1/5/09 - 07/05/09 Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal

We are just back from a 7 day trek to Annapurna Base Camp, which is at 4,130m (about 14,000ft), it was amazing! And more amazingly we walked all the way, although the blisters and our sore knees are going to need a bit more time to recover. Now don't worry, it is still the same Graham and Irene you know and love who have been trekking (never thought you would see the day I know, but there you go). But we always knew we'd make it as we have been training hard - I've been to the gym 3 times in my life and Graham has been eating Butter Chicken and Murgh Makahni for the last 4 weeks - no more training needed.

So we set off last Friday with not much research into what we had signed up for, which was really just as well because if we'd known how tough it was going to be I think we may have just gone back to eating Butter Chicken - but as they say ignorance is bliss. However, it became clear pretty quick that trekking in Nepal is not like climbing a Scottish Munro (not that I would know what that is like either), but Graham assured me that it is based around "walk up hill and then walk back down".

The Foothills of the Himalayas however are a bit more annoying and can really get in the way when you are trying to get somewhere. We trekked for between 5 and 7 hours each day but that didn't mean that you would necessarily be higher up than when you had started in the morning (this can get a wee bit disheartening) - as it was climb up, go back down, then climb up again! But we persevered each day and referred a lot to the poem by granny used to sing about "the tortoise and the hare" - not sure if you are familiar with this one but if you are, we adopted the tortoise's methodology with the "slow and sure" approach.

On the way we also picked up a few bits of Nepali terminology from our guide, let me translate for you:- "Nepali Flat" means up and down all the way but it will not kill you and you will come to think of this as easy and, "Little High" means really f***ing steep, with lots of steps which will make you want to cry and your lungs explode (he used little high too often!).

At night we did manage to rest and it also gave us a chance to meet loads of people from all around the world (who could share in our pain) - Koreans (lots of them), Indians, Danish, Germans, Russians, Australians, New Zealanders, French, Slovenians, Americans, Canadians, Ukranians, English and when we reached the top a couple who live round the corner from us in Leith!!! Freaky.

As we climbed higher and higher the accommodation and facilities diminished - no mineral water, showers, hot water, phone signal, oxygen and of course no western toilets!! But we didn't mind when we reached the top as Annapurna Base Camp (or ABC to us eperienced trekkers) is stunning. Or at least being surrounded on all sides by 8,000m high mountains is amazing! We have never seen scenery like it.

But we had to be patient before the mountains revealed themselves to us as for the last 2 hours of trekking we didn't see a thing and the scenery and weather were so like Scotland it was spooky - rolling hills, mist, hail, snow, ice, a muddy path and the only things growing were wee tufts of grass just like heather. The only differences were we were at 4,000m and the air was thin, but this scenery spurred us on as we felt so at home!

It wasn't until we stepped outside in the darkness to go to the toilet that we saw the silhouettes of the mountains, they took your breath away and it gave going for a pee a whole new appeal! Getting up at 5.30am to watch the sunrise was also fantastic - Graham referred to ABC as God's own Ampitheatre!

After breakfast we then started our descent, which was so much faster - what had taken 5.5 hours the day before took 1.5 the next day. Coming back down was so much easier but it wasn't without its drama.

On day 6 we were just about to start trekking when our guide collapsed. This caused us a lot of worry and concern and at first we thought he may be diabetic so we gave him a mars bar! However, when he had a grand mal epileptic seizure an hour later we realised our diagnosis was wrong! This was very scary and we realised how far we were from help - a 2 day trek and an hour's drive to the nearest hospital. It was also a 1.5 hour trek to the nearest telephone point - where's NHS 24 when you need them! Thankfully a couple of Nepali guides stayed back to help and speak Nepalese to our guide. Graham was pretty key in this whole thing as the guides lack of basic first aid knowledge was also a worry - meanwhile I was a sort of headless chicken although I did manage to remember the recovery position and get some Canadians to phone a doctor in Kathmandu for us. So to cut a long story short our guide recovered and was able to trek out himself and the trek ended safely for us all!!! We even managed to relax in the Hot Springs further down - fantastic!

Overall, this was an amazing experience and we are very proud of ourselves for making it to where real intrepid explorers start being intrepid!!! (and Dad, Willie, Chris and Eric - you would have all loved it).