At ABC

It is 14h and we’re 4210m above sea level at the Annapurna Base Camp. And it’s about -10C, but who really knows. Too cold for the pipes to work, so unfortunately no shower today. But I digress…

Since my last installment in Chommrong (1950m) we trekked through Sinuwa (2340m) and stayed in Bamboo (2190m). I think this is where I had “veg tuna egg macaroni sauce” and validated the well known theory of the relationship between fatigue and culinary enjoyment: no matter what you eat, one will derive increasing utility from food as fatigue grows.

The next day we trekked for a few hours to Dovan (2505m) for lunch. Elevation can be deceptive as villages are connected across valleys and hillsides. I’m a big fan of going uphill and leaving Krishna in the dust. If he only walked straighter, as opposed to meandering every step of the way. But hiking silently with only the sounds of nature is something I will treasure.

In the early afternoon we passed through Himalaya (no, not that one). This is where the snow starts, around 2670m. A final push to Deurali (3200m) and we slept in the New Panorama Guest House & Restaurant. This was the busiest guesthouse. An older Korean couple shared my room and some trekkers slept in the dining room, which is used for overflow.

This morning I was really excited to get a move on, so after a hearty bowl of porridge with Nepali honey, we blazed off to Machhapuchhare (aka Fishtail) Base Camp at 3700m. With Fishtail ahead of us and Annapurna peaking through the clouds, we had a quick milk tea and made tracks for ABC, elevation 4210m, wahoo!

So now here we sit, wearing parkas, in blankets and sleeping bags drinking masala train the icy cold dining room, but who cares? Meeting new friends from Nepal, Australia, China, Korea and everywhere else in between.