Photo: Photo: My permit for Annapurna trek
Sep 23-24, 1993 After India and bus rides, the laid back, friendly atmosphere of Pokhara is very welcome. Restaurants offer a wide variety of dishes: Indian, Nepali, Mexican, Italian, etc. Electricity is only available from 8:30 PM until 6 AM. We get our trekking permits for Annapurna.
Sep 25, 1993 Nita & I take an early morning taxi to a bridge a little past Pheti. We hike very steeply upward to Dhampus. Soon after reaching Dhampus, rain starts. We follow an Australian couple who are also headed for Landruk. The trail is very slick and the many leeches are not pleasant. At one point we see a huge leech on the neck of the Aussie woman. We tell her she has a small leech (so she won't freak out) and then remove it. I fall a number of times and reinjure the left knee.
Photo: Landrung
Sep 26, 1993 We hear that the trail to Annapurna Basecamp is closed due to high water, so we head for Ghandruk on the other side of the ravine. On this cloudy day, the trail is a very steep descent and then a steep ascent. At Ghandruk we have porridge for lunch and then continue for 2 more hours to a lodge in an isolated area. We meet a drunken Norwegian and his Kathmandu friend.
Photo: Nita, guide & Ralph
Sep 27, 1993 The clear sky and sunshine is a welcome sight. In one hour we reach Tatapani (hot water), have breakfast, and hire a guide for the hike to Ghorepani. The 21 year old guide (married to a 15 year old girl) was working on a new hotel, but was very willing to earn easy money as a porter/guide. We reached the Snowland Hotel in Ghorepani (horse water) in mid afternoon, shortly before a downpour of rain.
Photo: 1st Tatapani lodges
Photo: Tatapani
Photo: New lodge construction at Tatapani
Photo: Tatapani
Map of Annapurna
