Today was an opportunity for a side trip to Prok, a village right above Ghap then take an alternative route down towards Bihi Phedi. The stupa marking the entrance to the village was already visible from Ghap. We took a path that went up zig-zag to a terrace of fields that we crossed, then did the same up to another terrace. We then did a diagonal advance through a forest. Within 45 minutes we were at Prok, a fertile plateau already bathed in the rising sun. We stopped by a guesthouse whose owner Amir knows. He had an impressive vegetable patch and row of flowers in his compound.
The envy of the neighbours
We showed interest in visiting a gumpa overlooking the village. This one is still being developed and the more famous one is the Kai Chlok Gumpa but it was further up at a daunting 3574m altitude next to the Kal Tal glacial lake. The main peak overlooking Prok is Shringi Himal. As we made our way past the communal tap, and an 'electrified' fence (to prevent livestock from straying up hill) it became clear looking back down that most fields had maize stalks gathered after harvesting.
Bumper harvest
...all over Prok
....the way to the gorge edge
Near the gumpa, which is also a Tibetan monastery, we bumped into the caretaker monk that eventually showed us the way up. He produced some apples right under his sleeve and generously offered them to us. He still had more under his magic sleeve and I politely forced myself to decline his second apple. From the gumpa we got better views from snowy Shringi Himal to the Kutang peaks, with their rugged form and high waterfalls. After visiting the austere interior of the monastery we went went back down to Amir's friend's place. Before departing, our host served us a long missed refreshment. For the first time in days we had fresh milk tea!
The magic monk's monastery
We waded across cattle traffic and villages now then before the gradual descent. At one point we had to loop over a rocky waterfall that had a large water pipe running parallel to it. Hydroelectric power was being produced further up. After a journey through heavy forest we rejoined the river, crossed it and got to Bihi Phedi. The target today being Philim, we had a gruelling second leg today to transect the gorge up to Nyak Phedi then go past the Tsum / Manaslu fork only to have another 2 hours of walking at 3pm! We arrived at Philim just before 5pm, my left foot throbbing. It was very quiet that night at the 'Wifi' hotel. Even the enterprising owner was away.
The next move can only be world domination (mwahahaha...!!!)
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