Annapurnapage1

Day 1:

Day one had us out of bed by 6:00am and walking to the bus stop for our ride to Dumre. As we walked, we wondered how we would find the right the bus as we say many "tourist" buses lined up along the rode. We should have learned by now, if you are tourist, they will find you....for a cost. A young boy with a tray of fresh doughnuts on his approached us asking what bus we on. After showing him our ticket he lead past the mass of buses right to ours...so we bought some doughnuts. What a salesman! Immediately another man wants to look at our ticket and sweeps our back packs to the top of the bus. "20 rupees each bag" he says, but didn't ask for your help. That is the plan catch you off guard and appeal to your conscience. It worked-we payed him. Once on the bus we soon headed out. Early morning Kathmandu is mass of people of moving vegetables, goods, goats, cows, the military out for jog....we are glad to be heading out of the city.

The buses chokes and pulls as it works its way out of the valley. It passes everyone possible and soon becomes part of line buses headed out as well. As the sun is rising and so are we, we see the blanket of smog coveing the valley. We crest and begin descending the other side. Do the brakes work! We will know in a couple of minutes and we round the corners, still passing any vehicle in site and hugging the rode, inches from the drop off. No problem of course, but settle in deciding it is better to nod off than watch the driver and road. Too stressful. The ride affords more clips of everyday life. People washing clothes in the river, hauling goods to and from the markets we pass in the many villages. A quick stop for a break and we are off again. The restroom at the stop had sign outside of it that curiously read "Do Not Breath". Don't ask just follow directions. The "tourists" bus have evolved as easy way for travelers to get around. At 200 rupees ($2.50 US) it is cheap for us and is also used by the more affluent Nepali people.

We arrive in Dumre and feel the rush. Off the bus and they hand us our bags quickly and we are greeted by a couple of guys. "This your first time in Nepal?", "Yes" we hesitantly reply, "Going to Besisahar? This way". We reluctantly follow. They show us the bus, help us with our bags (there has got to be catch, right?). We want a ticket for us and our bags and they reply "400 rupess". That can't be right "Tourist bus with T.V....special bus" They press, we are tired, we pay. Can you say ripped off! The real cost should have been 150 rupees. Brad fumes, Jen says who cares it is a whole 3 dollars. We will revisit this scenario later.

The bus winds and stops often as people get on and off. A police check point. All the locals off, but we get stay seated. They are not interested in us. We finally reach Besisahar at 5pm in the everning. Off the bus and we are assulted by men with cards to their hotels. We were the only tourist off the bus and they need business. We leave the crowd as we are directed by the police officer to the check in point. Thank god it is in a small hotel. We sign in and decide to just stay there. We retire the quite and calm of our room. Relief! Tommorrow we will head out early on our first day of the trek. Later have dinner and explore the town at the head of the mountains. It serves as the jump off place for things headed up at the trail.

Our hotel owner tell us that there are 8 tourists in Besisahar (2,493ft.) right now. Durning the trekking season there will be 200. But not this season. All the pulling from people is a sign that the tourists are absent and their businesses are in trouble.

Brad's Journal entry:
"Besisahar, Mountain View Guest House: 2pm
We are finally here. I feel pretty nervous (about the Moasit stuff). I think once we get on the trail I will settle down. I find it real hard to deal with the bondardment by the hotel owners. Our guest house owner said there are only 8 tourists in town. In a normal year this would be good for us, but with the Maoist stuff it could mean we are obvious targets. There has been no evidence of them hitting tourist so we could benefit and have the whole place to ourselves. Tomorrow we will start walking and see Manasul as we hike, how exciting!"