Training Log: olsoran

Ghoratabela to Chyamki.
A few monkeys on the way up; mules, yaks, horses, too. Choughs overhead. More varied landscape with one steep stepped climb. Stopped at the Peaceful cafe and bakery at Chyanki.Two massive cinnamon buns between the four of us, to go with Masala tea. Staffed by a dumb Tibetan girl and her parents. Super friendly.

Stopped garmin by mistake. Bit chillier today but still maybe 14 in the sun. Now up to 3200m or so. Surrounded by the high mountains with Langtang Tirung (7227m) dominant.

Continued on to Langtang.
Now open country in the valley. Far more grazing ground and lots of stone walls.

Langtang deeply affected by 2015 earthquake. Crossed the area where much of the old village is buried. Many tourists, Nepalese and Tibetans killed here. Then Covid came along bringing further desolation to a very tourist dependent place in a poor country. New village has sprung up and sits in a commanding position higher up looking down the valley. Folk so friendly and pleased to see us. Our guides house in Kathmandu also destroyed in the quake.


Think I might have a new favourite country…outside of Kathmandu that is. And Norway of course. Even beats Norway in some aspects.

Wander round the village …track is only part of it. Indulged in a first coffee(and brownie) in a week just for a change from the teas and dhal chat, and also to give some custom to the Himalayan Cafe & Bakery. Pretty breezy and cold in the wind. Expect -2 tonight.
Now 3500m.

Sherpagaon to Ghoratabela
So glad we took the upper route and stayed at Sherpagaon. Very quiet, a magnificent place to stay in the tea house perched on the high hillside, very friendly Nepalese, and a view to die for. Great dhal bat too.

Route to ourselves as far as Rimche, apart from a couple of mule trains and a local or too. All single track pretty much. Joined the relative hordes on the valley bottom and proceeded up through a varying landscape of ancient forest, the rushing, turbulent river of meltwater, white flowering rhodies and 360 degree views of high mountains. About 20 degrees in the sun, just ideal.

Stopped at Riverside for a spot of chowmein and Masala tea and lengthy chat with Essex boy on 9 month sabbatical.

Basic accommodation at Lovely Guesthouse, Ghoda, with a real mixture of Tibetans, Nepalese (porters, guides and house staff), French and ourselves. No sound proofing and repairs to a door at 6.30 a.m. All part of the deal. The best dhal bat so far.

Just what we came for.
Syabrubesi to Sherpagaon.
Brutal climb straight off the bat. Views to match. Excellent weather although hazy to start. Majestic snowy Himalayan peaks. Lovely pine forest providing shade from hot sun. Porter struggling having not eaten and drunk enough. Gave him some of our water, cashews and apricots. Maybe divine retribution for giving him so much to carry.

Things levelled off but continued undulating with even better views of the high stuff and destination village. Big day but wonderful start.

Sleeping at 2600m tonight.

Some road from Kathmandu! 120k of a mixture of unmade up rough tack, rubble, concrete, precipices, plenty dubious overtaking, pot holes, animals, and anything else you can think of. 5 hours worth. Then a wee jaunt up to the stupa from Syabrubesi. Good to get an overview of the locality.

Much longer than this but too intent on everything to pay much attention to whether Garmin was on or off. More Kathmandu.

Avoiding scooters, mopeds and rickshaws mainly. Lanes and alleyways of Kathmandu. Fueled by ginger tea.