Yes we started the morning waking up in Pokhara had breakfast and got in a van to get our hiking started on our way to the Annapurna base camp. Though on the way there our driver way flying down the road. I saw some guy chasing a horse ahead and didn’t think anything of it but then they got closer and the horse was back and forth and then wham! We smacked the horses face with the side mirror of the van. The horse seemingly un-phased kept running. That was CRAZY! Our driver hit the brakes because the mirror was gone and he wanted reimbursement. We waited for a few minutes, and then asked the driver to bring us the rest of the way (15 minutes away) and then resolve his issues later. We felt bad but there was nothing we could do. Oh and by the way… We hit a horse!
So after we got dropped off the first part of the trail was stairs. Tons and tons of stairs. For the beginning of a hike it felt like we may not finish. It did stop eventually but it was hard. As we went along we did get hit up for buying a few things but it wasn’t too bad. As we went further lots of people stared and kids yelled Nameste! And we yelled it back. Apparently we went off the trail at one point where white people aren’t seen much so we were something to be stared at. One kid even snapped a picture of us as we walked by. He just happened to have a cell phone up in the hills. (Where there isn’t power in many of these houses).
At this point we were a little lost and Tony was trying hard to talk to the locals to figure out what way to go. We kept going even to the point that the trail turned into a cow pasture and we started to wander like the cows. At this point our porter (who wasn’t with us up until this point) started yelling up the hill to us from down below. He actually pointed us the right direction and informed us that we took the faster way but skipped a trekking checkpoint that he needed us to register with. He basically went way out of his way to help us and get our trekking passes so he could have them stamped at the checkpoint. Anyways, he is an awesome porter.
So it’s the end of the day and we made it to the tea house. We had some food and drinks and we are going to bed at 8:30. What a long day…
PS: (I will continue to check for Internet along the way but even finding it tonight was a surprise) Ill keep the posts coming as much as I can…
Awesome! So it sounds a little more exciting than our so-called hike (actually walk) in the Swiss Alps. What have you guys been eating and drinking? What kind of meat, vegetables and drinks? Post some photos for us. Has anyone gotten sick because of the food? Dan K. will tell you how delicious yak butter tea is...you should try some!
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the 'we hit a horse' thing I was a bit worried...but I guess it doesn't sound that bad. The horse really didn't mind getting smacked in the face with a van's mirror? *shrug*
ReplyDeleteI love the picture of Katie in the swing- Mom will love it too when she sees it.
The mountain/scenery pictures are gorgeous...and that looks like a lovely bedroom...seen any spiders?
so does your porter not stay with you or you can't keep up with him? how long is this trek in days and miles? it looks amazing ,thanks for updating us
ReplyDeleteoh and i noticed only 3 beds, hope you're leaving room for god... just kiddin' mike can always sleep in ry's or tony's bed i guess.
ReplyDeleteNot many people can say they hit a horse!
ReplyDeleteLots of great pics here, though I second Matt's request for some pics of food and drink.
Your porter is truly awesome!
That's AWESOME you saw the Paramount mountain! Did you see the stars that are always circling around it?
ReplyDeleteto be technical i think the horse hit you guys, instead of your driver hitting the horse. any hoo i just got done watching 7 years and tibet to brush up on my knowledge of the himalayas and all i could do was stare at brad pitt and wounder why he made such an ungly baby in benjamin button.
ReplyDeleteHa. Horses and cows. What an amazing day. And you are on the trail. I can only imagine how steep it must be. It is very interesting seeing some of the locals and the hotel you are in. Nothing fancy but plenty good....and wi-fi too!! That comes as a huge surprise. Continue onward and upward. Enjoy the adventure.
ReplyDeleteWeve been eating Dal bhaat most of the time becasue it seems the safest. Everyone but Mike has been eating that or veggies becasue they seem the safest. Mostly tourists eat meat in Nepal so I wouldnt call it their speciality.
ReplyDeleteAlso after some whiskey I did see the stars around the Paramount mountain! kidding...
Hi Mike and company, you are having such a great time! take tons of pictures and enjoy. Please keep us informed, we enjoy reading about
ReplyDeleteyour adventures.
Greetings from Ecuador to all of you,
Marco and Evana Brito
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ReplyDeleteWow! I think climbing w/ all that luggage has 2 be especially challenging. (See pic of the Porter...Or is he just a fellow trekker?) In any case, i wonder how much weight he's carrying... At least u know if any of u gets tired or injured, he can just throw u on his back & u can keep moving! :-)
ReplyDeleteDal bhat (Hindi: दालभात) is a traditional India and Nepali staple food consisting of cooked or steamed rice or sometimes other cereal bhat and lentil soup Dal. It is generally eaten twice a day: mid-morning and early evening.
ReplyDeleteBhat actually refers to virtually any boiled or steamed cereal but usually means boiled rice. At higher elevations where rice does not grow well, other grain such as makkai (maize), fapar (buckwheat), jahun (barley) or kodor (millet) may be substituted in a cooked preparation called atho or dhiru. Bhat may be supplemented with roti or chapati (rounds of unleavened bread).
Dal may be cooked with tomatoes, onion, chili, garlic and ginger in addition to lentils or beans. It always contains herbs and spices such as coriander, garam masala, cumin and turmeric. Recipes vary by season, locality, ethnic group and family.
Dal bhat is often served with vegetable tarkari - a vegetable curry with spices similar to those of Indian cuisine. Then it is called Dal bhat tarkari (दाल भात तरकारी). There may also be yoghurt or curry made of chicken, goat meat or fish. A small portion of chutney or pickle (called achar) is usually included.
Wow Dave! You are a walking encyclopedia! Ha ha Seriously tho, thanks 4 researching "Dal bhat" cuz I didn't know what Ryan was talking about. It's funny Ryan says, "Everyone but Mike..." It will be interesting to eventually hear about Mike's experiences w/ Nepali cuisine and/or bouts of food poisoning. (kidding about that last part!)
ReplyDeleteI'm a waling Wikepedia! Tonight we are having Dal Bhat for supper!!!!! No doubt the hikers will be tired of it when they return for a Big Mac or whatever.
ReplyDeleteanother time, another place, a famous mike quote...
ReplyDeletechris:"this is proably the best meal we had on this trip. Mike why are you putting the napkin over your food?"
mike "because this smell is making me sick"
Looks like the hikers are in the middle of nowhere. Imagine - no Wi-Fi!! Sob. We will just have to talk amongst ourselves. Ha. Tonight we had Dal bhaat for supper. Yum. Mike has a strange way of coping with diseased food!!!!
ReplyDeleteDal bhat sounds...interesting. I think if I were there I'd be putting a napkin over my food, too. Tonight, I eat this bacon double cheeseburger for you, Mike! (It is tasty.)
ReplyDeleteRYAN! @ Main Street tonight w/ Dave and Kevin (The Stash) we realized that you are 10 hours in the future and you can tell us what is to happen next! Please tell us the next winners of the next major sports event so we may gamble and win lots of money!
ReplyDeleteMarty McFly: 'Cubs win world series... against Miami'?
ReplyDeleteOld Terry: Yeah, it's something, huh? Who would've thought? 100 to 1 shot! I wish I could go back to the beginning of the season, put some money on the Cubs.
Marty McFly: I just meant that Miami- What did you just say?
Old Terry: I said I wish I could go back to the beginning of the season, put some money on the Cubbies
Marty McFly: Listen, Doc, about the future...
ReplyDeleteDr. Emmett Brown: NO! Marty, we've already agreed that having information about the future can have disastrous consequences. Even if you're intentions are good, it can backfire drastically!
[Marty nods reluctantly]
Dr. Emmett Brown: Whatever you've got to tell me, I'll find out through the natural course of time.
It seems as good a time as any for...
ReplyDelete1.21 JIGOWATTS!!!!!
Its safe to say we're just amusing ourselves here...... Did you guys find Osama Binladen in the wilderness yet?
ReplyDeleteWasn't Bin Laden supposed to have really bad diabetes or something? Couldn't they just trace the Liberty Medical deliveries to his cave in Afghanistan or wherever? Did anyone even think to ask Wilfred Brimley?
ReplyDeleteI have strayed from the topic at hand. Hopefully our friends are having fun adventures in this faraway land, untouched by the ravages of technology.
Hey,
ReplyDeleteSome guy found a "time Traveler" in an old clip from a Charlie Chaplin movie (1928) Du du du du ...du du du du.. *twilight z music*
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/10/27/time-traveler-spied-chaplin-film/
Hey - They'll need to keep up to date when they get "back from thier future" TREK, right?
I found this on the web tonight:
ReplyDeleteKATHMANDU (Reuters) - A private telecom firm took high speed Internet facilities to the top of the world on Thursday when it launched Nepal's first 3G services at the base camp of Mount Everest.
The installation could help the tens of thousands of mountain climbers and trekkers who visit the Mount Everest region in the Solukhumbu district every year.
They have to depend on expensive satellite phones to remain in touch with their families as the remote region lacks proper communication facilities.
Nepali telecom company Ncell said its new facility is the first 3G setup at the base camp of Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet).
"This achievement is as mighty as the altitude as 3G high speed internet will bring faster, more affordable telecommunication services to the people living in the Khumbu Valley, trekkers, and climbers alike," said Lars Nyberg, chief of Nordic telecoms firm TeliaSonera.
"Today we made the (world's) highest video call from Mount Everest," Ncell chief Pasi Koistinen told reporters in Kathmandu, referring to the call made from 5,300 meters (17,388 feet), the area from where climbers begin the actual climb to Mount Everest.
The facility provides fast surfing on the web, sending video clips and e-mails, as well as calls to friends and family back home at far cheaper rates than the average satellite phone, the company said in a statement.
Well then, Ryan had better update us soon or this comments section is going to just completely unravel and become a Back to the Future quotefest.
ReplyDeleteI suppose there are worse things.
I guess they aren't close enough to the Everest base camp for wi-fi. Ha. It's Friday night and we are going out for ribs. We had home made Nepalese food for 2 days. I'm ready for something different. Maybe the hikers are too!
ReplyDeleteRyan mentioned some of the local people saying the word Namaste in his post. I looked it up and found this:
ReplyDeleteNamaste is a common spoken greeting or salutation originating from India and Nepal.
When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. This gesture, called Añjali Mudrā, can also be performed wordlessly and carries the same meaning.
We r at max burger and everyone is playing with fines so I stole satins and wanted to update. Whoops aarons back from the potty and I have two go
ReplyDeleteStupid touch screens I meant phones & aaron not fines and satin. :-o
ReplyDeleteWell, it's Monday...hope we get an update soon!
ReplyDelete