Day 15 AC: Final Day of my Annapurna Trek.
Trip Start
Apr 21, 2008
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221
225
Trip End
Apr 20, 2009
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Pokhara,
Nepal
Sunday, November 30, 2008
I started the last day of my trek with Chris and Abi once they returned from Poon Hill. I was anxious to get to the end of the circuit. Really anxious! I kept looking at my watch guessing how much time I had left on the trail. I am really glad I decided to do the Annapurna Circuit. The scenery was beautiful and I met some really nice people. I am especially glad that I decided to not give in and finish the last 5 days by foot. I didn't want any regrets!
Earlier in the day, I gave Abi my hiking boots and some of the gear I bought for the trek. I no longer had a need for them and I knew Abi would appreciate some newer stuff. He was also doing me a favor by taking the stuff out of my hands. I didn't want to carry the gear for the rest of my trip.
By the end of the day, I couldn't find Abi or Chris. They were way ahead of me. I thought there would be a chance of seeing them at the final town - Naya Pool - I came across for the day but they were not there. I owed Abi 300 rupees for some food payments ($4) he made on my behalf and I really wanted to get him that money. It isn't a lot of money for me but I knew it was money he could use. He knew I owed him the money too but when I saw that he didn't wait for me at the end of the trail, I figured he wasn't too worried about it given that I gave him a lot of gear. Chris later confirmed this for me.
I ended up taking a local bus from Naya Pool to Pokhara. The bus was unfortunately packed so I ended up standing for most of the 2 hour journey. Not exactly what I wanted to do after finishing a 15-day trek through the Himalayas. I meet a nice American couple from California who were also traveling for a year. We talked about our treks and our RTW trips to help pass the time. When we reached Pokhara, we shared a taxi which dropped us off at their hotel. From there, I walked along the main road which was dotted with tourists, restaurants, souvenir shops and guesthouses. I ended up deciding to stay in this guesthouse called Lubbly Jubbly. Four friendly Nepalese sisters managed the place. They quoted a good price so I took it. I think I was the only person staying there. I didn't see anybody else there all night long.
After showering, I walked along the main road. Pokhara is a small town. I liked what it had to offer. I could definitely see myself staying here for 2-3 days. I ended up having a huge dinner. I needed one after my 15 days in the mountains. After I satisfied my stomach, I went to an internet café to see what was happening in the world. It had been a while since I was connected. It turns out the news wasn't so good. There were horrible terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Some of the attacks targeted foreigners. In addition, the international airport in Bangkok was under siege by protestors and planes couldn't get in or out. Guess the departure and destination cities of my next flight? Yes - Mumbai and Bangkok. I'll have to monitor the situation.
I also had a few emails from my friend Sam who is considering coming to visit me in India. I am hoping the terrorist attacks won't deter him from coming.
Dino Vagabond
