Pokarah - Nepal

As you will have gathered from reading Sho's post, we have safely arrived in Nepal! It is everything we expected and a whole lot more besides! We have both decided that even after only spending just 2 nights here, it is easily the highlight of the trip so far. The scenery is amongst the best we have ever seen (although admittedly on a par with Zermatt in Switzerland and the views from a perfectly clear Helvellyn summit), the people are incredibly friendly and the food is excellent!
Friday am, we get a mountain flight to the village/settlement of Jomsom, located at an altitude of 2.5 thousand metres for the start of our 10 day trek back to Pokarah. We're both looking forward to stretching our legs and hopefully finding some even better views of Annapurna and the surrounding mountains.
The lake (Phewa Tal) on which Pokarah sits, is remarkably like Ullswater in the lakes (a favourite haunt of Sho and I), although with higher mountains and much warmer weather! Yesterday, we took a rowingt boat out in to the lake for an hour - we had a really chilled out romantic day, with beers afterwards in the setting sun!
Today was spent (rather studiously) at the local "International Mountain Museum", a 10 minute taxi ride down some of the narrowest, bumpiest streets we've ever seen. Inside are housed various displays relating to the first ascents of the world's 14 highest peaks and the stories and gear behind them. However, in addition to this, they also have some pretty decent exhibitions detailing the geology of the area and also features that shape the environment such as Glacial Outburst floods (sorry to sound the boring geographer) and also fluvial patterns etc. We were both in our element though, and were able to test our knowledge on the aforementioned subjects, as a result of us both studying these processes at university. In addition, I was also ashamedly pleased to see detailed geological maps of the country! Sad hey!
Later on in the afternoon we spent a considerable time traipsing around the innumerable outdoor gear shops looking for a waterproof jacket for Sho, for our trek. Of about 30 shops, we have narrowed it down to one - the only jacket in the whole of Pokarah which is small enough to fit such a dainty little frame! Anyway, tomorrow we're going to go and sort it out, and are preparing to bargain hard. (Not like we need to - the gear here is unbelievably cheap even at their first price!!)
Anyway, there might not be internet cafes on the trek, so this could potentially be our last entry for a while,(10 days ish), but fear not! We will be updating when we get a chance, with photographs as well hopefully!

Look after yourselves,
Rich and Sho

Mum Holland - The text that you sent me whilst we were in Lumbini and i rang you about keeps getting sent to me over and over again. (must be about 40 times now). Maybe you should check that you're not getting charged for it every time?

Nan - Hope max is looking after you, and he doesnt mind too much the invasion of his second home by a cat? Sho was commenting today on her white linen trousers you took up for her - she reckons they look professional, and says they are a perfect length! Maybe you should charge her next time? Will ring you next time were at a telephone.

Sho's bit
Hi. Just to let you know how fab Nepal is. You should all come here. It is a million times cleaner and easier to survive here than India! I love it. The people are so unbelievably friendly and don't try to rip you off all the time. The climate is perfect... not too hot and not too cold, the scenery is breathtaking and the food is fantastic. Also the company (Rich ) makes it even more perfect! sorry 2 be soppy! lol (think it may be the Everest beer!)
We will DEFINITELY be coming back!

Love to you all
Dobber
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx