The day started with relatively clear skies and good views across the valley where the ak, ak, ak of a rock breaker starts off first thing in the morning. To the locals this is progress to me it’s just environmental destruction. I understand people like to be able to travel to and from their homes easier than having to take a three-day walk but road building in Nepal is always done with zero environmental safeguards and not a lot of engineering either. The result is normally that during the monsoon large sections of road slip down the hill and take everything below with them.

The weather deteriorated rapidly once I got walking and soon clouds rolled in. The trail climbs to a pass where I was planning to stop for lunch and the higher I went the thicker the clouds got then it started to rain. Damn, I don’t like walking in the rain my glasses fog up so I can’t see, the path gets muddy and the rocks get slippery. I put my rain gear on and keep walking. Not much choice it’s at least another hour to the nearest village. Just before I get there I meet a Swede who has slipped over and is covered in mud. Luckily he is otherwise alright. We slide into Pothana and seek shelter in the nearest lodge.