ABC Day 1 – Siwi to Chomrung
Our plan was to keep our pace slow and steady (Aaste Aaste as they say in Nepal) and try and reach Chomrung before 4:00 pm as it would usually rain in the evenings. As the sweltering heat of the day settled in we came across our first steep incline and both me and my friend who was equally ill prepared as me, looked at each other – what the hell are we doing!! I could feel my heart beating wild, wheezing and sweating I headed on.
Black patches you see are the Bee hives
Pit stop for lunch
We stopped for lunch at New Bridge. I threw my day pack of my back and was so glad to get rid of it. We sat there enjoying the cool breeze and waiting for our lunch. I ordered Dal-Bhat the staple diet to which I stuck for the next 7 days for my lunch and dinner. Rejuvenated by the tasty food, I decided I could survive the next 6 grueling days one step at a time.
Dal-Bhat power all the way!
Looks like it was not only us! Mr. Rooster here is also worried about the distance to be covered!
At around 3:00 pm we were no where close to our destination and the clouds had gathered in. The slow drizzle was appearing to grow into rain. We wore our jackets and continued. As we reached the last stretch at Jhinu, the rain was now a downpour, and we were greeted by a steep long uphill climb which finally bought us to Chomrung around 5:30 pm.
Taking shelter from the heavy rain
Final steep assault at Jhinu before we reached Chomrung
View of Machapuchare from tea lodge at Chomrung
My one shoe broke halfway to Chomrung. Thank God, I found a helpful shopkeeper who promised he will stich up my shoe well and keep it ready for me next day morning at 6:30.
