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things got better. Sort of.
We ventured beyond the hotel and into amel. I no longer felt as afraid. We exchanged our money for Nepali rupees and headed to a cozy ai res- taurant for dinner. e quiet resto was such a reprieve from the wild streets below — darkly lit (there was a power outage or “load shedding”) and inti- mate, we could feel at home for a few minutes as I had my rst sips of masa- la chai. It was milky, mildly spiced and comforting.
My rst night was memorable, full of unsuccessful bargain hunting, laugh- ter, noise and a tful sleep in a cool, damp room.
e next morning, we took a Green Line bus to the gorgeous lakeside city of Pokhara — a picturesque mountain- side district lined with well-lit shops, delicious restaurants, lovely hotels and a breathtaking view of the Himalayas peeking above Phewa Lake. We spent
a night in Pokhara before beginning a trek to Ghorepani.
e night in Pokhara couldn’t have been better. Quieter and a little more scenic, it was a nice contrast to the
energy of Kathmandu. e hotel was homey and comfortable, the shops were welcoming (but still required heavy bargaining) and the restau- rants were great. In fact, our pre-and post-trek meals in Pokhara — always accompanied by masala chai — were some of our best in Nepal, with the most memorable being a decadent and creamy butter chicken topped with hardboiled egg slices and served with jasmine rice and steaming naan.
A er a luxurious night in an exceed- ingly comfortable hotel, we le for our trek with our guide, Dawa and our porter, Nima.
Dawa and Nima, it must be said, de- serve awards for their patience — and not only for their patience, but for their reassuring smiles and constant encour- agement during what was indeed a di cult trek with woefully unprepared tourists who were winded a er the rst mild ascent.
When we decided to try a trek, we opt- ed for the four-day Annapurna Con- servation Area hike to Poon Hill, lo- cated near the Ghorepani district. We were told that it was an easier trek, one suitable for most people of all ages and abilities.