Just ME and my Life: Trek through the Himalays with Earthbound Expeditions

Our trip with Earthbound Expeditions, a 10 day trek around the Annapurna Himalayan region, was was very well organized and planned.

They took care of clean accommodations, cultural food, comfortable transportation, experienced trek guides, hard-working porters, etc.,making the entire experience very easy, manageable and catered to
Western tastes, esp. those whom had never been to Nepal before. I definitely wanted to point out our guide, Gopal. He was very caring, dedicated, and always maintained an incredibly positive attitude. He sorted through all the details as to where we stayed, our daily routes/ plans, ordering our food, any extra help, etc.

Our group of twelve was broken out into more or less 3 different groups based on skill and speed, yet, somehow Gopal always managed to be there whenever we needed him. I also noticed how he would never leave the slowest behind, always ensuring their experience was as memorable as those that were faster. I highly recommend requesting him as your tour guide, as I think that singlehandedly can make the difference between a good experience and bad one.

The highlight of the trek itself for us was Poon Hill. Definitely worth the early morning trek up the mountain to see the spectacular views of the peaks over a majestic sunrise. Despite that being the

highlight, the entire trek path was beautiful and with a variety of landscapes including majestic peaks and valleys, water fall/ river-bridge laden trails and vast farmlands. I also suggest stopping at tea-houses and interacting with the locals, even those not planned by the group (if you are ahead of the pack). Do try the Nepali Chai, Ginger Tea, and Warm Nepali bread. Oh and how can I forget the Everest beer at night to quench the thirst.

A few more highlights included the parasailing and boating, in the lovely town Pokhara! Oh and don't forget to take a full body massage from the local massage shops- well worth it and incredible value at around $5 US!

I guess one thing that I will most remember..the sense of everlasting time! Going on this trek, though it was only 5 days, seemed like an eternity. And though when I came back, everyone was going on with life as usual, it really made me validate how fast life is....it was astonishing to hear comments like "your trip was so quick" or "I thought you just left.." especially since it seemed so long for me! Just this by itself was an experience worth having....its very difficult to get that in the US or any developed country...and it also reminded me of my grandma, sitting with her during our time together, and just gazing out over the balcony..endless time. Its a precious commodity.

All in all, recommend this group and look forward to using them again in the future, perhaps for an Everest Base Camp trek. The entire trip will be an everlasting memory for me!

And, if you would like more detail about the trek, I recommend you visit my friend Sarah's blog. It has much greater detail about it, and will give you more perspective:

1. A few hightlights from Nepal:
http://ilmiosognonelcassettoblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/a-few-highlights-from-nepal/

2. Welcome To Nepal, First days in Katmandu
http://ilmiosognonelcassettoblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/welcome-to-nepal-first-days-in-kathmandu/

3. Onward to Pokhara
http://ilmiosognonelcassettoblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/onwards-to-pokhara/

4 Trek Day 1: Nayapul to Tikhedhunga
http://ilmiosognonelcassettoblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/12/trek-day-1-nayapul-to-tikhedhunga/

5. Trek Day 2: Onward to Ghorepani
http://ilmiosognonelcassettoblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/trek-day-2-onwards-to-ghorepani/

6. Trek Day 3: Poon Hill
http://ilmiosognonelcassettoblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/trek-day-3-poon-hill/

7. Trek Day 4: Chuile to Jhinu
http://ilmiosognonelcassettoblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/trek-day-4/

8. Trek Day 5: Last Day on the Trail
http://ilmiosognonelcassettoblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/23/trek-day-5-last-day-on-the-trail/

Click here for an album of photos.