Ok people so its time for an update

What can I say NEPAL was awesome!

From getting off the plane and being literary swamped by taxi driver trying to grab your possessions and a get u into a taxi to the streets of THAMEL swarming with tourist, vendors, beggars, cheap hotels and not to forget cows, dogs, goats and people trying to sell u pot....

So we got in the day before the tour was supposed to start staying at Kathmandu guest House (KGH) this is an iconic landmark in Kathmandu, a paradise and prison at the same time. KGH was originally a palace with numerous rooms, gardens and facilities... its a place to get away from the bustling streets of Kathmandu with security at the gate keeping the locals away.

Thamel started with a place know as freak street where all the hippies and out there tourist used to hang out in the 60's... however the owners KGH wanted to move Thamel closer to it so they did and KGH is smack bang in the middle of Thamel.

So started the tour... so as most of u know were supposed to trek to Everest Base Camp... well after three days hanging around Kathmandu domestic airport which is little more than room and a convenience store selling digestive biscuits and tea... the tour was cancelled due to bad weather and we change our tour to do Annapurna trail... which was absolute beautiful.

So on day three we did actually leave the airport to Pokhara... this is Nepal's second biggest city... it was a lovely change from Kathmandu. With no one trying to sell u something every 2 secs or take u on a tour of the city....

Day 1 trek Birethanti (1080m elevation) to Jhinu (1760m) for 4hrs of basic walking up and down. Getting to Jhinu was a lovely surprise... as there were natural hot springs formed by energy created by the water under the waterfalls and rivers the only down side is we were surrounded and attacked by leeches.

Day 2 trek Jhinu (1760m) to Dovan (2505m) this was a s***ty day of trekking with 3000 steps going down the 2000steps going up...down was bad on your knees but going killed your breathing and quads ahahhah the sun was also a killer it was f***'n humid hot. As we got higher in altitude the temperature dropped sightly so we were no long sweating constantly but starting to shiver as we started "walking in the clouds" the blessing at the end of this way was hot water showers owowoowo.....it was great to see natural forms of energy being used by the hill tribes people had access to power either by hydro-electric due to the water falls or solar.... if developing countries continue like this mother nature might have a chance...

Day 3 Trek Dovan (2505m) to Annapurna Base Camp- ABC (4130) ok so the altitude finally started to affect us now...but we made it.... ABC had some spectacular sights we were surrounded by mountains and snow covered peaks (photos to come) it was unbelievable... the trek involved passing Machhpachnre base Camp (MBC) also know as the "Fishtail and the Pistol" and continuing on to ABC

Day 4 trek ABC (4130m) to Dovan (2505m) going down........

Day5 trek Dovan (2505m) to Chulie (2660m) this day was the hardest f***'n day not only did we do the 3000+2000 steps up and down again but we did another 3000steps down followed by 2000steps up to Chulie I thing every1 was running on pure mental power to reach our destination.... now just to give u an idea of what I mean as the hardest f***'n day we went from the top of one mountain ridge to the bottom and up again twice in one day.....ahahhahaha I will have to say Chulie had the views though and lots of Everest beer which became our stable beer in Nepal... we drank them out of there stocks that's nite

Day 6trek Chulie (2660m) to Ghorepan (2800) now as u can see this did involve more climbing but after yesterday this was nothing...except the leeches where a frigg'n b**** I was very lucky I thing my socks were drenched in sweat they didn't want anything to do with me. Ghorepan is on the cross roads of a few towns so here were back to some civilisation with real food and wine.

Day 7 Ghorpani (2800m) to Birethanti (1080m) this is was one frigg'n scary day as the monsoon/torrential rain begin, our leader was telling us to effectively run down 3000steps covered in flood like waters as he was concerned a landslide might occur so for 1 1/2hrs we kept moving in rain and flood waters crossing waterfalls that now had broken banks. Now I had water proof boots but there's no use having water proof boots if the water is inside them we finally stoped for lunch on the other side of the mountain/valley and awaiting the rain to stop... further ahead landslides had occurred but we were safe and continued on.....

Day 8 trekking Birethanti (1080m) to Pokhara

Back to civilisation... hear we had DAL BAHT again (no more DAL BAHT), beer and dancing.... with was great to be in hotel with hot water and no bugs flying at u at night.

Day 9 Rafting at Trisuli

After a 3hr bus ride we arrived for a 3hr rafting session

It was fabulous the team was really working together after 8 days trekking and 3 days in an airport...

Day 10 Rafting

Now for me this was one of the highlights of the trip the rafting was great but if got even better when we capsized in a class 4+ rapid.... we all survived though some had the scary experience of being stuck in a whirlpool for a while...

Great lunch of fresh salad and fresh fruit... highly recommend Himalayan encounters for all adventure stuff in Nepal there professional and are working with the communities to improve living, health, and the local economy...

And then another 5hr bus ride back to Kathmandu where we were stuck in traffic for 3 hrs... and tell u this is real traffic with the worst smog I had ever experienced after the fresh air in the mountains my lungs started hurting...

Our last two days in Kathmandu were spent walking and trying to get any last minute things say good by to friends that we will hopefully see in the future...