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Posts mit dem Label AmaDablam werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
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Dienstag, 28. Dezember 2010

Himalaya reloaded 2011-16th day-Mong-N.B.


16th day of trek, 28th of December 2010
Phortse Thanga (3.675 m)-Namche Bazaar (3.440 m )
7 hours

I started at 7:50 a.m., without any breakfast. It was much too cold. Not easy night, but a little bit more untroubled. I had to go outside only twice and to blow my stuffy nose about fifteen times. So, I could catch some sleep, it was nice.
Am pornit la 7:50 dimineață, fără să mănânc, fără să beau. Prea frig, mult prea frig. A fost o noapte chinuită, dar parcă mai liniștită, doar două ieșiri și doar de vreo 15 ori mi-am suflat nasul. Ceva-ceva somn am îngurgitat, ce bine-a fost!
But in the morning .... that coldness again. As I already said in other days, the morning coldness is bitter. I think I could write a book describing the coldness and everything it’s meaning. Himalaya coldness. Coldness of low, midle and high altitude. Night, morning, sunset and evening coldness. Cold on empty stomach. Fatique cold. Meal’s coldness. Cold through the bones. Coldness in the stove. Gompa’s cold. Coldness in the socks. Coldness under the tongue. Coldness in the ears of my teddy mouse. Coldness of the wind. Coldness inside the colon. Coldness from the icefalls. Coldness from the shadow and from the sun. Water’s and rock’s coldness. Coldness like an entity. Coldness like a being. Coldness of my camel bag and so on. Mind’s coldness. Stop!
Dar dimineață era frig. Așa cum mai comentam și în alte zile, frigul de dimineață e mai crâncen. Cred că aș putea scrie o carte doar descriind frigul, personalitatea și implicațiile lui. Frigul de Himalaya. Frigul de joasă, medie și mai înaltă altitudine. Frigul de noapte, de dimineață, de amurg și de seară. Frigul pe stomacul gol. Frigul de oboseală. Frigul la masă. Frigul sub masă. Frigul prin oase. Frigul din sobă. Frigul din gompa (mânăstire). Frigul din șosete. Frigul din șireturile bocancilor și din ochiurile tricotate ale căciulii. Frigul de sub limbă și din jurul plombelor. Frigul din urechile de pluș ale mascotei mele. Frigul din vânt. Frigul stelelor. Frigul cetinei de brad. Frigul din colon. Frigul dinspre cascadele de gheață. Frigul din umbră și frigul din soare. Frigul apei. Frigul pietrei. Frigul ca entitate. Frigul ca stare. Frigul ca ființă. Frigul din furtunul camel bag-ului. Frigul părului din nas (cine are păr în nas). Frigul de pe unghii. Frigul care atârnă de cercei. Frigul gândurilor. Stop!
I climbed up very slowly. I was fatique, the coldness steels so much from your energy. Me and the 20 kg of my backpack walked on the narrow path, partly rough, advancing like a needle does when you knot every single eye in a very long scarf. On the right side I had the mountain, alternation of cold rock and dry vegetation. On the left it was the gap, down away, the turqoise river.
Am urcat la limita încetinelii. Eram obosită, frigul fură foarte multă energie. Eu și cele 20 de kg din spate pășeam pe poteca îngustă, parțial bolovănoasă, așa cum andreaua înaintează cu fiecare ochi pe care îl tricotează într-un fular foarte lung. Pe dreapta era versantul. Aici alterna roca și vegetația uscată. Pe stânga era hăul, jos, departe, râul.
On the other side, after about an hour away of walking, a superb view of a cold AmaDablam was opening, like waiting for the sunrise. There was a plot of straight land, inexplicably hanging from the mountain side. On that palm of ground, in shadow and coldness, it was a human settlement with a few dozen of households. It was like a island in a lost and forgotten world. No light. It was half past eight in the morning and I was walking for 50 minutes now, cold shivering.
Pe partea cealaltă, după vreo oră de mers, se deschidea o superbă panoramă cu un AmaDablam rece, în așteptarea razelor soarelui. Era și o palmă de teren drept, atârnând parcă în mod inexplicabil din versant. Pe palma aceea de pământ, în umbră și frig, era o așezare umană cu câteva zeci de gospodării. Era ca o insulă într-un univers pierdut și uitat de timp. Nici o lumină. Era opt jumate dimineața și mergeam de 50 de minute, dârdâind, urcând, respirând anevoios.
I had only a single wish: to see the sun coming out. When the sun is high enough for loosing itself the the granite walls which block the expression of the rays, the change of an entire universe occurs in just a few seconds. It is a downright delusional process, amazing, beneficial. The sun gives birth, the sun gives life to everything that means these lands. From the moment it abounds over what you see, the shadow becomes warm and pleasant, within five to fifteen minutes you start to get out of clothes, you breathe different, the gloves are gone, everything looks more beautiful, more hospitable, the emotions are more positive. You feel reborning. I remember the sunrise on Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and Kilimanjaro. And on the way to Thorung La, here, in Himalaya, around Annapurna. Each sunrise is a very different experience.
Singura dorință era apariția soarelui. Când soarele se înalță destul pentru a se desprinde de obstacolul de granit ce îi blochează manifestarea razelor, schimbarea întregului univers din apropiere survine în doar câteva secunde, este un proces de-a dreptul delirant, uimitor, benefic. Soarele dă viața la tot ce înseamnă aceste ținuturi. Din minutul când se revarsă peste ceea ce vezi, umbra devine caldă și plăcută, în decurs de 5 – 15 minute începi să dai jos din haine, respiri altfel, mănușile dispar, totul e mai frumos, mai ospitalier, emoțiile sunt mai pozitive. Simți că renaști. Am trăit răsărituri de soare pe Cotopaxi, pe Chimborazo și pe Kilimanjaro, sau pe drum spre Thorung La, tot aici, în Himalaya, în timp ce înconjuram Annapurna. Fiecare este o cu totul altă experiență unică.
I watched after this sunrise as a hungry cheetah looking after its next feed. When I saw the Big Moment approaching, I stopped walking and I began to count, setting my camera ready, so I caught a second before, the moment of the sunrise and the seconds after it. Divine. That human settlement on the other side of the other mountain suddenly became – at least in my imagination – an universe full of life, even if the villagers probably still slept at hat hour, I don’t know. It was too far away and I couldn’t see any movement.
Am pândit acest răsărit de soare așa cum un ghepard flămând își pândește următoarea hrană. Când am văzut că se apropie Marele Moment, m-am oprit și am început să număr, cu aparatul de foto pregătit, astfel că am surprins secunda de dinainte, secunda revărsării și secundele de după. Divin. Așezarea aceea umană devenise deodată, cel puțin în imaginația mea, un univers plin de viață, chiar dacă sătenii poate mai dormeau la ora aceea, nu știu. Era prea departe pentru a putea vedea mișcări. Dar eu știam că dârdâitul meu se apropia de final și înaintam cu mai multă încredere spre micul meu dejun din Mong (3.973 m). Speram să ajung până-n zece, mi se făcea foame.
I kept walking for another hour. I didn’t meet anybody. When the path became larger, I already felt much higher from the starting point and I was 300 m higher, walking for about two hours. I reached Mong La Pass at 3.973 m at 9:30 a.m. and I stopped for a relaxed, sunny breakfast.
Am mai urcat o oră. Nu am întâlnit pe nimeni. Când în sfârșit s-au terminat serpentinele drumului și acesta s-a lățit, mă simțeam deja foarte sus față de nivelul de unde pornisem în urmă cu aproape două ore. Urcasem 300 de m în altitudine. Ajungeam în Mong La (trecătoare) la 9,30 și am oprit pentru un mic dejun relaxat și însorit.

There are about 4-5 lodges in Mong. I passed the apparent ancient stupa, from its top streched many rows of colored flags printed with the budist prayers, climbing to the right on the terrace of the highest location. I longed from sun and large open space, I enjoyed being the only tourist there at that early hour in the morning. Even for the local people, the owner of those lodges, it was a little bit early, as they knew they have no tourists there.The Snowland View Lodge had the door open, but the Sherpa woman probably still had a nap in her kitchen as I entered and said ”Namaste, good morning...?”.
Să fie 4-5 lodges în Mong. Am trecut de aparent străvechea stupa, din vârful căreia porneau șiruri numeroase de stegulețe colorate imprimate cu deja obișnuitele rugăciuni buddiste, urcând pe dreapta, pe terasa celei mai înalte locații. Vroiam soare și spațiu deschis, mă bucuram că nu era lume, cu siguranță era devreme chiar și pentru localnicii minusculei așezări. Snowland View Lodge avea ușa deschisă, dar gazda probabil moțăia încă în bucătărie.
From the first moment I saw the very small settlement I regreted not to come here last evening and stay here over night. But these situations are pretty often in the Himalayas and, as you are not sure about what is next on the trail, it is better to stop in a place where you feel secure before the dark is covering everything.
De cum am văzut puținele adăposturi cocoțate aici, despărțind două tărâmuri foarte diferite ca și peisaj, am regretat că nu mi-am prelungit ziua de ieri pentru a înnopta aici, dar situațiile de genul acesta apar destul de des prin Himalaya, pentru că niciodată nu poți prevedea ce te așteaptă și e mai bine să te oprești acolo unde te simți în siguranță înainte de căderea întunericului.
Looking from that high to AmaDablam over the colored stupa and over the whole panorama I enjoyed my simple breakfast in fully relaxation. A long trail waited there for me, a dusty and very narrow path winding dissapearing on the copper right side of the mountain after its hump.
Privind de la înălțime peste colorata stupa spre AmaDablam și restul panoramei, am savurat în deplină relaxare un mic dejun simplu. Mă aștepta un drum lung, o potecă colbuită și foarte îngustă, ce se desfășura șerpuitor pe versantul arămiu din dreapta, dispărând departe de după cocoașa muntelui.
I stayed one hour in Mong and I hardly wanted to leav the place. I can’t explain why or how I felt an impulse to go forward, but it was a right decision after all. I had no deadline actually, but I felt I had to take the plane to Kathmandu no later than 30th of December. I had to leave Nepal already on 5th, so the time was, because of the distance between Lukla and Kathamdu, pretty tide. And because of all unexpected risks about having all the flights canceled. Much later – in February - I actually find out that on 30th of December the snow covered Namche Bazaar and the flights were canceled. To trek from Lukla to Kathmandu can take about 6 up to 8 days.
Am staționat o oră în Mong și nu mă dădeam desprinsă de acolo. Nu pot explica de ce sau ce anume mă mâna de la spate, dar se pare că a fost o alegere bună până în final. Nu aveam nici un program stabilit, pur și simplu simțeam că trebuie să fac tot posibilul să iau avionul spre Kathmandu nu mai târziu de 30 decembrie.  Și da, ulterior am aflat că pe 30 decembrie avionul meu fusese penultimul înainte de a se stopa zborurile pe perioadă nelimitată, din cauza căderii zăpezii începând chiar din 30. Să ajungi din Lukla în Kathmandu pe jos cere un interval de 6-8 zile și eu nu mai aveam acest timp la dispoziție, în doar 5 zile trebuia să ies din Nepal.
The trail from Mong to Namche Bazaar took me four hours. It was an amazing, a wonderful trail, ups and downs, half of the way very narrow and steep. Before entering Khumjung – Paradise likely, really!! – it was a very steep paved segment of the route, fitted with metal bar on the left, something very rare on the Himalayan paths. I descended with a lot of caution and from the opposite direction came a large group of Japanese trekkers, all of them without backpacks. They asked me if I am alone on the trail and when I said “yes”, all of them exclaimed in a kind of admiration which I found it pretty funny in that moment: “ oooooooooooooh, nooooooo! It can’t be! Really?!”. I laughed and they were convinced about it, as nobody came behind me.
Din Mong am făcut patru ore până în Namche. A fost un drum foarte frumos, cu urcuș și coborâș, jumatătate din el pe potecă îngustă și abruptă, înainte de a intra în Khumjung a fost un segment pietruit, abrupt, prevăzut cu bară metalică pe stânga, ceva foarte rar întâlnit pe cărările himalayene. Eu coboram cu grijă și din sens opus venea un grup numeros de japonezi. M-au întrebat în cor dacă sunt singură, și când le-am spus că ”da”, au exclamat toți la unison: ”oooo, nooooooo! It can’t be! Really?!?!” M-a pufnit râsul, dar s-au convins că nu venea nimeni în spatele meu :-)
I walked very slow on that segment and I filmed in the same time, it was much to great to miss it and being close to the end of my adventure I knew exactly how many available batteries I still had. I did the longest film today, 12 minutes.
Am mers încet pe segmentul acela și am și filmat, era mult prea grozav să pierd și acum, spre finalul aventurii, știam exact cum stau cu bateriile și îmi permiteam luxul de a filma. De fapt, cred că azi am înregistrat și cele mai lungi filmulețe.
As Kongde Ri Mountain (6.187 m)* appeared far away in front of me, white and majestic, I knew I close Namche Bazaar (this is meaning still 2 up to 3 hours walking, of course). The mountain is located four km west of the amphiteathre of Namche and is classified as a trekking peak, but it is considered one of the most difficult to climb. To climb it a climbing permitt for 350 USD is necessary to be applied.
Am văzut în față profilându-se în alb Kongde Ri (6.187 m)*, muntele masiv ce străjuiește amfiteatrul Namche Bazaar spre vest, la doar patru km. Acest munte este clasificat ca traseu de trekking, dar, pe de altă parte, este considerat ca unul dintre cele mai dificile vârfuri de urcat și pentru a ajunge pe el este necesar un permis de cățărare, nu de trekking.
   *”A stunning new Khumbu trek and climb combination - A fresh perspective on Nepal's most popular region - Fabulous views of Everest - Trek to the "forbidden" Nangpa La on the Tibetan Border. Towering above Namche Bazaar, the triple summited Kwangde Ri is a strikingly impressive mountain. This is one of the difficult climb trekking peak. Its northern summit, Kwangde Nup (19795ft.), which is climbed from a base camp in the rarely visited Lumding Valley, makes a superb trekking peak objective and also provides a simply fantastic vantage point. The summit panorama extends across the Khumbu, from Ama Dablam and Makalu in the East, to Everest and Cho Oyu and includes the spectacular Rolwaling peaks, to the northwest.
   Just as exciting as the peak, however, is our chosen means of acclimatization, which will involve a week of trekking in the lovely valley to the north of Thame and culminate in an ascent to the high and glaciated Nangpa La (18750ft.). This remote pass is the high point of a historically important trade route between Nepal and Tibet and has, until recently, been off-limits to trekking groups. This mouth-watering new itinerary provides a whole new way of looking at the Khumbu. Kwangde Ri is also called Kongde Ri and Kwande on various maps. This difficult mountain forms an impressive multi-summited ridge on the eastern end of the Lumding Himal, which in turn can be regarded as part of the Rolwaling Himal. Rising south-west of Namche Bazaar above the Bhote Kosi River, the mountain's northern flank forms an impressive barrier that throws down several steep ridges to the north. It's glaciated southern flank is more aloof.
   It is hidden at the northern end of the Lumding Drangka, a high and remote valley bounded to the west by the tumbling glaciers of Karyolung (6,511m), Khartang (6,853m) and Numbur (6,959m). The Lumdring valley is rarely visited by trekkers or expeditions. At the northern end of the valley the stream cascades down a natural rocky barrier above which is a moraine-bound lake, the Tsho Og, at the snout of the Limding Glacier. North of the Tsho Og, itself hidden in a huge rocky cwm, is the massive Lumding Tsho Teng (5,151m).All of the routes climbed to date on the Kwangde Peaks are difficult; none have proved suitable for commercial trekking peak expeditions. The routes on the North Face are particularly difficult and reflect recent developments in lightweight Himalayan climbing, with an emphasis on technical difficulty and a high degree of commitment. Two climbers without support camps or fixed ropes have invariably made them, although in at least one case a subsequent ascent has seen a return to traditional siege style tactics with masses of fixed rope and camps. Even the routes on the South Face are committing and difficult, although the climbing is more traditional in character. Experienced climbers who are looking for rarely climbed and challenging small peak in the Himalayas will find this peak very attractive.” Source: http://www.nepal-guide.com/kwangde_ri_peak.htm


Behind me the AmaDablam’s profile was more beautiful as ever and today I had to say “good bye” to it. A group of Sherpa women sat at charades loosely scattered on the rocky sunny road. I met the Khumjung Village from a different perspective, crossing it from one end to another along the main road that connects the path coming from Namche Bazaar to the point where the trail splits in two different directions: Gokyo and Everest B.C.
Khumjung is a large village with an unitary houses structure: same format, same colors and same materials. Both of them, Khumjung and Khunde give an impression of gentle prosperity and community, they transmit something different. I could imagine myself living there a a longer time. Predominant feature is a gray dry stone, light gray, dusty, but beautiful. Going uphill on a heavenly path, flooded by sunlight and heat, you see a terraced land left behind the habitual stone fence. There are dozens of Sherpa men working. They chop by hand rocks and stones turning them into gravel. A Sisyphus work. This is how they live their lives. I do not know if this is a particular job or if everybody is doing this when want to build a house. I just know that it impresses me every time.
În spatele meu se profila AmaDablam din nou și astăzi aveam să mă despart de imaginea lui. Un grup de femei Sherpa stăteau la șaradă, împrăștiate lejer pe drum. Am cunoscut Khumjung Village din altă perspectivă, traversându-l de la un capăt la altul, pe drumul principal care face legătura dinspre Namche Bazaar către punctul unde se bifurcă poteca spre Everest și spre Gokyo. Este un sat mare, cu o structură unitară a caselor: același format, aceleași culori și aceleași materiale folosite. Și Khumjung și Khunde dau impresia de prosperitate domoală și comunitate, transmit ceva diferit. Elementul predominant este piatra de un cenușiu sec, deschis, prăfuit, dar frumos. Intrând pe o alee paradisiacă în urcare, inundată de soare și căldură, dai de un teren terasat pe stânga, în spatele nelipsitului gard alcătuit din pietre. Acolo, câteva zeci de Sherpa, toacă manual bolovani și pietre, transformându-le printr-o muncă de Sisif, în pietriș. Oamenii construiesc. Este felul în care își trăiesc viața. Nu știu dacă este o meserie aparte cea de pietrar sau dacă pur și simplu oricine vrea să construiască ceva face acest lucru. Știu doar că mă impresionează de fiecare dată.

I walked along stroking the stone plates arranged on the mani wall placed right in the middle of the road, on the left, as required by local superstition. I admired again Khumbila, the holy mountain, on the right. That mountain stands there like a hen who takes care of her kittens, the houses and the people inside them. I reached the most important place of the village (at least I think so), a large ground, nearly as much as a stadium, with two large stupa, white, from where starts on a wide road, a very long mani wall covered with the same stone slabs, carved with mantras or religious figures. The long mani wall stops in an ancient stupa, which certainly has seen a lot of events along the time, including the building process of the school complex of Sir Hillary. 
 Am trecut mângâind plăcile din piatră dispuse pe zidul plasat chiar în mijlocului drumului, pe stânga, așa cum o cere superstiția locală. Am admirat din nou Khumbila, muntele sfânt, din dreapta. Muntele acela stă acolo ca o cloșcă ce are grijă de puii ei, puii fiind casele și locuitorii din ele. Am ajuns în locul cel mai important al satului (cel puțin așa cred), un loc viran foarte mare, aproape cât un stadion, cu două stupa mari, albe, de unde pornește, pe un drum lat, un zid foarte lung acoperit cu aceleași plăci din piatră, sculptate cu mantre sau figurile religioase. Zidul se oprește în altă stupa, de data aceasta o construcție mult mai străveche, roasă de timp și de evenimente, care cu siguranță a văzut chiar și cum Sir Hillary a ridicat complexul școlar de lângă ea.
Hillary's School occupies a large area, has a series of stone buildings with a single level, in front of them there is a bronze bust of the New Zealand climber. It is surrounded by a high fence, the gate was locked (vacation time), so I couldn’t enter. And there is a very large playground even alongside the road that leads to the very wide stairs made from rusty stones. That is the new road to Namche, the oldest being a little bit longer narrow wild path.
Școala lui Hillary se întinde pe o suprafață foarte mare, are o serie de clădiri din piatră cu un singur nivel, în fața tuturor se află un bust din bronz al alpinistului neozeelandez. Este împrejmuit cu un gard înalt, poarta era încuiată (e vacanță), deci nu am putut intra. Și are un teren de joacă foarte mare, chiar paralel cu drumul ce te conduce spre treptele foarte late, din piatră ruginie. Este drumul nou către Namche, cel vechi fiind o potecă mai ocolitoare.
 I ostentatiously delayed my walk through the sunny quiet village, so it took me a whole hour to start getting out of it. I had somehow no choice than being sad, but going further on my trail. I continued to put one foot before the other, successively, in the same way we ensure our movement. The way to the hills up there out of Khumjung was simply charming and after I passed along another ancient stupa located on the empty hills I wanted more than before to reach the end of the trek day, to stop, to wash myself, to eat something, to write down my notes and to rest in the pure sense of the word.
Am lălăit timpul, astfel că abia după o oră de la intrare ieșeam din Khumjung. Vrând-nevrând trebuia să îmi văd de drum și cu toată tristețea care te apropie de regulă de finalul a ceva extraordinar a trebuit să continui să pun câte un picior în fața celuilalt, în același mod succesiv care ne asigură deplasarea. A fost pur și simplu șarmant și după ce am trecut de o altă străveche Stupa amplasată pe dealuri, mi-am dorit tot mai mult să ajung cât mai repede la finalul activ al zilei, adică să mă opresc, să mă pot spăla eventual, să mănânc, să îmi scriu notițele și să mă odihnesc în purul înțeles al cuvântului.

I arrived in Namche Bazaar after 2:30 p.m., very early. I was on the road for almost seven hours. The first concern was to stop at the Yeti Airlines to book a flight seat for after tomorrow. Occasion on which I learned that the dealer can’t make reservations there, but only ticket sales! Howit  comes? When you sell a plane ticket you also need to sell the seat.  There are no standing places on the plane, right? Even in Nepal not. Bookings can be made only from Lukla or Kathmandu. I was lucky to get Kedar who could make the reservation directly from Kathmandu, so I had my return assured now (of course, in the limit of local situations, as flights can be canceled anytime and without any information).
Having this done, I entered into the first hotel I saw, just across the road. A large, high hotel, apparently expensive, but asking costs nothing. I was surprised to get a room for only 100 rupees in a much, much better conditions as I had in the Khumbu Lodge (see the comments on 2nd day of the trek). The hotel was almost empty, only 3-4 tourists. Excellent 2-beds-room, sunny, warm, clean, excellent view. For 300 rupees I could have a hot shower for 10 minutes. What do you need more?! I just wanted to have a clean, quiet corner for myself, to drink a bier when possible, a hot chocolate when possible, to have a hot soup and to enjoy the heat of the sun. And I had all of these and I felt happy. I would have wished to stay a night longer in that location, but next day I had to move further and to reach Lukla. Still a very long way for at least 6 hours.

Am ajuns în Namche Bazaar după ora 2:30 p.m., deci foarte devreme. Eram pe drum de aproape șapte ore. Prima grijă a fost să mă opresc la Yeti Airlines pentru a-mi rezerva locul la avion pentru poimâine. Ocazie cu care am aflat că reprezentanța de acolo nu poate face rezervări, ci doar vânzări de bilete!!! Cum vine asta? Când vinzi, nu dai biletul cu loc? În baza a ce anume vinzi? Că doar nu există locuri în picioare în avion, nici măcar în Nepal.  Rezervarea se putea face doar din Lukla sau doar din Kathmandu!! Am avut noroc să îl pot contacta pe Kedar în Kathmandu și el mi-a făcut rezervarea pentru zborul de retur.
După ce am rezolvat acest aspect, am intrat în primul hotel care mi-a ieșit din cale. Un hotel mare, care părea scump, dar o întrebare nu costă. Și am fost surprinsă să pot avea acolo o cameră pentru doar 100 de rupii. O cameră excelentă, însorită, caldă, cu două paturi. Pentru 300 de rupii am putut face un duș de 10 minute, apă fierbinte. Ce-ți poți dori mai mult? Eu îmi doream doar o bere, un colț liniștit și măcar încă o zi și o noapte în locația aceea. Dar a doua zi trebuia să mă mișc mai departe și să ajung în Lukla.
Short diary note / Scurtă notiță din jurnal:
”15:25, în Namche Bazaar, Hotel Khangri, room 109 – excelent!!
I finally reached Namche!!!! Warm, sunny, clean room, hot shower!!! I almost cannot believe it!! I feel so well, so endless well!! OK, I am actually sick, very cold, but happy in a way!! 
Doamneeeeeeeee, am ajuns!!!! Cameră caldă, însorită, curată, duș fierbinte!!! Aproape că nu-mi vine să cred!! Mă simt atât de bine, de infinit de bine!! Adică bolnavă, răcită cobză, dar happy in a way!
- duș 10 minute – 300 rupii
- 1 supă ou – 300 rupii
- 2 hot chocolate – 120 rupii
- room – 100 / noapte
- pui indian – 550 rupii
- 1 bere – 350 rupii. Total pe seara asta: 1.720 rupii.”

Montag, 20. Dezember 2010

Himalaya reloaded 2011 - 8th day - Lobuche

8th day of trek, 20th of December 2010
Dingboche (4.360 m) – Lobuche (4.930 m)
Solo trek, 19 kg backpack – 5 long hours

-10°C in the room and -16°C outside in the morning at 8, in Dingboche. No sun, no move ..... all around seems to be stuck in cold and silence and shadow. A stunned time in a frozen area. Am I still on Earth?
After a new crumbed and sleepless night – still only twice going outside -, at 6,20 I gave up my struggle to fall asleep and I remained squatting in my warm sleeping bag, still having the desire for a deep and long sleep. At 6:50 a.m. I dared to leave my warm bank, tired of looking to the ice flowers on the window :-). I started to pack again. After a while, when you have a lot of stuff and the mornings are becoming earlier and colder, you start hate packing, believe me! But there is always the compensation of a wonderful day on the trail, which you will never forget! In the middle of the action, before 8, I went to the dinning room for ordering my breakfast, then I returned to finish my work. Two fried eggs (250 rupies), 1 sherpa stew (350 rupies) and a small pot of boiled water (200 rupies). I added the rest of the potatoes I couldn’t eat last evening. The owner was very surprised about my idea to keep the rest of the food til next day. He said, it is not a good idea to let it in the kitchen, because it will be totally frozen, I should take it in my room over night. I let it in the dinning room and he just warmed it again in the morning and it was just perfect for me. It was safe and I saved some money. I knew a long difficult day expects me, so the breakfast was very important this time.
At 8:15 I started to eat, very slowly. The Danish guy came, at 8:30 came the British couple too. Peter’s intention was to have a rest day in Dingboche, Claire and Andy changed their plans, so they planed to go to Chhukhung and stay over night there. This was meaning, we should meet tomorrow in Lobuche, eventually. The people on the trail do not remain connected, even if they start the day together. Changes can occurs every time in the name of freedom. So, I understood I have to leave solo again and to find my way in the wildness.
See the retreat of the morning cold shadow over Dingboche and Imja Valley
My trail today started in front of the lodge, steep climbing to the top of the hill, behind the white chorten. I sat inside finishing my rich breakfast and sadly looking outside. It was already 9 o’clock and still full cold shadow over the area, some wind. I had a strange feeling this morning. The fire in the dinning room was started very late, after 8 a.m., because the owner did not bother to be earlier for us today. For the group yesterday, they did the fire much earlier.
To be very honest, this morning at 9:15 I reluctantly started in my dawn jacket, following the steep path to the sky. The sun’s light up on the top of the hill, higher than the Nangartsang Gompa – the white chorten -, gave me some courage. After ten minutes without looking behind, I stopped to see what is happening with the sun, I wanted the sun light, the sun warm. Still hidden behind the majestic AmaDablam, the sun seemed to groan in its own rhythm, but it was a very promising day. I really waited for the sun as never before and I was very happy as it fully came outside after other 10 minutes longer, flooding the entire valley and village of Dingboche. Because of too heavy backpack, I reached the ridge of the hill only after 40 minutes and I took a break for 10 minutes, removing all dawn cloth and preparing myself in a much lighter equipment (but heavier backpack now, of course) for a long trail along the valley that opened down to my feet.
 I looked around to the east, greeting for the last time the Imja Valley and the Island Peak (last peak on the right of this picture, very small), I said “good bye” to the Dingboche and the big lodge, I took some memorable pictures, I saluted AmaDablam again, saying a grateful “thank you for the sun!” and I started my descent on the other side of the hill. The adventure goes on to the higher levels of the Earth and Senses.

Periche Village down in the valley
Due to the map – not the best one, unfortunatelly, but good enough – on the right side there are the peaks of Nangkar Tshang (5.616 m) and Pokalde (5.693 m). After 15 minutes I could see the Periche village far away in the down valley left, behind me. I imagine myself for some minutes walking along that very long valley of Phalang Karpo (a quite impozant peak of 4.340 m that accompanied me all the trail til the river cross) and I remembered about the terrible days I spent on a similiar valley two years ago, going to Jomson. These are usually very windy areas and you almost have to keep going with closed eyes because of the fine dust.
If I’m not wrong, also due to the map, the mountain chain on my left were formed by Taboche and Chola Glacier with Taboche Peak inbetween (6.367 m). The trail was very pleasant, sun and wind behind me, my backpack protected me very well. I crossed through the long dry valley for 2 hours, enjoying very minute. The path coming from Periche joins the trail from Dingboche and contours down to a stream, crossing it on a bridge just before Dhukla (4.620 m). I stopped on the bridge admiring the various colors and forms of the ice, large or small icy caps and the water seemed to angry boil under those, upset that its freedom of movement was limited by the ice.
I stopped for only 5 minutes here, leaning the backpack so that I don’t feel it anymore how heavy it is. Lord, how stubborn can I be sometimes .... I do not understand myself. So, after two hours of walking without a break, although I clearly see what a terrible climb expects me for at least one hour, I do stop for a rest only for five minutes?! Not even removing my backpack?! Unbelievable! Sometimes I think, I feel that on the mountain, in certain situations, another person stands out from my inside and works for me. And I have to humbly admit that it makes thinks working great in the end! It must be an angel!
Dhukla - The HRA doctors at Periche urge everyone to stay a night at Dhukla to aid acclimatisation. The elevation gain of 700 m from Perische to Lobuche (600 m from Dingboche) is twice the recommended rate of ascent for a day.

From Dhukla the trail goes directly up the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier for about one – one hour and half. No technical skills needed, but it’s long and steep and dry and rocky. Like the climb from Ciucas Cab (1.560 m) to the Ciucas Peak (1.954 m) as I remember for 25 years ago, but here you are “just” about over 3.000 m higher and this is the difference. I didn’t rush, it would be silly to rush in such of places, you just kill yourself for nothing. So, I took every step, every rock like I’d knitted a shawl! Who ever did knitting in his life, knows exactly how much time and attention and patience you need for finish it. So is the trek through Himalaya like. You are middle on the way and you may not stop and stay there, you have to go forward or backward, it doesn’t matter really. The direction, so far the right one, is not important. Important is to keep walking before you are too tired, before the night is coming and so on.
After one and half hour under the shinny sun I reached the memorial area known as Chukpilhara, on the top of Thokla Pass. It was 1 p.m. There is a row of stone monuments in memory of six Sherpas who died in an avalanche during the 1970 Japanese skiing expedition on Everest. There are many other monuments to climbers, mostly Sherpas, who have perished since then. 
Two new large chortens memorialise the American climber Scott Fischer, who died in the 1996 Everest disaster, and Jangbu Sherpa, who was killed on Everest one year later. I felt so emotional in that place, so I stopped for about 20 minutes to walk around. The place is fantastic, I imagine spending a night there in a tent.
After I ate a small isostar snack I had in the pocket, I went further to the single way it seemed to have connection to the trail. From the wide large plateau I entered then a narrow path along a rocky wall and in front of me a total different scenery opened. I walked on a somehow high hanging path leading to a broad  mild valley, which seemed as endless as the valley that I had come for two hours until the bridge before Dhukla. One of my type of landscape, so much freedom, emotional freedom. You just forget about your tired or hungry or lonely stats. You live the life and every drop of it.
At the moment I took this picture I had no idea that I will reach the feet of that  
"big white guy" in the background, the majestic Pumo Ri, border point to Tibet 
(as the entire range of mountains there, of course). 
I will never forget that white giant in front of me for several days. 
I was walking along the Khumbu Glacier, which streched itselft behind the hill on my right. On the left side, Awi Peak (5.245 m). After about half an hour along the valley, following a path that became  increasingly narrow, I only met three peaceful yaks in that desert of dry frozen everything. Then I began to get ideas about being on the right or on the wrong way, because the perspectives in front of me were without any end indeed. Having a feeling of dimensions, I knew that today was to short for reaching the mountain range at the horizon. It was strange not to meet any Sherpa, any porter, any nobody and I expected the sun will be gone in about one hour later, that was the only problem. When the sun is gone, everything is changed, including your brave mood. So, I have to admit that in such of situations I am dependent of the sun light and warm. On the other hand, on the path’s dust were a lot of shoes signs, so the area was visited or even crossed also by people, not only by animals. I shooted a short movie, in case of something and I began to start about taking into consideration an overnight under the open sky, without any food.
It was about 2 p.m., so, after I’ve got used with the idea of sleeping somewhere outside I decided to go forward, not backward to Dhukla (it was a rational option, of course).
I had planed a trek of 4-5 hours today, taking into consideration the much higher level I gained in just few hours. The general strong advice in the highlands is that after you have passed the threshold of 3.000-3.500 m above sea level you must keep moving every day for several hours, but avoid gaining in altitude higher than 350-500 m, because your body will collaps in a few days. And indeed I heard about such stories in Namche Bazaar, as some brave tourists didn’t feel the danger of the high altitude and refused to stay in Namche for 2 nights. They then had to return from Tengboche or Dingboche to lower lever and stay there for a while, before going up again.

I still expected to reach Thokla Village, although on the map was clearly mentioned, that Thokla is not a village, but a pass. This can be one disadvantage of trekking alone: a few seconds of misunderstanding or not paying enough attentions to your map! Thokla Pass was behind me. But as I didn’t trust myself to reach over 4.900 m today, of course I was relaxed about the distance.
When I saw the first blue roof of a building it was about half past two. Then, far away on the background I located two aluminum opened hats, those where the locals boil the water through the raw sun power. Then I knew I will find a lodge for the night. It was still very early ..... I always say, that the time is purely a matter of relativity. I entered the village full of joy and I tried to find an inscription to be sure about the name of the settlement. No tourist to be seen. I counted about 3 very small lodges and 3 big hotels, one of them quite a new building, terrible hostile, ugly light yellow building, I wonder how they can build such an unaesthetic thing here, at the end of the world, why don’t they just respect the environment colors and context, the local architecture and colors and forms .... awful building, I am very-very sad about this. Because it is Himalaya, not a doesn’t matter what big city, you know? Bad idea! They thing only about making more and more money, they don’t want to learn from the lesson of so called “civilised world” and its disasters. They want to be blind.

I walked among all the shelters looking for an appealing one. The big hotel made from river stone, where I saw the aluminum huts, was located over the river and as I supposed it is too expensive for my budget, I didn’t even go there. After checking almost everything I still was undecided where to go. Suddenly I saw an inscription: “way to Above the Clouds Lodge” and I remembered what Anna said: “I meet you tomorrow at that lodge in Lobuche”. So, I am in Lobuche .... already?! (what a joke, right? “already” after five hours!). I followed that direction and I saw an old terrible small lodge: “Above the Clouds Lodge (Lobuche 4.930 m)”. 
I dared inside and I remarked the ingenious system of “automatic closing door”: on the old pulley principle, a bottle of water took care the door was closed behind you. This funny detail of closed or open doors becomes quite important in such cold locations and it is very annoying when it is very cold, inside just becoming warmer from the evening fire, but the people who are entering or outgoing the room don’t care about closing the door. It is a waste of energy, why do you care about fire then, if you always let the door open? But of course, the local people do not care about such of things, they enjoy to have warm inside, but they cannot warm their houses. They do some fire only when they have several tourists inside, otherwise they don’t do it. So, they are so accustomed with the conditions, that it’s almost impossible to expect from them to take care of this. This is why I was really surprised about this ingenious idea here. n the small dining room was a young man, under 30 y.o.
I asked if this is really Lobuche and he confirmed. I asked about the room price (50 rupies per night) and the toilet location and I checked in. I realized it was terrible cold inside, the rooms were colder, because got no sun, but I promised Anna to meet her here, so I stayed. I ordered a soup, I brought my sleepig bag in the dinning room and I comfortably lied on the bench parallel to the glass window that covered half of the wooden wall of the dinning room (yes, glass window, no mistake! You don’t see everywhere glass windows, but wooden “windows”). And I started to study the map and the lonely planet book, then to write about the day. In the lodge, no other tourist. I was alone with the young Nepali who barely spoke some poor English. But I understood he is not the owner, just an employee and he is going to have holiday for one month starting 20th of January, so the lodge will be close. His home is 3 days walking down (for me probably 5 days). I wondered such a primitive lodge is opened in the winter. Made only from thin sheets of wood and tin, the lodge can be pleasant for the summer, but can be cancerous cold for the winter nights. And I was right, unfortunately. 
The sun gone down at about 4 p.m. and I couldn’t write very long, after 5,30 I gave up, my fingers were frozen. I felt very good, almost happy because I was able to reach that point today, alone. Very sob, whimper and wrapped in my sleeping bag, having again breathing problems due to my old cold, losing blood through the endless mucus, at 7 p.m. I decided it was time to sleep. I was tired. This cold steels a lot, a lot of energy. I feel stupid about insisting, but this is a real diary, not a marketing story. And I am very sensitive in front of cold and frozen air.
I found terrifying the thought of retiring to my dark room, so I took advantage of being the only guest and I spent the night in the dining room. It was the first night when I kept my dawn jacket on. And it was the first night when I could really sleep!
Costs of today:
Breakfast: 800
Lunch in Lobuche: rara noudle soup (350), S.M. lemon tea (300)
Dinner: vegetable fried rice (400)
Total: 1.850 NRP / 27 USD
My advice for such of trekking trips in Himalaya: 
Buy the services of a local travel agency. 
If your backpack is over 12 kg, hire a porter. 
Think about hiring a local guide. 
read here the daily schedule of the entire trail 
N.B.
My first adventure in Himalaya can be read March 2009
 

I'm WATCHing YOU!! :-)