One of the first things you learn when trekking in Nepal is that distances are not measured horizontally, but rather vertically…
… and in hours.
The second thing you learn is that every Nepali has to carry things like … food for the animals…
… and food for the humans … and large sticks for shelter.
In the beginning, we were so naive.
We quickly learned some of the realities of trekking. It is not a walk in the park.
After a while, you learn to take breaks, but for too long.
After a solid sleep and rest …
you struggle along climbing up…
Photo by Myster Darren
… braving avalanches…
… getting lost in the fog…
… you begin to get tantalizing glimpses of your goal.
Some glimpses are so incredible you wonder if there is any point in going on…
Photo by Myster Darren
Some views are so amazing, you would like to just settle in for a couple days.
Eventually, after a few meals …
Photo by Myster Darren
… a few cold nights and…
Photo by Myster Darren
… and a few cold mornings…
Photo by Myster Darren
… and one more day.
… you wake up one day to find that you are almost there.
Photo by Myster Darren
You make a final push for glory, and then you get the nearest Dutch trekker girl to take your photo with your friends!
Then you get one by yourself …
a few of the scenery – after all, that is at least part of the reason you hiked for four days to get there!
and one or two of the Annapurna Base Camp to remember when you are…
… on the way back down!
There is still lots to see on the way back down, and because you are mostly going down, you have a lot more energy to look around and take in the scenery! For example, you can appreciate the …
When you get back to Pokhara after four days up and two days down, you chuckle at all the trekkers who have yet to embark on their upward journey…
… and think of simpler things like rowing a small boat.
Or meeting up with fellow hikers from the trail.
Addendum
One aspect of this trip stands out to me as not only a trip highlight, but a lifetime highlight, is the fact that Darren, Brent and I have known each other since Grade Primary, or for you non-Canadians, since we were about 5 years old. Interestingly, we were not in the same class in Primary, and we did not have a grade one class photo, so here we are together in Grade Two. Some other skinny kids that we tried to talk into coming are also in this picture.
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