Day 6 : rest day in Hille Bhanjyang
Wonderful surprise at 5.30am to see a full mountain range spread out before us, particularly with the glowing sunrise. By 7am the cloud has descended and the void returned.
Satish used today for acclimatisation so we had a walk up a surrounding hill to gain experience at higher altitude.Then on our descent he set up ropes for us to practise our ascent on the Tilman Pass. We have all been issued with harnesses and heavy plastic boots. Today he ran through the procedure we will follow. Heavy rain interrupted just as we completed the initial manoeuvre.
Terrified at the thought of using any kind of climbing technology - little did I know what lay ahead.
Rain and cold were the order of the day. We are not optimistic about our chances for fine weather. It seems the monsoon has definitely come early. All the better for my chances at mastering cryptic crosswords. Satish used this opportunity to send staff to a village a half a day away down in the valley, to buy another 100 kgs of rice, as our supply already depleted by porters. They also brought back some fresh chickens, which Khem used for a delicious soup and stuffed chicken breasts. Apple coconut pie for dessert with delicately-edged pastry. Amazing what can be produced with 2 kero burners on a dirt-floored tent - everything immaculately clean to boot. Another issue on this particular trek has bee the long distances the porters have to walk for water - several times a day. Humbling to see them carry large 20 litre containers on their backs for all the cooking needs, our washing and drinking water etc. it is all boiled and strained to ensure that it is suitable for our needs.
M&M
6/5/2014
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