The Annapurna Circuit

My final blog post, and written from the US!  The Annapurna Circuit was a significant part of my final travel days, so I thought it important to include it. When I planned this trip, my main interests were to work my way through South America and to hike the Annapurna Circuit. I had been in Nepal, briefly, in 2003 and knew I wanted to come back specifically to do some trekking. This particular trek is the one everyone raves about. It is supposed to take between 2 and 3 weeks and passes through the Annapurnas - all in the 7000 meter range and goes up to a height of 5400 meters at the Thorong La pass. Well, I didn't want to do this on my own (too many trekkers "gone missing" and landslide stories), but didn't want to go on a guided trip either. How I hate the tour group! It ended up somewhere in the middle and was just perfect. I met Ash from the UK and we set out together, then met Edward from NYC on the bus, picked up Matias from Buenos Aires on Day 2 and then Day 4, a couple from Vancouver joined our group. Actually, since this was hut to hut trekking through tiny Tibetan villages it was so easy to meet other trekkers. We knew everyone on the trail by the end - lots of collections of solo travellers, sticking together to help each other out. Quite a nice community really. And you do need a supportive community out in the middle of nowhere with little access to ANYTHING! Some got altitude sickness, some got Giardia, lots had GI problems - water and food were a little sketchy and well, you name it. My medical advice was called in several times and I even required a little assistance myself (came close to helicoptering out when I came down with a flu-like illness and I fell behind my trekking partners.) Thankfully, everyone in our group made it. 

The pass at 5416 meters (17,769 feet!) was tough, unlike anything I have experienced. The body feels so strange at high altitude - it is like an "out of body experience". I kept saying that I felt like I had been invaded by aliens. 

A few steps, breathe, a few steps, breathe, wow those clouds looks so pretty, I just want to sit down and not get up. I've heard that from others - that is a common experience of mountain climbers, you just want to sit down and not continue, and you don't care. This definitely happened to me! I stopped to put on more clothes near the top and fell behind my friends. I looked at them and thought - oh, they are so far, I'll never catch up. That's ok, I'll just stay here. Weird how it works on the brain like that. Thankfully, I saw Michelle waving me on - we're at the top! (after many false summits). OK, I thought, I just have to make it that far, I can do it. Whew! We did the same for a Swiss couple coming behind us who were struggling. Everyone over the pass that day had a big dinner together that night. And we proceeded to celebrate for several days with big steak dinners. Amazing experience!