Home › Blogs › drew's blog

Climbing Tharapati

Fri 26th Jun 2009 — drew
image(s): 
fine day to climb a mountain
rhododendron forest
Ewok goats
Are we nearly there yet?
A brief glimpse above the clouds
closing in again
cheers

We are writing this sat in front of a big iron strove- at 3510m, or 11513ft in old money. After a morning of teaching, we had lunch and set off up the hill to climb 1000m higher; the plan being to stay at the lodge near the top of the hill by Tharepati, and set off from here to the highest peak on the Helambu trail trekking route at 5am tomorrow morning. We have stuck to the plan so far despite pretty terrible weather; it was so foggy in Melamchi before we set off that you couldn't see much further than 10 – 15m and as school's half day finished it started to rain quite heavily. It is great that it looks like the monsoon is finally here (been hearing on the BBC World Service that it is late throughout the sub-continent and that this is causing big problems in many countries) however, we did think twice about walking up here with the rain hammering down.

Thankfully, the downpour eased just as we set off, although we did do the first hour of the walk with umbrellas up. The climb up here is very steep and relentless. We were walking through rhododendron and pine forests but it is like climbing up a steep staircase for 3 ¼ hours to ascend 1km. Even Heather's usually boundless enthusiasm for climbing hills was tested but we made it in good time – apparently it is usually about 4 hours. The rain had also brought out the leeches in droves – Drew being the gentleman as always, let Heather go first as apparently they feel / hear the footsteps and then make haste towards the source thus catching the second person. It is seldom the first in a convoy that gets got – this certainly seemed to hold true as whenever we stopped Drew had many wee beggars chomping around his ankles. Thankfully only one managed to get through and sink its teeth in through two layers of socks. However, Heather remains unscathed but still dreading first contact.

Unfortunately, the weather was much the same as at the bottom so no great views although later on there was a brief break where we popped out above the clouds which gave us quite a dramatic view. In many ways it is quite nice just to have a different view than Melamchi village for a change. Although we are both growing very fond of the village, the very warm welcome we've received, and it is a very beautiful situation, I don't think either of us have been in the same small place for such a long time non-stop that we can remember.

To illustrate what a rock 'n' roll lifestyle we are living, the highlight of the evening for the last few days has been the BBC World Service sports broadcast about Wimbledon at 8.15 each evening – Heather managed to be asleep before the end of it this week! It is a nice thought when there is some live tennis that both our mums will be glued to it back at home.

We have really gone crazy tonight and had our first beer/drink for two weeks since leaving Kathmandu with our dinner. It makes you feel you ought to appreciate every sip when you think the bottle made its way up here in a basket on somebody's back.

Fingers crossed for a good view early tomorrow morning (and that Heather will be awake in half an hour to find out how Murray is getting on).