Travelhector

It is unique in my life that I walked such ups, downs and distances in mere 1,5 weeks.

After 10 days on the Annapurna Circuit, our focus turns rather to touristic, religious and other attractions. Every time I think back to Nepal, a kaleidoscope of impressions enfolds in my head, loud like a freight train und colourful in its contradictory facets. There is only one way to get a glimpse of the plenty of highlights that come with this kind of journey: go there yourself!

Fragments of my own trip, unless already stated in the posts of the first twelve days, are the following:

• Anger: We had fantastic weather conditions (bright sun, cloudless sky, NO WIND!!!) in the bleakly town of Johmson – still no plane was there for our long-booked flight through the world’s deepest valley, hence no promising views on all Annapurna peaks and on our own footsteps were to be seen. My anger told me quite some about Buddhist impassivity and that I still have a long way to go… Yet the 10-hours-bumping-bus tour showed us more of the Nepali real life that enfolds among agriculture, garbage and tourism (with special outlooks on Chinese domination in local roadmaking).

  

• Foreignness: Holy Hindu temples, conflicting convictions and the alignment of modern business and religious traditions left me mute and agitated. The 108 waters of Muktinath and the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu proved that when approaching Hinduism, this ancient religion shows more parallels to Christianity than I had thought, yet remaining entirely strange to me.

  

  

• Adventure: At no time in any bus or other means of transportation have I felt concerned. Still, driving on busses through rivers or circling on unsecured serpentine “streets” (jolt tracks) may be considered as low-risk-adventures. Bruises with stories (“…and then the bus dived into the low water of the river…” / “…some centimetres of the tires may or may not have been in plain air while the driver managed to take the turn with neither fall nor crash…”) are guaranteed!
  
• Beauty (part 1) / Architecture: Elaborated wooden elements in houses and temples, neat proportions, white stones and red bricks, windows and roofs and the altogether of historical (ancient) cities… it is outshined by the Stupa Bodnath and the circle of ancient houses around. Or perhaps even outrivalled by the ancient palace of Kathmandu?

  

• Food: Delicious, multifarious, with influences from China and India and roots in ancient cultures. Tibetan soup, Newa style Momos, Dal Bhat, curries, vegetables, eggs, fruits, yak steak, rice, cake, fish, … Nepal is full of good food, especially when you avoid places that serve pizza for stubborn tourists.

  

• Beauty (part 2) / Buddhism: Buddhism is visible almost all over Nepal, especially in the higher regions of the Himalaya. Not once did it disappoint me in its appearance or its approach. Less formal than the Hindu religion, much more welcoming. The outer features of temples and cloisters reflect the inner sparkling of the monks. Those we talked to seemed to be entirely grounded in patience, kindness and contentment. The souvenir of the inner and outer beauty we met whenever getting in touch with Buddhism will stay with me for much longer.
  
• Dirt: Although I avoided pictures of it, garbage and dirt have been more present than I would have liked. Remember my flight day in March, when I ended up at the side of a young Nepali who talked enthusiastically about the “Clean up Nepal” campaign? Given the spread-out garbage around the huts and houses, I thought back to this conversation quite a lot. Only Bhaktapur had garbage bins speckled around downtown and was astoundingly clean – except for the omnipresent dust that lays on your skin, your lungs, your clothes. When going to Kathmandu, ensure to bring some breathing mask with you. Here, garbage, burned bodies, dirt and dust combine to one of the worst air pollutions worldwide. Yet, the town is all worth it.

  

• Jetstream 41: Finallly, I had my first flight in a small, very small plane. The Jetstream of Yeti Air comes with about 20 seats and at least a glimpse of the Annapurna peak above the clouds. The plane was cute, the Himalaya a bit hazy, still it was the most charming flight I ever had.

  

• Cities: Bhaktapur, Phokara, Kathmandu – each of it (at least) is worth a visit. Vivid centres, market streets, innumerable temples, all kinds of people, ancient and current architecture, shops and restaurants… Whatever you like best in cities across the world, you may find it here. Except for fake facades and modern skyscrapers, that is. Bhaktapur has been a perfect start, Pokhara means luxury tourism and Kathmandu is rich of highlights – I might be drawn back some day.

  

• Himalaya: Never had I thought to get this close to the highest peaks of our planet. And yet I had the Annapurna peaks within reach for days… Still flashed!

  

• Patience: Not the best of my given talents yet, but surely improved during my weeks in Nepal. People are kind, the world is multifaceted and life is great. So, why hurry?

  

The day starts at 4:15 a.m. Inside our room we still have temperatures (slightly) above 0°C. Opening the door, we stand in glistening snow and the water ton outside has turned into a giant ice cube.

After breakfast, we start slowly (“bistare, bistare”) on the steep, snowy path uphill. Ignoring the head lamps of my hiking companions, I soak in the atmosphere of white landscape, shimmering stars above and first rays of sunrise on the peaks. My camera decided to be out of order, so I am forced to enjoy more and photograph less.

I am hilariously happy to be here. To make it through the snow, follow our guide and set one foot after the other on our way to the pass. The thunderstorms of the recent night have left us with 50cm fresh snow, presenting so much of a high alpine scenery that it would suite even the Himalaya. Oh yes, in fact it is the Himalaya…!

The preparation of almost a year culminates into the trek of the day. Good mood and maximum strength are with me for the first hours. I am full of energy, make jokes and enjoy the hike like best holiday practice. We pass by the Thorong La High Camp, stop every so often for a sip of water from our bottles and continue our way up.

It is somewhere around 5.200m altitude when the strangest sensation hits me: Like walking through a curtain, my world (or myself) instantly changes: Within a second, I feel sick. I have a headache. I cannot keep up the group’s paste and need a halt every 10 steps.

Breathing feels normal while suddenly it is incredibly exertive to walk. Fortunately, the path is not very steep anymore, and I hear that “only 150m up” are in front of us until we are expected to reach the pass. At least that is what our guide claims…

Typical height symptoms, even the light version, indicate a recommended change of direction: down would be best now. I am more than willing to go down, right after the pass – sure enough, I will NOT turn back before! Hence, I clench my teeth and go on.

I think of absent friends and mentally borrow their forces: Visualizing the swimmer – huge  and full of strength –, I borrow his muscles and gain some more metres. The dancer with the massive thighs: I make them mine for the time being and get somewhat further. The Northern guy from the sea, always so optimistic – I take over his optimism and continue my way. The bartender with his nonchalance – adopting it, I ignore any indisposition. And so it goes. All brightened up by the picture I had in mind throughout the entire trek, figuring Sabine and me on top of the pass.

Another girl of our group fights the same symptoms (started around the same height) and, conjoined in exertion, we struggle on and on. Even though it seems endless, about an hour after the start of the hardest part, we finally make it.

Welcome to the Thorong La Pass!

Sabine welcomes me and fortunately has no problem at all. She even jumps up and down for pictures and is all in a good mood. I find a low wall that I can lean upon for a minute and just hope that we will descend soon. I can’t remember having ever felt so exhausted in life – not even back in my triathlon era. Holy Moly, this is something!

At least, I am still standing.
I am here on 5.416m.
I have no severe problem and when a camera is looking my way, I am able to stand straight and even smile.

Having started at 5:00h a.m., it took us 1.000 altitude metres to get here. At this point, 1.700 m lay down at our feet. With the snow and aslope ways, it will take us hours and hours until we even reach our destination for late lunch.

Making a long story short, every metre of the -1.700 altitude difference is annoying and exhausting – no wonder after eight hours en route without restoring breaks or eating or other shallow needs. Eventually we reach Muktinath in the afternoon, a place of pilgrimage for Hindus with great significance in the South Asian subcontinent. The Hindu temple comes along with a small town and the “Hotel Grand” for tired tourists. Right after a short nap, I am fully restored for lovely dinner (Yak steak! Beer!) and for the acknowledgement of our success: We made it!

I would have preferred to pass the pass with no difficulty at all. Yet, struggling hard for a goal and finally succeeding has its own, delicate quality – it will take some time until I might be confronted with anything harder.

Whatever problem may occur in everyday life, it will hardly keep up with this particular personal experience.
Wanna annoy me? Nice try, but I have been on 5.416m and even the Yeti has been scared!