Manaslu Day 2: Birthday Blast
Interesting day with much of the walking being beneath road work in the mountains where they were blasting rock away causing landslides. At one point, Krishna, our guide and I were in the lead and Lance Collins, my trekking buddy, was 10 meters back. All of a sudden rocks started coming down the mountain in front of us. Krishna turned with a scared as hell look on his face which frightened me. We both covered our heads and hugged the mountain. A minute later Lance came up and asked if we noticed the 3 rocks as big as basketballs coming down right over us. I nervously chuckled thinking this was my birthday and this is not the kind of Birthday Blast I was hoping for.
Later we were stopped by 2 soldiers with automatic weapons because of blasting ahead. I asked the soldier laughing if I could see his rifle and he handed it over to me. Bit of a surprise.
Late in the day on the 8 hour walk I ran into the 2 young Czech guys I had befriended at lunch had their own stove and offered me hot tea. Why not. Nice break before walk up the valley to Jagat.
While the nature and spectacular scenery is stunning, it is the encounters with the friendly, happy people of Nepal that keeps bringing me back.
Some real adventure there! Always look up I say