Finished

Day 16 Ghorepani to Sundame

Elevation Change:  -5906 ft.

Elevation of Sundame:  3510 ft.

Distance: 7 miles

Time:  5.5 hrs.

This was our last long day of hiking.  I was ecstatic at the prospect of a coming end to this trek.  We got up early again, at least I did, the wife was too sleepy to get up at 0500 for an early morning hike.   I hiked up to Poonhill for one last spectactular mountain sunrise.  It was a pretty tough hike.  It took me about an hour to get up to the top and about 30 minutes to get down, but the view was totally worth it.  Nothing like sipping a warm cup of tea on top of a mountain while watching the sunrise.  I wish the wife was there to experience it with me but it was fantastic none the less.  Unfortunately, after I got back to the guest house and had breakfast, we had to head out for our final long day of hiking.  And boy was it a long one.  Another 6 hours to get from Gorepani to Sundame.  All downhill. 

 It sounds nice right?  Only problem is that nothing in Nepal is gradual.  It’s all straight up and straight down.  Sure I was enjoying the first 2 or 3 hours of the hike.  I was like, this is easy.   After so many difficult hikes, this downhill stuff was no problem.  Then 3 hours turned into 4, and 4 into 5, and 5 into 6.  By the end my knees and quadriceps were so sore that I could barely take a step.  I was hobbling around like I was 60 years old.  Aside from that, it was a good last day.  The town we stopped in only had two guest houses.  It was run by an old lady and her daughter in law.  Me and Chantra sat in the shade under some Tibetan prayer flags and enjoyed our final view of these wonderful mountains.  We contentedly waved at the children running by as the sun set behind us.  With sore legs and full hearts our trek had finally come to an end.  What a wonderful experience.