Mera Peak Nepal Bob Hancock Cherem Najing Choleema Panch Pokhori Robin Hamer Da Gombu Sherpa Lambabu Sprayway

MERA PEAK, NEPAL

A diary of my trip to Mera Peak, Nepal in 2005 - Days 8 - 10.

(Click on any of the pics to see the full size photograph)

Day 8 - Saturday 22nd October - Back on the road again - with a slightly heavy heart at leaving Cherem. The usual routine again of water, tea, pack up and breakfast but as we were about to leave the majority of the villagers appeared to see us off - more salt tea and silk scarves - very humbling.

Today is to be another shortened day as we have had to make a change to our route. Originally we were to go up the gorge and the Hinku valley but we couldn't get up the gorge (I'll explain later) so we'll have to descend into another valley, then climb up to a ridge, skirt round some mountains, over another ridge then down, then over another ridge at about 17,000/17,500 ft and then down again into the Hinku valley - easy, eh.

It was a hot day today and we were soon down to our tee-shirts, shorts and factor 25. Quite a pleasant descent down into the valley as there was shade in the forest but we reached some cows and a yak blocking the path. I was at the front (only ever when we're going downhill not up!!) and could I get them to move? - no way. Suddenly the old lama appeared, whacked one, they all moved and he was off like he was in a race - spindly old legs in his little rubber boots going like a train - about twice our speed - and he's 89 or 90 - how shaming!

We soon reached the bottom of the valley and the old wooden bridges there which are the one's that the villagers want to have replaced with the new metal bridge - I'm not surprised. We had an ascent then for about an hour or so through the forest. It was very humid, not what you'd expect up in the mountains of Nepal. To heap even more shame on our speed, some of the Cherem ladies overtook us - they'd come to have lunch with the sherpas and porters - a little stroll and bit of socialising for them - obviously no hangovers from the knees-up the night before. They were in good voice as we had lunch on an open grassy area in the forest/jungle - at 11:30am.

Today was fairly uneventful and it was difficult to get started again after lunch - just a 'bit' more uphill and at about 2pm we stopped in an area that was recovering from a forest fire in the past - old dead trees and new undergrowth. This is where we stopped for the night - Najing. It was the worst place that we stayed at throughout the trip - it was very damp and the ground underfoot was soggy. As soon as we pitched camp the clouds rolled in and we couldn't see much - it also became even more damp. During the evening a shadowing figure was noticed around the tents and we caught sight of a young boy in our headtorch lights - he ran off before he could be stopped. Gombu warned us to make sure we put everything in our tents tonight so nothing could get stolen. He reckoned it was a young boy who was being sought by the army - but who knows?

Robin warned us over dinner that tomorrow was going to be a hard day - a little smile from Gombu.

Lama waving us goodbye from Cherem

Cherem ladies seeing us off

More villagers saying goodbye

And more arrive to see us off

Last cup of tea for Lambabu and more scarves for Gombu

One of the old wooden bridges to be replaced

View up stream

The other old wooden bridge that is to be replaced

Grahame on the old bridge

Lunch break - Becky, Gombu behind and Ewan having a snooze

Dan, Susmita, Grahame and Katrina

Camp at Najing

Day 9 - Sunday 23rd October - Well true to Robin's word, as ever, as soon as we left camp, in brilliant sunshine, we started on a steep uphill route through the forest up to a ridge. It took us hours to get to the top - no time to stop and take any photographs - just keep going. Eventually we came out on the ridge and we stopped for a rest and yet more (very welcome) 'Sprayway' pics. Gombu kindly volunteered to hang over the drop and tie some prayer flags to a small bush - none of us were going to do it although we were happy(ish) to have our photographs taken there.

Setting off downhill we soon came across a small village, another slaughtered cow and a group of our porters having a rest. The village, surprisingly, had two, fairly well stocked, small shops and the kids were intrigued to see these westerners passing through. Lunch wasn't too far away and the afternoon passed generally uneventfully except for the long continual uphill climb to a small ridge at Choleema that was to be our camp for the night. The vegetation was changing now as we went higher, from lush overgrown greenery to hardy bushes and short grass.

On the ridge there were two small stone buildings. One we used for our kitchen but the other was a small teahouse which was occupied by a single woman who lived up here for a couple of months at a time in the spring and autumn trekking seasons. The teahouse had straw spread on the floor and a curtain for a door. After dumping our bags in the tents we went to check out what she had for sale. Can you imagine - 15,000 ft or whatever we were at - she had large bottles of Carlsberg lager!! Too good an opportunity to miss. Quick debate - early dinner - get back in here - few bottles - bring the porters in and they can join us, they'll be on the chang brewed by the proprietor - we shouldn't drink it as the water won't be boiled or treated. Everyone in favour? - unanimous!!

The porters were sleeping tonight in a cave above our camp. It may sound basic but I'm told they make themselves very comfortable. We didn't have time to go and look as the sun set very quickly but there was a very inviting warm glow given off by their fire which lit up the whole of the cave entrance. After dinner the porters came down to the camp and we had to say goodbye to a few who were scheduled to leave us in the morning as our supplies had reduced and we didn't need so many helpers. We shook their hands, thanked them and gave them a tip each. We then eagerly adjourned to the teahouse. It was fairly crowded in there with us and most of the porters - us on the bottled lager and the porters drinking the chang quicker than the owner could brew it. The porters were having a great time, drinking and singing, one had brought his flute with him and sat there playing away. I think he was playing requests but I'm not too sure. He was also trying to learn English and could speak a few sentences - he wanted to further himself in the porter/sherpa profession. Sensible heads on though - tomorrow was going to be another tough day and so we all adjourned to bed early(ish).

'Sprayway' pics - Gombu, Susmita, Becky, Ewan, Dan & Katrina

More 'Sprayway' pics - Robin, Gombu & Dan

Small village

Two villagers and me at one of the shops

Me at the other shop

Inquisitive kids on the house roof

Clouds starting to come up the valley

Grahame, Susmita, Robin, Gombu and Ewan in the teahouse

Dan & Katrina

Four of our porters enjoying the chang. The one on the left carried my bag and, on our last day, gave me a replica porter's basket he'd made for me. The one in the red jacket played the flute and was learning to speak English

Camp at Choleema

Day 10 - Monday 24th October - Today is another hard day with continual climbing up for most of the day. We didn't really have time to stop to take any pictures other than on a flattish part about halfway up where we had a rest. I could see the next section to climb up and a few extremely small specks part way up - it was a group of our porters. I did try to zoom in on them with my camera but it was still difficult to see them. To get the perspective of how big these mountains are is very difficult. I set off leaving some of the others to take more photographs - after about thirty minutes I looked down towards them - had I really only got that far?? Oh well, head down - what was that mantra again?

The scenery had changed quite dramatically now - it was bare rocks and hardy moorland grass and moss. The temperature was also dropping and the clouds were starting to come up the valley. Eventually we reached the summit of this ridge after a couple of false summits - oh how we all cursed at them. At last a short rest at the top and we all grouped up again. Then down and onward for some lunch. We had pre-packed lunches today as there wasn't anywhere for the kitchen crew to get water from to cook and for us to drink other than what we were carrying. A fairly exposed lunch today and certainly not for as long as normal. Onward and a long trek down now towards camp at Panch Pokhori which means 5 Lakes. It was amazing to see these mountain lakes and the camp in the distance. Pemba's smile was a most welcome sight as he brought us our warm lemon juice on our arrival at camp.

I think everyone was weary this evening - we'd been up to about 17,000/17,500ft and then down to about 16,000ft. Card school beckoned before dinner and just a few more hands afterwards, then bed with our water bottles filled with hot water. I think I had four layers on for dinner - tee shirt, long sleeve shirt, fleece and then ski jacket shell, plus fleece trousers, hat and gloves.

We hadn't seen anyone else apart from our group all day and we wouldn't see anyone until tomorrow night when we reached our next camp - this is certainly a remote part of the world.

Me - with the moon behind in mid morning