Cela roams around: We walk

Day 1: Besi Sahar - Bhulbhule - Ghermu (22km)
Trekking itself we've started on 14th November from Besi Sahar. Today we were supposed to reach Syange and we did not. We've planned to start at 8 a.m. but in the end we've left the GH at 8.30.

We took a road to Khudi and from there to Bhulbhule where we had our ACAP checked for the first time. Doris also discussed with the lad who was checking it Nepali calendar. We did not know it but arriving in Nepal you enter the future - current year is 2068 although I'm not sure if I want future to look like that.

Next we've headed to Ngadi Bazaar where we had lunch in Holiday Hiker Lodge. We were tempted by big garden full of flowers in blossom. There we used our water filter for the first time. Actually pumping water was rather annoying, apparently we've chosen the most difficult way of purifying water.

After lunch we were climbing for 2h to Bahundanda and during that climb we've realised that times given in Lonely Planet guide book and in the Appanurna Circuit profile published by the ACAP are rather irrelevant, at least for our group. We usually need more time then they predict. I guess times are given for the joggers without 15kg bags on their backs or for those with porters to carry their stuff.

That also made me think about porter business here. On the one hand side they get good money for that job and they can support their families, but on the other hand when I see them carrying 30kg bags and bearing in mind that my 15kg bad is heavy already, I feel sorry for them. Especially that they don't have bags but carry everything hooked somehow to their foreheads. Of course porter makes sense when you go for a trek where there are no lodges to spend the night but you sleep in a tent and if you cook but not when all the infrastructure is there.

One of my friends told me recently that her aunt and uncle did one of the treks and they had a porter who was carrying all the food they took from home and they were eating that food only. I find it really foolish, especially that local food tastes really good and when you do not order food in the place where you sleep they usually charge you even more for the room than if you would be eating there.

After Bahundanda we've started to descend and instead of Syange we've reached Ghermu (1140m) only. In Kanigaon we were caught by rain and we ended up in the Crystal GH in Ghermu. We got there soaked and cold, but we got surprised there - hot shower that we were not expecting at all. Such a pleasure to take hot shower (even though the water was not outflowing and you were standing there in a small swimming pool of soap and shampoos of the people taking shower before you).

Rice paddies just after Besi Sahar

ACAP black board informing tourists what is allowed and what's not

First of many suspension bridges that we've crosses. This one is the most dilapidated.

Just Spider

Hotel Hilton

Place of our first lunch during the trek. We were tempted by the flowery garden.

In memory of Polish Himalaist - Jacek Klincewicz

Jacek, myself and Doris

Local boy showes me how he flies

Day 2: Ghermu - Syange - Jagat - Chamje Tal - Dharapani (18 km)

Next day when we've reached Dharapani (1960m) after 10,5h of trekking it was already dark. We did not manage to get room in one of the recommended GHs and we had to take what was left. That place was so bad. Bad quality, poor English. No wonder we were the only guests there.
All the way was marked by donkeys. In particular by their shit. And if there was no shit there were corn grains, which of course some time ago must have been donkey's shit but now they are rinsed by rain.

In Ghermu we've started at 7.30 and we went to Syange (ugly place, all houses built from the corrugated iron, we were really glad that we did not manage to get there last night) and next to Jagat. From Jagat we took alternate route to Chamje. We've climbed up from the main road to the steep slope where the original route was leading. We even saw some dilapidated buildings which must have been lodges.

Most people take lunch in Chamje, but as it was still early (11 only) we went further to Tal.We reached there starving thirsty and tired. We were hoping to filter water somewhere on the way but there was not even single well or spring or small waterfall. So in the end 30 minutes before Tal we had to buy the most expensive water bottle so far 110 Nepali rupees. 1,5$. But that saved our lives.

In Tal we had lunch in Paradise Lodge which is famous for its potato, pumpkin mix with corn bread. Indeed delicious. It made me so full that I've skipped dinner. I was actually glad I can skip it in that shabby GH.

The only failure was that it took too long to prepare it and we were able to leave Tal only at 15.20 which was actually quite late. And what's more after 10 minutes of walking we had to stop. Road works are taking place and they were blasting rocks. Gladly it was short break and soon we could continue. And we were continuing till 17.40 as Karte were at first we were planning to stop did not enchanted us.
Since yesterday I'm not having network reception. My mobile finds one network but it's not compatible with my network operator back at home, so now finally I'm free.