Day 15 : Numthang (4000m) - Kyanjing Gompa (3800m)
Day 15 : Numbhang to Kyanjing Gompa (4 hours)
Yeah, a sleep-in until 7.30am, supposedly...but woke at 5am - amazing sight - full moon over mountains. Sunny, sunny day so breakfast outside surrounded by mountain ranges. We left the campsite at about 8.30, leaving on a soft path along the river.
Yaks were grazing, birds coasting down the river valley, native irises and primulas bordering the track, thar (wild goats) high on the hillsides. Satish pointed out the spot, Kanja La Pass, where a young trekker spent a month or so holed up in a cave, surviving only on a Mars Bar. This pass links the Langtang Valley to the Helambu. We had our first glimpse Langtang Lirung (7227m) and Langtang (6956m). It is very rare for people to climb these peaks because there is a legend that you will die within a month of climbing.
We enjoyed a leisurely meander despite a cool headwind. Suddenly the scenery changed with a huge white expanse of stones - a rock glacier, in fact. We could see mist moving down the valley and the temperature plummeted. It was a relief to see our destination - the small settlement of Kyanjing Gompa.
It is essentially made up of hostels or tea houses and some small handicraft stalls. We are settled in a large field in front of one of the lodges. The kitchen staff have taken over the lodge kitchen as Satish only trusts his own staff to serve our food to a high enough standard.
We've had an entertaining afternoon investigating the area. Bob, Lorraine and I were seduced into looking at a lady's handicrafts in her small one-roomed home. We all succumbed and bought some yak wool handicrafts for a few dollars. There are only a few tourists in the township - about 20. It must be so hard for them to make a living.
Friendly locals. Mainly Tibetan origin.
Satish had organised for us to visit the cheese factory. Established in the 1954 with Swiss technology but is now a run by the Nepalese Board of Agriculture. It operates during June and July
employing 12 locals. It produces a hard aromatic yak (technically nak - a female yak) cheese. Karin is a cheese aficionado and cheese maker bought some for us all to taste. Delicious.
We then visited the 600 year-old Buddhist monastery, after which the village is named. A small basic, dark building with all the usual trappings - ornate paintings, colourful icons and shelves of prayer books, written in exquisite Tibetan script.
Lots of activity to keep us occupied for our last night camping.
Wonderful news. We were able to use a satellite phone today and we have found out that our son, Nick, and his wife, Kristie, had a baby girl, Pippa, on Friday 9 May. It is great to be in contact with the outside world again. We have not seen any foreigners until yesterday - 2 glaciologists from London University and a Norwegian yoga teacher.
We are also looking forward to some warm weather as we are still experiencing intermittent snow falls. And a hot shower, wouldn't go amiss.
Meg and Mark Smith
15/5/14
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