Tatopani to Shikhe – Higher and Higher, Baby

It’s a living thing. Thanks Jeff.

Up early and I couldn’t resist another English breakfast, which included potato curry, masquerading as hash browns. Great start to the day.

The valley looking back was beautiful in the morning light.

Off up the mountains again today, but not too far, up to Shikhe. Four and a half hours walking up to 7,000 feet again. But we can take our time and enjoy the views. The temperature is still warm and the sun is not too hot in a bit of haze and the breeze is very light. Perfect. 

We had to walk downstream from Tatopani to reach the bottom of another valley coming down from the left hand side. 

Walking down the road Jet looked like a chic trekker from Chelsea.

Then we crossed the river on the signature swinging bridges, which have all been fantastic apart from the first one weeks ago! The climb began, up the right hand side of this valley and quite steep. Luckily the altitude was low for Nepal and we felt fit after the hard work of the last two weeks. Looking back a baldy old bloke got in the way of my photo. Ignorant get. 

The warmth plus rucksack equalled sweaty Betty, and some strain in the tough climb. After half an hour we headed up towards a Hindu temple. Iconic buildings.

This was jungle country, and walking up the path with my head down I came across a black snake with a yellow dot on the back of its head. It scooted a bit quick, fortunately, pursued by a manic Prem wielding his walking pole like a magical snake disabling device. If he’d hit it likely as not that it would have turned on him. Down in the valley there were terraces of rice paddy fields and lush vegetation.

Prem and Suraj (just discovered we’re spelling and pronouncing his name wrong) wandering down the road like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Raindrops didn’t keep falling on their heads.

And even at 7,000 feet it’s a warm climate until the depths of winter, so locally grown sweet corn needs drying out to make into popcorn and corn bread, among other things.

Nepal is rarely quiet. The cicadas make a massive noise in the jungle and forests. The rivers continuously roar down the gorges, giving a background rumble, even in the higher villages. The traffic, even in rural areas, hoots and hollers. But on top of the mountains peace reigns. Nepal – Never Ending Peace And Love.

The one sound that is good not to hear is a helicopter coming up the valley. It might be supplies for the villages without a track, like Ghorepani, or someone is ill, injured or worse. We had heard a few over the last couple of days.

We arrived at Shikhe for a late lunch and we loafed all afternoon.

It’s that fat bloke again.

All that was left was to eat dinner early and get an early night, 8pm. That’s an early neet!
Neet neet.