Gorakshep - Kalapathar - Gorakshep - Dengboche.
4,874 steps, 1.6km (KP), 26,935 steps, 9.1km total.
It's 5.41am in the morning India time. I had an enjoyable dump in the open with a cow checking on stuff on the side. Divya and I brushed teeth staring at Lhotse and Lhotse Shar. The sun was yet to rise. Clouds were rising up from behind - much like fire erupting unhurriedly from a volcano.
I ordered Apple porridge for breakfast. Miss my Ahaan baby - 3 bears and Goldilocks. So cutely he said, "am missing you Daddy" the other day. Just saw db's watch - it's the 30th today. Let me write about yesterday.
We started the hike to Kalapathar at around 5.30am local. db geared up from 4.30am tsk tsk. It had snowed all night and visibility was minimal. As we kept climbing, quite magically the clouds cleared up. In the distance, Milan pointed out that the sun hitting Pheriche village. Imagine dull clouds - top and below - and a small patch of land glowing in a yellow hue of sunlight. I've never seen anything like it. In a few more minutes, we could see the Everest - the peak in the distance. A subtle glimpse first - a suggestion saying that hey, am here. Then out in all its glory. Pimori started showing up next. A few more minutes passed and the sun rose fully from behind the Everest. I think we could see South Col - the saddle between two peaks/ points in Everest. Nuptse was visible next, then Lola pass. Beyond Lola is Tibet. It was as if someone slowly and gently unveiled a sacred gift.
The hike is a near 20-25 degree incline all the way through. I stuck to Milan's advice - of going up very, very slowly and steadily without once increasing the heart rate. It worked well for me and I was energetic throughout the day. Everyone was already on top by the time I reached, Ali was on his way down. There were weather detectors. The view is 360 degree spectacular. Himalayas all around and around and around.
Kumar keeps saying that the mountains will keep coming back in consciousness for six months and one would feel totally out of place in the city. (aap sabkuch bhool jaoge - when you go back - he would tell me). Everyone is slowly sinking into their respective realities of the plains - the "descend" is apparent this morning. Kumar, Doctor, Divya are discussing her long hair and whether they might belong to a Bengali, South Indian or Sardarni. What a fan club! :)
*
The rest of the day - y'day - was our longest. We trekked back to the amusing village down of Dengboche. While reaching the Dugla pass, I got lost. Instead of reaching the lodge, I ended up 40min or so off before realizing that I was lost. I was thinking of CK, enki and lot of other stuff and was in some kind of a zone and suddenly I didn't know where I was. First, I saw the mountain range on the right - it distinctly looked unfamiliar - I'd never noticed it before. Next, the path seemed too narrow for a well-used trail. My immediate reaction was that of panic and I started simply hiking quickly. I realized what I was doing and paused. Checked the time - it was 15:00 India time. Works. Enough day light left for me to figure things out. I felt like taking a dump - did. Then had some water and then said, ok let's figure this out. Again (as in Lesotho and other times), I used a general sense of intuition. Inside, it said I had to go left - more to the left. Something kept pulling me to the left. Then I looked around for clues and found cow/ yak dung. There was some narrow path that the dung seemed to follow. Dung also meant that there would be some civilization nearby. I was in between a range and there was no way for anyone to see me or hear me. After some more time, I saw buddhist prayer flags and a stone wall. I hiked up there. It was a weather station. I then was naturally drawn more and more to the left and ahead. I just followed my gut feel. And I found Dugla village. Not surprisingly, Thaman had gone out on a search for me. Everyone had different reactions - from surprise to irritation to confusion.
Guess I have to go and pack now - it's another 5-6hr hike today.
4,874 steps, 1.6km (KP), 26,935 steps, 9.1km total.
It's 5.41am in the morning India time. I had an enjoyable dump in the open with a cow checking on stuff on the side. Divya and I brushed teeth staring at Lhotse and Lhotse Shar. The sun was yet to rise. Clouds were rising up from behind - much like fire erupting unhurriedly from a volcano.
I ordered Apple porridge for breakfast. Miss my Ahaan baby - 3 bears and Goldilocks. So cutely he said, "am missing you Daddy" the other day. Just saw db's watch - it's the 30th today. Let me write about yesterday.
We started the hike to Kalapathar at around 5.30am local. db geared up from 4.30am tsk tsk. It had snowed all night and visibility was minimal. As we kept climbing, quite magically the clouds cleared up. In the distance, Milan pointed out that the sun hitting Pheriche village. Imagine dull clouds - top and below - and a small patch of land glowing in a yellow hue of sunlight. I've never seen anything like it. In a few more minutes, we could see the Everest - the peak in the distance. A subtle glimpse first - a suggestion saying that hey, am here. Then out in all its glory. Pimori started showing up next. A few more minutes passed and the sun rose fully from behind the Everest. I think we could see South Col - the saddle between two peaks/ points in Everest. Nuptse was visible next, then Lola pass. Beyond Lola is Tibet. It was as if someone slowly and gently unveiled a sacred gift.
The hike is a near 20-25 degree incline all the way through. I stuck to Milan's advice - of going up very, very slowly and steadily without once increasing the heart rate. It worked well for me and I was energetic throughout the day. Everyone was already on top by the time I reached, Ali was on his way down. There were weather detectors. The view is 360 degree spectacular. Himalayas all around and around and around.
Kumar keeps saying that the mountains will keep coming back in consciousness for six months and one would feel totally out of place in the city. (aap sabkuch bhool jaoge - when you go back - he would tell me). Everyone is slowly sinking into their respective realities of the plains - the "descend" is apparent this morning. Kumar, Doctor, Divya are discussing her long hair and whether they might belong to a Bengali, South Indian or Sardarni. What a fan club! :)
*
The rest of the day - y'day - was our longest. We trekked back to the amusing village down of Dengboche. While reaching the Dugla pass, I got lost. Instead of reaching the lodge, I ended up 40min or so off before realizing that I was lost. I was thinking of CK, enki and lot of other stuff and was in some kind of a zone and suddenly I didn't know where I was. First, I saw the mountain range on the right - it distinctly looked unfamiliar - I'd never noticed it before. Next, the path seemed too narrow for a well-used trail. My immediate reaction was that of panic and I started simply hiking quickly. I realized what I was doing and paused. Checked the time - it was 15:00 India time. Works. Enough day light left for me to figure things out. I felt like taking a dump - did. Then had some water and then said, ok let's figure this out. Again (as in Lesotho and other times), I used a general sense of intuition. Inside, it said I had to go left - more to the left. Something kept pulling me to the left. Then I looked around for clues and found cow/ yak dung. There was some narrow path that the dung seemed to follow. Dung also meant that there would be some civilization nearby. I was in between a range and there was no way for anyone to see me or hear me. After some more time, I saw buddhist prayer flags and a stone wall. I hiked up there. It was a weather station. I then was naturally drawn more and more to the left and ahead. I just followed my gut feel. And I found Dugla village. Not surprisingly, Thaman had gone out on a search for me. Everyone had different reactions - from surprise to irritation to confusion.
Guess I have to go and pack now - it's another 5-6hr hike today.
1 comment:
praveen.you are killing me man. all the very best.....and please try to reduce your contribution to global warming
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