Day 11: The Annapurna TREK Begins! :)

Our van drops us at Nayapool, where I witness my FIRST real hole in the ground toilet. It's a rough one too. BUT, I can now check that "first time" off my list :)  So begins our journey following centuries-old stone steps UP, up, up, and DOWN, down, down, passing through terraced farms all along the route with rotating year round crops of wheat, rice, barley, peas, lentils, and corn along with all kinds of greens, and of course, potatoes. Every mile or so, we pass through the backyards of "mom and pop" teahouses, with colorful tablecloths and geraniums, running water, toilet facilities, chickens, children, and lots of snacks and bottled water to buy. You can also order really good food from a six page menu - the same menu found in ALL teahouses on the Annapurna circuit. Of course we share the trail with buffalo, cattle, goats, women with large woven baskets, and school children running to class. Our porters who are great fun-loving guys, carry nearly all our gear and the pace is slow and steady - with lots of time for photos and chats, breaks, and views - yet we do cover the miles. We stop at the "See You Lodge" in Hille, check in, get warmish showers, and order our first dinner. Best moment of the day was when I spotted two school children RUNNING across a very long suspension bridge ahead of their mother. They were a quarter mile away from me as I stood on a cliff overlooking the bridge. I noticed that they stopped and looked up, waved, and then the fun began. They waved, I waved, they bowed, I bowed, they swayed, I swayed and we copied each other for several minutes - arms circling, blowing kisses, woo hooing. What fun...wish I could have backtracked the last mile and given them both one of the balsa wood airplanes I brought. I will remember those kids :)