Sunday, January 19, 2014

Bhutan: My toughest day on the trek...Sinchey La (Day 11)

DAY 11
I didn't sleep well the previous night. It started there. The next morning, I ate a cold, boiled egg...big mistake. My left ankle ached...I padded it with two socks. I coughed. Okay, I thought - let's do this - the highest pass on our trek, the fourth pass...the most difficult one. Sinchey La...over 5,000m.

As I kept trekking, my heart rate kept going up. Nothing seemed okay. I could feel that boiled egg rolling in my stomach. Most of the group had gone ahead. Sonam kept checking on me every half hour or so. I trekked pretty much alone. It was nice in some ways. I'm trying to remember...yes, Milan started last and I think he went ahead somewhere along the way.

We finally caught up at the base of this Sinchey mountain. I was just not up to it. I gulped some Gu gel. Then started...I could see the others as various colored dots in the snow...each color their jacket. I took one slow step at a time. Gasel the horseman met me along the way and insisted I sit on the horse...I think this happened about 7-8 times on the way to the summit. I kept saying no - I think even very firmly. I was trying to tell him that look I can do this...it's just that I have this egg rolling in my stomach...so I'll do it slowly....don't pressurize me! I recall some horse trotted close to me and pushed me to the ground. Luckily, I fell on the side where I wouldn't fall all the way down!

Milan sent instructions through someone for me to pop another Gu gel...I did. But it didn't help. I kept doing it at my pace and finally I reached. I remembered to take Pradeep's Beardo hat out, wear it and take a pic. I was totally drained. Milan, Divya and Amit were waiting on top. Amit was sliding, jumping around. It was a lot of fun...a nice reunion. Milan told us to start descending...can't stay on top for too long and we did.

Divya helped a lot at lunch and at the campsite. At lunch, I had difficulty sitting and serving myself. Back at the camp, I had high fever...fatigue fever I think. I was beat. After vicks, crocin, soup this and that...I recovered by dinner.

After descending Wang De (one of the staff) gave me company...everyone else was far ahead...in my fatigued state, I slipped into a river...wet my boots (ouch it's cold!) plus there was rain...but I finally settled as we reached the plains or lower altitude and the weather didn't matter, I kept walking.

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