The Himalayas. Done.

7 people started my Himalayan trip. 3 finished. I was one of them. However the lack of mental and physical preparation of one of my fellow trekkers can be gauged by her first question at the initial group meeting before climbing to Everest Base Camp - "Is this trek going to be strenuous?" (the clue is in the word 'Everest', I believe)

Whilst Everest became an impossibility because of three frustrating and ultimately unsuccessful days waiting to fly to Lukla, it was decided that we would do another trek. It was not until the first day that it was mentioned that Langtang was considerably harder than Everest. It was also on this first day that we trekked 31 km (around 20 miles), having been told that we would have a gentle start. Trekking the Himalayas in the pitch black is an experience never to be forgotten. Or repeated.

To go through each day, each view and each photo would only invoke boredom (I'll do just that with everyone who cares to listen as soon as I get home), but I feel that some highlights and lowlights deserve a mention. Unfortunately Nepali computers are not quick enough to upload photos, but there will be some uploaded in the near future.

1) Reaching the glaciers and glacial lakes from which the snow covered peaks could be seen all around. Simply stunning.

2) Getting bitten 16 times by leaches. In one day. On my birthday. I've heard of birthday bumps / beats, but that is ridiculous. My pyromaniacal tendencies, never before discovered, were brought to light (a pun, geddit!) when burning the creatures alive. The photo of the leach morgue will certainly entertain, when uploaded.

3) The tortoise beating the hare. The one person in my group whose mission it was to go as fast as they possibly could, ultimately got altitude sickness and had to be carried down the mountain. Which gave me an enormous sense of smug self-satisfaction, despite the fact that this is not very friendly.

4) Finally finding a cheese factory. Cheese factory vs Everest. It's a tough one.

5) Squat toilets after a leg ache inducing day. Enough said.

6) Chilling with yaks. Such friendly animals. I might bring one home with me.

7) Reaching the lake at Gossaikunda. Legend has it that if you take a dip all of your sins will be cleansed. No need for Yom Kippur for me this year.

8) Walking through fields upon fields of Marijuana. The pictures of this have been censored. I don't want my previously cleansed sins to be reset.

This is the last blog (for now) as I come home tomorrow. If anyone knows of a job going on a national newspaper, please get in touch!