Day 6: Heli Ride to Annapurna Base Camp, Devi's Falls, Peace Pagoda, and Patches

Up nice and early to adventure by heli to Annapurna base camp! A quick google search looks like it's over 1000m higher than Fuji (yikes! Here's to hoping I don't get altitude sickness!! I did on Fuji!)
Pick up from the hotel was said to be between 6:15 and 6:30am, it ended up being around 7:15am, I'm told this is common for Nepali time. I think Nepali time is teaching me to relax and not be so uptight about timing and a schedule!

Thankfully things went off without a hitch and we were able to go off without an issue. I'm happy to report that I'm no longer a heli or Himalayas virgin! Super happy to be able to have experienced both of those things

I can't recommend this experience enough to people. I will say that preparing for this trip I didn't think it would be possible because researching it on the net produced some very expensive options. So my best advice is to wait until you get to Nepal to book it. Go to Pokhara, and book it from there. It was the best $350 I've ever spent. When I looked on the internet the prices were $1800 to $2000, so obviously a little rich for my blood, but I was super happy to see that it was an option when I got here. Granted I'm not throwing hundreds and making it rain on the regular but for an opportunity to ride in a heli and put my little feet on the Himalayas (without having to trek for 2 weeks) yes, sign this bitch up! Because let's face it, I'm good for about one night of camping, definitely not more.

If you follow my insta (stories) you probably saw many of these photos already (sorry not sorry for flooding your life with the Himalayas, it's exciting, and well, stories worthy).

After the heliHimalayas experience it was back to the hotel for some breakfast, which was skipped intentionally beforehand because of 1.not wanting to barf in the heli and 2. not wanting to have to figure out restroom situations in the Himalayas or on a heli. These are things you have to think of in Nepal. I'm really digging porridge, and don't really know what I'm going to do with myself without it. It's quite tasty, way freaking better than gross oatmeal that's for sure.

Next up it was down the street to find a taxi to take us to the Peace Pagoda (a Japanese Buddhist Stupa) and Devi's Falls. We were going to do the half day tour through the hotel but kind of decided to just do it on our own because 1. we can and 2. we didn't want to go to the Tibetan Refugee Camp. I initially thought that this was a closed camp (aka-no people residing there, but when I learned that it's actually an active refugee camp, I certainly didn't want to go there, pay money, and use it as a tourist opportunity, it just seems degrading to humans and I'm not up for that).

Driving in Nepal is entertaining and a thrill ride at times. There are no lanes on the roads. At any given time you'll find people in all lanes going in all directions, sometimes directly at you. Often times there are animals in the roads. Particularly cows. In Nepal cows are sacred. If you hit and kill a cow it's automatic life in prison. If you hit and kill a human, only about 10 years, so pick your target wisely if you need to swerve to not hit one or the other.

This evening brought some walking around, some more shopping, and a mission to re find the Annapurna Base Camp patch that I saw the day before (but didn't want to buy in the event that we didn't get to go). Thankfully we found a shop that had not only that patch but also a Chitwan National Park one that had a rhino on it, appropriate considering how many endangered rhinos we saw while there. I also opted for a Nepali flag patch to round out the flair on my beloved Anderson Supply Co bag!

Today was an amazing day. I'd love to accurately put words to the amazing experience of taking a helicopter to the Himalayas but words would only fall short. I can only wish that you will be able to feel these same feelings in whatever makes you this happy in life.

Here's my day...in a video. I hope you enjoy it! Off to Rupakot tomorrow for one night before heading back to KTM.

In other news, if you're coming to Nepal, specifically Chitwan, bring bug repellent (or be sure to buy it here) especially if you have sensitivities to mosquitos. I have an allergy to them and they normally swell up for a day then they're just annoying after that. But here it's been a different experience and they seem to continue growing every day. I have swollen welts on my arms that are bigger than a US half dollar. They itch uncontrollably. Thankfully there are pharmacies with remedies, and a hospital should things take a turn for the worse, but here's to hoping we can keep Dengue Fever at bay and just deal with annoying welts!