My turn to share

I like the big river valleys too.

Windy Valley

It sure is - one Nepali phrase I've used a lot in the last week is "Aawaa chha" - it's windy. The morning is nice and calm, but by noon it's blowing pretty hard, and by late afternoon we take shelter in the guesthouse and wonder how the roof doesn't blow off.

Our trip in Upper Mustang to Lo Manthang and back went well. We rode horses up the valley to see the 2500 year old Jhong caves, saw an 8th century Gompa, and met a monk who lives in a cave. Unfortunately the king of Mustang was ill, so we could not "visit in place" - or visit the palace, I think the signs meant. We saw all the monasteries inside the walled city, as well as the museum with its crowded collection of artifacts.

Now we're back with the crowds on the main Annapurna circuit, but maybe it will get better after we leave the road at Tatopani. 2700m seems like such a low altitude now, after lots of 4000m passes, and a couple over 5000m. I don't huff and puff like the big bad wolf after climbing a flight of stairs here!

-mark.

Just made it

Yesterday we got over Thorung La - just in time by the look of things this morning. There's snow down to about 4000m on the pass. That would make it much more difficult on the steep sections!

-mark and ciel.

Muktinath

Mobile phone service again - here we are resting in Muktinath after crossing the Thorung La (5416m).

Nar-Phu was amazing - the entrance canyon between Yosemite-sized rock walls, abandoned ancient settlements, lots of Yaks (and good Yak curry with Dal Bhaat in the guest house at Nar). The Kang La (5306m) was good acclimatization for the Thorung La, making the latter seem easy in comparison. We had a bit of excitement when we heard and saw some rockfall on the descent of Kang La, but luckily it wasn't too close to us.

Lots of other trekkers on the main Annapurna circuit now, but there will probably be only a few in the upper Mustang (pronounced almost like "moose tongue" here). More updates to come when we get back to Jomsom!

-mark and ciel.

In the mountains at last

After endless bus rides from Kathmandu, we're finally trekking in the mountains. We have a few days on the main Annapurna circuit before  heading up the Nar-Phu valley. It's great to be walking again, without the crazy Kathmandu traffic. Nar-Phu should be amazing, hardly any other trekkers.
-mark.