Nepal Day 6 Annapurna Trek Landruk to Dhampus

Friday April 29^th

Up early again to see the beautiful mountain view. This is Annapurna South and it spectacular in the morning sun and the blue sky. After breakfast we saddled up again and began our third day of trekking. The first two hours were mostly a gentle uphill slope. After that we had a steady uphill climb for another two hours to the highest point we reach on this hike, 2100 metres. That is the end of the hard climbing. We are all feeling our legs and are quite tired. We stopped at a tea house there and had lunch.

From that point we walked for two and a half hours to reach our resting point in one of the tea houses in Dhampus. Right after we settled into our rooms, it began to rain. I had a short nap before being woken up by the downpour. Maybe this is what the monsoon is like?

Again the hiking today was rigorous and the scenery spectacular as we trekked through the forests of the Himalayan foothills. We also saw a few small villages and people working the fields. At one point Anil and I were walking at the back of the group and I noticed children going to a school. I asked him if we could stop to watch. So, we stood just inside the school grounds and watched the children line up for attendance, sing the national anthem and do some morning cal-esthetics. The rest of the group had moved on so we were well back. While walking with Anil I talked to him about his family, he is married with two young children 9 and 5. He told me that he would like to emigrate from Nepal because he sees no future for his children here. He'd like to go to Canada, but doesn't meet the requirements, so he is aiming for the US or Australia.

The rain finally stopped just before dinner time. We ate in the dining hall to lantern light, because here in Dhampus they suffer from the same lack of electricity as Kathmandu. After dinner we were treated to a demonstration of Nepalese singing, drumming and dance by the porters of the two groups that are staying here. Then time to turn in.