Part 11 - The Annapurna trail...or highway?

After our porterparty in Marpha, we leave early in the morning by jeep. From Marpha, we go to Beni and from beni to Pokhara. In 2000, we already visited Marpha. At that time, Marpha was a lively place full of backpackers walking the Annapurna trail to Beni. However, in the meantime a lot has changed. Now there is a truckroad from Jomson to Beni. The result: people take busses or they catch a plane to Pokhara. Marpha, a former lively place, has turned into a somewhat depressive, silent village. Shop keepers are desperately clinching you: "Please have a look!" Hmmm. I feel sorry for them.

We think the trip to Pokhara will be easy....After a 3 hours drive by jeep, we have to change vehicle. Due to local regulations, we have to transfer to an other transportation company. We are wondering what all those people are doing there. Quite busy isn't it? Soon our enthousiasm is tempered. There are local disagreements about transportation fees and competitive structures, so there is no transport between Beni and Ghasa. This sucks. We just have to sit and wait. After more than 2 hours waiting, we all are sick of it. Our guide suggests that we should spend the night here. No f###**ing way! We want to go to Pokhara and stay there for two relaxing days. Suddenly (I still do not know where this guy came from) a white jeep shows up. He wants to take us to Beni. May be it is very illegal and we are running the risk of being stopped by local police or angry busdrivers. Who cares? The trip is exhillarating. Because of the heavy rainfall, the road is a dirtroad (read: mud river). Deep puddles and potholes, river crossings - it's an adrenaline kick. We feel sorry for all the hikers we see along the road. This Annapurna trail is not our cup of tea.

In the evening, we finally reach Beni. It is a overcrowded, dirty village. After buying Snickers, Pringles and apples, we are ready for the last part to Pokhara. We enter a local bus and that is a good choice. The driver is a wacko jacko who drives like a madman. I am glad its dark right now, so I can't see the breathtaking depths.

Late night, we arrive at Pokhara. Two days nothing but relax. We like the place. In 2000, we visited Pokhara only for a short stop. The atmosphere is still a bit hippie-like. Though as touristic as Kathmandu, the air is fresh and clean. The first thing Rick wants to do is going to the barbershop. I like his beard; it suits him very well, but he wants to get rid of it. I'll sit and wait. The other hairdresser remarks that I must be shaven too. Huh? What does he think? I have some (blond) facial hair on my cheeks and my upperlip. He has a traditional manner to remove it, he says. Ok, I decide to go for it.

I still regret that choice. Sitting in the chair, the barber takes a piece of thread and starts to move it over my cheeks. The thread curles up because he twirles it with help of his hands and teeth. AUW AUW AUW This hurts! The tears pop up in my eyes. I'm smiling a bit but that is all fake. He continues to remove the hairs between my eyebrows and my upperlip. Please please stop torturing me. Finally, I am a smoothy. That's for sure. No single hair is left on my face (except my eyebrows). I feel soft and smooth but I had to suffer for it. The barber grins and says the first time is a bit painful. I am a tough cookie, but this will not be repeated!!! Rick thinks it's funny.

After two days Pokhara, we fly back to Kathmandu. The same evening, we catch the plane back to Holland. Bye Nepal. See ya!