Date: 1st April, 2014.
I was up before the alarm went off at 06:30. After brushing our teeth and washing our faces, we repacked our kit bags and day sacks, ready to depart Taksindu by 08:00. Our next stop was to be the village of Kharikhola located on the other side of the Dudh Koshi, the landmark river that draws it's water from the Ngozumba & Khumbu glaciers. The northbound trail to Everest Base Camp from Lukla basically follows the river plain of the Dudh Koshi.
The track from Taksindu started off at a decent, meandering and cutting across the downward slopes of the mountain range we were traversing towards the Dudh Koshi river.
All along the route we encountered trains of mules going the other way. Some trains only had 8 mules, others had over 20, with the occasional one farting continuous as it went past. The mules (or donkeys), led by one or two muleteers, are used to transport goods between the villages. Some of them have bells tied around their necks which ring as they walk to forewarn people of their imminent arrival. Almost the entire track to Kharikhola was littered with mule dung, and we spent a lot of our time trying to avoid stepping into it.
The terrain of the track here was also quite challenging. There were a lot of large loose rocks and stones strewn haphazardly, making the descent very treacherous. I even managed to slip on one and land hard on my hip, causing spasms of mild pain shooting across my lower back. Kavita also twisted her left foot ankle, causing her pain every time she put weight on it. To make matters worse, I had a slight fever, causing a dull ache throughout my body. The blisters on the back of my feet had also enlarged with prolonged rubbing against the shoes, causing mild pain & discomfort as I walked. I felt much better after we had a hot lemon drink and some biscuits at the village of Nunthala.
After an hour's break, we continued to descend down towards the river plain of Dudh Koshi, crossing it at around 11:30. Thirty minutes later we arrived at the village of Jubing, where we stopped for a prolonged lunch break.
For the first time since we started the trek I felt truly shattered and exhausted. It was one of those moments when I questioned what we were doing and debated whether it was worth all the torture I was putting myself through. Such negativity usually starts to play havoc with my mind when my immune system is low, indicating that perhaps it is time to rest and recuperate.
We left Jubing at around 14:00, heading on a steep and tiring ascent towards the village of Kharikhola. Every so often, we would see a helicopter flying towards Kharikhola with a heavy load hanging below it. A few minutes later, if would fly back in the opposite direction having unloaded somewhere in the valley. Dorje tells me it probably transporting materials from the airstrip in Saleri to some remote destination in the mountains.
High overhead on the hill in front of us, we could see the white chorten marking the boundary of the village. It seemed so close, but yet it took us ages to get there as we zig-zagged at a slow crawl across the steep incline that led to it. At last, we arrived there at 15:20, relieved that we had made it thus far despite all our ailments.
Rather than spend the night at Kharikhola and then move on the next day, we intended to stay for two nights and spend the next day recuperating. After searching for a lodge with half decent facilities, we stopped for the night at the Namaste 'hotel' on the main alleyway that cuts through the village. It had the most unusual setup we had come across so far. The communal sitting/dining area is on one side of the alley with storage rooms underneath it. The 2 small 'guest' rooms are on the same side but on a lower level on a par with the storage rooms. The washing sink (with a pipe for running water from a nearby river) and toilet are also on the same level. The kitchen, with an attached shop and a shower shed are on the opposite side of the alley way.
As soon as we arrived, we asked for hot water for a shower. We hadn't had one for four days and it sapped the humanity out of us. The salt on our bodies from all the dried sweat probably dehydrated us quicker.
It took 45 minutes for the water to heat up. Kavita went for a shower first, intending to wash her hair and clothes in the same session. Unfortunate for her, the host lady had forgotten to turn on the supply tap to route the hot water into the shower shed, so Kavita ended up with washing herself and her clothes with not much more than a trickle of cold water. Fortunate for me, the tap was turned on after we pointed out the issue to the host lady. I used the hot water to shave my head and beard as well as wash my clothes. By the time I was ready to have a shower, there was no water at all in the shed. Dorje and Kaji had gone for a walk, so I shouted out to Kavita and told her to Inform the host lady. Apparently, they were going to sort it out. I heard someone walking round to the back of the shed, check the pipework and then had back to the kitchen. I stood there butt-naked in the shower shed for 20 minutes, expecting the hot water any minute soon, but nothing happened. I opened the door of the shed slightly and peered out across the alley to see what was going on, and apart from strangers walking up and down, there was no one else I could call upon. Eventually, I put on my clothes and came out of the shed, just in time to see Dorje & Kaji walk back to the guest house. Dorje asked the lady what was going on and she said I had already used up all the hot water and that I should have instead washed my clothes with cold water from the sink by the toilet. I apologised for my mistake and she eventually agreed to give me another bucket of warm water which I quickly used to bathe myself. It dawned on me that back at home, we have hot water on demand for everything from washing our dirty dishes to having a luxurious bath, and here in this remote village they have to ration it and use it sparingly. Lesson learned in earnest.
All our washed cloth were hung off some cable lines tied around the back of the sleeping quarters. We left them outside overnight as there was no worry of anyone stealing our clothes. Hopefully, they would have dried by the next day.
Dinner was served at around 19:30. We were looking forward to having a lie in the next day. With the pressure off, we felt more relaxed and enjoyed the evening better, allowing ourselves a few games of Rami with the playing cards we had purchased from Kathmandu. By 21:00, we were tucked into our sleeping bags and fast asleep within 30 minutes.
I did get woken up at 02:30 by the call of nature. Trying to fall back asleep in spite of it was proving to be difficult. I gave in and got out my sleeping bag. It took me a couple of minutes to put on my clothes and shoes. It was cold and pitch dark outside. To save electrical power, most lights in the village are switched off at night. There were a few distant lights that appeared to float in the dark, but were in fact lights left on at the teahouses or homes on the opposite mountain, which I could not make out in the dark. Not a soul in sight and not a sound apart from the night insects and a dog barking away somewhere in the distance. Half dazed, I made my way to the toilet, guided by the beam of my headlamp, relieved myself and made my way back to the dorm room. It took me another 15 minutes to get comfortable in the sleeping bag and fall asleep again.
DAY 9: Trekking Technicals:
Start Point: Taksindu (2,926m), 08:35
End Point: KhariKhola (2,006m) 16:16
Distance: 14.0km (77.6km)
Total Moving Time: 4h 23m
Total Ascent: 869m (agg. 6,193m)
Total Descent: 1,777m (agg. 6,152m)
Min Elevation: 2,585m
Max Elevation: 3,069m
Trekking Tip:
Watch where you put your foot !! During trekking, regardless of the terrain, always look for large and firm surfaces areas (rocks or ground) which offers proper coverage for the grips on your boots and maximise traction. Loose and oddly shaped rocks can be hazardous, causing you to slip and fall or sprain your ankle.
For prolonged trekking, try to use your entire foot when taking a step. If a specific part of the foot for too long eg the heel, sole or toes, it may end up becoming sore and eventually painful.
No comments:
Post a Comment