14th May - Ghorapani to Chumle

Up at 3.50 to climb Poon Hill to see the sunrise. I started off with the group that I got chatting to last night but they went far too slow and so I raced on up to the top passing literally hundreds of people on their way to the top. There were only 6 others when I arrived but the crowds were not far behind.

The views really were fantastic. There were a few too many clouds but it was still great. You can see Annapura (8th highest mountain - or 10th or something) from this point. There were a few to many people to make it a peaceful experience but I did enjoy nattering and drinking hot chocolate (provided by enterprising Nepalese people at the top and only £1).

I stayed up their for a while and took loads of photos as the sun rose and then walked back to the hostel to pack up and get going.


As I was sitting drinking coffee and eating breakfast, a guy called Dylan came over to ask how I managed to get proper coffee (I carry it with me with a cup containing and in built filter - best bit of equipment ever) and invited me to join him and his girlfriend Amy for breakfast. We had a good natter and as they were going in the same direction we thought we might meet up.

I was hesitant to leave with them as I was wanting to get to Bamboo today and most people on the trail do not do the same pace as me.


I showered and packed up and headed off and walked on my own for a couple of hours. Once I got past the groups of people that had just left straight after climbing Poon hill (rather than faffing and having breakfast as I did) I was then walking without seeing anyone else for about 1 hour. When I reached the first major village who should I meet but Dylan and Amy from this morning. They had only set off 10 minutes before me and I had not passed them! Awesome, they were doing a good speed :-)

I was really very pleasantly surprised. We all headed off together - chatting all the way. They have been traveling for about 2 years and are on a tighter budget than me. We talked about load of countries and swapped traveling stories. They were great fun and needless to say, no one over took us either today (nor tomorrow).


At about 2 o'clock we got to a little lodge and decided to stop for lunch. It was good timing as it started raining really heavily as soon as we walked in. It just rained and rained. We had planned on carrying on today. In fact I had planned on getting much further today so that I could see as much of the circuit as possible. I was feeling much fitter today. However, when it got to 4 o'clock and we were enjoying drinking coffee, eating chocolate and playing cards I accepted the fact that I was going no where else today :-)


Throughout the whole afternoon a group of about 10 children and teenagers where outside in the rain and wind carrying loads of soil/manure on their backs through the garden of our lodge. Each time they passed one little lad smiled and waved. I left a bit guilty about sitting there playing cards in the warmth with the others but I did not actually want to go anywhere. I though I really enjoy trekking and want to get as far as possible in my 4 days, I would not have been able to see anything in the rain and I had a fab afternoon with Amy and Dylan. They are really fun company. Very playful and easy going.


We were all pretty tired and wanted to get going early tomorrow morning and so headed to bed about 8.30 and I was asleep for 9!

This is the view at dusk.