Morocco, and especially seeing M’Goun from Jbel Sarhro, had reawakened a desire to be in high mountains again. Right there and then I’d decided I would go to Nepal the year after. So in 2000 off I went to Nepal to “do” the Annapurna Circuit.
The trip was very memorable for a number of reasons. Annapurna is a magnificent mountain and Torung La with its crossing at 5415m is a weird experience for someone who has lived below sea level all his life. Then, coming down from Torung La, one rounds a corner and there is Dhaulagiri. It is immediately obvious that it’s big. Just how big only sinks in when one takes a map and sees that it’s not even on it.
While in Nepal I experienced the first signs of the later troubles. Maoist rebels were undertaking the first attacks by then. I myself witnessed only some Maoist graffiti by the way. The year after I was there, Nepal’s crown prince murdered most of his family and took over. I sincerely hope that the country will know peace and prosperity in the near future. Now, in 2019, it seems to be doing well.