Trekking western Nepal

[Ally]

Has anyone reading this message trekked in any of these areas? Dunai/Tarap, Api Mt area, Saipal MT/Simikot area? I can only visit Nepal in the monsoon season due to work commitments but have fallen in love with the country, people and scenery during previous visits. Any stories, photos or web sites welcome.

cheers

Ally

[wayne]

I have just returned from an aborted attempt to get to the Tibet border via Simikot. We did strike an armed maoist blockage of 7 days and unlike other experiences (and to the absolute surprise of the local amry an police) we could not "pay" the regualr fee and continue - they claimed mamy times during a 2 hour standoff to not want money, we simply were not allowed to continue. Whilst there was no immediate danger to lives and in spite of the maoist attempts we did not hand over any property. Would things be different without the strike ? maybe. The fact they were in very new green army uniforms (not fatigues) also seemed to surprise the local government officals. Is it an escalation of their activities ? I believe so. This is my trird visit in 14 months and I will now go up the EBC way.