Morning chaotic. Where had we put what, no light trying to pack. Had to stuff all our gear into the knapsack and the stuff sack every morning. It was a struggle but I would become better at it as the days went on.

Many buses passed us to-day going both ways. We arrived walking at Besi Sahar 823 meters, for lunch. The Dutch girl who had hurt her knee was there with her knee bandaged and having a lot of pain. Her boy friend started to walk on down the road and she stood out in the road watching him crying her eyes out. She was going back on the bus and then flying to Jomson on the other side of the Thorung La to meet him. I was crying too it was so sad. Chrissey from the plane ride also arrived at noon with a porter [Indra] she had hired in Pokhara.

Pauline went to the bank. It took a long time to get her travelers checks cashed but this was the last place to get money for a long ways. Pauline lost a t-shirt from the back of her pack. She had washed it the night before and it wasn't dry enough to put it in her pack, and I left my wet towel on the railing of the porch where we had lunch. It is very hot and humid, nothing dries overnight.

While I waited for Ram and Pauline to do the business at the bank I walked to the end of the road and watched some people breaking up the land for planting.

Besi Sahar is where the road ends and the trek usually starts and we left all the buses and trucks behind us. The first stream I came to I took off my boots and waded over. No bridge.

The landscape was fantastic. Terraced rice fields in all directions. Peaks of the Annapurna range. Porters carrying heavy loads, some barefoot. The trail drops to the river, back up and then down to the river again. Cross the Marsyangdi river three times on shaky bamboo bridges. Makes me dizzy. I don't like this part of the journey. Crossed over a long suspension bridge to Bhulbhule at 825 meters to spend the night.

Stayed at the Everest Guest House. Had a cold shower but didn't mind as it had been very hot walking all day. I wish I had brought my shorts. Pauline was so tired she didn't even leave her room for supper. Left my stick at the side of the building and someone took it into the woodshed. Luckily Ram spotted it and brought it out to me. Possible fire wood.

The kitchens usually have a wood stove.They don't have chimneys and the kitchens get quite smoky. Everything seems to be prepared on the floor. The girls were getting vegtables ready outside on the ground. The people squat to do everything. Of course this is very hard for us westerners to do. The Nepali people do not have bad backs like most of us do and probably this is why.

Ate supper in the garden. A nice place .

woodmanj@kos.net

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