Annapurna South from Ghandrung

In December 2007 I had taken a team of fourteen trekkers including two children for a five day circuit in the Annapurna foothills north of Pokhara.

 On the first day we stopped at Gurung Cottage, a small guest house in the village of Ghandrung. The first day of the trek is always hard and the stiff four hour climb from Syuli Bazaar near the river to Ghandrung had been especially tough for the team straight out of the plains.

  The last trekker entered Ghandrung around 5 30 pm in the fading dusk. The weather was not particularly good with clouds swirling in the valley and visibility was low. We could not see the view of the Annapurnas and Mache Puchare which Ghandrung is famous for.

  I was sipping a cup of tea in the stone patio of Gurung Cottage, chatting with Kisam Gurung, the owner, who I was meeting after a year.  We both lamented the inclement weather which looked as though it would deprive our group of the dress circle view. Suddenly, as if by magic, the cloud curtain started to clear and the tip of Annapurna South came into view.

  We watched mesmerized and called out to the other members.  The cloud cover dropped even lower and we could see a major portion of the peak glinting in the last rays of the setting sun. Instinctively I grabbed my camera and took a few shots. Within minutes the cloud curtain was back and the magic moment was over!