At breakfast talked with a son or brother of the owner. Took his picture in the garden among the flowers. They also had a hotel in Pokhara. We left about 7.30. Another beautiful day with a high peak visible for awhile. Still hot. The whole valley is spectacular, terraced rice fields almost everywhere you look. Marihuana growing wild. The terrain was steeper to-day both going up and going down. The guides and porters were singing. A fovourite is Resham Firiri. It is a love song to the land.

Met many porters carrying drinks, kerosene up to the villages. The loads are so large it seems cruel but it is their livelihood. Some of them carry double loads to make more money. Donkeys are also used to carry goods up to the towns.

Always meeting someone, children on their way to school and people about their business. It is hard to believe that every time they want to go somewhere they have to walk these trails. This trail is there 401. It is also hard to imagine the work that goes into these terraced fields. Some of them seem to go straight up. After the rice is harvested (all by hand and mostly by the women) wheat is planted, then if there is time corn is planted.

Crossed the river again on a long suspension bridge to stay at Sange, Lamjung at the New Thaicuri Guest House, beside the roaring Marsyangdi river. Continual rapids. Had another cold shower. It had been very hot walking again to-day. Tried to wash some clothes also. Shower and toilette down the stairs with just a fence between you and the river. Wouldn't want to fall in, very fast and turbulent.

In the evening the guides and porters congregate together singing and playing cards, seem a very happy lot. There is a lot of conversation and laughter. Their singing is very good . Hari has a very melodious voice. After we ate we sat with Ram, Hari and the other guides and shared some local wine( Raski) with them. Hari went across the suspension bridge and brought it back in a cast iron teapot. He went across twice. It was pretty good stuff.

The guides and porters are all nice looking young men. All join in to help Pauline write the words to Resham Firiri one of the songs they have been singing on the trail. They speak very good English but cannot write Nepalese in the English version. One of the guides was very outspoken about his feeling on the political situation. Thinks the foreign aid coming into the country is not getting to the people. He would like to see a Monarchy again.

Difficult to sleep with the roar of the river. Had to use earplugs but will need them anyway for the roosters will start crowing long before daylight.

Home

Previous

Next