The morning of the last day left me with a lot of bittersweet feelings. I was growing a bit weary of the trail after four days and was very much looking forward to going back to a proper hotel in Pokhara. But I had also grown accustomed to the routine and found myself feeling very attached to Ghandruk, if only in a I-wish-I-could-spend-two-more-weeks-here way. It’s probably for the best that the trek was only five days though, as my clothes (and my body) were starting to smell a little funky; I could smell my feet while standing. I enjoy making fun of foul-smelling Western hippies in South Asia and I’ll be damned if I become one of them!

After our 7:30 breakfast, we were on our way, heading down, down, down stone staircases for hours, descending about 1,000 meters that morning. Once we were finished with the stairs, we found ourselves on much less interesting dirt trails and roads for the rest of the way back to Nayapul, where we had one last dal bhat lunch before getting a ride back to Pokhara.

The five-day Poon Hill trek was perfect for my fitness level and trekking desire. It felt really good to be active and exerting myself again, especially with an elevated heart rate for extended periods of time. The meals were much more delicious and satisfying than usual because my body was craving them so much more. And though I thought I would be tired at the end, I found myself quite invigorated! Maybe that’s not such a big surprise at all, given that I was well-rested, well-fed, and well-exercised, with lots of clean, fresh mountain air.

Although this trek pales in comparison to the other treks Nepal has to offer, I still found it to be a life-affirming experience and I think my photos show that. The scenery – mountains, valleys, rivers, rocks, forests, rhododendron trees, snow, people, and animals – was some of the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen in my life in one place. The experience was beautiful and satisfying in many ways and I would definitely consider – perhaps after upping my fitness level – another trekking trip again in the future.

This day’s trek was relatively short – only three hours – but we moved quickly to avoid the large, loud groups of European trekkers that apparently need to roll a dozen deep to enjoy nature. Though short, the trek was very engaging: as I inhaled the cold, crisp mountain air and crossed rivers via stepping stones, I noticed the fragrant aroma of flowers in the forest while listening to singing birds, rushing water, and the sounds of our footsteps on the dirt trail. Some parts of the trail were covered in dead leaves, emitting that satisfying crunching sound under our feet as we walked; that and the cold weather reminded me of autumn back home.

This was the first day I felt any soreness in my body, a huge surprise to me since the first day alone was more exercise than I’ve had in weeks. I felt a subtle soreness in my calves from the previous day’s significant descent, but it was easy enough to ignore, especially given our periodic breaks.

We easily reached the lodge in Ghandruk (Hotel Gurung Cottage) by lunchtime and were delighted by how cute it was: stone walls, a huge patio overlooking the terraces and homes down the hill, flowers of every color decorating the fronts of the rooms, and several of the Annapurna peaks serving as a beautiful backdrop. Beyond being adorable, I was overjoyed by the presence of an outlet in the room, which, by that point in the trek, was a ridiculous luxury.

Another lunch, another fantastic spread of dal bhat (on brass flatware, a first on this trip). This seems as good of a time as any to mention the excellent service we had everywhere on the trail. We would order dinner and breakfast in advance and specify a time to eat, and everything would be ready exactly on time, with no mistakes ever. It’s obvious that these lodges have become well-run operations, probably because every day is the same for them as hordes of trekkers pass through. Sandip was an excellent host for us the entire time, making sure that we always had enough food, drinks, and, of course, masala tea.

After lunch, we visited a small museum about daily Nepalese life, the local monastery, and the visitor center, both to watch a documentary and to enjoy the phenomenal mountain and valley views from the edge of the cliff. Ghandruk easily became my favorite village of the trek, not least of which because I felt like I was wandering the Shire: stone walls, streets, and staircases, rickety wooden fences, simple houses perched on the hillsides, and green fields and gardens. Add to that constant reminders of Nepal: trains of donkeys carrying supplies and schoolchildren playing basketball or volleyball or walking home.

By the end of the day, I found myself wishing I had a reason to spend a couple weeks there. Perhaps I should write a book? Or maybe just read a few books? The stunning mountain views and peaceful village life were certainly conducive to doing something literary and introspective.

After walking around the village in the waning daylight taking some photos, I ducked into the lodge’s restaurant for dinner, where I was greeted by the sight of half a dozen Nepali men and a handful of tourists watching TV. And not just any TV, but WWE wrestling, which is evidently very popular in Nepal. Yeah Murrika! As I waited for my dinner and explained the finer points of “sports entertainment” to the Danish girls, I decided to try a glass of raksi (Nepalese rice wine), which “runs the gamut from smooth-sipping schnapps to headache-inducing paint stripper”, according to the very talented writers at Lonely Planet. The raksi I had tasted like slightly-watered-down Japanese sake, pleasant enough but lacking a good punch of flavor. And speaking of punching, once the hour of WWE reached it’s exciting, sweaty, table-breaking, suplex-ive conclusion, I spent a little while longer in the dining room, watching a ridiculous Bollywood movie with all the trekking guides before retiring for the evening.

Normally this would mark the end of my writing for the day, but one small anecdote remains. I woke up in the middle of the night with a full bladder, so after putting on my shoes and walking outside in the cold towards the shared bathroom, I stopped in my tracks and marveled at the mountain range towering over the village. With minimal lights on in the town, the snow-capped peaks, illuminated by the mostly full moon, were perfectly visible. Even a pee break in the middle of the night in Annapurna is an amazing visual experience.