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After a rather early start we met our guide for the trek in Kathmandu - the rather wonderful Mr. Brem! We started our trek in Nyampur and after the first day we wished we had put a bit more effort into getting a bit fitter - perhaps unsurprisingly it was rather uphill! Over the past 10 days we've definitely shed a few pounds that we're looking forward to putting back on! And those who know us well will be rather surprised to learn (now don't keel over anyone!) that we also had an alcohol-free week, which we're also looking forward to making up for!
The scenery was absolutely stunning from Day 1 - rivers, waterfalls, rice paddies, monkeys, not to mention the snowcapped mountains! Hopefully the pictures will do some of the views justice.We were so lucky with the weather - cloud-free everytime we needed it to be and we didn't get wet once despite our fears before leaving Kathmandu. More pleasingly - no vomiting! By which we mean no altitude sickness this time - a massive improvement on Peru and hopefully puts us in good stead for the overland trip to Lhasa which is much higher.
The environments we went through we incredibly diverse - rice paddies, rhododendron and bamboo forests, banana's, clematis and most surprising at 3000m wild strawberries! Graham also got leeched - but Gemma didn't! Those who are aware of Gemma's reknowned clumsiness will be rather surprised that Graham won the falling over competition 3-2 with a rather spectacular (nearly) nose-dive off a bridge into a river!
After 6 days we arrived at Annapurna Base Camp - it was amazing to be surrounded by peaks all 7-8000m and we were really lucky to be able to watch the sunrise cloud-free (those who got up 30 minutes later were not quite so lucky and we felt rather smug!).
Back to Mr. Brem . . . he was fantastic. A real gentleman and couldn't do enough for us (though he clearly felt uncomfortable talking to Gemma and just addressed us as 'Sir' the whole time - probably in the hope that Graham would answer!). Though he did set a relentless pace . . . no sooner would he say 'we go slowly now' when he'd have disappeared over the brow of the next hill, leaving us still struggling into our rucksacks!
Back in Pokhara we spent a very relaxing day boating on the lake and Graham visited the barbers for a long overdue shave! After practically a full facial, head, neck and shoulder massage Gemma decided that perhaps next time she might need one too! After a long bus journey back to Kathmandu today, we meet our jeep tomorrow for the journey into Tibet . . . onwards and upwards . . .
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