It's as easy as ABC Part 2

A knock on the door at 4am reminds us the sky is clear- and the climb to Poon Hill for the sunrise is a Ghorepani institution. The cold bites, but the spectacular vista is more than worthwhile.

The next couple of hours see us getting lost, returning to our starting point and realising that our map is wrong. Not a little bit, but a lot......towns are in the wrong place!

Still, we push on and reach Tadapani in time for dinner. And along with a troupe of Aussies, we meet a Dutch yoga master, Ferry, and over the next few days share some agonising and ecstatic times together, ascending, descending and taking in the magical views.

We arrive at Chhomrung quite early the next day and, on the advice of some likely English lads, sample some famous Chhomrung pizza. The legend continues. The ABC-bound group swells, as Stuart from NZ and Debra and Elanor from the UK also pull into our guest house for the night.

It's as easy as ABC Part 1

Along with the sleepy lakeside address and moderate climate, Pokhara is popular with travellers for its proximity to many trekking options- mainly the Annapurna Circuit and Base Camp treks. Our Dutch travel compadres in Tibet spoke with passion about their 'ABC' experience, and we decide to venture into the mountains to see the Annapurna's for ourselves.

After a short bus trip to Nyapul, we head for Tirkhe Dhunga, which is an easy 4 hour walk through sweeping valleys and up and down some stone steps. The next leg really tests our perseverance- 3280 stone steps spiralling from valley to mountain ridge just after breakfast, the morning sun warming our backs. Pheww!

We reach Ghorepani in the mid afternoon, wearily taking to our beds for a nap. Trekking as a term conjures such romantic notions, but in reality it is well removed from the trekking romanticism discussed in the guide books- a really tough walk so far.