2 April: Meta to Chame

JB: -5degC when we woke with last nights snow still on the ground.

Packed up and left tea house to reacquaint ourselves with the steep hill down from Meta. Took us about 30min to get up but only 10min going down. Like all Kiwis we turn these things into a competition to see who can find shortcuts and get to the bottom first. So far no incidents due to shortcuts gone wrong!

We then fast trekked the track back towards Koto.

Passed one very long pony caravan with the ponies all decorated with face paint and tassels.

Also came across a lumber mill Annapurna style with two guys ripping construction timber from logs using a two person hand saw and the logs on a platform so one could work the top of the saw and the other the bottom.

Got to Koto in 4.5hrs. There was a queue at the checkpoint so decided to go and get the gear we'd left behind then go to checkpoint. Mistake! When we got back a big group were there and we had a lengthy wait.

Once through the checkpoint walked on to Chame (abt 30mins) and delegated guest house selection to Chris and Harm. Mark and I were to remain at the start on the village until they came and got us. Unfortunately Himal said he knew a good place on the far side on the village and Mark and I left our allocated post and wandered in that direction. We successfully ended up with people at both ends of the village, a couple wandering around looking for the others and Me sitting in the sun with a friendly dog and watched the gear.

Small (first) medical event when I walked into a bit of iron roofing at prayer wheel wall. Just shows even though you do everything to appease the gods they still don't always favour you. No biggy just a minor cut.

Once regrouped we ended up staying in the guest house whose front fence I was leaning on. Hot showers and power to charge some stuff were welcomed by all after the week without both.

Mark managed to zero in rummy from last place on 159 on the last hand. Quite a feat!!

MI: quote of the day from JB after adding hot water to his water bottle to clean teeth outside at minus 5 degree ... 'at least when I clean my teeth I won't freeze my fillings out'.

Chris was very popular with the children of the Phu/Nar valley leaving lots of stickers and note books. It's quite funny seeing the children with the stickers as they don't really know what to do with them.

Once we arrived at Chame and had hot showers we got into some washing. Harm was a menace! The place had numerous units with balcony's and Harm took over one, until that room was let, then another until that room was let, and then retreated to our balcony in the shade. Surprising the owners managed to rent out the rooms even with the prospects having to walk through Harms king size undies.

Sitting in the dining room it was quite off putting the volume of people through the doors. The track is now unbelievably busy, and in just a week it has gone from relative isolation to feeling part of the crowd.