MANASLU TREK LAPUBESI TO TOTOPANI VIA SOTI KOLA 23/24 MARCH

Time to leave  Lapubesi, today we are walking with Avnar, a retired Isralien who goes on one trek per year in Nepal.We are going to Machhakhola. I am a little sick, with the Tourista and unfortunately Julie also becomes sick on our arrival in Machhakhola , but,  unlike me she is sick for some days to come. We think it is the water as our pasta the night before was cooked and boiled but before serving it us they rinsed it through with cold running water from the tap !

All day long we encounter mule trains which are empty coming down from the mountain villages and loaded up to the brim going up. This and human porters is  the only way to bring food, drink and even ordinary house hold items and clothing from the valley to the mountain villages, particularly to Jagat the biggest town on our trail. 

We step back and Lokendra makes sure that we keep far out of the way of the mules. The rule here in the mountain is to always stay on the inside nearest to the mountain when a mule train goes past. Staying on the other side has already cost people their lives. 

Each time the mules come past the leader warns with with its bell which tinkles loudly as it approaches. We know when a mule train has ended when we see the donkey handler , but you have to be careful because behind the handler comes the last one who closes the trail. 

Kaji and Avnar enjoying a rest in the shade while we catch up.

The path leads us up and down , sometimes we are right next to the river and sometimes way up above. this is called the nepali flat : "up and down, up and down". We'll really have some bum muscles when we finish this trek ! So, no point in paying an expensive gym or a water bike session just book a trek in Nepal, much more interesting and between the trekking and the Tourista a guaranteed way to lose 7 or 8 kilos ! 

Lokendra and ju enjoying a well deserved rest !

We arrived at 2 o 'clook in Machhakhola. After eating and sleeping, Ju stayed in the hotel because she really felt unwell and I went to discover the village . After crossing a Nepalese bridge near the town I went up 400meters to a waterfall where I met some locals and helped some people to transport water back to the village ( 20 litres weighs 20 kilos and these Nepalese women carry 2 containers at a time).  When I got back I  checked on Ju who by this time was really sick and found a volleyball match in progress in the village so I joined in and played volley ball with the local people who play really well. 

J3,  Avnar left before us  because we were really unwell and knew that our progress was going to be very slow. This photo was taken by Ju just before entering a village , the path wound itself down and over a tributary of the main river and Ju sneaked in a photo of the local children having fun in the river. So, children, rich or poor are the same world over, water games are always one of their favourites!

We are still J3 and Ju and I are both very sick and we have to stop every 5 minutes or so ,  this is the reason for the lack of photos today, we just had enough energy for this one of Tatopani  when we arrived there 4 hours later.
In Nepalese Pani means water and Tato hot, it's simple to take a shower here you just put on a bathing suit and let the water flow over you. 

Tatopani under construction , some Europeans have donated money to build a tub for the hot springs but for some reason the construction has been abandoned

 J4 the 24th March, we have to go to Jagat, we met 4 groups who where on their way down from Larkye  Pass, too much snow, but perhaps in ten days time when we will be up at Darmensalla  if the good weather holds it will  be passable...
Ju ate a pan cake this morning but after an hour on the trail  she vomited all of it back up! I'm better and can't understand why she is still sick , I wasn't very sympathetic with her and when Lokendra took her rucksack I got annoyed and walked off to be by myself. 

A better view of the hot springs 

And the path goes on and on , up and down, down and up a never ending  Nepalese 'flat' ; Ju is really sick and Lokendra and Kaji help her every step of the way !

 Lokendra and myself in an animated discussion. So, if you see photos of me then Ju must be feeling a little better. She couldn't keep anything down , only coca cola, she had had nothing to eat for over 2 days and was only drinking coke , if she drank water she vomited it up straight away. It was extremely hot and I started getting worried about her being dehydrated but she pulled through. 

The river yet again, as you can see the water is still very dirty, this is caused by the melting snow so we still have hope of going over the pass.;fingers crossed that the good weather holds up. 

Our  umpteenth crossing of these Nepelese bridges , now we understand why they call them pont de singe in the Acro branch parks !

A rather pretty rock carved out by years of erosion from the ever flowing river water. 

Ekle Bati and yes we win Ju has managed to have something to eat, et's hope she keeps it down. 

A typical mountain village nestled against the mountain side to avoid prevailing winds and to get the most out of a day's sunshine. 

 An example of the change in vegetation : who can spot a cactus, Cotahuasi canyon Peru is back. on discussing different types of plants and herbs with our guide we realise that each country is one to its own , he didn't know that this cactus has healing properties, they don't use it here in Nepal. 

The never ending river bed , this is a view that was taken from a tea house where we stopped to rest , Lokendra asks us if we are hungry, Ju is still off food and only on coke so we press on. 

One of the many waterfalls but I'm not sure if even the most stoic canyoners would make an attempt at any of these !

Many photos of Ju today, she feels too sick to take photos 

Yes you win, another Nepalese
bridge.

I left our group, not very pleasant with Ju who is still complaining of feeling sick, we are nearly at Jagat , the Manaslu check point ! Are our permits ok , that is the question ?  We have heard several tails of tourists having to turn back because the permit isn't in order.   

1 km from Jagat

This is a classic example of the work done by the Nepalese people, these steps are abundant all along the trail, a real proof of dedication to the community. 

 We have had to stop many times because of Ju but we arrived in Jagat at 2 o clock after 6 hours trekking. I left Ju in the tea house bedroom to sleep with a bowl roght next to her and  the toilet 2 meters away. 
I walked up to  2000 meters in altitude,  Jagat is 1500m above sea level. I was recompensed for my effort I saw 3 summits of  Himal Chuli : North (7750m), West 7540m and Normal 7893m just before the sunset. 

Culture is survival for the Nepalese, and where there is water there is rice .