Chamje to Dharapani

We ascend with the river. The steep sides of the valley, a barrier from the surrounding countryside are broached by numerous waterfalls. The river cascades a turgid grey – the colour of run-off from a cement mixer.

The sky is hazy and the weather is mild, cooler than the previous days. Our path is a gash on the steep valley wall, sometimes cutting into the rocks.

We head up through a wooded area. Beside the path are the white flowers of wild strawberries.

We enter the Manang district and descend to the floor of the valley which is now flat and wide. The valley sides are cliffs of rock. We pass through a village on the valley floor. I wonder that it doesn't get flooded in the monsoon season this close to the river. The river meanders through the valley floor. It is much narrower than it was a few days ago.


We climb out of the valley again, back to narrow paths and we cross the river again, and continue our gradual climb.

At a village, the road is blocked ahead as they are blasting. Each year there are landslides in the monsoon season and the road needs to be cleared again.

About a hundred people, a mix of locals, porters and trekkers, and about thirty horses are gathered waiting. Beyond the barrier, in the distance three small children run across a high suspension bridge. They bound along the path laughing. Soon they join us.

There has been dust in the air all day and I can taste the grit of it against my teeth. A few more minutes and there is a loud boom. Then a second boom. There is a cloud of dust in the distance. Then the path is open and we continue on our path across the bridge to our lunch spot.




It's a long wait for lunch but we appreciate some time to rest. After lunch we climb up narrow paths. We hear the clatter of rocks on rocks. Across the river, a dozen men are clearing a road. They are attacking a large rock with crowbars. They are trying to pry it loose and send it tumbling into the river below. We wait a bit hoping to see the mayhem but it takes too long. We continue on our way.



We cross the river again and climb. Finally we arrive at our accommodation in Dharapani and we relax.
That night we celebrate a birthday dinner for one of our party.

As well as the obligatory "Happy Birthday", our porters and guides sing a popular Nepalese song

Resham Firiri
Resham Firiri
I am a donkey, you are a monkey
Resham Firiri

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OhVKQVi07U)