DAY #5 - May 1/2 Mohare Danda to Swanta
I awoke at 5 a.m. but forgot to look out the window to see the sunrise. What a missed opportunity! Breakfast of a gruel-like oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, and something between a crepe and a pancake. I ate little again, but not because it wasn't delicious.
Yesterday, within minutes after we arrived at Mohare, a filmy mist greeted us. Then dense clouds hovered obscuring any sight of the mountains. In contrast, this morning by time we left Mohare at 8 a.m., we had a clear view of Annapurna south, although the glare and light was so intense it made us squint and prevented much of any photo-taking until later. We stopped at Phalate where Kagi used their kitchen to prepare our lunch of daal bhat, a potato and spinach mixture with a dollop of a coriander salsa and a platter of tomatoes, red onion and carrots. It was downhill most of the day and very steep through a bamboo jungle. We walked from 10,827 ft. down to 7,447 ft.
Yesterday, within minutes after we arrived at Mohare, a filmy mist greeted us. Then dense clouds hovered obscuring any sight of the mountains. In contrast, this morning by time we left Mohare at 8 a.m., we had a clear view of Annapurna south, although the glare and light was so intense it made us squint and prevented much of any photo-taking until later. We stopped at Phalate where Kagi used their kitchen to prepare our lunch of daal bhat, a potato and spinach mixture with a dollop of a coriander salsa and a platter of tomatoes, red onion and carrots. It was downhill most of the day and very steep through a bamboo jungle. We walked from 10,827 ft. down to 7,447 ft.
Our hard working porters Hira, Thaman and Harkma. We couldn't have done it without them. They carry and balance our loads by bands around their foreheads, or top of head. In the 1950s, and perhaps even later, porters and sherpas walked barefoot in the snow. Amrit makes certain his porters are treated well and provides closed-toe athletic shoes. (Photo: Amrit Ale/Himalayan Quests.)
Lin is finally over her bout of sickness, but still hoarse. Donna and Del's turn was yet to come. However, Sukey was feeling terrible. She doesn't remember a few days. Amrit was discussing with the porters how to get Sukey down safely and thinking about carrying her in a basket. We saw how it was done in photos.