DAY 13- Muktinath to Marpha
Of course, I awakened to rain. Pre-monsoon season rain no less. I don’t think that Muktinath sleeps. All night I heard sounds of drums beating, cows mooing, dogs barking, water buffalos…making a weird deep horn sound.
We headed out in the rain and had a very long and wet hike to Jomsom, the capital of the Mustang District. I was soaking wet because it was determined by the male contingency that it was too cold and too windy to stop and put on a rain jacket. I was seriously pissed off by the time we finally stopped in Jomsom for lunch. I was very cold and it took over an hour for my clothes to dry.
We headed out from Jomsom under light rain and windy conditions. This time I put on my Gore-Tex jacket. We walked until around 4PM when we arrived at the town of Marpha. This is the nicest town so far. The street is paved with large stones and there are a lot of shops selling Tibetan “stuff”. This area is also heavily influenced by the Tibetans, as was Manang on the other side of the Thorung La.
We camped on the back lawn of a very nice private home/restaurant. Secluded and surrounded by rose bushes and an apple orchard! Totally cool.
Marpha campsite
The cook found out a few days ago that we like chicken. Today he found a chicken (live) somewhere and we had chicken broth, and chicken with pasta and veggies for dinner. The only drawback to this spot is that it’s near the river we’ve been following: The Kali Ghandaki. The wind coming up this valley is apparently legendary! Tell me about it!
I’m tired and still a bit chilled. I’m writing in my journal inside the tent, under the light from the headlamp that my dear friends (the instructors from the Alaska Military Youth Academy) gave me for my birthday last month. Thanks again guys!
The next few days aren’t going to be pleasant. My feet hurt and I have a blister under the nail of my big toe…Ouch! 10 times over. Going to bed now. Billy is nagging about the light and threatening to start farting under the covers if I don’t put it out.
