My Himalayan Adventure - Pam Long

As someone who is more accustomed to wearing stilettos than hiking boots, perhaps a trekking trip to the Himalayas seemed an odd choice of holiday, but it was something that I had wanted to do for many years. I had often mentioned it, and was finally spurred into action by my children last Christmas, when they presented me with maps, trekking guides and a beautiful photographic book of the Himalayas. They declared that this would be the ideal time for me to make the trip, I was in good physical condition and had some free time on my hands. I had to agree, it did seem like the perfect time, so I started to do a little research.

It seemed that there were several specialist companies who organised treks of varying lengths but first it was the matter of deciding when to go. October or November seemed to be best, as the visibility would be at its peak, and the temperature would be very pleasant. I opted for a ‘tailor-made’ package, as I couldn’t be away for too long, and also wanted to spend some time taking in the sights and the culture of Nepal . I spoke to the ‘Himalayan Adventure Company’ who were very helpful and put together a great itinerary which involved four days trekking with a couple of days either side for sight-seeing and resting.

Having booked the trip, I then decided that I had better get myself prepared physically, for the challenge. Although I considered myself to be relatively fit, and had recently managed to shave several minutes off of my daily hike through Hyde Park to Harvey Nicks, I knew that I would be fine on the ‘flat’, but it was the hills that concerned me. .I realised that thirty minutes with my cross-trainer set on ‘hill’ mode perhaps wasn’t quite enough preparation, so I decided to head to Derbyshire to tackle the Peaks. That is when I turned to Bob at Grough Stuff for help. I booked several days of guided walks with Bob and headed up north - naturally stopping ‘en route’ to purchase my hiking boots.

I must say, Bob did give me a real taste of what would be in store, and although I felt exhausted by the end of my first day, I was not put off at all, and am delighted that I persevered. I was really encouraged by the fact that I was able to keep going for about 11 miles without any aches or pains! I felt that was definitely up to the ‘Himalayan Adventure’.

The trekking route that they suggested is in fact one of the classic treks in Nepal, through the Annapurna National Park, and although it usually takes five days, we would be completing it in four. The trek follows good trails past traditional villages and has beautiful landscapes as well as some magnificent views of the Himalayan peaks. The trek proved to be quite challenging with several really steep ascents, although the views at the top always seemed to make the effort worthwhile! The early morning climb up Poon Hill was fantastic and we were rewarded with a spectacular sunrise. Our route took us from Nayapul to Tikhedhunga, to Ghorepani to Poon Hill. Then to Ghandruk and on to Birenthanti and back to Nayapul. It was a loop which took us four days and involved trekking for about 25 hours. The highest point we reached was Poon Hill at 3210 metres, so there was no problem with altitude, although it does perhaps make climbing a little harder.

The only downside, was the accommodation in the tea-houses. We spent three nights during our trek, and I must say that I hardly slept at all. I hadn’t realised that I would be sharing my room with rats and bats, although I was prepared for the cold showers and squat loos.I know that it is good to get out of one’s comfort zone occasionally, but I think this was going just a bit too far! The sleeping bag that had been ’rented ’ for me had obviously not been cleaned since it’s last occupant so I was truly grateful for the silk liner that I brought with.

My other slight problem was with the twice daily ‘dahl bhat’ that was on offer. This is the lentil and rice dish that the locals live on, and which I was happy to eat for the first couple of days, but struggled with towards the end of the trek. To be fair, there was a menu which offered other ‘Western’ style dishes, but I was not altogether comfortable with the hygienic conditions of the kitchens and felt that it was safer to stick to the simplest vegetarian fare. I am pleased to report that by doing so I did manage to avoid the usual stomach problems that are encountered by most travellers.

Having now returned to the comfort of my home, I can reflect on my trip, and really appreciate what an incredible experience it was. The stunning views will remain with me forever, along with the memories of the many warm and friendly people I met, and the beautiful and interesting places that I visited.