ROLWALING and KHUMBU via Trashi Labsta (18.887 ft)

© Dirk Deckx (1994)

7. TREKKING... Day 5 and 6

Day 5 (Oct 22 - '94) : Chilanka - Laduk

*Minimum temperature tonight : + 8.7°C.
The fever is completely gone and I feel reborn. We are on the way for five days and are still below 9.800 ft. Tomorrow the camp will be pitched even lower. It all fits in with the acclimatization process.
11.00 AM : arrival in Laduk. A Hindu family grants permission to camp on their territory. At last we have the possibility to wash our fatigued limbs and our clothes thoroughly. A hot sun dries all our stuff in two hours.

The use of a well-organized agency and good trustworthy men is getting clear to us. Surviving in this territory is almost impossible for us Westerners. There's no possibility to buy supplies in this remote area of the Himalayan's. In order to prevent problem situations, it's better to pay a little bit more for a trekking like this. It's easy to find cheaper porters and/or guides in the cities but they might run away at night after you paid them a part of their wages. Without those men you won't get far in this tough area.

But as a matter of exception our hosts run a tiny shop. They actually have several bottles of Star-beer and other soft-drinks available. For one bottle of beer we pay 80 Rp.

Summary day 5 (Chilanka - Laduk)

Day 6 (Oct 23 - '94) : Laduk - Jagat

*Minimum temperature tonight : + 6.2°C.
We follow the 'Bhote Kosi' river and arrive in the territory of the 'Chhetri', a higher Hindu-caste, who don't seem to appreciate foreigners. Pasang and Kami advise us to watch our luggage carefully because those individuals might steal something. The Chhetri are a striking gruff people and we try to avoid them as much as possible. Their children approach very near to watch all our doings closely and they seem to be especially 'attracted' to our 'luxury' items. They are going so far that we have to chase them away. I'm not at my ease here and I guard our stuff every second.

The evening is getting very pretty. High in the mountains there's no smog and the sky is crystal-clear. Never before we observed the starry sky and its Milky Way so intensely. It creates a relaxed atmosphere in our society.
The camp is pressed between impressive overgrown rock-faces at the banks of 'Bhote Kosi'. Hundreds of glow-worms move through the bushes and treat us to an unforgettable show. The hallucinatory booming of the river and the pleasant climate make us sleep like a log.

Summary day 6 (Laduk - Jagat)