Jomosom to Pokhara

I was woken by sunlight tickling my nose and my hopes for a flight rose. At breakfast, we bid the first two of our group farewell who were booked on the second flight. In the meantime, we watched the little airplane of TaraAir come and go. The next two got ready and went to the airport next door. The guides with a weighing machine kept the rest of us busy with our luggage. We were allowed only 15 kg, so the question was not if we have excise luggage but how much. Rumors had it that we would have to leave stuff behind but we were quite confident that there would be a chance to pay for it. 

Heavy winds cloud our hopes

Twenty minutes later, that was of no interest anymore as the remaining flights of the day got cancelled and only the first two were already sitting in Pokhara. Krishna took care to organise a jeep for all of us, our luggage was tied up on the roof and we got in: two together with the driver in the front row, 3 on the middle row and another three on the last row and two in the trunk - we felt like sardines. 

Packing the jeep

So we started our 123 km drive to Pokhara. 

stone bridge

The road being a gravel strip in the riverbed or mountain mud piste nearly washed away by a mud slide. 

The mud slide ...

... already being cleared for us.

Average speed around 15 km per hour. After 4 hours we passed another checkpoint and short after something like a bus/ jeep changing point. We had to get off and while the next jeep was arranged had lunch. 

last checkpoint of the Annapurna Trekking area

The next jeep was even smaller and so I ended up sitting in the trunk with the guides and two of our group. It was the best part of the trip down - we heard music and talked in English and Hindi. 

Outside the landscape ...

... got greener.

And so another four hours passed and the road got slightly better. 

Bus/ jeep changing point

We changed the last time and got on a mini bus that had more seats than necessary for us - what a luxury! Another two hours and we reached Pokhara. This time we were staying at hotel Snowland on the Main Street. 

The early morning flyers already awaited us. Most of the group were exhausted and went to bed, but I joined some for a Nepalese dinner around the corner before calling it a night.