Trip to Nepal
October 2006
Day 15- Kagbeni to Marpha
Kagbeni to Marpha continued the trip in the breadbasket area of Nepal. The trail passed through Jomosom, which has an airport and is a large enough to be considered a city, I think. A number of people fly into Jomosom and then hike down the West part of the Annapurna circuit, or do part of that and cut inwards to the Annapurna Sanctuary area. Due to the daily high winds, the airport closes at 10AM.
Marpha is known for its orchards, and they produce brandy with plums and apples. I sampled the apple brandy and can testify that it has plenty of kick, and the price for a liter is 80Rs ($1.10USD).
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Goats going over a suspension bridge outside of Kagbeni. | |
| This guy was carrying a breakfront with glass doors from one town to another. This might be the bulkiest item I saw anyone carry. I also saw someone carrying a 6 foot high refrigerator far away from a town. I was told a story of someone who bought a refrigerator in Kathmandu , and the store said they'd deliver it later that day. She ran into traffic on the way home, and when she arrived the refrigerator was waiting for her - it had been carried to her house by someone on his back. |
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Flat, wide open landscape. | |
| Coming into Marpha.. |
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A Buddhist ceremonial area high on a hill overlooking the town. On the way up, I passed through a large petrified forest area, although I never heard about it from anyone else. | |
| A view from the hill looking down on the town - that's wood that is surrounding every rooftop. |
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As to why there is so much wood piled up on the houses, someone told me that it's a sign of wealth and conveys status. Or, maybe it's just so the wood is close by during the winter. | |