Monday, 15 April 2013
Day 7 – Dingboche (4,360m) to Dughla (4,600m)
Average trekking time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Frost was everywhere this morning – on windows, roofs, stone
surfaces and parts of the ground. Apparently it had snowed last night but I vaguely
remembered. As soon as the sun was up, the snow started to melt and drip down
from the roofs, like rain.
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| Hotel Sherpa Land |
The walk to Dughla took us through the plains of the beautiful Khumbu Khola valley. The wind was strong and cold. Soon, the trail got harder as the sandy and rocky path narrowed and led uphill. As we made our way higher, the landscape
became mostly barren – all sand and rocks.
I had started the day with my sun hat, as I did everyday, to shield my head and eyes from the morning sun. As we made our way higher, the wind got stronger. At one point, I glanced back and saw that Kaji had put on his beanie. My instincts told me right then to do the same – when your Sherpa guide dons his beanie, so should you. I didn't though, because I didn’t want to stop (I would have to fish it out of my pack). I only did so much later when the wind finally got to me. This little lapse in judgment would become an important lesson to me – to always listen to my instincts no matter how trivial the matter might seem.
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| Barren landscape |
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| Yak herders sleep in these sheds at night |
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| Dughla |
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| Trekkers heading out |
After an hour or so, the village of Dughla
came into sight. With just a few huts huddled together, it was barely a
village. Actually it was made up of just one lodge, a restaurant run by the
same owner and another lodge for the owner’s family and workers. Probably because
it was the only one on this part of the trek, the lodge was fully tenanted. At
meal times, trekkers packed the dining hall.
In the afternoon, clouds and fog rolled in and it started
snowing. Having arrived early at the lodge meant we had plenty of idle time. I
didn’t want to sleep in the afternoon. Sleep was precious at this altitude. I
had been told that if one had trouble sleeping at altitude, one was at a higher
risk of getting AMS. Better to save all the tiredness for the night time. But
it was cold and there was nothing to do, so I dozed off in my sleeping bag and
took a short nap. After I woke up, there was still nothing to do and it was
still cold, and it was barely 4pm. The only other option was to sit in the dining
hall and chat with other travelers, daydream or write my journal.
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Lodge worker pretending to take a 'bite' of dried yak dung :)
At high altitudes, yak dung is fuel for heat. |
Later, we reunited with our friends from Himalayan Glacier. As
this was the only lodge in these parts, everyone was here. Susan had recovered
quickly since Namche, some of the men were on Diamox for altitude
headache, and Ulla looked weak and did not have any appetite. D had diarrhea and a cold.
And for the first time on the trek, I didn’t feel so great. I had a mild buzzing
headache since late afternoon that came and went. I despaired at the
possibility that AMS had finally gotten to me. I contemplated Diamox as I
stared at the scene in the dining hall. Finally, I decided if I was going to
take Diamox, I should do it in the morning. As for tonight, I would take a
Panadol for the headache, and hope for relief and cure.
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