The lodge is already being warmed by the sun when I get up shortly after seven but by the time Nathalie and I are on our way it’s after nine. We slip and slide down the trail but it’s mainly mud rather then the snow and ice I feared. The scenery is awesome with huge Rhododendron trees, enormous cliffs and a clear running creek that from time to time tumbles down the rocks and sprays the trail with a fine mist. While stopped for tea in Banthanti we spot a black and white faced monkey dashing through the small vegetable garden at the side of the lodge and making off with a head of lettuce. The lodge owner banged on a piece of roofing iron and threw stones with remarkable precision but the simian scampered off on a nearby cliff with its price. It didn’t look like the first encounter for either of them. Another hour of decent than a steep climb to Tadapani where the day turned sour. Right now it’s high season and this village is a bottleneck with more trekkers arriving then they can accommodate and none of the parsimonious hoteliers wanted to rent out two single occupancy rooms as they make money from their restaurants rather then the rooms so if a room can sleep two people who could be eating in their restaurant that’s better than one. After a getting a “No” at three or four hotels I had enough and told Natalie I would push on down the trail. She is heading back to Pokhara tomorrow while I am continuing on to Chomrong and if the snow abates ABC. We said our goodbyes and I started off down the hill at a good clip, my knees are protesting a bit but so far they are still functioning. An hour and a half later I was in Siprong the only guest in a twelve room hotel. They were happy to have me.