The pebbles grind beneath our feet as we make our way out of Manang and on to the highest peaks of our journey. Loaded down with all our gear each foot fall feels uncomfortably heavy after our few days of relaxation. We climb up, up and over until we are on top of a ridge that overlooks Manang for the last time. Ahead of us are hills of green grass with a backdrop of snow white mountains. Villagers returning from their crops come down the ridge and wish us well on crossing the pass as this is our last huge settlement until we get to Muktinath on the other side of Thorung La. We round the bend and Manang is gone and the pebble filled path becomes dirt again. There are a lot of trekkers with us at this point, no Jeremy, but the people we've met in Manang the past couple days are making there way to the pass.
I get my first glimpse of yaks grazing along the path which are basically wooly cows. We follow a steep valley called Jargeng Khola, which has a river flowing through it but the valley is at such an incline that I can't even see it. At first we pass many prayer walls and huge stones with "Om Mani Padmi Hum" carved into them, but the further we walk from Manang the more the landscape empties of human influence. The beauty of the green hills against the white mountains and blue sky keeps us all silent. The scraping of our feet along the ground and the wind howling in our ears becomes our soundtrack. We stop for lunch at a settlement called Letar where most of the trekkers we left Manang with are staying for the night. We don't get this luxury because we are shorter on time and plan to push on to Phedi which is lower base camp and sits at 14,450 ft. When you look on a map the distance from Letar to Phedi does not seem so far, but you have to remember you are ascending through a valley at high altitude so it's not an easy stroll up the street.
3 hours later,,
The day is getting late and we are still climbing the path to lower base camp. The sun has now settled on the mountains and most of the valley is in shadow. The wind has also picked up and I am bundled up even wearing a hat and gloves. Every limb is aching perhaps the altitude is taking it's toll although I don't feel short of breath. We haven't seen another soul ahead of us or passing us since we left Letar and I'm wondering if anyone will be at base camp. I'm also wondering if we are going to be sleeping on this trail because the land ahead looks empty and dark. I'm falling behind in our little pack and Tony waits for me to catch up to him and asks if I'm alright. I've not realized that my voice is hoarse and all I can say is," Cold, tired and I want to die." I motion him forward and tell him not to worry about me.
I'm not going to give up I'm just going to be frustrated, but no matter what I still have to keep walking. In my mind I'm thinking, we should have stayed at Letar with everyone else, but I don't dare complain about it. I know we are limited by our obligations back home. As of right now I want to tell those obligations to piss off!...Finally there is a dead end and a lodge at the base of a steep mountain. Phedi means "foot of hill" and there is no mistake that what lies above it is nasty steep hill. If I am tired now then I'm in real big trouble tomorrow. It's literally straight up and the path is all switch backs around giant jagged boulders. I let a sigh and see Tony and AB have descended halfway down the path. They are talking to a group of Nepali porters while they wait for me to reach them. My feet are killing me and going down hill feels awkward after a long day of ascending. I almost feel dizzy traversing into the ravine. This section of trail suffered a landslide some time ago because it's steep and made up of a gathered mass of stones and each step causes rocks to roll off the side and tumble to the depths below. The porters pass me wearing flip flops and winter hats with carefree smiles on their faces even though they loaded down with gear and the air is frigid. How do they do it?!
Tony and AB are at a stream that churns and gurgles with fury down towards the valleys we just came from. It's not a huge stream but we are not able to jump it. There's a bridge running across it that consists of a sagging board with a puny tree branch for a railing. Again, these crossings would be easy if I wasn't loaded down with a backpack, but add the weight and I am terrified to try crossing it. Tony and AB know this and that is why they wait for me. AB goes first taking short steps but walks quickly without any trouble. He leans over the bridge and stretches his hand out as far as he can and motions for me to come on. I'm so damn tired and I don't want to do this right now, but I step onto the board. I lean forward and my backpack almost pushes me over making me step back onto the ground. I try again more slowly trying my hardest to take the biggest step I can so that I don't have to have both my feet on the bridge. My hand reaches and AB pushes forward and grabs my hand and pulls me quickly off to the other side with him. Tony walks across easily and in the dim light we head towards the warm glow of the lodges windows like a group of moths to a porch light.
I am so worn down that I feel like I am dragging anvils by my arms and feet. Our room is a concrete cell, cold and windowless, but the dining hall is warm and cozy. We sit with three very tall, blonde guys from Belgium and order spaghetti with canned tuna. AB points out that we need to load up on carbs for the hike ahead of us tomorrow so, "Eat up!" I'm starving but my exhaustion is making me feel too tired to even attempt eating. I lay my head on the table falling in and out of sleep until our dinner arrives. AB and Tony are tired too but they are doing much better than I am, chatting with the Belgium's and keeping their heads off the table. I stare at my dinner and finally force myself to eat and once I've consumed a few bites I feel better and warm. I think the altitude is killing me and that is why I am so exhausted. It's strange because I don't feel like I am having trouble breathing but the weight that my body feels is dauntingly heavy. I practically can't even carry myself!
Back in the room I don't even bother changing my clothes or even brushing my teeth. It takes great effort to sift through my backpack and unroll my sleeping bag onto the mattress. It's way too cold to take off my layers and even when I crawl into my sleeping bag I am still shivering. My nose and cheeks feel raw from being in the wind all day and now my little face protrudes from my sleeping bag and becomes ice cold. I don't care about anything but sleeping and I believe that this night will be the heaviest sleep I've ever had in my entire life!
