ROLWALING and KHUMBU via Trashi Labsta (18.887 ft)

© Dirk Deckx (1994)

8. TREKKING... Day 7 and 8

Day 7 (Oct 24 - '94) : Jagat - Simigaon

*Minimum temperature tonight : + 11.4°C.
With a relieved heart we leave the Chhetri and start our trip to Simigaon. In the morning we run across Dawa, our climbing-sherpa. He just came from Trashi Labsta and tells us that the pass is looking fine. Dawa doesn't speak English, he's a man in his thirties but looks ten years older. Pasang translates. From here on Dawa will replace Kami.
Trashi Labsta is snow-covered but passable, ditto for Parchamo.
The narrow path high above the foaming and swirling Bhote Kosi is impressive and very steep. Two hours before Simigaon we meet a group of American young people who attend lectures in Nepali culture and language. They are also on their way to Simigaon.

The village of Simigaon is rather big and offers the rare possibility to renew food supplies. Soft drinks and beer are for sale but very expensive. The higher, the more expensive... that's the rule here and quite rightly because all supplies are hand-carried from Barabise !

Very near to our camp is a tiny hut. A young woman and her child invite us in to drink a coke by the fire. We would die for a coke but while opening the bottle, the liquid spouts out with an enormous power. It has something to do with the lower air pressure. The higher you go, the more careful you have to be when opening a bottle with a liquid that contains carbonic acid.
The view from our camp is breathtaking... we look at the impressive flanks of 'Gauri Shankar'.

Summary day 7 (Jagat - Simigaon)

Day 9 (Oct 25 - '94) : Simigaon - Gyalche

*Minimum temperature tonight : + 7.7°C.
Our personal has been drinking too much alcohol yesterday because they got up much later as usual. They don't seem to be in the mood to leave early. We let them rest for a while and leave on our own. We have good maps so it shouldn't cause any problems. We have to climb 2.900 ft but all in all it's going smoothly. The sun is hiding behind the rock-faces so that is stays pleasantly cool and humid.
After 1.300 ft we reach a lonely reed hut in the middle of nowhere with, in front of it, a small plate that mentions : "Cold and hot drinks available here...welcome". We can't ignore this can we ? We drink several bottles of lemonade and buy some biscuits. Three quarters of an hour later the kitchen-crew arrives and we decide to use this place as a pick nick-zone.

We made quite some progress in this Rolwaling valley by now and we didn't see a mirror for 8 days. I didn't shave anymore since Kathmandu and can't imagine how I look like. But I really don't mind... as long as I'm fit and healthy. Still, there's the every-day cold and dripping nose but this is a very normal symptom and it doesn't hinder me.
We talk a whole lot and John turns out to be well posted in Nepali culture, people and traditions. He already travels through this country for many years and knows lots of paths, passes and peaks. He might be of serious help to us on Trashi Labsta.

We pitch the tents along the banks of 'Rolwaling Chhu' on a very idyllic spot. We're not alone here... there's another group of older Americans who keep us company. They come from Na and are on the way to Simigaon. They cannot give us any information regarding Trashi Labsta.

It's getting cold tonight. While the sun sets the temperature drops from 11 to 6° C in five minutes. With a cup of hot chocolate milk in our hands, we seek a place in front of the camp-fire between Pasang, Dawa and Suk Bai, the chief-cook. We talk about our lives, our countries and other personal things but we don't hold out for long. It's much too cold and I yearn for my warm sleeping-bag. At about 10 PM it's only +2.2°C... and this is just the start.

Members of the staff and kitchen-crew sleep together in one tent but the porters always stay outside... in the bushes, in a cave or under a hanging down rock. Porters are the 'work-horses' and belong to the lowest caste. During the high season they are, most of the time, busy with some kind of trekking and have no contact with their families. When there are no tourists to work for they return to their wives and to the fields. At first we feel ashamed in the presence of those hard-working men, but progressively we understand their situation. For them it's an ordinary job, the only way to get some money. They are always optimistically, friendly, sociable and helpful and after their daily tasks they kindle a camp-fire and start to sing and make fun, with or without a glass of brandy.
Our respect for these tough guys knows no bounds. Some of them walk on bare feet, others only wear worn out slippers or sandals. Only when we reach higher altitudes they are offered cheap but undamaged shoes from the agency.

Summary day 8 (Simigaon - Gyalche)