Within these pages you will find photos and stories about my journey through Nepal. Nepal is a small country located between India and the plateau of Tibet. Most people know Nepal as the home of Mt. Everest. Total time in the country was 34 days (26 Feb 01 - 31 Apr 01), with 21 of them being my trek on the 300km/182mi Annapurna Circuit. The circuit was truly incredible and I highly recommend it for anyone who has a sense of adventure. The Nepalese people are some of the nicest people I have ever met, and the kids are so amazing you'll want to bring them home with you. You can book a trip there from afar and pay $$$$, or you can just show up at the airport without a plan, say a prayer, and do a little legwork yourself and save BIG, which is what I did. I didn't skimp much on the trek and I spent a little over $10 a day, with an additional $8 per day that I paid Chandra, my guide. Believe it or not, that $10 paid for 3 meals a day and my lodging. I drank either hot tea or iodine water, with a few cokes here and there, and went completely vegetarian after I saw a goat get decapitated, skinned, and sold by the roadside. I lost a total of 15 lbs. I think I went without a shower for 7 days at one point, and it must have been at least 10 days before it was a hot one. After the trek I went kayaking for 4 days on the Seti river. It was amazing, class 4 rapids and all, even went swimming a few times, but that wasn't by choice. One evening as we were camping on a white sand beach, some local villagers and children came down with a small drum. They sat down in the sand and played their drum and sang while the young women of the village danced for us by candlelight. It was just one of the many moments in Nepal that you never forget.
No doubt that prices have changed in Nepal over the past few years. Consult a recent guidebook to give you a better idea of costs.
If you have any questions about trekking in Nepal or comments about the site, please email me.