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Our plans call for us to spend another night at Deboche: even though we are only a little over 1000 feet above Namche, we are going up slowly. So today I am planning to hike back up to Tengboche in the morning, and perhaps take another day hike in the afternoon.
|
|
| Tengboche Gate |
| When we
are
traveling as a group, we need to stay more or less together. One
sherpa takes the lead, and we generally
stay with or behind him.
Groups in
between stay with their own sherpa, and another one takes the rear and
makes
sure everyone else is ahead.
But on the
days when we are not traveling, there is more opportunity to go out on
our
own.
I enjoy being able to
travel as
fast or slow as I please, and to explore on the side by myself. |
|
|
| Tengboche Gate |
|
So
I got
away pretty
early in the day and headed back up to Tengboche. This
time I found the monastery open. The
walls
and ceiling were painted in
intricate and ornate designs.
I did not
understand much of what I saw, but there seemed to be offerings of food
at the
front, statues of the Buddha, scriptures, and drums and horns in the
back of room. |
|
| Buddha |
| There
were benches with red robes
folded on
them.
Everything seemed so
peaceful and
comfortable, yet life outside was cold and hard.
|
|
|
| Monks' Robes |
|
After getting a measure of peace inside, I decided to climb up the ridge, which rose gradually and then steeply up above the town. There was a good trail, following a line of prayer flags and chortens. Even in the short distance I climbed, the vegetation fell away: first the rhododendrons, then the shrubs, until I was climbing up through bare rocks. Very distinct, very narrow vegetation zones. As I got higher and higher, the weather started turning nasty. First it started to snow very lightly, but then the snow turned into sleet and then the clouds descended, enveloping me inside. So I turned back just short of the highest chorten, hurried back down, and headed back to camp.
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|
| Tengboche from Ridge Above |
As I got back to Deboche, it was just beginning to snow there also. It did not exactly surprise me: the clouds had been building up a little more and a little earlier every day, so I expected eventual precipitation. I was just hoping that tomorrow would bring back the clear skies and sun that this time of year is known for.
Even
though it was
alternating between snow and sleet, it was not much colder at dinner or
even
through the night.
I slept especially
well, did not have to get up very often through the night, and noticed
the
stars come out sometime after midnight.
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