To begin a day's trekking at 2,600m and finish the day at 2,600m sounds like an amble on the flat. But this is Nepal and the route plunged down the hillside for 900m before crossing an earthquake damaged bridge over the foaming waters of the abhorrent Khoshi. Then, inevitably, it reared up the other side for 900m before arriving at our night's rest gazing out over the chasm and the village we had spent the night before exactly opposite us. Not exactly a leisurely amble!
Despite the sweat and sore toes it was a memorable day. The morning sunshine sent angled shafts of light through the villages, terraces and forests. The trees were alive with birdsong and we are almost 100% sure that some of our team glimpsed 3 red pandas - a rare sight indeed! Mark clicked his way down the trail with his long lens blazing away just like his crimson birdwatching, camoflage trousers.
Bridges are Neil's Nepalese nemesis and the suspension bridge spanning the river had been substantially modified by the 2015 earthquake. A landslide had demolished one of the belays and ripped out the floor of the bridge. The sagging structure had been patched up with rocks, logs and a bit of scrap crinkly tin. It made for some morning entertainment.
The afternoon was a hot slog back up through the forests, terraces and villages but the reward at our destination was a perfect solar shower, a thickish mattress and 14 hours rest for weary bones.