Ghermu to Tal (Back log - forgot to post)

I've come to the conclusion that most of these guides for the Annapurna trail low-ball you so as not to discourage you from doing it.

Let me show you an example.  Here is an altitude map:

Looks straight forward enough right?

Ah!  WRONG!

These guys don't tell you that you will be going up and down switchbacks on the road and god forbid if you chose to take the trekkers trail, you're royally fucked with literally climbing up a mountainside, up steep cliff faces and it can be slick and dangerous as fuck.  

Do they tell you this, NO!

Maybe some of you reading this are saying, "Duh! It is the Himalayas for crying out loud" but when your guide book, let's call it OnlyLa AntetPlay says and I quote, "The rocky trail crosses the Marsyangdi Khola leaving the road on the other side of the valley, and follows the river steadily upstream to Tal (1700m), a former lakebed."  Does that sound that treacherous to you?

Nah, it really doesn't but it gives you no sense that they can potentially be harder than it seems. Only once it makes mention of steep crossing  on a cliff face but nothing more.  

As this is my first major hike - I've also looked on other websites for info but didn't find that much either - I'd say the information on that book was rather lacking.

Going from Ghermu to Syange is easy enough.  Jagat has a few switchbacks uphill but also managable.  After Jagat really killed me because that "cliff face" was a HUGE one made of granite and also had a nice stream running on it so it was at times slick.  Chamje gets worse with those cliffs and Sattele is the same.  Sattele has only ONE inn so you better make your choice then and there if you want to stay or keep on going.

* I stopped writing this years ago and it's 2023 so I'm writing it now looking back on this experience*

We plugged on and kept on going.

It was tough.

And wet.

And SOOOO much uphill.

There were really slippery rocks that had imminent death at the bottom waiting at a rushing river.

THEN, towards the top, at the tent, we saw people wave at us.

We couldn't tell who they were from our standpoint but I was definitely done before we saw them.  Seeing friendly silhouettes at the far distance was enough of a push I needed to motivate me to the top and get to Tal.

It was our two friends Michal and Sveta and they were kind enough to get us tea!

God sent, those two were (I was so tired my English was failing me more than normal)

They said they were waiting for us because they knew we were on the way and then knew it was going to be tough for us, so they got us tea and waited for us. 

Honestly, this moment was what sealed our friendship, I think, in my mind. 

Kindred souls, looking out for one another, though we just met a day or two ago and then this gesture of kindness and empathy still resonates deep within me.

I will always look back at this moment as a highlight and example of meeting people that will look out for you, even though we were acquaintances at that point, but I would do anything for them.