• chantal mueller
окт. – нояб. 2018

manaslu

October 2018 - Novemer 2018 Читать далее
  • Начало поездки
    14 октября 2018 г.

    zurich kloten

    14 октября 2018 г., Швейцария ⋅ ⛅ 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!Читать далее

  • kathmandu

    15 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ☀️ 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.
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  • "Highway to heaven"

    16 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ⛅ 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!
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  • Day 1: What is granit made from?

    17 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ⛅ 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.Читать далее

  • Day 2: dä bock hett scho paar jahr hinge

    18 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ⛅ 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.
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  • Day 3: es fägt!

    19 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ⛅ 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 😊Читать далее

  • Day 4: soooo schön!

    20 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ 🌙 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.Читать далее

  • Day 5: contrasts

    21 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ 🌙 -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
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  • Day 6: hello manaslu

    22 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ⛅ -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.
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  • Day 7: lama!

    23 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ⛅ 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!!
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  • Day 8: no words to describe the beauty

    24 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    What a day! Bright sunshine for the easy scenic and gorgeous walk from saun to sando. It was 360 degree of mountain beauty. You couldn’t watch enough. It was one of the most beautiful things I have seen.
    Bidi went ahead to book rooms. It is still crowded because Rinpoche was also heading to the same village as we did. We arrived there around noon, had a delicious meal and went up in direction of Tibet. There is a lot of traffic between here and the south of Tibet. It is closer and cheaper, at the moment the border is open. We saw a colony of mules carrying goods from Tibet. We went up as high as the Jungfrau, enjoyed the last rayons of sunshine before heading down again. The diner room has a oven, so we stayed there from late afternoon until now, having diner and playing cards. What a beautiful place to stay two nights at. Longer I don’t know. People here live very simple but we think they have enough food. It is just so cold and we have only fall. The temperature is below zero, there is even a bit snow in the more shadow parts.
    Tomorrow we gonna try climbing up Sando peak at a bit more then 5000m. We will see how this goes, very looking forward doing that! I am so thankful I get to spend that adventure with so nice and interesting people. I feel very comfortable.
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  • Day 9: out of comfort zone, into the bea

    25 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    First of all, Rosa is sick. Poor Rosa. I am so sorry for her and I hope so mucb she will be fine tomorrow to go to Dharmashala, where we gonna camp at 4570m before the pass to the other valley. Today we had Samdo Peak on the list - or a shorter version to 4500m or a break at the village. My mum said, I would go all the way up anyway. I was not sure aboht that, even more with my wobbly bandages knees. We all started together, Rosa had to turn around after an hour, so we headed further up only the seven of us with our two wonderful guides. When I say up, I mean up. It was so so steep! And this at almost 4000m starting point. It was so steep. Ruth, she is short, had to take huge steps, I was a bit more advantageous woth my long legs. At some point at around 4700m Ruth and Rolf turned around, too, Rolf also not feeling a 100% fit. Peter, Hans-Peter, Martin, Daniel, Bidi the guide and me went further up. We reached the little summit at 4850m and decided to head down a different way, thank god. While doing that we realized that going to the actual summit we wanted to reach opened up a different, easier descent. So up we went and reached (selon which watch you trust) around 5100m. What a view! It was awesome. Magical. We could see to Tibet, to the pass we gonna cross the day after tomorrow, just wonderful being up there. The way down, let’s say, I did it, it was way less bad then i expected but nevertheless I was thankful to be down again. We had soup for lunch, then again a bowl with a bit of warm water, enough for a clean. After dinner again some card game and now it is 9o’clock and I am already in my cosy sleeping bag, looking forward for the next couple of days! Oh, it is cold, not as cold as yesterday since it snowed.Читать далее

  • Day 10: es tröimli

    26 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Poah, iz simer scho vorem pass uf 4500m. Zum glück geits dr rosa ume besser, sodass mr aui glichzitig losglüffe si, wie immer nachemne feine z’morge. Sisch ume mega schön gsi, dismau simer ire fiine schneeschicht lostschaupet im wüsse, dass mr ganz viu zyt hei. obe acho, heimer e rundi gsünnelet vor üsne beide schlafcontainer, je vier i eim. nachem z mittag heimer d sunne gnosse, chle richtig pass losglüffe bis d sunne wäg isch. das isch hie bi däne höche bârge früeh u es wird mega chaut derna. drum simer scho vorem z nacht i d schlafseck u hei e rundi nüt gmacht. ou mau schön. iz isch nid mau achti u aui si scho ungere. so imene duuneschlafsack isch me eifach scho am wöuhste u am wermste. morn gits für einisch früechr tagwach, mir wei so gäg sie sächse losloufe. whs so 8h heimer insgsamt. no 600m ufe u 1400m abe. fröiemi meha!!Читать далее

  • Day 11: Königsetappe

    27 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ 🌙 -3 °C

    Gester isch ja no lustig gsi: si dütschi no mit üs id gliche ‘containersiedlig’ gsi u de heisi diskutiert, wenn los. schinbar wei die iiheimische immer scho sehr frûeh los, wörum ou immer. dr daniel hett z morge uf di haubi füfi bsteut u losloufe so gäg di sächse, wes scho häu isch. nüt mir früüre da im dunkle. dr dütsch reisefüehrer hett scho am haubi füfi wöue zmörgele, dass hett de sini truppe nid wöue. auso haubi sächsi, da si scho mir gsi. drum nach langer diskussion zwüsche füfi u sächsi heisisech de uf 5:20 geinigt... jedefaus sisi scho da gsi womer cho si u aui hei ires zmorge bercho. dr rolf isch nid so zwäg gsi, hett nid möge ässe u dr arm hett die ganze nün stung, womer ungerwägs si gsi, müesse bisse. die cheibe höchi. hanim so chönne nachefüehle.
    bim ufeloufe heimer no e frou u e maah gseh, wo emene muli hei müesse häufe usem iischwasser ds cho, es isch ibroche. zum glück heisis gschafft, nume hett die armi frou mit blutte fingere däm arme tier ghoufe, si hett so chaut gha. i ha de tee gä u d ruth es paar häntsche u de isch si gli ume witer. was fürnes angers läbe die lüt hei aus ig.
    es isch aus i auem e ungloublech schöne tag gsi. die landschaft dett obe, eifach troumhaft. es fähle eim d wort. i bi so dankbar gsi, dasi dett obe bi gsi, dass es mr guet geit, dassi die zyt vorhär, wo so sträng isch gsi, gschafft ha, sisch richtig berüherend gsi, dett, mit däne tolle lüt, woni da ha dörfe lehre kenne. e unvergässleche momänt. sish de gad witer mit däre schönheit u grössi u witi näbe däne steinige riese mit gletscher wome is angere tal gseh hett. luege hett me de nume chönne, weme aghaute hett. es isch e schwierige abgang gsi, steil u gschlifrig. aber unbeschriblech schön. u aues unger dr sunne mit nume wenig wind. eifach toll. mir hei de öppe nach 700 höhemeter e suppepouse gmacht u si de witers bis uf bingham churz vor de drü. mir hei e super lodge, hei es bierli zwitscheret u de ume gwäschet mitem becki warmem wasser. ohni haar. weni die ds letschte mau gwäsche ha - ke ahnig. ou völlig wurscht hie obe. Iz heimer guet z nachtet mit öpfuringli zum dessert. gjasset heimer nid, e gruppe franzose hett es mega fest mit irne porters, sehr lustig gsi, aber ds bett hett de doch glockt.
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  • Day 12

    29 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    Getting up, breakfast, walking in the sun, lunch, chatting with other groups, walking in the sun, diner and today: hot shower!! how exciting! what a pleasure that was! We were all very excited about it.
    Sadly Bibi has to leave us tomorrow, his dad is sick. So we said goodbye to him this evening, Rolf said a couple of words and he got next to money some gifts. It was a pleasure with him! We had some rice wine with the crew and a lot of fun, we are now in bed and it is already 9:50pm. Very late! The latest we had so I need to sleep! Only 8:30h to sleep! We make jokes about how early we go to bed so we are now worried for tomorrow. We will see if we all get up for breakfast at 7am. Tomorrow again a 6-7h walk with 900m of going down to Jagat at 1400m. Second last day to walk. Incredible!
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  • Day 13

    29 октября 2018 г., Непал ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    What a day again: Betwee yesterday and today we almost walked 50km. It was long, sometimes very dusty since we walked on the street, but mostly beautiful on the other side of the road, crossing the river again on the suspended bridges. The German group finished their trek approximately after 7km and took the jeep. They past us not far away from here: The road was blocked because of street workers for at least a couple of hours. The German guide told us that the way to Jagat isn’t nice at all, we preferred walking ten times to being stuck in a jeep or on the street for hours in the shadow.
    The way although was long and poor Hans-Peter was really not walking good with pain in both feet. He could have taken a Jeep, too, but he didn’t want to. My knees were hurting when going down with big steps. Since we went up approximately 500m we went down again 1400m all in all. But the pain is ok and if there are not so pseudo-stairways downwards, they don’t hurt. We are staying at a very nice lodge and the food is amazing. There are again bananas! I had a banana lassi when we arrived and a Banana-Chocolate-Pie as a dessert. Heaven!!
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    Окончание поездки
    5 ноября 2018 г.