TarasTravelUpdates: AC day13

With the possible exception of giving birth, yesterday was, physically, the hardest day of my life. It started at 5 am from Thorung High Camp (4850 m) in the cold with a couple inches of fresh snow on the ground. The night had been rough with freezing temperatures and a midnight toilet call in spite of not drinking anything after 5 - a definite no-no at that altitude. The one squat toilet they had was a sheet of ice - the temporary toilet was anywhere you could find out of the wind. After a quick breakfast of tepid coffee and porridge, I packed up and was on the trail before 6. The first 4 hours was relentless up, up, up to the top of Thorung La pass at 5416 m. I've seen claims that it is the highest pass in the world but have not researched it to know for sure. It is definitely higher than I've ever been and each step was hard won. Towards the top I was down to 10 or 20 steps then a stop until my breathing slowed. The feeling upon reaching the top was amazing. I suppose this was my Mt Everest (though I think the Everest base camp is higher than I got!).

The end is in sight. The little hut on the left sells tea!

I only spent a couple of minutes at the top as the wind was bitter cold and a clear threat of inclement weather was high motivation to keep moving. The next 5 hours was a relentless down, down, down to Muktinath (3800 m) - actually Ranipauwa is where all the lodges are - about 20 minutes from the temple which seems to be about all there is to mark Muktinath. The last 1.5 hours was in a heavy snowfall that left more mud than anything else. The reward at the end of the day was a free room with attached bath and a western-style toilet (score!), followed by a delicious yak burger and warm sea buckthorn juice. Today is a day off.

As expected, the views all along the way have been just spectacular. I will post as many pictures as possible given the slow internet here. But first - some things I've learned along the way!

- Don't eat large portions of white rice for two days in a row. Even if it's mixed with vegetables.
- Snickers should be classified as a superfood.
- A hot shower is an unimaginable luxury that I will never again take for granted.
- There is a place of exhaustion where you no longer have the energy to be afraid. All available energy has to be focused on that next step. In thinking of those who have perished in the wilderness, I imagine they were no longer able to focus on the next step - but they were not afraid.
- People are inspired by those who don't let being old and fat stop them.
- There are places where people live in frigid cold with little heat, haul their water, and shit in a hole out back. These places are not all that hard to get to. The people are humble and among the happiest I've ever seen.
- A 70 cent tip can cause a great deal of excitement to those who have little and expect little.
- Kids are the same everywhere - it's the adults who differ.
- Mentholatum. 'Nuf said.
- Every first aid kit should have something to help you go and something to make you stop. Even if you've never had a problem doing either.
- Willingness to carry something to the top of a mountain is the true definition of need (though I definitely had my sins - to the tune of at least 2-3 kg).
- Patience and determination can sometimes trump youth and strength.