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Annapurna Circuit - Day 14

Wed 23rd Sep 2009 — drew
image(s): 
let's enjoy funny disco pop
valley view
rickety bridge
top of the first steep climb of the day
can we stop here please
buffalo get right of way
wringing out tops
on upwards for a few more hours
lone glimpse of the mountains through the clouds
Day 14
Start Tatopani (1190m)
End Ghorepani (2860m)
Distance (day) 17km
Distance (cumulative) 200km
Height climbed 1670m

Having descended over 4km from the pass to get to Tatopani, we now had to climb back up over 1.5km in one exhausting day. This has meant seven and a half hours climbing up stone steps with little respite. However with all the practice we've been getting, we coped well. Heather was comfortable back in boots, her feet having recovered (if not her streed cred!) thanks to some time in socks and sandals. The weather had clouded over and was not especially kind with some heavy rain to add to the day. This didn't seem to make us any wetter though, as we were sweating so much we could literally ring out our tops by tea break at 11am.

We were climbing up a very pretty steep valley with picturesque villages and jungle like forest of rhododendrons and fields of millet (which looks like rice plants with furry tips). We made it to Chitre (2350m) for lunch where we wolfed down some spaghetti and noodles and struggled to rehydrate despite 6 litres of water and numerous pots of tea. After lunch we were told we had a two hour climb still to go; determined to get it over with we put our heads down and made it in under an hour with no stops.

Ghorepani sits on a sharp ridge and you can tell it would have spectacular views but we have only caught glimpses of the odd peak through the clouds so far. Hopefully it'll be clear for an early start to watch the sunrise from Poon Hill tomorrow - which is about another hour uphill from here. For now we're content with a hot chocolate sitting around a metal stove with our clothes drying out above it.

We've now reached the milestone of 200km around the circuit entirely under our own steam, not to mention the kilometers up and down. So we may celebrate with a couple of beers this evening, safe in the knowledge that we don't have any more long exhausting days to go.

Later that night we did enjoy a couple of beers, and a guitar was produced. Drew and an Australian trekker took turns playing some songs, and we had a fun evening - helped along by a campfire atmosphere around the stove with candlelight during a power cut.

Dal Bhat for dinner; 8 out of 10 - tasty potato curry, generous seconds which was good as the first helping barely touched the sides.