Trekking in Annapura

So, I've now finished my placement in Kathmandu, and my brother has come to join me in Nepal! 

We took off to do some trekking through the Annapurnas - a gorgeous area just north west of Kathmandu, where Annapurna I resides - rising up to a staggering 8091 meters, eighth highest in the world.  It was a beautiful experience, staying at locally run teahouses along the path - some of which had more amenities than others!  Some even had showers, sometimes warm, too.  Our path took us from Pokhara to Muktinath Temple, staying along the way in Hile, Gorepani (including a 5 am Poon Hill summit!  Yowsers!), Tatopani, Ghasa, Jomson, and Kagbeni.  Our hilarious Nepali guides, Prakash and Gobinder, led us along the path, keeping us well informed, highly entertained, and well taken care of.

We emerged at Muktinath Temple on Day 6, where the tree jungle landscape expires and becomes a dry desert like Tibetan plateau.  Very interesting, especially given the uprising in Tibet right now.  The scenery was a visual feast, as we trekked alongside a near dry riverbed, that swells up in monsoon season (fast approaching), as it turns through the Himalayas.  After climbing our way to nearly the top of the pass, we reached the temple, which provided astounding views of the entire mountain range.   Then, we went (of course) for tea, and descended down the path to Kagbeni for the night.  After reaching Jomson, we flew back to Pokhara to begin the next portion of the trip - a 4 day kayak adventure camping trip/clinic down the Seti River, toward Kathmandu!