The family that runs the lodge in Bhandar are the noisiest lot I’ve come across in Nepal. The matron who oversees the business good naturally yells her orders at every one of her offspring who in turn have crying babies and a particularly annoying three year old who wants to be entertained by the guests and if she isn’t will yell as loudly as her grandmother. My fellow travelers, however, are a delight with a Frenchman who lives in Japan, a gorgeous looking Japanese lady who lives in Australia and a Canadian who is fluent in Nepali. We have a great time swapping tales of travel and misadventures. And later in the evening, the noisy family makes up for it by serving the best Dhal Bhat I’ve had this trek. Unfortunately, the noise returns with a vengeance at first light this morning and by six o’clock everyone is up and having breakfast. An hour later I’m yet again climbing skyward to the last pass between me and Shivalaya. The ongoing road works have destroyed the trail in quite a few places but I just keep heading up in the general direction of where I think the trail should be and an and a half of walking sees me on top. It’s windy and I don’t linger for long. My last downhill of the trek is steep and hard on the knees but in many ways similar to the climb up with road building and it’s associated trail destruction everywhere. Just before lunch, I arrive in Shivalaya the end of the trek, tomorrow I’ll be on the bus to Kathmandu.