Day 2 - Lama to Langtang

The Long Day
Distance - 7 miles
Time - 7 hrs
Elevation - from 7,939 feet to 11,236
Equivalent flights of stairs = 333

When they reviewed the itinerary with us prior to the trip they had nothing good to say about this day.  Samden paused while pointing at the map, searching for words.   "This is a tough..........day, a ummm, really........"  Everyone promised a struggle - especially once we pierced the 10,000 foot ceiling.  We set off so early that it was barely light out.

Through the moss covered branches we got our first look at Langtang Lirung, the king of Langtang which stands at 23,711 feet.  It was only conquered for the first time in 1978.  It has a ridiculously steep face, rising almost 12,000 feet above the river in just 8 miles.

In just the first 100 yards of walking I was already out of breath, though surprised that my legs weren't sore from the previous day.  MB and Naresh fashioned a walking stick for Jean from bamboo.  She followed MB, I followed her and Naresh took up the tail end.

We climbed past fir trees and fields of rhododendrons, winding up and down along the river.

The rocky steps were as annoying as the previous day, they're uneven and dusty so you really have to pay attention.  The worst thing you can do is look up.  Not only do you end up tripping and using up precious energy but you also see them fade into the horizon like a bad dream.

Once in a while you pause to take a photo or a sip of water and it comes back to haunt you - any change of pace draws more energy.  Better to just step at a constant pace, left, right, left, right.  Sweat is trickling down my back, my ears fill up with fluid - most likely from the decrease of air pressure.  I can hear my pulse - it is pounding in my head where the wet brim of my hat has tightened around my skull.

I look at Jean to check on her.  She has a blank stare - mouth closed.  She breathes through her nose like a boxer - how, I have no idea.  She is shuffling her feet more than taking steps, kicking dust back on me like a chicken.  I try to lighten the mood "hey, chicken foot!"  She turns to look at me, turns back, nothing.

I check the time, 2 hours have passed though I would have guessed 4.  I have been out of breath for 2 straight hours I tell myself.  I turn and to look at the view.  It is so beautiful that it takes my mind off things.

We file past solitary tea houses but rarely slow down.

The ladies working there call out to MB in Nepali, trying to entice him to stop for a snack or drink, but he just smiles.  His damned feet never seem to slow down.

Almost like magic, at 10,000 feet all the trees, flowers, grass and bamboo disappear.  The only thing up here are rocks - it starts to look like a moonscape.

There is an army checkpoint at 10,000 feet.  They check your hiking permits.  Maybe they check you out as well, to make sure you can keep going.

I stood and read this sign twice.  It never tells you what the altitude sickness symptoms are.  With hindsight I would add two warnings: no matter what don't eat a lot of yak cheese and don't expect to get one wink of sleep.

I liked this one better.  I had most of the early symptoms except I was starving.  I couldn't wait to eat.  I read somewhere that at 10,000 feet there is only 70% of the oxygen compared to sea level.  However, MB explained that the lower air pressure means you cannot breathe heavily enough to obtain the oxygen.  Either way, I felt like I had a hangover.  

We took a video at the checkpoint.  You can hear workers chipping away at boulders, squaring them for the walls of a new tea house 

We pressed on towards lunch.  Naresh waited ahead, resting his load on a rock wall.

Then, finally the magic words - "lunch."

We sat inside because once you stop walking you feel cold.  Probably low 60's, 10-15 degrees cooler than when we set off in the morning.  While we waited for the food we saw a strange four legged animal jogging up the hill side, a red panda!  We yelled for MB and Naresh to come out of the kitchen and described it to them.  They smiled, explained no, that was a Stone Martin.  Red Pandas are so rare - MB has been a guide for 15 years and has never seen one.  Then the food arrived - nothing quite fills the void like dal bhat.  This one was memorable for its bright red pickled rhododendron.

I've been in SE Asia for three years and managed to avoid the squat toilet.  I told myself never, not gonna do it.  Now here I was without a choice.  I was either squatting here or outside.  I really had to study it, size it up - especially the angles.  I had to go bad, right up to the point where I was in full squat, thighs parallel to the floor.  Just waiting, waiting, thighs burning.  I started to laugh but it made me lose my breath.  Then, finally.  Not as bad as feared, cross it off the list.

After we began to hike again I saw my first outdoor yak product placement.  Looking to cross off another experience on my list I asked MB about yak cheese and hit on his favorite topic.  "It is delicious, Langtang has one of the best yak cheese factories around.  We can visit it if you like when we get there."

"That is Langtang right there" he said pointing out to the horizon.  I squinted.  "Those buildings right there?  The shiny roofs in the distance?"  I asked.  "Yes" MB said with a grin.  I was feeling happy until Jean asked how long it would take to reach them.

"Soon" he answered, "Soon.  Should only be about two more hours."  TWO HOURS??  It's like a mirage - you keep walking and it never seems to get closer.

When we finally got there we sat on our beds and stared at the floor.  No conversation.  Finally I exclaimed "We did it Dodo!"  She looked at me like I was the biggest idiot, probably thinking to herself  'this is just day 2!!'

Looking out the window I peered back at where we came from.  It seemed to drop away to nothing.

It was cold.  Tea houses have no heat whatsoever.  I was happy to sit under my blanket.  I planned to slowly drift off to a nap but there was MB at the door.  "Do not sleep, you need to move around - your body will not acclimatize if you sleep."  I closed my eyes for a few seconds then got up.  We took a walk around Langtang village, drank some tea, huddled by the stove, ate dinner and waited for nightfall.