W Pokharze na Lejksajdzie

Day 19: Chomrong – Jhinu – New Bridge – Landruk

We were planning lazy day today and we were hoping to get to Ghandruk. We knew that we do not have much walking today so we got up at 8, had long breakfast, bought pastries and in general we were not in rush as according to guide book way to Ghandruk was supposed to take up to 4 hours.

From Chomrong we went direction Taglung (or at least this is what we’ve thought) and we got to the tea shop on the ridge. We were there on the way to ABC and we already had experience with the lady working there that she is not telling entirely truth. And so she has told us that it’s another 4-5 hours to Ghandruk and pointed on the path. 2 minutes later we met a guide who told us that in fact Ghandruk is completely opposite direction and that we took the wrong way.

We went back (almost all the way back to Chomrong, just with the lower path) but where were only signs pointing to Jhinu, where the hot springs are.

We’ve decided to go there and see what will happen. We had lunch there and it was so sunny, that first time during the whole trip I’ve said that it’s too hot even for me. I did not expect this day to come at all.

From Jhinu we went down to New Bridge and next to Lnadruk because we have up the idea to reach Ghandruk, especially that it was already running late and we would have to climb another 400m up.

Last length, from New Bridge to Landruk was really beautiful and pleasant to walk. Among rice paddies and through banana trees (on the altitude about 1400m) and the smell was so familiar with the Polish mountains.

To get to GH in Landruk (1620m), we had to go above the village and from there we could in fact see Ghandruk on the opposite hill (i.e. on the other side of the river).

In the lodge we could not decide what to take for dinner as everything was so cheap (up in the mountains prices are much higher, the cost of transportation raises so the prices of food and especially of drinks raise dramatically). Here we took a lot – made a feast – and together we’ve paid the amount that one of us used to pay when we were in MBC. Unfortunately food was so, so, but at least they had Everest beer.

Last view on Machhapuchhre. Now it really lookes like Fish Tail, ain't it?

Machhapuchhre and I

Nepalese cow

Jhinu

Bananas on the altitude above 1000m

Corn

Day 20: Landruk – Tolka – Bheri Kharka – Deorali – Pothana – Dhampus – Phedi - Pokhara

Even though we’ve ordered breakfast yesterday (this is the usual way how the business is made here. You always order breakfast in the evening and you tell the time when you want it ready) it was late, so I was getting mad, as we wanted to have an early start to make it early to Pokhara (884m).  It was 3^rd of December and it is my birthday, so I wanted to celebrate it.

Way to Pokhara was even ok, except one long ascent, but somehow we’ve managed to make it fast and part between Bheri Kharka and Deorali took us even faster. From there road was leading only down and that 2 hours to Dhampus were really pleasant. Not too steep and very even, so easy to walk, especially that both Jacek and I we were getting problems with legs. Jacek had top eat ketanol soup as his knee was aching and I was getting problems with one bone in the left leg. But I guess it was just because we were exhausted after the day before yesterday.

Even though we got there about 4p.m., met with Doris who organized rooms for us, took showers, got dig dinner, drinks etc. Doris also organized a surprise for me – cakes with candles. That was so sweet, as I don’t remember when was last time that I got cake with candles which I was blowing. Doris also showed us Lakeside (tourist district in Pokhara) as she already knew everything there (she’s reached Pokhara probably three days before us). She showed us good place to get dinner, and indeed their masala papads were incredible. We also went to some bars and in one of them she knew the guy who was performing real music and he played for my birthday ‘Free Falling’ by Tom Petty.

Golf course near Pothana

Way to Pothana

Bday cakes