The Walking Day From Hell
Today we
walked from Yak Karka to High Camp. It took around four hours to walk, but felt
much, much longer than the usual days because I think that I have AMS.
Breathing has become such a struggle, which makes me dizzy, then leads to me
feeling nauseated. A lot of the walking today was in fact climbing, which made
it even harder, but is something I need to get used to because tomorrow when we
go over the pass it will be a ten hour day with the first three plus hours,
climbing up to it. After that it plateaus for the short span of a few hours. I
think that part of it is windy and cold, probably with a little snow covering.
After that we start our descent down to Muktinath and about ten minutes from
there, the village where we will be sleeping.
There were so many trekkers on the
trail today, all either heading to Thorong Phedi, or making the strenuous climb
up to High Camp like we did. I met a group of French trekkers when we were
stopped at Thorong Phedi for a bowl of soup and hot cup of black tea. They were
staying down below, which was probably for the better since the guesthouse at
High Camp has filled up, us being some of the last, putting me in the lowest
house, which means the furthest climb to the dining hall and the trailhead
tomorrow. Even with the sickness I was complimented on being a strong walker,
and beat all of the others to the top that were on the hill when we started.
The good thing about today, and the
last few days for that matter, is that it has been incredibly sunny and
beautiful. The light of the sun warms you up, and I’ve actually been too hot
walking every day to wear my winter coat. I wear a long sleeve shirt, one of my
fleeces, and then my green rain jacket to keep off the wind, and it is working
out just fine. This makes me less worried about the pass, considering the climb
that is going to warm me up in the beginning. This then leads me to be a little
worried about sweating, which makes my clothes wet, then when stopped, makes me
cold. I know I am rambling; it is hard to keep the words straight in my mind
right now.
It feels like a constant dizziness
I can’t shake, plus it’s still a bit off trying to breath. Chandra came to my
room earlier when I was organizing my stuff and changing into clean clothes that
I will be wearing for the next few days and told me not to sleep. He said that
if I nap now I would get a terrible headache so I need to force myself to stay
awake until night. The dizziness is making me sleepy, plus I woke up about a
million and one times last night. I think others are experiencing AMS too
though, for everyone looks tired here in the lodge. I am dreading when the sun
sets, it is going to be absolutely freezing up here. I set everything out for
tomorrow and put on all of my layers when it was still warm. I am wearing two
long sleeve shirts, my white fleece, and my warm jacket, and then normal cotton
leggings, my fleece leggings, and my warmer trekking pants on bottom.
We leave tomorrow morning around
six, maybe earlier, and I plan to put on my other fleece, wrap my wool shawl
around me, my neck warmer, fleece headband, both gloves, and hope for the best.
I think that I’ll be okay if I just keep moving. This will be my last entry for
a few days, it will be too cold tomorrow to write/I will be exhausted by the
time I get in tomorrow. They say this is the hardest part and I know that is
true. It’s almost the end and after two days I will have to decide whether I want
to keep going on to Poon Hill or not. Right now I am tired and cold, and sick,
but hopefully my feelings will improve.
With love,
Addy
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