Trekking in Annapurna: top, where the world ends
The Himalayas. Where it all ends. The place where the land becomes Universe. Hence beyond, nothing. Or all: The solar system, the galaxy, infinity of creation. Below there, all. Or nothing. The desire of the human, and genetic gain momentum that exists, to reach all parts.
Mr. Khatmandu, capital of the mountains, three dreamy. Ro, Goretti and a server. We have no experience in the mountains, unless Gore, who climbed a volcano in the Atacama Desert. No matter, here we do it all at once. We review our warm clothes, somewhat sparse, as we will check later, and study the maps. We have little time, because Goretti will return to Spain, so you have to choose the right path. The decision is made quickly: go to base camp of Annapurna I, The roof of 8.091 meters, the tenth mountain in the world. And total, if you go at a good pace, six days of travel, round trip. O seven. Arrive, when we are in Base Camp, a 4.200 meters. Altitude sickness is not necessarily affect.
We put our hopes in small bags and tagged along on a bus that takes us to Pokhara. Remember this, Advice: Take only what you consider essential. Not cool half a million stairs up with useless baggage. In ten hours we go through the 180 miles to go to the city capital of the trek.
Pokhara is the meeting point for those who will face, in silent grief, themselves and to the mountain. The first, and essential, Go to the tourist office and get permission. And not only prevent unauthorized Multon go, but because the Nepalese need to know they're there if something happens, that is not going to happen. Slope 2.000 rupis, about 20 EUR. A pittance, compared with the immensity of what is authorized to visit.
No kidding: subiréis many tens of thousands of stairs. The first two days of the ride is marking the soul. The legs hurt, but the eyes are filled with pine forests, oak…
Another bus takes us to where the road begins: Phedi. Arrived, as good sunday, the two p.m., bad time if we go a long way, because the night falls fast. So we bought water-a good whose price will skyrocket as ascend- and began to walk. Four hours after, exhausted and happy, we Deulari, first stop and inn, overcome by the hair after a storm period.
I've said it before and may have seemed a joke. No kidding: subiréis many tens of thousands of stairs. The first two days of the ride is marking the soul. The legs hurt, but the eyes are filled with pine forests, oak tree and a red flower is beautiful and unknown: rhododendron.
The second day is no prize. Is reached Jhinudanda, where there are hot springs at the base of the mountain. Imagine a warm bath at the edge of a wild river, the Modi Khola, that will accompany us all the way- and looking at snowy colossi in swimsuits. No comments.
The third day, another award. Even fatter. At a bend in the road, all of a sudden, no time to prepare the spirit, el Annapurna 3. More 7.500 meters. Impressive, majestic. Then, a little later, the Machapuchare, also known as "Fish's Tail" (cola of pez), one of the two sacred mountains of the Tibetan, and whose escalation, for this reason, is prohibited. The tears are piled in the eyes. I can not explain what causes so much excitement to see these mountains.
At the end of the third day and really cold. Although eye, alone at night. During the day you walk in shirt. Everything is extreme. Duerme is in Doban, or Bamboo, about 2.600 meters, and prepares one for the final ascent. There are two options that last day: stay at base camp Machapuchare, or get to the Annapurna, that is the ultimate goal of the journey. We separate two-hour drive. We have had to be in the first. A massive snowstorm has decided. Locked in the shelter try to warm up with soup after another, play Parcheesi and see the snow piling up against the walls. The show is majestic. The cold, also.
Are you aware that, actually, have not done anything, but you feel Edmund Hillary, and learn to imagine how it would feel to become the first man who conquered Everest.
The last morning, before starting down, the jackpot. We walked through the snow to the base camp of Annapurna. And there, front of the glaciers, we looked at our respects. Silence. Infinite peace. A joy that does not know where it comes. Are you aware that, actually, have not done anything, but you feel Edmund Hillary, and learn to imagine how it would feel to become the first man who conquered Everest.
The decrease, which begins this morning, would have been easy, but the first installment becomes appalling. The snow melted by the sun of new day is now ice, and we slid as if we were walking on skates. No exaggeration to say that I fell 50 times. No exaggeration to say that I did not stop laughing. It seemed that we were making comedy videos.
If going con prisa, the decrease can be done in two days. My advice is that you do in three, Come down and stopping at every gift of the road: the terraces of corn, gorges through which runs the Modi Khola, another dip in the thermal, climbing Sherpas carrying packages supported in the front of a hundred kilos with food and drink for shelters, travelers who stop you for information, infinite forests.
Before hitting the road there is a village, Chimrung, on the river. We stopped to eat and, as it was so hot, in the atrevimos bañarnos. Ice. Delicious. Best before returning, astonished, the bustle and the spice of life, where the world ends. Or where it starts.
For me not too long, I have not given details that may be of interest to travelers. Those in need, feel free to ask them. For this we.
In the next post I will explain that this trek was just the appetizer of what would weeks later. I will write in VaP..
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Comments (2)
ricardo
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Fantastic! Go photons! What an experience.
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Anal
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they do not delay in telling, juancho.
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