Water in these places is solar heated, so hot showers are limited and lukewarm. Many of the people we met had been traveling for a number of days on the Annapurna Circuit. They had actually carried their schoolbooks up and over Thorung La pass, which ascends to an elevation of 5416 meters. The next day we decided to take the easy way up, or heighten our experience, however you choose to look at it. We rented ponies to take us from Kagbeni to Muktinah, which rapidly ascends 900 meters.
Fantasy is always more interesting than reality.
In actuality, we plodded out of town on shaggy ponies. This being the third time I have ever been on a horse, I spent the better part of an hour clinging to the ponies back convinced I was going to tumble off and roll down the mountain. Penny assured me I would not fall off, but I did not relax until we had finished the ascent up the unending, pebble-strewn mountainside. I didn't pitch off my horse, but I certainly wasn't winning any awards for horsemanship. The pony was well aware of who was in charge and it sure as hell wasn't me.