A Fat Cow and a Happy Yak

Short Version:
We walk from Pisang to Manang, via the High Road.

Stats:
Total Walk Time Day 7 = 6:30
Cumulative Total Walk Time = 32:00
Beer Time = 16:00

Long Version:
Pisang Morning:
Up early.
Everyone else we speak to is taking the low road to Manang. We, of course, are taking the high road. And to make it even worse, I've promised not to complain.

The vultures were circling by the time we reached halfway up the hill, which was nowhere near as scary and grim and depressing as it sounds; it was actually rather spectacular, with a bunch of the big carrion birds punctuating their effortless thermal drift with occasional sweeping dives towards some tiny critter on the hillside below us. From the Buddhist stoupa at the top of the hill we could still see the birds, and had yet another panoramic mountain view; Khangsar, Tilicho, Chulu East, Pisang, and Annapurna II and III were all basking in the brilliant sunshine.

We rested for a shorter time than most - mainly cos we'd walked slower up the hill than most - and then set off across the face of the hill towards a cluster of holy buildings full of demons and spinning tops. Then lunch with Swedes at Ngawal, although not before we'd fought our way past a recalcitrant path-blocking fat cow*.

And then oralo! Downhill and downhill and downhill! Sun is shining, nice breeze is blowing, we're walking downhill! Hoorah! Now if only these arsehole Czechs would stop powering past us at inappropriate passing spots and then stopping for a rest before setting off to pass us again...

Still, we saw an eagle, we saw our first yaks, WE SAW THE HAPPY YAK BAKERY!!!

And then we reached Manang, although not before some kids tried to rob Nene of all her sweets while she was photographing baby cows at Braka.







* An actual bovine, not an obese lady