by site editor Rick McCharles
I slept long and well again, still catching up from the short night crossing Larkya Pass on the Manaslu Circuit.
Breakfast was omelet $2, pot of milk coffee $4.50, room $1.50 and $1 for recharging batteries. Annapurna is a little less expensive than the Manaslu Circuit.
Chame did not look quite so ugly in the morning light.
Still, I was keen to get high as quickly as possible. I planned another long hiking day.
Winter was coming. People were collecting deadfall.
There is a “road” on this side of the Annapurna Circuit, but it wasn’t all that busy when I was there.
Again today no motor vehicle carrying hikers passed me. It’s possible to hire a motorcycle driver, but I never once saw a hiker on one.
The Annapurna Circuit is sometimes called the Apple Pie trek. For good reason.
This was the second construction site stopping 4-wheel drive vehicles. There’s no bridge across this river.
Local tractors could get through.
I did have a long, leisurely lunch with new friends I’d met the night before. One already with seriously huge blisters. He switched out of new hiking boots and into his sandals.
Most hikers leaving Chame, including that British couple, were heading to Pisang. Upper Pisang if they could find space in a lodge. I took a sidetrip across the river to check out the pretty hillside village.
With daylight remaining, I pushed on to the mountain airport town, Humde, arriving at dark.
It was empty of tourists. With no flights the next day, no tourists were in town. Except me. This hike was starting to feel a little lonely,.
I ate meals in the family kitchen, lit & warmed by wood fire. Two fuel stoves sat unused. Wood is cheaper, obviously.
I did get the best room in the house.
The airport was still locked next morning. I’d been considering a loop over Thorang Pass, back to this airport via Tilicho Lake, then flying out to Pokhara …
I decided against.
see high resolution photos from this day on flickr
day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | info
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