We tried to catch the 8am bus to Jalori Pass so that we could spend the day walking the ridges back to Jibhi. This proved easier said than done...
The Bus stopped, but no room inside. Whistle blew and the bus left without us.
We walked up to the next village (Gyhagi) (30 min) and caught up with the bus. However this time not only was the interior packed, but there was no room left on the roof!
Giving up in discust we decided to do a round trip in the local Jibhi area instead.
We walked up the track from Gyhagi to Sarthi (about 2000ft higher?) then back to Jibhi via Solanu.
On the way up we were invited to stop at a local house for tea, and to meet to owner and his wife & son. After which we were given a tour of their orchard (200 young apple trees).
nearing Sarthi the locals seemed to have a fixation on sending us "up... up... up" towards their "playground" at the top of the village.
Unfortunately every time we were told to go "up" we were deviating from good worn paths and further and further into bush bashing territory.
We never made it... on encountering unpassable thickets of thorns we sidled around the hill through someones garden and made the ridge amongst the houses.
People we met were very friendly and gave us apples to take with us.
On the way down we met 4 women carrying boxes of apples.I tested one box.... I wouldn't have liked to have been carrying it.
One woman indicated that she was STRONG (Much stronger than me!)
After a 8 hour walk I found myself back at the cottage. Just in time for a monsoon shower.