The next day, we got up at 4am to hike 45 minutes to “photographer’s paradise” to see the sun rise over the mountains.
Unfortunately it was pouring down with rain but we climbed the 1000 steps up to the very windy top and took a few pictures of overcast skies.
After that we had breakfast and headed off to another village where we got a taxi (or their version of) to our final stop in a place called Pokahra. The trek around the Annapurna Circuit had ended and it was time to relax before the long ride back to Kathmandu the next day.
After another long, dusty 10-hour bus ride, I ended up back in Kathmandu. It was a bit of a shock to the system to be back in a crazy, loud city.
Since then, I’ve had time to reflect on trekking in a Third World country.
The trek is demanding physically and mentally. However, I would say anyone with a consistent activity level could do it provided they had good cardio training. There is nothing technical about the trail but I would not recommend it to anyone with knee issues. If anyone decides to do something like this, follow the recommended gear list to a T.
If you are carrying your own pack I now know why trekkers/campers obsess over why 300grams is better than 500 grams.
I would highly recommend a guide and porter. The trail is supposedly well marked but people do go the wrong way. A guide can also assist with best accommodations.
One of the hardest parts for me was to just go with the flow and accept squat toilets, freezing nights and mornings and literally Third World issues of no electricity, showers and a general sense of lots of germs floating around. The food choices were limited as I didn’t want to risk getting sick so I stayed away from all meats, dairy and salads.
That being said it was all worth it. Getting up and just walking in the most beautiful, always-changing landscape was a meditation in itself. At times, I had to just concentrate on the “physical moment” meaning if I got distracted I might trip and hurt myself or if I didn’t pay attention to my breath I would start panicking about trying to find it again.
At other times, I could physically relax and let my mind go wherever it wanted to go. I listened to a few podcasts about Buddhism and meditation which were interesting.
Just once I listened to a medical podcast. I heard the most amazing birdsong and often there was a river or waterfall to hear.
For the most part, I lucked out on great weather except for one day which was chilly and rainy.
The trek can be done safely and inexpensively by young people on a budget and it can be done in a bit shorter time than I did with some changes to the schedule. I highly recommend it as an adventure trip for young adults.
‘Nepal has huge potential’As I travelled throughout this country I saw huge potential. The land is very fertile and the people are resilient and hard working if they can find jobs.
It is hard to understand Third World economies and politics but it usually comes down to whether a country has a sound constitution to keep a megalomaniac from ruling and an excellent educational system. More than anything, the country needs good schools.
Nepal used to be a very rich country. Placed between India, China and Tibet, it was a trade route for wool, salt, Chinese silk and other goods. There was a Golden Age around 1200 which lasted for 550years.
Then political instability amongst kings, shahs and the British Empire ensued. Interestingly, Nepal was able to avoid British rule but in doing so cut off all contact with the world between 1816-1951.
The 1990s were a time of severe political instability. 1991 saw one of the few times in world history where a communist government came to power under a populace vote. This was under a coalition government so didn’t last, but led to violent uprisings in 1996 called The People’s War.
Political instability continued with a Shakespearean-type drama where the royal family was slaughtered by another family member leading to an uncle getting power.
To this day there are still investigations around this event. Needless to say the people were not getting government support in building infrastructure, so descended into poverty which was made horrendously worse by the huge earthquake in 2015 which caused an estimated $14.5 billion NZD worth of damage and thousands of lives lost.
Some interesting statistics from about 2014:
Population: 31 millionSquare kilometres: 150kLife expectancy: 67 yearsLiteracy rate: 57 percentGross net income: $1087 NZD per annum800 species of butterflies, 800 species of snakes, 800 species of birds, 10,000 species of plants.Nepal is a beautiful, diverse country with much to offer. My search for a yoga retreat led to a trek of a lifetime that has inspired me to do another sometime in the future.
'Namaste.’
