fifth hiking day

I dream that first the guide says that our trek finishes on 10th and then military takes over in India and all domestic flights are cancelled.
In the morning we inquire about the lenght of the trek just in case. Together with today we have five days more.
Surroundings are partially covered in grey shawls. The ascent to the pass is not hard but takes time nevertheless. Between panting I have time to notice how a giant rock is uncovered behind a sorrel for a moment. Looking behind we can see our two last days’ journey. Kalle starts to read poems.
On the other side of the pass is another weather and new views. Caves of trolls or giant marmots, someone has thrown big black rocks all over, river a kilometer below us like a white thread, snowy peaks on the horizon. A road is being built. Noise above. It can be either military takeover, Indians on the Moon or second India-China war. What else.
It is a lot easier to go down but I still stay behind others to look around or take pictures of all the flowers. A lot of them on this side. Like some crazy scientist, wait, I don’t have that anemone yet!
Weather is Schrödinger’s weather. It rains and it doesn’t, sun shines and it doesn’t, it is hot and cold. I remember predictions about my ability for mountain treks from one year ago.
We meet the road and continue on it. The road itself is boring but the views make up for it. We meet two French hikers on the same trail in the opposite direction. Count their horses and calculate who has a more luxurious trek. Trucks carry road construction workers from Southern India.
When the campsite finally comes into view it is a big as a dot. The most reasonable thing to do seems to jump down there. The guide says that there’s a shortcut and it takes 30 minutes. There is a trail of flies on the mountainside that ends in the river canyon. The canyon was nice to photograph when I didn’t know that I have to descend onto it and climb out on the other side.
On the other side are dandelions, silver-wee and some other plants I recognize from home. Mari Öö doesn’t let me to take pictures of these, there are same plants near the campsite. Nope. The half an hour has taken about two hours. All together we have spent eight hours on trail and covered meager 14 kilometers.
The campsite is the windiest place in the Himalayas. After dinner all stars are visible in the sky including the Milky Way.
fourth hiking day
sixth hiking day

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