The trail climbs onto a ridge above huge rapids on the Buri Gandaki. Much of the trail is blasted out of vertical rock walls - steady on your feet and don't look down while you’re climbing the stone steps cut out of the mountainside. We arrived at the Gurung village of Labubesi (880m) at 15:00. A Maoist arrived at 17:30! She was a young, very mannerly, and soft-spoken young woman. She said she was collecting a 100 rupee per day tax for the Maoist Government. I dutifully paid her 1600 rupees and she gave me a receipt. She also asked for a donation. I refused, and she left.