Wednesday, October 10, 2001, Pokara, Nepal
John and I returned from the Jomosom trek today all dusty after a 5 hour bus ride over (I swear) the worst road we have traveled so far. We started on October 1 with a 5 hour bus ride and then left the road for 10 days. There was only foot-paths through little villages with slate paths and rock walls. Sharing the path were water buffalos, trains of colorfully decorated, bell-adorned ponies carrying cargo on their backs, dogs, porters carrying painfully huge loads on their backs wearing only flip-flops or bare foot on very rough rocky dirt.
We started out in very hot lower elevations where there are beautiful lillies, flowers of the most intense fuchia, orange, blue, banana trees. Each night we stayed in a old inn - very basic - 2 single beds, no blankets, shared squat toilet, shared (usually cold) shower. The food was great - believe it or not - we had apple pie, lasagna, spring rolls, apple everything (apple trees cover everything that's not covered with corn, millet, rice and other unidentified stuff - ever hear of Seabuckthorn juice? Its very good for you).
Continuing to higher elevations, we walked in a huge riverbed in high winds into the high plateau that connects to Tibet. We went as far as we could before the restricted area between Nepal and Tibet.

Here is a list of my problems:
1. very dirty
2. bruise on right thigh from being bumped by a pony carrying cargo
3. formerly bruised toe from John dropping it on the footboard after massaging my feet
4. very tired but no major injuries
5. (the worst) possible broken nose and fat lip from falling face down in dust in 50 mph wind in a remote village in the high desert plateau. This has made the past 5 days not as comfortable or fun as they might have been, but fortunately I have antibiotics so no infection and am healing (but may need a nose job when I return) although I also have a black eye.
6. Homesick
7. Wondering what is happening at work.

Here is a list of John's problems:
zero
He did all the planning, was the porter, and all the haggling. What a guy!