Throung La to Larjung

As mentioned in the previous post, Throung La was exhilarating. Though I am going to add the altitude was something very interesting to experience, especially since I've never been up past 3500m, so did not know what to expect. Did not get any of the major AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) symptoms, but definitely felt that it was a lot "harder" and took more effort to walk a few meters up hill.

Once on top of the pass, it was time for photos & tea from the tea house (tea only, no accommodation), which is only open during the trekking season. Then on down to Muktinath (3800m), here the landscape suddenly changes drastically and looks very barren and unfogiving, much like the descent ahead of us. The guide book describes the descent as "very tough on the knees, though it's not steep at first ...". Yes, the descent is "tough on the knees", in fact so tough it's almost painful and saying "not steep at first" is an understatement, it's reasonably steep, then quickly becomes insanely steep. Needless to say, my knees were pretty buggered by the time I got down and I felt some serious pain. I had never been so relieved to see the familiar faces of the advanced party, who had dashed ahead up the past, grinning at me from the roof top of the guest house they had chosen.

Muktinath is the next most Holy place to Hindu's in Nepal, after a place called Pashupatinath and attracts hundreds of pilgrims per year. There are also a substantial number of Buddhist pilgrims, which also come to the temple complex in Muktinath. The fame of Muktinath comes from a "natural phenomenon", where within a cavity a blue flame can be seen, burning over a trickle of water. I did not go see it (the tough of walking up hill the next morning was not very appealing), but on the route out we did walk into a lot of pilgrims on there way to see it.

Leaving Muktinath, we headed for the town of Jomson (2710m), via Kagbeni (2800m), which is a really nice oasis of a town, next to a river bed (though you need to do another long descent to get to it). Here we had lunch and "acquisitioned" a donkey to carry one of our party to Jomson, who's knees had decided "this far and no further". In Jomson we staying in real luxury at "The Majesty" hotel and I would recommend it to anyone passing by (or flying in / out). Jomson has an airport, so in the mornings you can amuse yourself by counting flights.

From Jomson, we headed to Larjung (2550m), along the river bed. Apparently in places the bed is up to 1 km wide, but is mostly empty, apart from the strong stream, which winds it's way through the bed. On the way we stopped in Tukchey, which is famous for a Brandy Distillery... much to our dismay, it was closed when we go there, apparently the "boss, has gone for a meeting" and the workers did not know when she would return. Just as well, 'cause we bought a bottle later and it's about as strong as the stuff my grandfather use to brew, which could also strip the paint off walls.

Oh, no photos in this blog, the PC is a mean-machine meant to play online games with, hence the USB ports have been disabled (don't ask) and I can't access the photos on my portable HDD. Oh, also hence the hurried post ... I heard the mention of folk playing Warcraft III, DOTA (sorry the inner nerd becons).