except for a little bulb. We truly are very fortunately to grow up and live in Singapore where we have so many convenience; I often wonder if we travel to developing countries more often that we would complain a lot less about Singapore when we are back. The trip was also a good reminder to break from an endless materialism chase; there are only a few basic simple things we really need.

By the end of the trip, I also realized I really must better manage my stress by putting things in perspective. In the rural areas globally, not just in Nepal, the farmers live in constant threat of weather, feeds, wild animals that might take away their livelihood. Yet they manage their lives accordingly without being insanely stressed all the time. In fact, I asked my guide who has been working and schooling at the same time since he was 15 years old, and he didn’t know the English word “stress”. Just to further reiterate how tough the mountain tribes in Nepal are, even a pack of their dogs can take down a tiger! (I can only laugh when I think my sleeping rug at home who would be scared even a sudden loud sound!).

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)