Day 16. Wed. 19th May. Lunch - Braga 3,360 m. Camp, Manang. 3,540 m. - 11,610 ft.

A morning's walk brought us to Braga with it's 500 year old monastery - imposingly medieval.Not much further and we entered Manang by this old stupa.
We were soon settled in the Hotel Moonlight and with this luxury bedroom in the Yak Hotel.

Phil & I went walking into the old part of town to find a ceremony going on in the gompa. It was the funeral service for an 88 year old Lama. We were invited in and given a cup of rather good yak butter tea.

A half hour's walk in the afternoon brought us to a very old and unused gompa with a splendid decorated yak skull hanging at the door

Day 15. Tue. 18th May. Walk to 4,387 m. - 14,393 ft.

There was a very distinct ridge from camp to a high point in the centre of the valley. We went up it, somewhat short of breath, stopping every hundred metres or so.Sensational views up to Annapurnas II, IV & III and back, across the valley to the Chulu group.
Having left camp 45 minutes after us, Sir Chris stormed to the top about 5 minutes behind!
Then it was a sort of bathtime for the boys. I had a very brief and hugely bracing skinny-dip in the river 'a la Mallory'.

Day 14. Mon. 17th May. Annapurna II Base Camp 3,800 m. - 12,467 ft.; ascent, 520 m. - 1,706 ft.

Phil & me at the lake where we'd camped. On this day - the 50th anniversary of Sir Chris's ascent of Annapurna II with Dick Grant & Ang Nyima - we were heading up the valley to the base camp.After breakfast in the old mountaineering school we got Chris to vandalise one of the beams.
It was an emotional moment on reaching the old base camp. Here is Sir Chris with Malcolm and Andy Grant, son and grandson of Dick Grant, his fellow summiteer of 50 years before - to the day!

The sun setting behind Annapurna III.

Day 13. Sun. 16th May. Tea - Ghyaru 3,670 m. Lunch - Ngawa 3,660 m. Camp, Hongde 3,280 m. - 10,760 ft.; ascent, 80 m. - 265 ft.

Yet another beautiful morning as we left Pisang for the 1,200 ft. climb up to the village of Ghyaru. We passed a lake reflecting Annapurna II to perfection.We were deep in the heart of Buddhist country with many mani stones - Om mani padme hum.


There was a fairly level track over to the next village of Ngawa.
As we entered the village we had this stunning view of Annapurna III and Gangapurna.
At the village gompa there was a ceremony going on and we were able to sit quietly for 20 minutes or so and absorb the atmosphere.
That evening we reached the village of Hongde and stayed at an old mountaineering school.

Day 12. Sat. 15th May. Climb to 4000 m. - 13,123 ft on the Pisang Peak Route

An acclimatization day so a climb up the route to Pisang Peajk to just over 4,000 m. We started early so got the sunrise on Annapurna II.At the viewpoint Sir Chris got the tripod set-up and we had more team photos.
There was this incredible view, looking back, of the Lamjung Himal 6,932 m., 22,742 ft.
Annapurna II completely shrouded in snow.
Poppy getting up to our high point. Our tents can be seen as little orange dots in the valley at left.
Prayer flags, or Lung-ta. Yellow (Earth), Green (Water), Red (Fire), White (Air/Wind) & Blue (Sky).
Then, back at camp, it was bath-time for Phil.

Day 11. Fri. 14th May. Rest Day. To Upper Pisang Gompa

A 'rest day' so a gentle stroll to Upper Pisang. Here Jon, Krys, Phil, Dave & Poppy pose near the Mani Wall at the centre of the village.The gompa is a recent replacement for the ancient, crumbling one. This village is over 500 years old!
Trumpets and conch shells used in the ceremonies.
The ceiling of the gompa has this mandala decorating it.
Here, a view of Upper Pisang from Lower Pisang.

Day 10. Thu. 13th May. Tea - Bhratang. Lunch - Dhukina Pokari. Camp, Lower Pisang, 3,200 m. - 10,500 ft.; ascent, 530 m. - 1,740 ft.

Another beautiful morning. In places the trail was carved out of the solid rock.After morning tea we crossed a bridge and turned a corner to face this massive wave of a cliff - the Paungi Danda or 'Gateway to Heaven'. It's a vast ocean bed of slate that rises 1,200 m., 4000 ft.
Lunch was at a pleasant hotel in Dhukure Pokhari and then on to Pisang which we entered over a nice old bridge.
Our campsite was in a field about 1 km. beyond Lower Pisang. Directly opposite we had a view of Pisang peak - 6,091 m., 19,983 ft.
Behind us, as the afternoon clouds came and went, were the lower slopes of Annapurna II with fantastic flutings and cornices.

Day 9. Wed. 12th May. Tea - Ketho. Lunch & camp, Chame. 2,670 m. - 8,760 ft.; ascent, 80 m. - 265 ft.

We woke to sunrise over Manaslu - 8th highest mountain in the world at 8,163 m., 26,781 ft.Breakfast was outdoors and very pleasant.
Lunch stop was at a place called Ketho only a short distance from our destination of Chame.
We entered Chame to the left of a long Mani wall of prayer wheels.
This was a quintessentialy Buddhist town and very colourful.

Day 8. Tue. 11th May. Lunch - Bagarchup. Camp, Temang 2,590 m. - 8,455 ft.; ascent, 890 m. - 2,920 ft.

Another beautiful morning wending our way up the Marsyangdi river gorge. Plenty of bridges.By afternoon the rain set in again and we reached Temang soaked. The bags were delayed so I was freezing in shorts & T shirt. Eventually rugged up and we had dinner in a building with no lights!
Phil & I, however, were always comfortable in our tent.

Day 7. Mon. 10th May. Lunch - Chanje. Camp, Tal. 1,700 m. - 5,575 ft.; ascent, 540 m. - 1,770 ft.

A pleasant start to the day then in the afternoon the rain came down.A big climb past a torrent brought us over a ridge onto a plateau. The rain stopped, the river meandered and the village of Tal sat quietly next to it.

Just the time for Sir Chris to start his Bridge school. So! Not only physical anguish, but mental anguish too.

Here Dave, Ian & Krys sit under the watchful eye of Sir Chris.