Descent

In the morning we checked out. Like everyone else in the valley, our hotel owner told is she was uneducated and it was left to us to total up the bill. We felt a bit guilty about the 40% discount on the menu she had offered us because, although the prices are high on the menus there, she had been so nice and 40% was more than most people were offering. So we decided we would just give ourselves a 30% discount, but the phone charge and the beer were not supposed to be discounted, so we had to add that separately. After adding it up we explained what we had done, but she just glazed over, clearly not following. We had written the part relating to the discount on a loose page so that subsequent guests would not be able to see how much off we had. When we handed over the money, though, she counted it up and then looked very pleased. She may not have followed the details, but she obviously had a fair idea of how much she wanted.

Man and woman with big loads

Curds and whey

The weather was pretty good on the descent as well, and it was much easier going down. Joanne was still struggling with her feet though, but she persevered and kept up a pretty good speed. After a couple of hours, we stopped off at a place selling curd, simply because we hadn't tried any yet. Joanne chickened out and had tea, but the curd was very good, although I suspected that it was mixed with whey. Next we stopped off at the place where the woman had promised us daal bhaat for Rs100 and she kept her promise, and it was very good but she said she didn't actually have time to make daal. Instead she gave us extra vegetable curry which was excellent.

Circle of caterpillars

After lunch we came across a ring of hairy caterpillars, following each other round in a circle, something I've heard they do, but never before seen. In good time we arrived back at Ganesh View, who were pleased that we had returned. We had covered the same distance in one day that we took two days for on the way up, but we had been restricted by altitude considerations on the way up.

Me at Ganesh View

Tiny scorpion in our bed

The following day we expected it to take to time at all, since it had only been one day on the way up. Joanne's feet were much worse again and she claimed it felt like her big toenails were coming off, but I couldn't exactly carry her, so she just had to put a brave face on it and press on. When we got to Landslide the friendly guy there invited us to sit down for free tea. After chatting to us for a bit he asked if we would do him a favour and post a letter for him. I don't know where his nearest postbox is, but I don't think there was one in Syabrubese.

Ganesh View on the way down

Of course we agreed and in thanks he gave us a little hammered brass medallion from his curio stall. Near the bottom we got back to where the thick forests of cannabis were growing; it seemed like they had grown a foot in the few days we had been up the mountain. Back in Syabrubese we booked into the Potala Guesthouse where we had stayed on the way up. We thought we'd be able to get free room as we'd been getting them free the whole way up the valley, but he insisted on charging us Rs50 each. This time we knew to buy our bus ticket the day before to avoid having to sit on the roof on the back. I was actually in two minds about it because the inside of the bus is so uncomfortable.

Heavenly Path

When we returned to the guesthouse after eating Joanne showed me her toenails. They were going black and the did look like they were going to come off. And she'd hardly complained at all!

Heavenly Path

Syabru Bensi, Nepal