Hello, we're still here!!!!! We have just finished an 11 day trek up to ABC (Annapurna Base Camp) at 4185m - just a diddle compared to what we are used to. However, I am still trying to work out which parts of the trek were actually fun. It certainly wasn't the leeches, or the rain, or the mud, or the steep uphill climbs, or the 'Nepali Belly' that I had or the strained ligament in my knee. And worse is when all this occurs at once. The first couple of days made me think we'd signed up for a Weightwatchers 'lose weight fast' program. Steep steep steep staircases in the hot sun - what were we doing. Then as we climbed higher we were engulfed with cloud obscuring any view that we might of had - probably very lucky as sometimes beyond the side of the track was just sheer cliffs. We were trekking up the side of a deep valley into the Annapurna Sanctuary. On our third night we encountered our dear friends the maoists. They marched on into the guesthouse selling their raffle tickets (that's what it looked like to us) for 1200 roupees (USD15) each non-negotiable and the prize was a big fat NOTHING. That night proved fruitless for them as we just told them we only carry travellers cheques and have no money for them. The next day we were up at 4.30am to climb Poon Hill which gave us stunning views of the Annapurna Range at sunrise. But lo and behold the Maoists were back waiting for us at the bottom of the hill. We were the first two tourists down and this time they were waiting in a larger group with guns and bombs. But again we stuck to the same story, Rob also had to pretend he was a Kiwi as they don't like the British, Americans or the Belgians at the moment. Mr Chief was actually quite reasonable and could see our point of view so we escaped by giving them a crappy little torch and plastic compass. Don't worry parents we were ready to give them the money if the situation got out of hand but I absolutely detest giving them anything when you hear what they are doing to local populations. Onwards and upwards and nearly at the top of our climb our guide got sick and we left him behind to recover whilst we joined forces with a Belgian couple and their female guide. The walk from Machapuchre Base Camp to ABC started at 5.00am, the visability was clear and the full moon lit our way. Amazing. Coming down we picked our guide back up and it took another 5 days to come back down to Pokhara. Rob was not without his little mishaps either by the way. At one point coming down the track he made a yelp and we all turned around to see two hands holding onto the track with his head popping up - what he was doing down there I don't know. Luckily he had bushes to catch him and our guide quickly sprang to his aide. Our guide then told us that that's how tourists go missing and get killed every year by just slipping or tripping off the track and over the side. Our guide was brilliant and had been trekking for 15years and knew everyone in every village we went through. Everytime we slipped or tripped he would say that we were "dancing" but dancing can be very dangerous. Our last night was spent in the small Gurung Village of Dhampus. Our guesthouse was a traditional Gurung house (the Gurungs are a local tribe) but the wood was full of woodworm and the place looked like it would fall down. The family slept in the room below us and the light shone straight through the floorboards. The next day was the most perfect ending to our trip and made all those leech bites worth it. It was a clear morning and we got up early to get some great photos before having breakfast in the courtyard with the mountains watching over us in the foreground. Beautiful. We only had an hours walk through rice and millet fields so we were both happy. We are now recuperating in Lakeside Pokhara. A small relaxed place where no one is in a hurry. We are staying in a nice guesthouse with a beautifull garden where we can read and chill and the staff are so friendly. I am not sure I am ready for the fast pace of Kathmandu again but at least its a gradual step towards Bangkok. Love to everyone from the Two retired walkers. xx