http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/35236 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/35236 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33858 I went to Nepal, a lone 26-year-old female, with one goal in mind - the circuit. I was on a limited budget, so decided against a tour company, guide or porter. It was just me and my backpack at the start of my adventure but at the end I was surrounded by close friends and many happy smiling faces.
I am not recommending doing what I did; I was extremely lucky to find a group of travellers and a guide on the bus to the drop off point, Besisahar. Without these people I would not have made it, I owe my entire experience and possibly my life to those friends and Amore, a local guide from Pokhara. Amore had one client on the trek but took us all under his wing. Having many years of experience on the trail he took us to the best tea houses with the cheapest rates, he held our hands and led us down slippery ‘extremely icy downs’, he always had a smile on his face and a tune to dance to and by knowing the mountains he had every confidence that we would make the pass. Making the pass became more and more important each day we walked. Fellow trekkers were returning from the higher altitude with news that snow had closed the pass, making it too dangerous to cross. With this in mind, the group was scared, it seemed impossible to turn around on this path after we had got so far. Amore had no doubt. The pass day included a huge ascent up fresh snow and an early start in the pitch black freezing hours of the morning. Without Amore, if I had got this far on my own, I would have had no idea of what to do or where to go. That day was one of my best and worst days of my life. It was like the weather held out until that very moment when we reached 5416 metres, the beauty of sunlight glistening on the perfect white snow with a clear blue sky and incredible mountain scenery vanished. The descent was greeted by a blizzard and the snow became muddy slush, an absolute nightmare. However, this is not a story of my adventures on the trail. It is a recommendation for you to have your own adventures on the Annapurna Circuit. If you start like I did, then I send you the best of luck but if you want to be a little bit more prepared and make the most of your trek, send Amore a Facebook message- he might even invite you round for some ‘garlic buttered chicken curry!’]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33858 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33844 I am not recommending doing what I did; I was extremely lucky to find a group of travellers and a guide on the bus to the drop off point, Besisahar. Without these people I would not have made it, I owe my entire experience and possibly my life to those friends and Amore, a local guide from Pokhara. Amore had one client on the trek but took us all under his wing. Having many years of experience on the trail; he took us to the best tea houses with the cheapest rates; he held our hands and led us down slippery ‘extremely icy downs’; he always had a smile on his face and a tune to dance to; and by knowing the mountains he had every confidence that we would make the pass. Making the pass became more and more important each day we walked. Fellow trekkers were returning from the higher altitude with news that snow had closed the pass, making it too dangerous to cross. With this in mind, the group was scared, it seemed impossible to turn around on this path after we had got so far. Amore had no doubt. The pass day included a huge ascent up fresh snow and an early start in the pitch black freezing hours of the morning. Without Amore, if I had got this far on my own, I would have had no idea of what to do or where to go. That day was one of my best and worst days of my life. It was like the weather held out until that very moment when we reached 5416 metres, the beauty of sunlight glistening on the perfect white snow with a clear blue sky and incredible mountain scenery vanished. The descent was greeted by a blizzard and the snow became muddy slush, an absolute nightmare. However, this is not a story of my adventures on the trail; this is a recommendation for you to have your own adventures on the Annapurna Circuit. If you start like I did, then I send you the best of luck but if you want to be a little bit more prepared and make the most of your trek, send Amore a Facebook message- he might even invite you round for some ‘garlic buttered chicken curry!’]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33844 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32303 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32303 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29883 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29883 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28751 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28751 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27058 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27058 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26642 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26642 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26026
You can do it in a day, it's without a shadow of a doubt one of my favourite parts of a five month motorbike adventure across North India

I arrived in style in Pokhara on my Royal Enfield Bullet, with its head-gasket blowing, and being towed by my Spanish Comrade's older 1972 Enfield! It was raining I had resorted to 'monsoon surfing'- this is the practice of being chased by a vengeful monsoon - and it was dark by the time we found a hostel. We awoke to a balcony with stunning views over the mountain peaks, (ok I lie, it was monsoon, so there was a massive cloud, but it really is perfect the rest of the year.)

Five days of near peace and perfection in Pokhara, both bikes sorted and 100 dollars poorer, we followed the scent of Raju the mechanic to Katmandu, about 200km west and one of the craziest cities in Asia.

Rock music, nightclubs and coffee and a great, friendly atmosphere. However, after five days on my shoe-string budget it proved to be a little too indulgent and expensive for me.

I headed south taking me through Chitwan to Lumbini, the sacred birth site Buddha.

I spent just shy of £2000 over five months, however you could spend this on a holiday, rent a good Enfield from the Hearts & Tears club, eat well and sleep in luxury. Stay at Chitwan nature reserve, climb some mountains, it's all beautiful.

Tip: Spare fuel! Ran out of fuel a few times, Spanish comrade ran out more times than me, biggest bonus was during the fuel strikes.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26026 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25084 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25084 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21994 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21994 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20965 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20965 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18666 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18666 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18665 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18665 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17465 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17465 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13817
The staff are friendly, and the large garden is a lovely place to relax and drink tea, to which Suraj likes to add lemon grass from the flower beds. They can recommend great guides if you are going trekking.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13817 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12231
An ox cart from the bus station to a hostel - if you have absolutely all the time in the world to kill - was a once in a lifetime experience (you don't want to do it twice).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12231 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11579 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11579 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10622 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10622