Koto: Oh boy, my thighs are aching terribly. I can feel the pain and I know why. Yesterday’s descend was quite stressful. But I am determined to walk. I am already feeling like returning home. Work is waiting for me in Kathmandu. Have to write stories about Nar, the memorable traveling kitchen etc.
At about 8 AM we started descending from Nagwal to Pisang. Then the trail up to Koto was very easy.
After spending a challenging week in one of the remotest and highest located villages of the country, we are back in the popular Annapurna circuit trail. People from different countries in varieties of fashion were spotted in the apparently busy route. Hum, I spotted a very beautiful girl, Japanese probably, in Chame. She and her friends were heading toward were we were coming form. Too bad, I couldn’t even say Sayonara as I was inside the ACAP office. She, I don’t know her name, was really beautiful.
Apart from the Japanese girl, the amazing rock called Swargadwari Danda was the major attraction of the day. I talked with Wanda about the possibilities of climbing up to the danda and that was self satisfactory statement for sure.
It’s been several days that I have been virtually out of contact with news and other activities happening in Kathmandu and rest of the world. It felt strange to be away from news for such a long time. I really don’t know what’s happening in Kathmandu, the capital of the country, where I am sure many things must be happening. Life on the trail is isolated and it has its own dimensions. People crack jokes, laugh hilariously and most of the talks are overwhelmingly dominated by the people and things in the rest of the world. We talk about things that we have experienced before, seen previously. Even if we are far from the world, we still talk about those places, people and activities. I like this song, I like that man and I did this that year! Wow! We are living in our past glories and experiences!
This evening in Koto, I heard something, something similar to radio sound. True, that was a news bulletin from a FM station. FM station? Am I hearing properly? Yes. That was Image FM and it was talking about what Nepali Congress leader Arjun Nar Singh KC said about the fate of monarchy. KC said that the fate of monarchy should be decided by the constituent assembly, not by the referendum. Referendum would give opportunity to king to garner some votes. That is why, he said, Nepali Congress was against the referendum. I didn’t want to hear rest of the bulletin. I don’t know why.
By the way, back in Koto also means the completion of a circuit, Nar Phu circuit. Just like any other member of the team, I am also tired but my thigh, did I mention this before, are really feeling bad. Even Matt is apparently tired and he is putting his head over Brooke’s shoulders and Jenn is taking picture of that scene with Brooke’s camera. The porters are tired too. It was not because today was a long day but because yesterday’s uphill and straight 1600 meters downhill in about three hours.
Folks were literally running on the steep trail that began from Kang La and some of them were walking on dangerous and straight short cut paths. That is why they are also feeling pain on their legs. As I am writing these lines, Jenn is giving neck massage to Bijay and Matt to Brooke. “That feels good,” says Brooke. “Oh, that’s great.” Then: “Thank you.” Matt replies: “No problem.”
Dinesh Wagle on Nepali Society 