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manaslu

October - November 2018
October 2018 - Novemer 2018 Read more
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  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 1

    zurich kloten

    October 14, 2018 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Oh how I have waited for that moment! Finally. I was so looking forward to that break that i could hardly believe it to happen. On sunday I was very busy, cleaning the apartment, baking cookies and biking around the lake. Mum gave me a ride to Berne and then I was in the train to the airport. I was an hour earlier, I decided to have coffee. I managed to spill it all over the floor, made a pretty mess out of it. But if that is the only thing that will happen to me on the journey, I gladly take it. We met at 8 o’clock at the check-in, dropped our luggage and then off we were!Read more

  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 2

    kathmandu

    October 15, 2018 in Nepal ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Let me introduce you to my partners in crime: Daniel, he just turned sixty, our guide. He works with apples. Very interesting. No kidding. Then the couple Rolf 68 years and Ruth a bit younger. They bring a bit of glamour in the group. I particularly liked Ruth directly from the very beginning. Then Rosa, she is 58, rather quiet and my room mate for a couple of nights I guess, very nice as well. Martin, he is a friend of our glamour-couple and is a regional judge. Then Hans-Peter, retired Physicians, living now in Grächen. And the eighth person is Peter, he has a drug store at the lake of Thun. All of them very friendly and we laughed a lot from the beginning.
    We arrived after a stop in Muscat, where we had coffee and some of my biscuits. The flight to Kathmandu was very short, I almost slept it through. Daniel said to hurry up for the Visa to not having to wait in line. Since we were fast and the Nepalese efficient we were quickly done and on the way to the Hotel. We had two hours for ourselves. Aaah, shower, playing cards, listening to music and podcasts, then going out for a deliciously dinner. I was im holiday right away.    Read more

  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 3

    "Highway to heaven"

    October 16, 2018 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    I had a very good night after little sleep. We had breakfast at 6:30am and left at 7:10 already with our porting crew for the next two weeks. I will tell you all the names, at the moment I remember maybe three. We had a big bus called ‘Prince’ and he was on long legs, respectively tires and with the journey we understood why. The first 1.5h constisted in leaving Kathmandu. Huge city, a lot of traffic and little rules. First comes, first serves, marked with a little toootooot. Many were leaving the city since tomorrow is a big hindu festival. The roads were already bumpy there but at some point we turned left and climbed up a ‘road’ and the trip really started. It was dusty at the point when a car was in front of you it felt like foggy november back home. Luckily we mostly had no car in front until our driver wanted to overtake one by a steep sideway and landed just behind him. Hahaha, well, he tried, and he was a very good driver. Lunch was at a very busy place with some other trekkers. The journey continued up and down, getting bumpier even if that didn’t seem possible. Approximately 2h before Sotikhola we changed bus so the local guys can do business as well. Those last kilometers were adventurous: next to a river they are only a couple of years accessible for cars. And they need to be 4x4 with excellent dirvers. Our guy knew almost every driver that crossed us and he stopped to have a little chat. Very cool. We arrived at the first lodge called Green Valley Lodge. That name represents quite well the look of that place. It is green, with palms and bananas and bambus. I didn’t expect tropical climate but that’s what it is. Wonderful. The bananas are heaven, i start to be like a minion. A propos, they sell fancy minion-bikes for kids in Kathmandu.
    At the moment i am sitting on my bed, freshly showered and soon ready to go for diner. Tomorrow we gonna start the trek and I am very much looking forward to that!    Read more

  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 4

    Day 1: What is granit made from?

    October 17, 2018 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Felsspan, Quarz und Glimmer, das vergisst du nimmer! You’re welcome

    So. First day of walking over. It was marvelous. I was in a bliss: Knowing that for 14 days all I needed to do was walking, chatting (if wanted. Well. It’s me :-)), eating and enjoying the heck out of it. And it was like that from the beginning. Thanks to the Hindu Festival they weren’t working on the road construction so we could walk along the work in progress without being full of dust. The weather was a bit misty in the beginning, that made it just more wonderful. I got to walk and talk to a bit everyone and got to know my team a bit better. We had lunch after 3.5 hours, macaronis with vegetables. Delicious. Then we continued and we started the narrow path along the river. Some passages were quite exposed. We crossed just one mule and there we had enough space to stick to the wall. After 4:50h instead of 6h we all arrived at the overnight place. We had a lot of time and enjoyed sitting around, taking showers and just spending time after 20km. We had dinner and then we played cards. We laugh a lot and it is just wonderful.Read more

  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 5

    Day 2: dä bock hett scho paar jahr hinge

    October 18, 2018 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We got up at 6:30, breakfast is at 7o’clock. It is funny evertime because everyone of us is ordering a bit the same as the day before. So running gags all the time. We laugh a lot like you can imagine. We were talking about yesterday, there was one group and I said I heard them talking Italien. Ruth was surprised that I heard them talking since I was talking so much myself 😊. The landscape was again beautiful. We walk along the river, up and down, sometimes very steep. It is still quite tropical but the bananas are not growing anymore here. At lunch we stopped in one of the few villages, where out guides prepared the patatoes for us. Cooked on open fire. The food is delicious. Mostly rice with vegetables in multiples varieties. They have also Momo, it’s like dumplings. After the break which I needed since I had again energy to talk afterwards the way was mostly flat. We crossed the river again on one of those suspended bridges. We arrived after five hours of walking at Jagat. We have mostly four rooms, I share it with Rosa. After shower there was diner and then we had some talks until 8:30. And then we can go to bed. I am very tired after the walks and going to bed is a big pleasure.
    Not long ago the Manaslu Trek could only be done by tents so there were just little people doing it. When we started yesterday we were quite a lot of groups but it dispersed. There are many lodges along the trek where you have a lot if comfort like showers, beds and proper toilets sometimes. Here we are at the beginning of the real Manaslu Conversation Area. You are only allowed to go there with a guide. There are several passes to Tibet. Most Nepali are Hindu, here some are Buddhists.    Read more

  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 6

    Day 3: es fägt!

    October 19, 2018 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Wider Tagwach am 6:30, z’Morge am 7ni u Abmarsch um die achte. Mir tüe aube ds Gepäck scho usesteue, de chöi das üser vier Porter scho nä u loszöttle i Flipflops... Würklech beiidruckend wie die die Wägeli uuf u dserab loufe mit 30kg am Rügge. Ds Jagat hetts relativ viu Lüt gha. Mir hei e zimlechi langi Etappe vor üs gha. Munter simer loszöttlet, es fägt eifach mega dür die Landschaft ds schuene, ei Egge schöner aus dr anger. Mir hei oft Talsite gwächslet über die Hängebrüggene. Nach öppe 2.5 heimer Teepouse gmacht (Lemon Ginger Honey Tea isch aktuell hoch im Kurs) u de e Stung speter für ds Mittag. Dr Daniel bsteut für aui, so guet wie müglech ohni Zibele u Chnobli wòu das dr Hanspeter nid vertreit. Das isch aber meistens schwierig, wöusi das so zimli überau dri tüe: Hütt hetts Spaghetti mit Tomate (Zibele) - Sauce gä u Springrolls. Die Springrolls si gar nid so wie mr se kenne: Sisch e chle e Teig wie ne Beignets ire Form vore mini Calzone gföut mit ganz vilem feine Züg - hie ou mit Chnobli u Zibele. Dr arm Hanspeter hett chum gässe. I so Momänte bini froh, isseni aues. När ischs witer, es isch nume no schöner worde, a Tibetföhre verbi, immet mitem Fluss entweder lingger oder rächter Hang. Vorem z’Mittag heimer scho chönne ufne 7Tusiger spienzle. Wunderbar. Gäg die haube füfe simer ir Lodge acho. Leider si miner Chnöi scho gschwolle, beidi zäme. So ne Seich. Zum Glück tüesi nid so weh. Grüppele isch e chle doof, umso meg bi so Plumpsklos. Aber es geit aues u mir hei warms Wasser bercho zum Düshele, herrlech. Am haubi Siebni hetts de z’Nacht gä mit Dessert, Apple pie, ou so Calzone-mässig. Meeega fein. I ha de vor Rosa e haubs mit Chürbis dòrfe ha. Usem gliche Teig nimeni aah, gits zum z’Morge Tibetan Bread. När no es Tee und d Schieber. Hai isch das lustig, mir si e super Truppe. Fägt. I bi chle im Himmu. Darf ganz viu schlafe, loufe, spiele u ässe. Was wotti no meh 😊Read more

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  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 7

    Day 4: soooo schön!

    October 20, 2018 in Nepal ⋅ 🌙 4 °C

    We get a routine: Waking up, breakfast, starting around 8. Today was only a short walk of 4hours to Ghal. We stay at a very pretty lodge, tibetan style, very neat with big rooms. For the first time we are the only ones staying here overnight. Some stopped for lunch, also the two French guys and the one from bahrain. He calls himself ‘the turtle’ but I think he is very brave doing that on his own with a guide. There is also an Asian woman on her own. One of the French asked me two days ago what to do since he has tummy ache on the lower right side. And fever. Poor guy. Being scared of an appendicitis here is not pleasant. He was a bit better yesterday, today again a bit worse. I wonder how he is. The only good thing is, that we rich tourists can pay a chopper to fly us out. The locals don’t. Being in a remote place takes a whole different dimension being in the mountains here. We are so far away from everything if there isn’t the possibility of flying. If you give birth here and something goes wrong it’s fatal. Just like that. We wonder if the kids here go to school. It is obligatory in Nepal but in remote villages they don’t go to school. At some lodges there is Wifi. We mostly have electricity. Water is not really an issue. But mostly there is no shower and the dishes are made out under the cold water. There is the river and a lot of sources. Still. Harvesting must be hard. They have buckwheat, corn and chabis, lots of wild cannabis fields. Many chicken in all ages run around, there isn’t chicken on the menu. Little cattle. Less mules here. They live mostly from what they harvest. This region is starting to get more and more tourists because of the lodges. Tonight we had nettle soup. Our guides, Bhuddas and Bibi always help cooking and tonight they prepared this soup for us. It was delicious, even more with some kind of pepper added. We saw porters on the way collecting them from bushes and some locals selling it. Very tasty and hot. The food is delicious up here. We arrived already around noon and had thal bat for lunch, some vegetables curry, other vegetables, rice and lentil soup. Peter, Rosa and Daniel went for an afternoon excursion up to a village. There was even a school up there. I let it be because of my still very swollen knees. Walking felt like walking on jelly. Not very pleasant. Luckily I have my knee bandage from the US with me and Daniel had an elastic bandage for the other one. So that will be my walking gear for the next days I guess. I have a couple of blisters, too, but everything at the moment (touch some wood) under control. Hopefully it stays like that! We are now over 2000m above sea level, but it is dry. The guys have a altitude measure on their watch. It is never the same. Rolf says it is easy, his one is correct. Sometimes they differ from a 100m. Very funny. Tonight we had again dessert, Apple Fillter, it’s apple rings. Delicious. And to end the day we played cards and laughed again a lot. I am in heaven.Read more

  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 8

    Day 5: contrasts

    October 21, 2018 in Nepal ⋅ 🌙 -1 °C

    I am in my sleeping bag, I am warm and dry and incredibly thankful for the life I have, again. We are staying at the Teahotel in Lihi, a Tibetian village at around 3000m. It is very simple and poor. The people live in simple houses with no running water, no heating systems. They came to us with a couple of medication to ask of one of them is against diarrhea because grandma has it. They have no medical care. Or very little. It is so eye opening again. In Switzerland we complain when we have to drive more then 30min to a hospital. Incredible. I sometimes wish I could send some of them here. It makes you humble for what you have. We arrived at 2 o’clock here after a walk of 4.5h. I am very lucky, my knees are still swollen but not as wobbly as the day before thanks to the bandages. If it stays like that I guess I’ll be fine (finger’s crossed). The walk was again incredibly beautiful, we crossed the river again were in forests and climbed up roughly 800m. Peter, who owns the drugstore knows a lot about plants and their healing capacity. I learn a lot and on the way he can name the plants. Amazing for me who knows so little about botany. For lunch we stopped at the four season in Nubri, a very posh Hotel in the middle of nowhere. The nights cost up from 28 dollar, which is very expensive. The lady asked if we had medicine since she had a skin problem at the back. I had a look and couldn’t really figuring put what it was. It looked like a burn. So i just put some antiseptic on and a skin-like bandage. And got a cinnamon roll as a thank you. Incredible. I did so little. There is just no healthcare around.
    The owner has a bakery and a coffee machine! So after lunchtime we had coffee, we enjoyed the view and the warmth for a couple of hours until we arrived here. It got quickly cooler so we went for another walk. There is almost no shelter here so when you don’t move, you’re cold. When we came back we ordered dinner. Amazing what choice they have and how delicious it is. Now it is 20:15 and we are all in our sleeping bags, where it is the warmest. Looking forward for tomorrow, we gonna walk to Shyala at 3600m. Yippie    Read more

  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 9

    Day 6: hello manaslu

    October 22, 2018 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ -2 °C

    What a beautiful day and hike. It was fairy-like, I am lost for words. The night was hard because of the bed we were laying. I think it was just a carpet. I slept wonderfully and in the mornings you try to get up and in your clothes right into the sun as quick as possible, it is very cold. Breakfast was again delicious. It amazes me what they are able to cook here. We started the walk slowly, had a tea in Rho, visted a monastery and arrived quickly in Shyala. The locals were busy preparing food for Ripoche, a Lama that was visiting the village. Indeed, he arrived and with him around 150 people which is a big crowd for up here. He then continued to the next village. We stayed here and spent the late afternoon drinking tea around the hot fire oven until dinner and then had tea again around the fire. Life gets simple up there. It is a bliss.
    Oh and we saw him: Manaslu. Big and white and majestic and beautiful.    Read more

  • chantal muellermanaslu
    Day 10

    Day 7: lama!

    October 23, 2018 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C

    We won’t change habits, so punctual around 8 after a very comfortable night in a single room we started the ascent to a monastery. The sights breathtaking, huge mountains, it is just magnificent. Up there we were laying in the grass, enjoying black tea and a snack, surrounded by those big things, the wind chasing the clouds, it couldn’t be better. We then continued on this platform like plaine to the monastery. No one lives up there but monks often come here since it is a pilgrim site. Again they lit a fire for smoke with wacholder and tibetan zeder.
    The way down was cold, the wind blowing in our face. We quickly arrived in Sangaun, where it wasn’t any warmer. Unfortunately there was no oven in the dining room so after again delicious lunch we headed to the village. There was again the Rinpoche at the monastery and no one in the village. Only mules and yaks - and some trekkers. You get to know a bit those people. There is a big german group, some English, one german guy on his own, Russian, Polish - oh and the French. I wonder how he is with his tummy ache. Maybe we see him tomorrow in Sando.
    We walked up to a glacier lake, again beautiful. Back in the lodge we got a basket with a bit of warm water, enough for a whole body clean. What a pleasure. Things get broken down to simplicity. It’s so good for the soul. Then in warm clothes and again with a warm cup in the hand, you cannot wish for more. Lunch was busy with a lot of monastery pupils being there, too. They were from other villages here for the festival. They got food and shelter from the different lodges. It was quite funny watching them. Some got money so they bought Tuna in can, three minutes egg and we think, even some beer. They had a lot of fun doing that. We could while brushing teeth enjoy the mountains enlighted by the almost full moon. Tomorrow off to Sando for two nights!!    Read more

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