We'd decided to stay and spent a whole day in some villages before trekking, when we felt tired or liked the village. One of the phrases we'd been using frequently was (and still using) "We're not tourists, we're travellers", especially during times of bargaining:) After 3 day trekking and seeing all French and German trekkers, dressed special trekking gear and hired guides&porters through which they were also handling their food orders in lodges:), the phrase had been changed into "not trekkers, but travellers". As a bunch of travellers, we needed some rest and had been also complaining about our trekking timing (8:00-17:00) since we hadn't time to travel inside the villages.
After washing and drying our clothes with the morning sun, we had a sunbath until noon. Little walk in the village followed by 'King' lesson for my Arg.s. It was so clear that they hadn't had much experience in card games:) While I was walking to my room, I was feeling anxious to start trekking the next morning.
DAY 5 ( Bagarchhap - 2.160m to Chame 2.670m)
The day started very early for me as I woke up around 05:00 AM. While I was doing some streching moves, I saw the peak of Annapurna II for the first time (7.939m). It made me hopeful for the rest of the day. Before we started trekking, I gave some my clothes ( my favourite green short, sweatshirt, 2 shirts), which were hard to make dry, to the owner/manager of the lodge.
Up to Danaqyu, the 30min. walk was flat and easy. After that we had a long, steep and rocky climb. I was telling myself not to give break until the top. So I did; I was feeling very fit after the rest in Bagarchhap. The climb was followed by a walk in a pine tree forest up to Chame, during which I'd found my trekking stick (a wooden stick) at last. It's a very useful equipment when climbing. When we had been getting close to Chame, Annapurna II showed most of its huge block between clouds. We were so close and almost 5.500m of altitude was between us. I hoped to have a better view in Chame.
Arrived at Chame, the capital city of Manang District, around 14:00. A big town with a bank, post office, etc... It seemed to be the right place to end the day's trekking. Agreed with a newly built lodge, which had a fire place also, with usual terms. Girls were delighted to have the fire (Before Chame no village lights fire or avoids as much as possible for environmental reasons) and I was feeling like it had been weeks since I felt heat on my skin. After we had lunch there, we walked in the town. It's worth to spend some time here.
Day ended in the fire place; unfortunately this time we couldn't have escaped from the crowds. Dutch and French tourists and their guides/porters were also with us. That's why I went to bed a little early than before.
DAY 6 ( Chame - 2.670m to Lower Pisang - 3.200m )
The route started easy and contuinued all day like that. It seemed that we'd finished the hard part until trekking over 4.000 meters. The sad part was that we hadn't had bright sky up to that point, which at the same time made the trip a little bit mystical.
Around 3.000m we saw the great and impressive rock curve, after which the climbing of the valley had finished and we were walking in the 'Peaceful Forest'. As the name implies, the 20 min. walk was really peaceful since the Marsyangdi Khola had weakened and the trail got away from it.
Getting out of the forest we saw Upper Pisang and then Lower one. As the girls didn't want to climb more:), we decided to stay in Lower Pisang and selected the most untouristic lodge. First we got surprised that the prices went lower, but then we realized that there's a airport in Dumre (close to Pisangs).
Except us, just two English? girls were staying in our lodge, who were quiet types. After the walk in the town, 'King' lecture continued. While we were eating our dinner, the manager joined us. He was a 1.65m height & 35 years of age, talkative guy. When I asked him what Chyang meant in the menu, he said "Nepali beer" and invited us to a place in order to drink it. Before I had tried and liked Rakshi , which was introduced as "Nepali wine". It tastes like Saki.
We went to a momo restaurant(during daytime and can be accepted as a bar at night). One Tibetan young woman and 5-6 guys were sitting around the fire. The manager ordered two hot chyang for Julian and me(Girls had decided to stay in the hotel). Guys were already drunk and high as our manager was. Julian and I had been waiting to taste Yak meat for a while, so we asked whether it was possible. Not Yak but dried cow meat,called Landung, we had. The young woman first boiled the dry meats and added some curry after. It was too hard to eat, but it had been so long since we had our last meat:) Nearly an hour we were there; then went to our hotel. All the way the manager told us not to say his wife that he was drunk:) Joined the girls, who were sitting in the kitchen around the fire with the pretty Tibetan lady, wife of the manager. Lots of yak meats were hanged in the kitchen(Getting close to the winter, the villagers starts to hang yak and cow meats on top for 2-3 weeks in order to dry them. In small places they prefer not to sell to tourists). The night ended with some Tibetan and Argentinean love songs, sang by the drunk manager and Renata.
