Junagadh to Udaipur

My next bus ride took me to the city of Junagadh.  The main reason for staying here is to climb the nearby Girnar Hill so see more hilltop temples.  If I thought 3200 was a fair hike, this one was 10,000!  Actually, it's not quite that bad because the bus takes you to about step 3000 so you 'only' have to climb 7000. The steps were constructed early last century and I have no idea how these temples were accessed before that.  Climbing them and passing all the little refreshment stalls reminded me a little of the Annapurna experience.  

Mahabat Maqbara, Junagadh

To avoid the heat I started the ascent at 7am and altogether it took me about two and a half hours.  It probably would have been shorter if it wasn't for the misfortune to be doing it on a Sunday.  It's the local's day off and there were literally thousands of them making the pilgrimage up the hill.  I couldn't believe how many of them there were!  I wore my MP3 player so I wouldn't have to answer the maddening questions of 'what's your name?' and 'which country are you from?' every five minutes.

The temples themselves were quite beautiful and characterised by mosaic marble and some intricate carving around the doorways and also on the inside of the rotundas.  Unfortunately for some reason they were very strict about not being able to take photographs.  I had one security guy follow me all around one temple to make sure my camera didn't emerge and I couldn't take my bag into the next one at all.  Once again, the climb afforded a great view back down the mountain to Girnar village and Junagadh beyond.

Temples of Girnar Hill

Junagadh also has a fort but it was nothing much to write home about.  The main attraction within its walls are the Buddhist caves but I gave them a miss.  I think I've seen enough rock-cut caves for now.  The most interesting thing I did see though was the stepwells or baolis.  These are huge wells with water in the bottom that would once have been used for bathing and keeping cool.  Access is by steps; one had a straight stairway and the other a circular.  The water now is filthy but it didn't stop one woman drinking from it.  I almost felt ill watching her.

Another important thing I wanted to do in Junagadh was visit the zoo and see the rare Asiatic or Gir lion.  The last remaining home of this lion is a sanctuary within the Sasan Gir National Park.  Overall, the zoo was surprisingly good and contained many other animals and birds from around India and beyond.  I don't think I'd ever seen a hyena before so that was fun but seeing the lions was the main feature for me.  I visited the museum there also which has some interesting exhibits such as paintings, silverware, coins, pottery, textiles and some rather moth-eaten stuffed animals.

The rare Asiatic lion

Well, here I am in the city of Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan and what a wonderful place it is!  I've only had the opportunity for a short walk around the old city area but it has a romantic and mystical atmosphere.  It's been described as the 'Venice of the East' and having been to Italy I sense why.  It's beside Lake Pichola and there's a palace (now a luxury hotel) on an island just off shore.  I'm looking forward to spending the next couple of days here...

I decided to go straight through Rajkot because there's nothing much to see there.  I had another night in Ahmedabad and so I'm now a few days ahead of my itinerary.  I'm pleased about that because I'd like to spend a couple of nights in Pushkar.  I may also need an extra night in Jaisalmer depending on how long I go on safari for.  But for now I'm just going to enjoy where I am.  Its nice being in a place where so many signs are in English and tourists...I've seen more in a couple of hours here than I've seen in the whole of India so far! 

Late afternoon view of City Palace, Udaipur

 

I so enjoy being able to just blend in a little bit.  It's a complete contrast to a little place I passed through on the way to Diu.  I don't even know the town's name because it was merely to change buses.  Thankfully I was with another couple of tourists but as we waited we were surrounded by a crowd of literally 60 people (I know this because I counted them!).  They could only speak a few words of English between them but it didn't seem to dull their curiosity.  Obviously not too many tourists pass through their little part of the world!

The bus ride today was enjoyable and it's not often I'd say that!  The highway between Ahmedabad and Udaipur is very well constructed and maintained.  It'd be a nice road in any country but in India it's absolutely top class.  As good as it gets.  The bus was relatively quiet and as I've become used to in Gujurat, not crowded.  There were consistently more seats than bodies which makes a very nice change.  I'm not sure how the buses are in Rajasthan but I'm starting to think that compared to the train bus is the lesser of two evils and I prefer it as my mode of travel.  Time will time...

Gujarat

It was on the journey to Palitana that things started to go a little pear shaped.  The first part was fine but a puncture to the bus tyre was the beginning of the trouble.  After the repairs were complete I started to feel unwell and in the warmth of the bus I started to feel cold.  Then there were serious hints of diahorrea.  Let me tell you... it's the most terrible feeling sitting on a bus, shivering and not quite knowing which will arrive first: your destination or bowel movement!  I prayed hard it wouldn't be the latter and fortunately I made it okay.

The next 24 hours were spent in my hotel room either in bed or visiting the toilet.  It wasn't pleasant.  I also had the sweats and a high temperature at various times.  My main concern was dehydration and I made an effort to drink as much as I could.  I'm not certain what it was other than a virus of some kind and I have no idea where I picked it up.  The possibilities are endless and it's simply one of the pitfalls of travelling the sub-continent.

Repairing bus puncture

Unfortunately, this has had an effect on my travels throughout Gujarat but I'm happy to say that it hasn't stopped me from doing anything that I planned.  So although it hasn't been an optimal experience, I've enjoyed it just the same and seen some great sights.  The first of these was the temples on the hilltop at Shatrunjaya (Place of Victory), 3km from Palitana.  After the day I'd had previous you can probably imagine I was apprehensive about climbing the 3200 steps up to the top.  But it was better than I had prepared myself for and the ascent took about 1.5 hours.

Before I even reached the top there was a sight that I unfortunately won't quickly forget and believe me...it wasn't something I was rushing to get my camera out for.  In a country that is very conservative about dress and showing too much skin, a guy passed me on the path stark bollock naked!  I had no idea what it was all about other than being of some religious significance.  Just to make my day I passed him again going down the hill.  Charming...

Hilltop temples of Palitana

The temples themselves were amazing and well worth the effort to get up the hill.  There are literally hundreds of them built over a 900 year period.  Almost all of them are Jain and it is evidence of their belief that merit is derived from constructing temples.  They are built in nine different enclosures with one main temple and many minor ones clustered around.  They date from the 16th century because the earliest ones built in the 11th century were destroyed by the Muslims.  The hilltop also gave nice views back to Palitana.

My next stop was the beach town of Diu.  I'd been looking foward to the beach there and it didn't let me down.  It's a beautiful, peaceful place with a strong Portugese influence.  This is evidenced by the narrow streets and alleyways together with brightly painted buildings in the old town area.  Diu township is on the eastern end of an island between a huge fort and city wall.  I walked around the old fort which has a lighthouse within it that gave a great view of the town and across to the mainland.  In the afternoon I hired a bike and rode down to the fishing village at the far end of the island.  I stopped at a nice beach to watch the sunset on my way back.

Portuguese fort, Diu

 

I spent the following morning at the beach before getting a bus to Veraval.  I had the whole place to myself and it was very relaxing.  Perhaps too much because I ended up sunburnt!  Veraval isn't a place I'll remember very fondly.  The area around the port smells of fish and the city is dusty, noisy and congested.  I was only using it as a gateway to visit the temple in the nearby village of Somnath.  To be honest, it was doubtful whether the temple was worth the visit.  There's no doubt it's a beautiful structure with some fine carving but it has no sense of history because it's only 50 years old.

The site itself certainly has a history with the original temple being built over 1000 years ago.  Since then it has been destroyed and rebuilt four times.  (There was a pattern of Muslim destruction and Hindu rebuilding which continued for centuries.)  So, in a way I actually enjoyed visiting the adjacent museum more because it has been partly constructed of fragments of the last original temple and contained many stone carvings found at the site.  I'd hired a bike that day so took it back through the port to see people mending nets and building wooden boats by hand.  Noah himself would have been proud of them.

Fishing town of Veraval

 

Despite my health issues, I really enjoyed travelling through Gujarat.  The bus rides were relatively short and although the buses were standard-issue old meatwagons the roads were surprisingly good.  To quote from the Lonely Planet again on the journey from Palitana to Diu: "...this is the trip from hell, along bumpy village roads in dilapidated old rattletraps."  Sometimes I love it when my guidebook is proved wrong!  It wasn't nearly as bad as all that.  The trip from hell must surely be from Mandu to Indore.  If there's a worse one than that I just don't wanna know!

Mumbai to Ahmedabad

Well, I've done it - all the way from the mountains to the sea!  After another long day of travel I arrived in the huge, yet glamorous and charismatic city of Mumbai.  There is no doubt that it has a very different feel to the other Indian cities that I've visited. The first reason is that it's so expensive.  The hotel I'm staying in would cost about 150 rupees ($4.50) in most places but suddenly I have to pay 400 rupees ($12).  I know, I know...it's still cheap but when you travel for long enough you begin to know what is a reasonable cost for various things.

The cost aside though, it's a very nice place to be for a couple of days.  The reason is that it's a relatively clean city without the sense of chaos that seems to exist in most large Indian cities.  Streets are all nicely paved and there are actually footpaths to walk on.  Auto rickshaws, animals and trucks are banned from the area and in their place are taxis and buses, some of which are double-decker.  So, there is a genuine English feel and the luxury cars offer glimpses of India's wealth.  Although there aren't many 'sights' to see, the shopping and nightlife combine to make it a vibrant and enjoyable city...while you can afford it!

Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai

From Mumbai I went out to Elephanta Island and to be perfectly honest, this was a disappointment.  The hour-long boat ride itself was good because it gave an appreciation of the harbour size but having been to Ajanta and Ellora, the caves were nothing special at all.  In fact there were only five of them and four were barely worth seeing.  So, for the same cost as the other places I basically looked through one cave.  There was a free guide service there but it's not really something I'd particularly recommend to anyone.

The next day it was on a train to Ahmedabad.  What I read in my guide book made me a little apprehensive about my visit there.  With all it's industry it's been described as the 'Manchester of the East' and also, especially in hotter weather the 'City of Dust'.  The road I stayed on is called Relief Rd and I love the quote my Lonely Planet has about it: "...one of the most polluted, congested and thoroughly chaotic strips of barely controlled mayhem in the country."  What a great little excerpt that is!  Relief Rd…relief from what? 

Elephanta Island

So, that's what I was contemplating as I sat on the platform in Mumbai but my more immediate concern was the unreserved train ticket I had in my hand and the usual huge mass of people around me.  I've learnt that any train to or from Mumbai is going to be very crowded.  As the train arrived I wondered how it would work because this is the originating station and it was empty.  While I was thinking about it I didn't realise that everyone else was forming long lines to board the carriages! 

When it seemed like I would be last on and no hope of a seat, a big guy approached me and asked where I was going.  When I replied he told me to follow him.  What happened next was quite extraordinary.  He held people out of the doorway like my personal bodyguard and pulled me onto the train.  Inside was just chaos and for a few minutes there were people shouting, pushing and generally fighting for space.  But when the dust settled, I had my backpack on the luggage rack and my bum on a seat.  The guy asked me for 100 rupees for his services but that was quickly bargained down to 30 and everyone was happy.  Especially me...that was money very well spent!

Relief Road, Ahmedabad

I'm happy to say that because I'm using an old guide book Relief Rd wasn't as bad as I'd braced myself for.  In fact it was just another busy Indian city street like you'd see anywhere in the country.  Certainly not a place for a pleasant stroll but not 'barely controlled mayhem' I imagined .  The sights of Ahmedabad are basically a series of mosques and a fort which wasn't really of any interest at all.  It's in neglect and now mostly used as government offices.  So, I just stayed one night there before leaving for Palitana in Gujurat.  

Sanchi, Mandu, Ellora & Ajanta

I think when I last wrote I was in the little village of Orchha.  From there I've had a few exhausting days travel to get where I am.  I've come to the conclusion that regardless of how or where you travel it's likely to be crowded and less than comfortable.  It seems inevitable that there will be more bodies than seats and the whole thing only works because the Indians have a totally different concept of the term 'personal space'.  In fact, let's be quite honest...the term simply doesn't exist here!  What's mine is yours and let's all share together...

My first destination was the village of Sanchi.  Using four different modes of transport and all day I successfully travelled the 250km.  Sanchi is at the foot of a hill that has various Buddhist stupas (shrines) on the top.  It's a remarkable story of history, discovery and restoration.  They date back as far as the third century BC but as Buddhism was absorbed into the Hindu religion the site decayed and was eventually forgotten.  It was only in 1818 that it was rediscovered and it took another 100 years after that for the repair and restoration to be completed.

Buddhist monuments of Sanchi

 

I also hired a bike there and took a 20km ride out to some Hindu and Jain caves.  It was a fun experience riding one of the big single gear machines they have here.  They are fine along the smooth, level roads but it quickly becomes hard work when it's bumpy or uphill.  I began to wish I had my mountain bike then!

From Sanchi I had an exhausting day to get to Mandu.  I thought perhaps I'd only make it to Indore but after four buses and twelve hours I made it.  The road from Indore was dreadful in some places - pot holes like you wouldn't believe.  So the 93km took the best part of four hours.  If you do the mathematics on some of these journeys you begin to realise how agonisingly slow they are!  I honestly thought that because Mandu is a tourist destination the road would be okay but it was dreadful.

Ship Palace, Mandu

 

Mandu has a long and varied history and was once the capital of the region.  It's now a small village surrounded by a fort, palaces, mosque, tomb and temples.  It was a fascinating place to visit and I had a big day visiting all the sites.  A highlight was the Jama Masjid mosque built in 1454 which is supposed to be the finest and largest example of Afghan architecture in India.  Immediately adjacent is Hosang's Tomb (1435), which is reputed to be the oldest marble building in India and provided inspiration for the Taj Mahal.  I loved the Jahaz Mahal or Ship Palace so called because its 120m long by only 15m wide and flanked by two lakes.             

I was dreading the return bus trip to Indore and it lived up to all my miserable expectations.  Unfortunately I got on a bus that seemed to go even further off the beaten track and cramming even more people aboard than I've come to expect.  With someone almost sitting on my leg and my face pressed against the window you wonder just why you're doing it...  Finally after almost five hours (yes, five) we arrived and I had to figure out how I would get to my destination of Jalgaon.  The train didn't leave for 3 hours so I caught another bus that got me to Khandwa.  From there I got an 'express' train that arrived at 8.30pm...13 hours of exhausting travel.  

Buddhist rock cut caves, Ajanta

The next couple of days were spent at the Ajanta and Ellora Caves.  From Jalgaon, I had a comfortable day to Ajanta and then on to Aurangabad.  The caves at Ajanta are another extraordinary story of history and rediscovery.  They are all Buddhist temples that date from around 200 BC to 650 AD.  But like Sanchi, as Buddhism declined they were abandoned and gradually forgotten.  It was a British hunting party that stumbled across them in 1819 and their remote beauty was once again unveiled. 

Altogether there are 29 caves cut into the rock at a horseshoe shaped gorge.  Each of them is slightly different but all are characterised by wonderful stone carvings and fresco paintings.  Obviously after so many years the paintings have deteriorated a lot but significant restoration work in the 1920's has meant they have been carefully preserved since then.  Every cave has at least one Buddha sitting serenely with his legs crossed.  You would think he'd have to be a little uncomfortable in that pose after hundreds of years!

The extraordinary Kailasa Temple, Ellora

The caves at Ellora were different in that they contain Buddist, Hindu and Jain temples.  It was interesting to make comparisons between the three groups.  While the Buddhist caves offered a sense of calm and contemplation there was more drama and energy associated with the Hindu carvings.  The Jain caves were different again in that they didn't have the same size but had some very fine and detailed carving work. 

But the jewel in this particular crown is undoubtedly the Kailasa Temple.  This must surely be one of the most amazing architectural feats ever completed.  This huge temple was literally created by cutting three huge trenches into the rock and 'releasing' its shape using hammers and chisels.  7000 labourers worked for 150 years to create what is the world's largest monolithic sculpture.  It covers twice the area of the Parthenon in Athens and entailed removing about 200,000 tonnes of rock!  It basically consists of a huge courtyard from which the main temple arises and is joined to the outer enclosure by a bridge.  All around the structure are finely carved panels that combine to create something that is simply amazing.

    

Khajuraho

Travelling to Satna was a journey that I'll never forget.  I arrived at the Varanasi Railway Station and didn't realise that I couldn't buy a reserved ticket for travel on the same day.  So, I had to buy an unreserved ticket which is cattle class in the true sense of the word.  I don't mean I had to travel with the beasts; I simply mean we were crowded into carriages like cattle.  I honestly felt that it was below a standard that humans should be expected to travel. 

I'll try to give you an idea.  Every seat which comfortably accommodates three people had four or even five in it.  When I first boarded I had no idea where to sit or stand.  Through the kindness of a few people I managed to get my bag onto the luggage rack and about half a seat.  So while I was perched on the end of this seat I wondered how I'd be after eight hours and optimistically hoped that the train may begin to empty a little as we progressed through the various cities. 

The joys of Indian train travel

 

Empty!  What was I thinking?  I was on a train going to Bombay.  It began to fill even more!  There were people sitting on the floor, lying under the seats, hanging out the doors and even a few up on the luggage rack.  It was undignified and like nothing I've experienced before.  To make it worse the journey was painfully slow.  Several times the train would just grind to a halt and sit there for no apparent reason.  It was late leaving and the delays just added to my frustration.  I should have arrived at 8pm but at that time we still had about three hours to go!

All I wanted to do was get to Satna and find a hotel to sleep.  But instead I was stuck like a sardine in a tin of Indian humanity.  It wasn't fun but a snake charmer getting on at one station and doing his thing did ease the misery a little.  I had admiration for the endurance of the little group I was sitting with.  They boarded the train somewhere near the Nepalese border and were travelling all the way to Bombay.  1800km...seriously folks, I couldn't do it! 

Another reason I couldn't wait to get off the train was I felt like I was in a goldfish bowl.  It's an accepted part of the culture here to stare at someone if you find some fascination with them.  I seemed to be the only tourist on the whole train so for twelve hours this is what people did.  At one station a guy started chatting to me on the platform and within minutes there were about twenty people around us watching and listening to me.  Normally I wouldn't mind but I just wasn't in the mood for all the attention so I asked them all what they wanted.  There were some embarrassed looks and the group dispersed but it quickly grew again as we resumed our conversation.  Sometimes you just can't win…   

The erotic temples of Khajuraho

 

A pleasant 3 hour bus ride the following day brought me to the town of Khajuraho which is famous for its erotic temples.  It was great to arrive in a smaller place and be among some other tourists.  The temples themselves are the result of a burst of creative genius from 950 to 1050AD.  So, considering their age, most of the stone carving is remarkably well preserved and even today they are extraordinary in their complexity and beauty. 

There are various theories about the sexual themes.  One explanation is that they are tantric images and used to blot out the evils of the world and help in the quest for nirvana.  Rather more convincing though is that the sculptors were simply representing life as it was viewed by their society and the carvings should be seen as a joyous celebration of its many aspects.  Whatever the reason, they are one of India's major attractions and the very detailed, artistic and beautiful stonework makes it easy to see why.  

Varanasi to Orchha

Greetings from the holiest city in India - Varanasi.  I arrived here early last night after a big couple of days bus travel from Pokhara.  The first day to Sounali took about 8 hours and yesterday was a gruelling twelve-hour endurance test to get here.

I travelled the first leg with a few girls who were doing the whole journey non-stop.  Perhaps I'm getting old or something but I couldn't do it.  I decided that making a break on the border and leaving again in the morning was a better idea.  Sounali is an odd little place which I don't have much fondness for but it makes an ideal place just to stay over.  It's a dusty town literally caught between two worlds and doesn't have anything like the charm of a place like Pokhara.

India-Nepal border crossing at Sounali

Yesterday, after I'd negotiated the two immigration control points I picked up the 7am bus bound for Varanasi.  Any thoughts that an Indian 'government' bus may be more comfortable than the one I'd just travelled on were dispelled immediately.  It was worse!  This was a noisy old boneshaker that I was destined to spend a long time in.  The distance we travelled wasn't huge but it was painfully slow.  We probably averaged about 45kmh as we rattled along toward our destination.  I decided to sit up the front - partly because the view was more interesting but also because it wasn't so bumpy.

The only problem with that was I was much closer to the incredibly loud horn that the driver had no hesitation in using very liberally.  I quickly decided that earplugs would make that aspect of my journey more comfortable but it didn't help my bum which was getting increasingly sore.  Eventually I had to sit on my sweater to create some extra padding because a thin layer of foam rubber over wood doesn't quite do it after a few hours.  Along the way we hit a dog and had a near miss with a baby monkey.  It was a terrible journey and when we arrived I actually felt more sorry for the driver than myself.  That was a very long day in the saddle!

 

My view for 12 long, uncomfortable hours

This morning I went down early to the River Ganges to experience what this city is about.  It was an extraordinary sight watching the locals bathing in this filthy river but they have no problem with it.  All along the bank of the river are ghats, which are bathing houses.  Several of which are 'burning ghats', which are used for cremation ceremonies.  For the Indians it's considered the best possible place to depart earth and I watched one of these ceremonies as it took place. 

I did a little tour there that included an early morning boat trip on the River Ganges.  Dawn is when most of the local people come down to the river to bathe and pray.  It was also the best way to view the ghats.  So, there was plenty to see both along the banks and also in the dozens of other boats being rowed along the river.  The majority of them were tourists but the locals continued their morning rituals seemingly oblivious to all the attention.

It amazed me that people could use this water to wash themselves and their laundry.  I'm not certain about human bodies being in the river (I was told by another traveller that she saw a corpse while doing her boat trip) but our boat did pass the rotting carcass of a cow.  Either way, the ashes from cremations were all put in the river and it's just disgustingly polluted.  But it was a very interesting city to visit and I enjoyed my few days there.

Sunrise boat ride along the Ganges River, Varanasi

I've discovered that travelling in India your business is very rarely your own.  Indians have an incredible natural curiosity and want to know where you're from, where you're going and how long you are going to take doing it.  This is often combined with a strong desire to sell you something.  So, in Varanasi I bought a t-shirt that is probably the best $1.20 I'll spend here.  It reads:

NO Money Change

NO Hashish

NO Boat

NO Silk

NO Rickshaw

NO PROBLEM!

In other words, I don't need any of the above and if I do I can ASK.  I could even add a few more to it….no shave, haircut, massage and no useless souvenirs.

Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Orchha

Onward to the town of Orchha, which is just south of Jhansi.  Once a capital city, it's now a town set among the palaces and temples from its history.  Its golden age was the 17th century so most of the historical sites are from this era.  The most impressive of these is Jehangir Mahal palace which is a complex building with many rooms, hallways and levels.  It looks 400 years old in many ways but the small parts of marble remaining are a glimpse of how glorious it looked when it was first built.

There is another palace and couple of temples which I visited.  While I was happily watching the sunset from the upper level of the Ram Raja Temple I didn't realise that the attendant was happily closing and padlocking the huge wooden doors downstairs.  So, when I came to leave I was trapped inside!  After some searching around I found a place where I had to hang by my fingernails and drop onto a ledge before being able to access some steps.  They led to the bottom of a wall that I had to climb over to eventually get out!  

Annapurna Sanctuary

From Chomrong, it was a two day hike up the Modi Khola to reach ABC.  There is no doubt that this was the highlight of my entire trek and I'm so pleased that I decided to add it on.  At 4100m it was freezing cold but the scenery totally made up for it in a spectacular way.  The best way I can describe it is like being in an alpine amphitheatre.  You are completely surrounded by the Himalayan mountains and it's almost like they are at arms length.  You are so close to them!

I got up just before dawn to watch the sunrise.  It was beautiful and clear (the general weather pattern in the Annapurna area is that the mornings are fine and cloud tends to roll in as the day goes on) but bitterly cold (about -4C).  I had to take my gloves off to use my camera and within minutes my hands were hurting with the cold.  I got some photos and then had to retreat into the lodge and thaw out.  From there I had a big day all the way back to Chomrong (to enjoy what was the best hot shower of the whole trek).

Mount Machhapuchchhre - Fish Tail Mountain

 

I could have finished a day earlier if I wanted but decided to just relax and have two shorter days.  Enjoy the warmer weather and take time to observe the Nepalese people in their daily lives again.  While I had a wonderful time, I was starting to feel a bit jaded after 19 days walking so it was a nice feeling getting on the bus at Phedi, knowing that I'd just completed my dream of trekking in Nepal.  I'd got through without any injury and aside from a little bout of diahorrea and stomach cramps in Manang, in good health.

As I expected, I encountered the Maoists near a village called Jagat on my second day.  After speaking to a number of people, I didn't have any fear of them when I arrived at their check point.  When they asked me for 2000 rupees I decided that I was going to have a chat with them about their tax.  I explained that I'm from New Zealand and that my country has given the Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal a lot of money to establish a number of safe drinking water stations which have virtually eliminated the problem of plastic bottles being left on the trail.  I also mentioned the work that the late Sir Edmund Hilary did in establishing educational and medial facilities in Nepal.  In the end they charged me only 1000 rupees.

Annapurna Base Camp - 4100m

 

In Australian dollars the difference isn't a lot but there is a principle involved.  I decided that the least amount of money I can leave with them the better.  They are basically using the money to arm themselves and create conflict in a country where people are inherently peaceful and want to live in harmony.  So I felt like I'd won a small moral victory toward that.  I encountered them again on my penultimate day but when I showed my receipt they thanked me very much and wished me a happy day.  Even the Maoists have the Nepalese charm...

In some ways trekking as I have been in Nepal is easy.  What I mean by that is when you have finished walking and chosen a lodge to stay at you don't have to worry about anything else.  You have a comfortable bed and happy in the knowledge that you'll receive a hot meal and don't have to do the dishes.  For the limited facilities some guest houses have they have the ability to produce a wonderful variety of food.  The menus have been designed by a tourism sub-committee with the help of nutritionists.  

My lovely guesthouse host in Chomrong

 

Most places you can choose between soup, rice, noodles, pasta, potato dishes and even specialty dishes like Mexican or Japanese.  If that's not enough there is a choice of desserts as well.  In the morning you can have porridge, cereals, breads, pancakes and a variety of different teas or coffee.  The teas are great; black, lemon, mint, ginger, herbal...and some local brews.  So, quality food was never a problem and you always set out walking feeling good. 

The local Nepalese dish is called Dal (soup) Bhat (rice).  It is served on a large stainless steel platter and has rice, some curried vegetables and a bowl of lentil soup with a good quantity of garlic.  It probably doesn't sound that tasty but to be honest I really enjoyed it.  I decided that if that's what the porters eat (two or even three times a day) then it's good enough for me!  I also discovered that it's a best thing to order if you are hungry because they have no hesitation in refilling the dal, bhat or vegetables whenever you like.  Like an endless buffet!

Nepalese family thrashing wheat

 

The lodges themselves varied but were all of a reasonable standard.  The best place I had was in a place called Marpha.  For $1 a night I had a spacious room with carpet and the rare opportunity to recharge my camera batteries.  It also had hot running water in the bathroom and was the only place where I had a shave on the trek.  On the other hand, the worst place was probably in a village called Deorali up in the Sanctuary.  It was cold and my room was like literally like an old gaol cell (stone walls and floor), complete with bars across the windows.  But the people were very friendly so I enjoyed my stay.

So...there you go.  Hopefully that's given you some idea what it's like to trek in the Annapurna area of Nepal.  I've had a great time and would recommend it to anyone who was contemplating it.  Just don't underestimate what is involved.  There were times my fitness and strength were tested, especially at altitude.  It was easier for the many trekkers who had a porter to carry most of their things but it's still a long way to walk over some difficult terrain.  And as I've said, it is very cold in some parts and you need to be prepared.  But with all that in mind it's a wonderful experience and I would do something similar again given the opportunity.