Palahmo, Lahaul valley (3600m)

Tenzing arrived with Chintu and Kalu at 0915, loaded up the provisions, and we were on the rocky trail by 1000 under a slight drizzle. We walked along the Barai Nala, ocassionally fording little streams. They're building a road till Zanskar Sumdo, about 5km into the mountains. Probably good the locals, not so good for trekkers.

Palahmo campsite in about 3 hours. One of the most beautiful campsites I've seen. Pitched camp next to a large gurgling stream. Tenzing pitched his camp too and fired up the stove for tea. Sat listening to the sounds of the stream flowing down for the mountain far...

Flowing down

from the mountain high

seems to come from the sky

i sit on the rock

watching it gurgle by

close my eyes

hear it flow so nigh

the mountains dont talk

the valleys dont speak

but the river of the sky

you can hear it sing

if you close your eyes and try

At about 2100 I witnessed what must be the most beautiful thing I have seen yet. The full moon broke out from behind the Great Himalayan range and the valley was washed in a blanket of white. It was surreal, felt like God had switched on a light up above. It seemed like day, but the night was everywhere, it was a hypnotic mix. The moon cast its shadow in the stream which was flowing stronger now, the only thing you could hear that night apart from the occasionally neigh of the horses. It was all so unreal. I sat watching the moon for the longest time. Where am I? I wanted to completely lose myself, sitting there I wondered how many months/years of wandering in the mountains would it take one to completely forget who one was or where one came from...why is that we harbor this deep desire to escape ourselves. How did we fill ourselves with so much poison...