Bayeli Kharka → Khopra Danda

Morning at Bayeli Kharka

The air was crisp when I woke. I was up before the sun and went looking for a better photo spot than the one in front of the teahouse. I found it. The sun and the mountains gave a feast for the eyes, and a moment worth sharing.

Breakfast was an omelette and an apple pancake. Simple, but enough to set off on the next stage. This time towards Khopra.

Dhan Kharka and the climb to Khopra

After the first section, a long descent, I sat in Dhan Kharka, 2,993 metres up, in the sun with a well-earned Coca-Cola. The trail was hard in places, harder than the description promised. Especially just before the end. The trail forked and I took the right branch, over the hill. The climb kept going and I had to stop several times so as not to blow up. Before the end I met the left branch again, and it led me to our lunch stop.

After lunch the climbing was done. I’m writing this at 3,660 metres, yet the mountains around me are much higher still.

I had more or less counted on the metres of climbing. Not on there being less oxygen. I walked and took breaks not because I wanted to, but because I had to. I just couldn’t get the air I’m used to. The last stretch was gentler, but it was only about a tenth of the whole final climb.

It feels damn good to be up here. And to arrive a little early, so I can write everything down first.

“If you want to test yourself and feel you’ve done something, this climb alone is worth the trip.”

Evening on Khopra

The higher you go, the smaller the choice of food and drink. No bottled water was sold here. I got boiled water and added Aquatabs. Two safeguards at once should lower the odds of anything in the water besides water. Managing risk, here too. That’s how it should be in the mountains.

The evening was great. In the small dining hall they lit a fire for warmth. At first it filled the room with smoke, but people stayed at their tables and waited for their meal. There were so many of us that not everyone fit into the rooms. They promised to squeeze everyone in somehow. I doubt anyone was sent back down.

Dinner was a filling dal, the same as at lunch. New supplies hadn’t made it up yet, and the eggs and water had run out. We’ll see what’s on the table in the morning.

Before dinner Meelis went up the hill and took a superb portrait of a chauri. I’ll go in the morning too; maybe I’ll get something.