When you rely on your map reading skills in order to get to wherever you want to, not knowing that the map you have does not represent the trails accurately, you are bound to get lost. And that was how I spent the first hour of my hike.
I followed the same trail that I took the day before but when I reached the fork to Thame, I took the path going up. The map I had showed the trail to the Hillary Memorial Stupa going up a ridge. I thought that if I continue going up, I could get there. Somehow, I ended up at the backyard of a guesthouse in the tiny village of Zorak. I saw a man and asked if I was at the right path. He pointed the ridge and said "Up!" and left in a rush with his daughter in tow. I was really hoping he would show me an easier way.
The guesthouse's backyard is actually a wide barren field, parceled with pieces of rocks immaculately piled to create low sturdy walls. I walked and hopped past those walls until two Himalayan tahr or wild goats caught my attention. They were standing on the wall, gazing over the valley below. Their coat glistened against the sunlight. My hair would be put to shame if compared to theirs.
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| View of Namche Bazaar, Syangboche airstrip and Thamserku from the Hillary Memorial. |
I continued walking, looking at the ridge, but there didn't seem to be a trail. I decided to shift to Plan B, which was to go to the stupa via Khunde. I finally saw three women with several yaks from afar and I hurried towards them. But there was a wall that was much higher than I could hop over. It was chest high. I tried looking for a part that was lower but found nothing easier. So I just stood there, waiting for the women to pass before I scramble over the wall. In case I wreck it, it's better to not have any witnesses.
When they passed, I asked if it was the trail to Khunde and they said yes. When I was sure that they wouldn't see nor hear me, I climbed the wall. (And no, I didn't disturb even a tiny piece of rock.) Silly me assumed that where they came from was Khunde so I walked opposite the direction they were taking. Never did it occur to me that my question was a bit vague. Later, I realized that the trail was gradually descending and I was supposed to gain altitude to get to the village. But I kept walking until I reached a junction and recognized my mistake. I had no choice but to go back. Again.
If I didn't refer to my map and just asked anyone at my guesthouse for directions, I would have found out much earlier that the right way starts just a few minutes' walk from where I was staying. But where's the fun in that?
Along the way, I passed by the small village of Syangboche. There was a short runway. I think it also deserves a slot on the most dangerous airports list.
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| A stupa in memory of Sir Edmund Hillary. In the background is the village of Khumjung. |
I reached another junction. Turning left would lead me to Khunde; right, to Khumjung. The trail was a circuitous route so it didn't matter whatever I chose. I planned to visit both the villages anyway. But I wanted to climb to the stupa first thing so I turned left. The two villages are located in a valley, which is above Namche. They are also known as the Green Valley. I wasn't sure why but when I saw it, all the buildings except for the monastery have walls painted with white and roofs of green. That must be it.
The way to the stupa was well-marked, lined with the same make of walls that I climbed earlier in the day. From the monastery, it was a steep ascent. The three stupas, located on a ridge offering sweeping views of the valleys and mountains, were erected in memory of Sir Edmund Hillary, the first non-Nepali to reach the summit of Everest, and his wife and daughter who died on a light plane crash during their visit to Nepal. I spent a good time there gazing at the mountains, still not sure which one was Everest. The valley I would be treading on for the next few days looked endless, lonely and dreary. I was alone the whole time and only saw another trekker on my way down.
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| At the Tenzing Norgay Memorial. Can you see it? No? Then it must be my sub-par camera. |
In the afternoon, I revisited the Tenzing Norgay Memorial where one could have an unobstructed view of the mountains including Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and of course, Everest. I was there the day before but couldn't stay long enough because it was too cold and I wasn't wearing enough clothes. I didn't plan on going back but I bumped into the same old man and his guide, again, and they insisted that I be there for sunset. So I did. There was a huge group of Japanese trekkers, young and old and all the in-between. It must be nice to be part of a group like that. Maybe some other time.
Someone told me a few years ago that it's not sunset if the sun just hides behind the mountains. True, not yet. But it's on its way. And sooner, the sun would be low enough, far enough, that most of the blue light has been scattered and removed, leaving only orange and red hues creating a dramatic sunset. The mountains in front of me suddenly beamed with an orange glow. And then slowly, it started to fade; the shadows beneath engulfing the light. And then I saw it, the last of the day's light illuminating the tallest of them all. I was seeing Mt. Everest for the first time.
Part 1 of the Three Passes Trek - Kathmandu to Namche
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