I began my trek in Nepal at a height of 1,070m. Where I come from, in Scotland, we’re very proud of our mountains over 914m (or 3000 feet) called Munros. Here I was, just shy of Scotland’s tallest peak, except at the bottom of the hill, a stark reminder of the monumentality of the Himalayas in which I would spend the next 8 days.
我在1070米高处开始在尼泊尔徒步旅行。 我来自苏格兰，我们为超过914米（或3000英尺）的名为Munros的山脉感到非常自豪。 我在这里，只差苏格兰最高的山峰，除了在山脚下，这清楚地提醒了我喜马拉雅山脉的纪念性，在接下来的8天里，我将在这里度过。
Unlike most, I chose to go alone and without a guide, hoping to meet people along the way. That didn’t stop me from stashing a kindle full of page-turners including the epic recounts of the first men ever to claim a mountain over 8,000m; Annapurna.
与大多数人不同，我选择一个人去，没有导游，希望一路上能遇到人。 这并没有阻止我藏了一个装满翻页书的kindle，包括第一批声称拥有8000多米的山的人的史诗般的叙述；安纳普尔纳。
Way back in 1950, Frenchmen Herzog and Lachenal reached the apex at 8,019m only hours before a deadly monsoon would wreak havoc on their expedition and leave them disabled for life. My plan was to trek to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m; half the height and but a fraction of the undertaking.
早在1950年，法国人Herzog和Lachenal就在8019米处到达了顶峰，就在一场致命的季风对他们的探险造成破坏，使他们终身残疾前几个小时。 我的计划是徒步前往4130米的安纳普尔纳大本营；高度只有一半，但只有任务的一小部分。
That isn’t to say, however, that it was a doddle.
然而，这并不是说这是一个多德。
Day one quickly showed up my inexperience as a lack of signage saw me set off in the wrong direction. Who knew MapsMe, an offline GPS app, works even on remote mountain paths? As if sensing my foolishness as I backtracked downhill, I was joined by a mountain dog who conscientiously walked with me for an hour then wisely shaved off before a torrential downpour would turn my boots into ponds. Not a great start.
第一天很快就表明了我的缺乏经验，因为缺乏指示牌让我朝着错误的方向出发。 谁知道MapsMe，一个离线GPS应用程序，即使在偏远的山路上也能使用？ 当我倒退下坡时，仿佛感觉到了我的愚蠢，一只山狗和我一起走了一个小时，然后在一场暴雨将我的靴子变成池塘之前，明智地刮了胡子。 不是一个好的开始。
But it seemed all my bad karma was dispensed on that first day. From then on it was, quite literally, uphill. I quickly met new foot fellows of all nationalities, from students to young professionals, retirees to families with children.
但似乎我所有的坏业力都在第一天被分配了。 从那时起，从字面上看，它就上坡了。 我很快就认识了来自各个国籍的新同事，从学生到年轻专业人士，从退休人员到有孩子的家庭。
No matter how many stairs you climb up and down, the scenery is intoxicating. Fur-like rice fields carved out the slopes of the lower valleys, while rich crimson gladioli reached for the sharp foreboding peaks.
无论你上下多少级楼梯，风景都令人陶醉。 毛皮般的稻田雕刻出低谷的斜坡，而丰富的深红色角斗士则伸向尖锐的不喜人意的山峰。
So simple yet satisfying is that feeling of arriving at your destination each evening, exhausted. A hot shower, some spicy momo dumplings perhaps or a yak cheese pizza, and bed. It doesn’t come much better.
如此簡單而令人滿意的是每天晚上到達目的地，疲憊不堪的感覺。 洗个热水澡，一些辣的桃子饺子，或者一个牦牛奶酪披萨，然后上床。 情况并没有好转。
Guesthouses come along every hour or two and menu prices across the region are regulated by the tourism board, removing the stress of bargaining. Often I was able to sleep for free, as long as I took dinner and breakfast in the same lodge, making it perfectly manageable to budget 150RMB on average per day for everything.
宾馆每隔一两个小时就来一次，整个地区的菜单价格由旅游局监管，消除了讨价还价的压力。 通常，只要我在同一间小屋吃晚餐和早餐，我就能免费睡觉，因此平均每天150元人民币的预算是完全可以管理的。
By the fifth day I made it to base camp, not perhaps in the most monumental fashion for a thick mist that blurred the welcome sign we almost marched straight past. But just before dinner the clouds dissipated and we found ourselves centre stage in an amphitheatre of mountains. It felt like New Year. Even if we couldn’t see our surroundings after dark, we could sense them. We all knew we were in an immensely special place; there was such a buzz.
到了第五天，我到了大本营，也许不是以最不朽的方式，因为浓雾模糊了欢迎的标志，我们几乎直奔过去。 但就在晚餐前，云彩消散了，我们发现自己在一座山的露天剧场中占据了舞台的中心位置。 感覺像是新年。 即使天黑后我们看不到周围的环境，我们也能感觉到它们。 我们都知道我们处在一个非常特别的地方；那里有如此的嗡嗡声。
Trekking in the late monsoon season meant benefitting from fewer walkers and a guaranteed bed upon arrival, although catching a glimpse of the mountains was at times a gamble.
在季风季节后期徒步旅行意味着从更少的步行者和抵达时保证的床中受益，尽管瞥见山脉有时是一种赌博。
Apparently, the Annapurna region is being spoilt by roads and ever more beaten tracks, but I can’t say I had any such complaints. The mountains do not welcome those without drive to climb them, and the road; well, they are quite something else! Tourism hasn’t spoiled Nepal and throughout my trip I was met with the most genuine kindness from locals, as fair as the mountains they live among.
显然，安纳普尔纳地区正被道路和越来越多的人迹罕至的小路所破坏，但我不能说我有任何这样的抱怨。 山不欢迎那些没有动力攀登的人，还有道路；嗯，它们是完全不同的东西！ 旅游业并没有破坏尼泊尔，在我的整个旅行中，我得到了当地人最真诚的善意，就像他们居住的山脉一样美丽。
The best season for trekking starts in March so anyone keen for a gulp of truly fresh air and an exhilarating challenge should start thinking about a trip to Nepal now. A guide will cost around $100 a day (with food and board) and, with enough enthusiasm and time, the trek is accessible to a wide range of fitness levels.
徒步旅行的最佳季节从3月开始，因此任何渴望呼吸新鲜空气和刺激挑战的人都应该现在就开始考虑去尼泊尔旅行。 导游每天花费约100美元（包括食物和食宿），如果有足够的热情和时间，徒步旅行可以适应各种健身水平。