Terrible night in Palahmo. The cold was going right thru all the equipment and clothing, I was cold to the bones. Then the dreams started...bad dreams, nightmares. I kept slipping into sleep despite the cold and then waking up with a start. I lay there shivering wondering whether the dreams were because of the high altitude. I was in the middle of nowhere and alone...
Morning brought relief with the warm sun flooding the valley. But I felt low, tired mostly due to lack of sleep, but also low because of the dreams. 0900 we set off for Zanskar Sumdo, the trail got more rocky, furious streams came down from the mountains to join the grand Bassi river, had to be waded thru, no foot bridges. The water was ice cold, made your feet go numb. "Taang mat uthao, Bassi me bhe jaoge!" laughed Tenzing. Feet would go red and would start to hurt once these streams were crossed. It was sweet torture, the infinite trail was indeed here. Pain is good, funny thing that, in a true adventure you remember it better than the fun times, so in a way its better fun than the fun times...
In about 3 hours we were at Zanskar Sumdo. Not as pretty as Palahmo, landscape was slowly getting more deserted and rocky. Tenzing heated up some wholesome Sattu ki chai. These mountain folks live on Sattu, ground barley/wheat. After tea I mustered up the courage to walk down to the freezing stream and wash some clothes. I carried only a few pairs. But as I got to the stream all valor ran out, it was windy and cold and moreover the water was muddy, back I trudged to the tent. All this walking about was tiring.
But on the way back I came across a small pond, an oasis of sorts where clean water had sprung from the ground. I grit my teeth and got down to a quick bath while the sun was still out and warm. Shed all my clothes, filled my drinking water bottle and bathed at a distance from the pond. The cold water must have killed my skin cells. It sure numbed by brain cells for long after I was dry and in my tent. Risky thing to do this, never do it unless yr used to it and u know the sun will be out for at least a few more hours...
Sat under the sun with a local herdsmen discussing politics. Unbelievable. It was great, he was well informed and had some pretty strong views on stuff. I told him about my cold night in Palahmo. That kind man returned in a while after our conversation with a warm blanket. The mountain folks are the most generous of people. We city folks have so much to learn from them.
1730 -Tenzing had fired up the stove and dinner was cooking. I helped with cutting the vegetables. I need to help him a bit more as the journey goes, dont want to feel like a tourist trekker.
2000- Light is fading. Its tough getting sleep early but there's nothing else to do. I've been sitting outside the tent and watching the mountains for the last couple of hours. Tenzing is tending to the horses. Guess I'll lay down and listen to the roaring Bassi. Tommorrow will be a tough climb to Chumiknakpo...
Morning brought relief with the warm sun flooding the valley. But I felt low, tired mostly due to lack of sleep, but also low because of the dreams. 0900 we set off for Zanskar Sumdo, the trail got more rocky, furious streams came down from the mountains to join the grand Bassi river, had to be waded thru, no foot bridges. The water was ice cold, made your feet go numb. "Taang mat uthao, Bassi me bhe jaoge!" laughed Tenzing. Feet would go red and would start to hurt once these streams were crossed. It was sweet torture, the infinite trail was indeed here. Pain is good, funny thing that, in a true adventure you remember it better than the fun times, so in a way its better fun than the fun times...
In about 3 hours we were at Zanskar Sumdo. Not as pretty as Palahmo, landscape was slowly getting more deserted and rocky. Tenzing heated up some wholesome Sattu ki chai. These mountain folks live on Sattu, ground barley/wheat. After tea I mustered up the courage to walk down to the freezing stream and wash some clothes. I carried only a few pairs. But as I got to the stream all valor ran out, it was windy and cold and moreover the water was muddy, back I trudged to the tent. All this walking about was tiring.
But on the way back I came across a small pond, an oasis of sorts where clean water had sprung from the ground. I grit my teeth and got down to a quick bath while the sun was still out and warm. Shed all my clothes, filled my drinking water bottle and bathed at a distance from the pond. The cold water must have killed my skin cells. It sure numbed by brain cells for long after I was dry and in my tent. Risky thing to do this, never do it unless yr used to it and u know the sun will be out for at least a few more hours...
Sat under the sun with a local herdsmen discussing politics. Unbelievable. It was great, he was well informed and had some pretty strong views on stuff. I told him about my cold night in Palahmo. That kind man returned in a while after our conversation with a warm blanket. The mountain folks are the most generous of people. We city folks have so much to learn from them.
1730 -Tenzing had fired up the stove and dinner was cooking. I helped with cutting the vegetables. I need to help him a bit more as the journey goes, dont want to feel like a tourist trekker.
2000- Light is fading. Its tough getting sleep early but there's nothing else to do. I've been sitting outside the tent and watching the mountains for the last couple of hours. Tenzing is tending to the horses. Guess I'll lay down and listen to the roaring Bassi. Tommorrow will be a tough climb to Chumiknakpo...
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