We’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain… Annapurna Circuit, Himalayas, Nepal

We woke up to birds calling in the day while the valley was still shrouded in shadows of sleepiness. A tiny light glowed from a tiny home on the opposing mountain side, a slope so steep it seems uninhabitable.

Jordana led a satisfying and much needed yoga session on the grass patio looking across the valley, majestic peaks layering the backdrop and offering grounding energy.

Because the group was tired and hurting from four days of strenuous trekking, our guides provided jeeps to shuttle us down the mountain in lieu of a 5th day of hiking. Whoa… what a ride it was! To call it “exciting” would be an understatement. “Roads” were wide enough for just one vehicle, cut into the cliffs where you can see straight down, sans guardrails. The jeep rocked back and forth as we bumped over huge stones, sank into mud, swerved toward the precipices to avoid potholes. Some of the porters climbed onto the roof and sat with the luggage for a better view. Just another day at work for them. The rest of us hung on for dear life. Our hilarious Nepali driver heard our frequent gasps of dismay as we tilted over rocks toward the edge. He calmly assured, chuckling in his charming accent, “Do not worry. I have seven years experience. There is no problem. This is like main highway. This is Nepali natural massage,” and burst out laughing as he executed a three point turn around a hairpin switchback. Right. No problem at all. At this point we were all thinking walking might have been easier on the nerves. David, our retreat leader and meditation guru, got us through with sage advice and plenty of laughter

At this moment, an eagle flew level with us about 30 feet away, an auspicious sign. We have seen so many eagles here every day.

A common and consistent site here are dogs. Unlike other poor countries, the dogs here are well kept and healthy. Most appear to be from one of two breeds:

Burmese mountain dogs or small white dogs terrier/Pomeranian mix.

Back at the Temple Tree Hotel in Pokhara, we relished proper bathing with hot showers, a dip in the pool, and massages at the local spa overlooking Pokhara Lake where another eagle glided on the air currents. Well deserved, my friends.

Dinner at the excellent @OR2K restaurant featured lake views and a menu covering a wide variety of ethnicities, low tables and seating cushions on the floor. We celebrated our accomplishments this week with bonds that grew dramatically since meeting one another on day one. Deep friendships have been made and will be cherished for years.

That’s all for now.

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Love, Wen