Sunrise at Australian Camp

Yesterday afternoon after arriving at the Australian camp (apparently so named because it was the first place where Australians camped in the Annapurna region), it became cloudy and foggy on the mountain side and even rained a little bit. My guide informed me that this was a good sign that we would have a clear view in the morning at sunrise. I decided it was best not to get my hopes up so as not to be disappointed.
When my alarm went off at 5:45 am, about 30 minutes before sunrise, I half glanced out the window and it appeared to be a foggy morning so I hit the snooze on my phone alarm. About 5 minutes later I decided to look out the window again and was pleasantly surprised to see I could clearly see the mountains so I quickly got dressed and ran to the roof and took this picture.



I then went down to a landing and was about to head along a trail to get a good vantage point when it hit me. I was walking in "moderately tall wet grass" and I'd better check and make sure I hadn't picked up any hitchhikers! Sure enough I found a little blood sucking leech clinging to the side of my hiking boot and inching his way as fast as he could toward my ankle. I tried to flick him off a couple of times with my fingernail but he wouldn't let go. So sadly, once again I found a rock nearby on the trail and squashed the slimy little guy.
Bad karma aside, I then went down the trail trying my best to avoid the grass and watched the glorious sunrise while enjoying the views of the huge snowy face of Annapurna South and the sacred peak of Machapuchare (also known as Fish Tail Peak).









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