A touch of sadness this morning as I stuffed my sleeping bag into the compression bag one last time. I'm never on a high on our last day. The simplicities of village life end and you're quickly thrown into dodging cars and motorbikes and avoiding the touts on the street. Instead of dodging donkeys, donkey poo, and giving way to porters on a mission to deliver trays of eggs and gas cylinders to villagers before dark.
Compared to other days today was relatively easy. Albeit we pounded out 21kms of ups and downs before we hit the road and walked about 5km with the odd tourist bus going past. John G is back to normal now and good to have him back in the group.
We were back in Nayapul where it all started 10 days earlier. Our van was waiting and we were loaded up and heading back down to Pokhara 1.5 hours later. Five minutes into the trip I looked at the seats behind and every Porter was sound asleep. Officially off duty and I felt rather satisfied seeing them so relaxed. Something you don't see during the trek.
We arrived in Pokhara around 4.30. A quick chat to Greg and Anne to fill one another in on the past 48 hours and it was into the shower. We were meeting our guide and porters at 6.30 to do the traditional dinner and tipping. Greg handed each of them his cartoon sketch he had done each night whilst on the trek. Lots of hugs and kind words to each of them and they departed back to the hotel with an early start for them on the local bus back to Kathmandu tomorrow. Prakash will stay on and fly back with us the day after tomorrow. Sue R commented that she didn't want the trek to end (sorry Ian, I suppose this means she's not missing you yet)!!!
A day of relaxing tomorrow with everyone doing their own thing. Michelle had a facial this afternoon. Evan and Elaine are having massages tomorrow. Sue will wonder the shops....did I tell you Sue likes to shop??? John will find a place selling Khukari Rum and sit there for the day. And I'll find things to do around Lakeside. Greg, Anne, Danielle and Jason visited the mountaineering museum and said it was well worth a visit.
Compared to other days today was relatively easy. Albeit we pounded out 21kms of ups and downs before we hit the road and walked about 5km with the odd tourist bus going past. John G is back to normal now and good to have him back in the group.
We were back in Nayapul where it all started 10 days earlier. Our van was waiting and we were loaded up and heading back down to Pokhara 1.5 hours later. Five minutes into the trip I looked at the seats behind and every Porter was sound asleep. Officially off duty and I felt rather satisfied seeing them so relaxed. Something you don't see during the trek.
We arrived in Pokhara around 4.30. A quick chat to Greg and Anne to fill one another in on the past 48 hours and it was into the shower. We were meeting our guide and porters at 6.30 to do the traditional dinner and tipping. Greg handed each of them his cartoon sketch he had done each night whilst on the trek. Lots of hugs and kind words to each of them and they departed back to the hotel with an early start for them on the local bus back to Kathmandu tomorrow. Prakash will stay on and fly back with us the day after tomorrow. Sue R commented that she didn't want the trek to end (sorry Ian, I suppose this means she's not missing you yet)!!!
A day of relaxing tomorrow with everyone doing their own thing. Michelle had a facial this afternoon. Evan and Elaine are having massages tomorrow. Sue will wonder the shops....did I tell you Sue likes to shop??? John will find a place selling Khukari Rum and sit there for the day. And I'll find things to do around Lakeside. Greg, Anne, Danielle and Jason visited the mountaineering museum and said it was well worth a visit.
