Pauline started out alone this morning and took a wrong trail. We were about to stop and look for her when she caught up to us. It was a hard climb the first part of the day. Feeling the lack of oxygen. The guides are smoking and we are huffing and puffing going up these hills. My trekking permit is looking very ragged. I was carrying it in my money belt next to my skin and it got all wet from the sweat

Stopped in Honge for tea. There is an airstrip and checkpoint here. Coming into the town we walk by the airport building. Took a picture of a plane coming in to land. The landscape is so vast it is hard to pick out the small plane. This is the last place where you can fly back if you can't take the trekking. ( Ram told us many people do fly back at this point after 9 or 10 days on the trail they have had enough.) This is a trip where you must be psychologically prepared to rough it.

This area is high dessert. Cows and horses grazing. Some Yaks. Up a steep climb where a deaf Tibetan is selling trinkets. Ram does the bargaining for us.

Had lunch across from Braga. Sat on the roof garden in the sun. Magnificent scenery, back drop of mountains. It was pleasant sitting on real chairs and relaxing like we were at home.

After a long hike, mostly on flat terrain we arrived in Manang, the biggest village in this area with a collection of 500 flat-roofed houses separated by narrow alleyways. There is electricity, and more shops here.

Went to the Himalayan Rescue Association lecture at 1500 hours. Went shopping for sunglasses for Ram and Hari. Not great pair but they will protect their eyes when we hit the snow.

Waiting for supper we met a Canadian woman, Beverly and her father Ramsey. Another Canadian travelling with them, Keith, was ill but met him next morning. Ramsey is 74. I thought I was the oldest person on the mountain. At the check points they ask you to write down your age, so one could see the average age was 30 to 40. Visited during supper. Beverly is a homecare nurse working in Coburg. Ram brought in some rum and spiked our tea. Met a Lal Man Tamang, but not the same one Scott Yost had hired. This man was 48. Many people in Nepal have the same name.

It is very cold again. Not to worry about a shower here. The wind comes up around noon and dies again at sunset. Nice and warm at night but couldn't sleep. Had to get up twice for the bathroom. A good sign, could be the effect of the altitude.

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