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So we woke up at 6AM, had simple breakfast and left back to Jomsom at about 7.40, riding with our small ponies and with 2 sherpas for our backpacks.
"Saddles" were..interesting, but at least they had saddles and stirrups, even though the ones they had got my leg to a bruise along the way. But in Bali they had no saddles and at least this time we also got to even galloping along the way, in the Kali Gandaki, where sometimes the ground was suitable. :D Ponies were a bit lazy as usual, but they still did gallop! One spot particularly was a bit "fevering"; going over the water in the Kali Gandaki on a spot where the current was quite heavy(!), even though it wasn't deep or very wide. Even our ponies hesitated before they went through. And my pony tripped a bit with its hind leg, but then quickly corrected himself. Luckily they were pretty smart with their legs! It wouldn't have been very nice to fall over in the dirty river and rocks with the pony. But then the journey was easy, walking, sometimes trotting, and when possible; some galloping, which of course was the most fun - galloping fast on the road when it went f.ex. at the bottom of the Kali Gandaki, with those awesome mountain views all around you. =) And sometimes then waiting for our sherpas to catch up with us. But I think that it was more fun for them too, when they didn't had to walk us with the ponies, but we rode independently (and fast). ;) We got to Jomsom at about 11.00, so the journey took us about 3hrs-3,2hrs, which was just enough. Got to Om's Home as our lodging for one night, which was ok'ish. The Bhakti man from Marpha had called to the place and got for us a room for 700NPR (heard that the real price would've been 1000NPR, but that would be too much, if you ask me. 700 still goes, 'cause at least the room doesn't stink and has fairly clean sheets, and bathroom). Maybe Om's Home really is the best accomodation in Jomsom. We had a look at few others, too, but they were smelly and "worn out"..
Had lunch at Om's restaurant: chicken masala & non. veg. Dal Bhat. Which was a BIG mistake!! DO NOT EVER EAT THERE!!! Those dishes were just totally, utterly s*** - bones (which may have a bit meat in them), tasteless, and even the rice smelled bad (like the rooms, which smell "worn"). So in one word: s h i t !! Wouldn't be worth even 50 cents.. Can't imagine WHY the Food&Wine magazine have written positively about them only a year ago.. What on earth have happened in a year, if the food has then been good?! Earthquake?! Total disaster?! Change in ownership?! Losing a good chef?! Dunno. But don't eat here anymore, anyway!!! Also, in the whole village we couldn't find a place which would have served desserts! I mean WTF?! The place in a whole is just a go-through-place, and I would strongly recommend that do not stay here overnight, unless you absolutely HAVE to. Like on your way out of the mountains, when you have an early flight off, and you couldn't get so early to here from anywhere near. Like we do; flight leaving 7.30AM tomorrow, gotta be at the airport at 5.30(!) AM already.
Btw, beer here in Jomsom is in rip-off prices (considering Nepal): Everest 400NPR (~ 4€)! When you can get it in Kathmandu for about 250NPR (~2,5€). So not recommendable here. It was cheaper even in Marpha&in Kagbeni.
Tomorrow our flight is leaving for Pokhara at 7.30AM. And hopefully it leaves in time/the weather conditions are gonna be alright! And then onwards to Kathmandu, and to Patan, to Newa Chen's Guest House for our last night in Nepal. Gotta then shop for those few souvenirs (Khukuri's), and just eat well in Patan, which should be an area, that has good restaurants. Serving the "higher class people", f.ex. diplomats/ambassadors from other countries, etc.
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