On to Chame, Again! (3/15)

The next day things started to turn for the better. However after moving along at a good clip and under good weather, confusion soon ensued. Hordes of people were marching down, each with a different story: two meters of snow, one meter of snow, the police turning people around, four days sitting in Manang, white out blizzards and waist deep snow. Pick your poison, if any of them were true, our circuit of Annapurna was done.

As we walked, we hopped on and off the “new road” they were building. At the time it was just pieces of dirt roads they hoped to connect into a single road to Manang. At first it sounds horrible and that the trek would be ruined. However, I have to say that every time there was a choice between the old trail and the new road, we opted for the new road and I can’t say I was upset at the prospect of walking on a gently sloped path for a while. The problem would arrive when the cars started traveling it.

As we passed through the town before Chame, I noticed a sign for phone service. It was the first phone I saw in days. Not one to call home on treks, I had started dating my girlfriend Jennifer shortly before my winter travels. Wanting to still have a girlfriend when I returned, I tried to call home when I could. This turned out to be a wise move, as Jennifer is now my wife. I talked for about four very expensive minutes before it cut out. Apparently expensive does not equal reliable. They were unable to reconnect me.

After a quick lunch, that a local dog was eyeing quite hungrily, I went out to watch a bunch of local kids playing street cricket. I introduced them to Guinness beer via my promotional Frisbee that I carried. See, I learned something since Burma. They were amazingly adept with it and enjoyed it immensely. We played for a good hour and without speaking a single word to each other.

The story continues...