“Bistare, bistare – jum jum.” – “Just go slowly slowly”. That’s probably the sentence I have heard most during the last week.

After 12 days, 97 kilometers mainly uphill – partly “Nepali flat” (which means continuously up and down) and about 20,000 stone steps we finally made it – “bistare, bistare” up to Annapurna Base Camp at 4.130 meters and back.

Target of the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek is the southern Annapurna glacier, which is lying directly in the back of Annapurna Base Camp. Actually you can hear the spooky crackling noises at night.

Being at the Base Camp you can see some of the highest mountains in the world directly in front of you:

• g. Annapurna I (8,091 m – 9st highest mountain in the world)
• five more 7,000 ones
• and the Machhapuchhre (6,997m) – a mountain which was never climbed by a human beeing

Just in front of the ABC you can see numerous memorials for climbers which died in the mountains on their way to the tops.

After one night with -15 degrees outside and no heating inside we go „bistare, bistare“ back to Pokhara. At 2.900 meters just behind the little village called „Himalaya“ you can notice a change of the countryside – starting from a rocky desert the vegetation is changing primary to bamboo forests, afterwards little gardens with potatoes, onions and grain are welcoming us.

Despite all the pleasure of having made it I am actually happy to be back into civilization. The more we are heading down the more comfortable accommodations are awaiting us. Arriving in Pokhara I just feel happy to:

• have a shower with hot water
• sleep at night without 3 layers of clothes and two sleeping bags
• dring mineral waters
• use a western style toilet
• eat some meat

I have to admit that I am really proud of myself having done that. On my way I met so many amazing people and thanks to my guide Tulsi and my porter Lal I got to know more about Nepali culture and habits.

After an amazing time in Nepal I am flying out on Sunday – but not as scheduled to Malaysia but to Singapore to get my China visa done. Always this office work to do 🙂