Day 16: Kyanjing Gompa to Langtang
Leisurely start today. In fact Mark and I were up around 6 and had a pleasant walk through the settlement. What a view, spectacular mountains in every direction. We met a local outside one of the tea houses and he asked about our nationality and where we'd come from. When we said Tilman Pass, he said "impossible, you are too old". In fact we have discovered that we were the first group to go over the pass this season, quite an achievement.
Sunny so we were able to bask in the sun over breakfast. We then bid farewell to Pasang, one of our guides, as he is now joining up with another group to summit Yala Peak, which is nearby and a popular trek in the Langtang Valley.
It was a pleasant 3 hour walk by the river to the larger centre of Langtang. There were lots of walkers coming up the valley, mule trains bringing supplies and some locals walking between villages. There was lots of activity in the fields as farmers planted potatoes, tilled the soil with yoked cattle. There were large expanses of mani walls along the track. These are usually at the entry and exits of villages, with religious texts inscribed on thin slices of slate.
Water-driven prayer wheel
Our first impressions of Langtang were of a higgledy-piggledy group of stone houses with ornately carved window frames. Many of the houses have courtyards and a small field nearby enclosed by a stone wall. Certainly no problem finding building materials in a glacial valley. There are several tea houses,and we are staying in one of them tonight, The Pilgrim Guesthouse. We have a room with a sunny aspect which is just as well as it is a very windy place. The best news is that there is a solar heated shower, which we've all indulged in. Absolutely divine - our first in 15 days.
There is a medical centre, which we visited on the recommendation of our Outdoor Ed. Dept at school as they support it in some way. There is a full-time nurse and doctor available to the community.
There is a permanent nurse and doctor in Langtang
We also noticed some activity around the Documentation Centre, at first mistaking it for a school. A Buddhist monk was giving instruction to a large group of locals. Where are the children, I asked? The local school has no teacher so the children go to schools in small regional towns or Kathmandu, living in hostels. A terribly expensive option for poor farmers etc.
I was minding my own business in the common room at the guesthouse, while others slept, wandered or showered, when a fellow sat next to me and started talking about his children,his business etc. He returned later, now I twigged that he didn't belong to this establishment, and he talked about viewing his wares or alternatively I could sponsor his 5 children. I grabbed Mark and Bob for protection and fortunately we escaped after a look at his meagre offering of jewellery in his modest home.
Drinks are now available, now that we have come out of the wilderness. Beer is on sale and some spirits. We caught the aroma of raksi, brewing in a still, as we entered today. It is a millet-based local brew. Needless to say, that's not on the menu tonight.
Khem surprised us again with a brilliant meal. Shiitake mushroom soup, spicy chicken with rice and vegetable curry and apple crepes for dessert. Some of the kitchen staff had walked 8 hours to bring the fresh chickens from Syabrubesi. This was greeted to with a round of applause.
Meg & Mark Smith
16/5/14
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