Nepal 2019 - Day 2 - Shivalaya to Sete

 Shivalaya to Sete

I had slept like a baby the previous night. With a hearty breakfast to start off with, I pressed on to another long day. As per my calculations on the map, it would be a 20km+ day with an elevation gain of 1300m. My first destination was Deurali which was just a grinding uphill hike. There were absolutely no easy or flat trails which took me sometime to get adjusted to. Unfortunately, with a heavy backpack and those steep ascents, it started to impact my right knee and I felt a slight tingle on the outside. It was nothing to be worried about and I marched on. Passing paddy fields and villages, I was kept entertained by kids who tried to practice their English after the customary greeting of "Namaste". Their vocabulary mainly consisted of "You have pen?", "Give chocolate". Neither of which I could help them with. But they do posed for a picture every time with their beading eyes and the most uninhibited smile.

I also passed a school which was built and sponsored by a Danish trekking team. Speaking to the villagers, I was informed that it was the only source of education for a few surrounding villages. It was heartening to see what people give back to Nepal for all that they gain from this beautiful country. Trekking really is the lifeline of this country.

The only school for 7-8 villages

Anyway, back to the trail. I was thinking how much more challenging this was than I had anticipated. Over lunch at Bhandar, I went back to my map and tried to change my itinerary, however, it was all about either grinding it out now when you are somewhat fresh or go through it after a couple of days when you are a lot more spent. The distance and the trail weren't going to change. I decided to stick my itinerary and carry on to Sete which was still about 4 hours away. My knee was bothering me again but I didn't really have time to pay heed to it then. I was hoping this would disappear overnight after some rest. One solace i had on this day was the excellent weather. It was hot but very clear skies with some spectacular scenery on the horizon. Those first glimpses of the big mountains acted as the best motivation to carry forward. I was still the only hiker on this trail so far. Locals had informed me that a few passed through 3-4 days ago towards Kenja.

I departed Bhandar and descended to Kenja. Saw the first of many suspension bridges I had read about. There was a kind of weird feeling whenever you crossed these. You want to be assured of their strength but part of your brain also thinks about it's maintenance, or lack of it. But it is guaranteed fun when you do cross them. 

The next 3-4 hours consisted of climbing tight switchbacks up a mountain for a total of close to 1500m of elevation gain. It was exhausting and my heart was pounding really fast trying to pump oxygen. Finally, made it to the top of the hill to a village called Sete. It was around 17.00 and the sun was setting fast. I was glad to be among civilization and didn't want anything like yesterday's experience to follow. I checked into a small teahouse run by an old couple. They offered me a room, tea and dinner at a very reasonable price. It was the usual Dal Bhat but they served it with a chutney made up of local berries that was a revelation. The dining room was in their old school kitchen setup which provided ample heat from the cold outside. I hung around in the kitchen post dinner and their son also joined. We exchanged some stories about trekking, Indo-Nepal relations, some horror/ghost stories about their village etc. All in all, a very fun and relaxed evening spent with a generous family. Back in the room, I looked at my knee and found some inflammation which I treated with some muscle spray. Hoping that it would subside by next morning.