Failed attempt at trekking #1
The plan was 4 nights/5days of trekking to view Poon Hill, 10,531 feet. At 6,000 feet I hit the wall. Literally, I could not take another step. I had a horrible headache, nausea, dizziness, and was suffering from dehydration. My 14+ years of living in Florida has definitely affected my lungs. I ended the trek at stayed at a lodge for two nights to get well enough to go back down the mountain. The lodge was beautiful, brightly colored with flowers in flower pots lining the entire lodge. It overlooked several mountains filled with rice paddies and huts. The room was 6' X 10', the walls made of thin ply and wooden planks. There were gaps and you could see into the next room. The ceiling was a sheet of tin. The bed was 2 1/2' wide with a 2 inch mattress. The only other thing in the room was a single light bulb hanging by the wire. Not that it was necessary as there was no electricity or outlets. I sat there and watched the other trekkers making their way up the hill. Senior citizens, overweight tourists, and even a blind person passed me by. This trek may have failed, but the next trek will be better planned out. The time spent at the lodge was quite enjoyable and it allowed me some quiet time that I so desperately needed.
Going back down the hill wasn't as easy as you would think. The path is mostly big rocks which do not provide good traction at all. My trekking poles saved me a couple of times from falling. I ventured out onto a swinging bridge over a gorge. I'm glad I had the experience and now can cross that off of my bucket list. I won't be doing it again! The lodge at the bottom of the mountain was amazing. I spent two nights there, mingling with other trekkers and the owners of the lodge. They helped me (quite patiently) with my Nepali. They were appreciative that I knew more than Hello and Thank You. Two months of Nepali lessons finally paid off! This lodge was so beautiful. Once you entered into the courtyard, the columned stairs rose two stories. On all four sides were rooms and the middle of the courtyard was open to the sky. It looked like a hidden garden. My room was in the very top of the lodge; I can only assume it was once a storage space. I climbed a ladder to get to the top and had to swing up onto my floor from the ladder. The bathroom was down two flights, across the courtyard. My room overlooked the village square and the river. The views were worth the climb to get into my room. The room was so much nicer than the other lodge, even though the bathroom was a hike and a climb away.
During the trek, I met people from Germany, Britain, Sweden, France, Singapore, and the Czech Republic. The most memorable was a French lady, perhaps in her 70's, that took over the dance floor and joyfully celebrated the completion of her hike with an exuberant dance. That is the type of person that I want to be when I grow up! I had an amazing time and look forward to my next adventure.
