|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| 4:42am, my usual private moment
with the stars. It didn't matter anymore there was no
full moon, I had millions of twinkling stars accompanying
me through dawn. |
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
| I was reluctant to believe that
there were many more hidden stars that escaped my bare
eyes until their motions were captured by my camera. At
the center of the star field is Polaris, the only star
that doesn't move. |
|
|
|
 |
| What a surreal moment! If I had
held my camera longer I could have completed the circle.
I am glad to have created such a wonderful picture. My
guide told me that the tiny light source that moved horizontally
was a UFO. Hmm… I guess I believed him since he has
been spending his entire life at the mountains. In the
picture are Annapurna South (7,219m) and Baraha Shikhar
(Fang, 7,647m) peaks. |
|
|
|
 |
| I don't think I can survive the
subzero temperature out on an open field in a camp. The
peaks at the back are Annapurna South (7,219m), Baraha
Shikhar (Fang, 7,647m) and Annapurna I (8,091m). |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
| |
| 7:12am, the first burst of sunlight,
the first burst of hope. The 'Fish Tail' Machhapuchhre
peak, towering at 6,993m with pride. |
|
|
|
 |
| I told you I would climb higher
again to catch a better view, and I did. I was the only
insane guy who did that while everybody started to descend.
My guide Rishi followed me to ensure I ascended safely.
Looking downward sent chills down my spine, I didn't realize
that I had climbed so high, I could have easily ascended
another 150m without knowing. Hurray, I broke my record;
I'm standing at 4,300m now! Perhaps another 200m more
I would be down with AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), granting
a free helicopter ride (to the hospital). I thought it
would be wiser for me to make a descent immediately. |
|
|
|
 |
| What an awesome view, with the
Annapurna range looming above the base camp! But please
don't do that, my descent was ultra tough due to the steepness
of the hill. I was praying hard not to slide down and
hurt my ankles, if not this could mark the end of my journey.
Dear God, I still have Poon Hill to see! |
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
| Standing at the centre of the
amphitheatre stage, this was the moment when I forgot
about my camera and photography. The landscape was simply
out of this world! |
|
|
|
 |
| Hiunchuli (6441m) towering above
our guesthouse. The contrasting blue and white make a
good picture. |
|
|
|
 |
8:12am : We reached the same
signboard that welcomed our arrival yesterday. This time
it bid us farewell. "Tata, Annapurna Base Camp!"
This is how Nepalese say goodbye. And yes, I will see
you again, probably from far; after all my heart will
never leave you.
below. Stopped for a final glance. Please leave,
I know your heart will stay! |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| We followed the trail down the
stream again. I had to speed up a little as I had overspent
my time at the base camp this morning. |
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
| Back to the Machhapuchhre Base
Camp. Instead of the misty view we saw two days ago, it
showed us its mesmerizing beauty with a clear mountain
view this time. Perhaps it wanted us to leave with the
best memory. I was most reluctant to leave, my heart was
as heavy as my every step down the mountain. |
|
|
|
 |
| Perhaps God knew that we had
seen the best of the mountains in clear skies, he started
to let the rain pour during our descend. And this shower
was there for another three days and three nights. Our
original plan was to descend down to Doban, but we changed
our plan impromptu to head to the next lower settlement
- Bamboo. Probably not a good choice as the knee-pounding
descend of 1820m in seven hours had given my knee a hard
time. I started to feel a nagging pain on my knees, and
was forced to use a knee-guard on my right knee (which
I hated wearing) from the next day onwards. |
|
|
|
 |
| Again, the lodges here were fully
taken even before the sun went down. A Japanese couple
had to spend the night in the kitchen. Three things I
ought to do – take a proper hot shower which I missed
for the past two days; have a good dinner, and catch up
on some much needed sleep. Picture shows the Gurung bread
we had for dinner. |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
