Hi CAT and Adventure Zambuling Treks,
I’m recovered from my journey back from Kathmandu last week, and wanted to let you all know how pleased I was with my trek around Manaslu. Our guide Pasang Tamang did a brilliant job of keeping the show on the road every day, and the group was cheerful the whole trip. He seemed to know someone everywhere, which opened a few doors on how people live up the valleys. He kept me informed on the flora (identifying fruit trees, crops, wild caxxxbis et al) and fauna (spotting monkeys, blue sheep, and a pair of snow leopards crossing a snow field below us.) Pasang and I agreed that conditions on the mountain would have to be perfect for us to have a go, and on inspection the conditions were far from that with a massive wall of ice hanging at one side of the top of the access gulley and a cornice overhanging at the other side. Gessman Tamang the climbing Sherpa was disappointed we could not give Larke Peak a go, but pleased our decision may have saved his life when we learned that 4 hours after we passed by the mountain instead of attempting it, a wall of ice at the top of the access gulley fell off, avalanching the gulley and beyond. Our porters Pasang Dawa and Gurung were uncomplaining even through the worst of the unexpected snowfalls on the way down from Larke La. Mr Bhai B. Tamang did a great job of providing support, including relaying messages for CAT to keep Myra informed, bringing forward the egress transport / hotel booking, and personally taking me to the airline office to change my flights home. In addition, when our jeep taking us to Aarughat had a problem 3 hours into the start of the trip, he immediately sent out another one, without waiting to find out if the first could be fixed (good call – it was not fixable at the roadside). It was good to meet Denise at Dharmasala, and very interesting to hear of the Medex group’s history. I met Phulmyra at the CAN Health Post in Lihi, and I was very impressed with her work on treatment and health education, as well as her knowledge and personal standards.
Thank-you very much for such a good service, trekking with such a good bunch,
Regards, Ian