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Published: August 1st 2009
The road up the Pin Valley was very dusty as it was only a dirt track and rough in places as the region had only recently opened to tourism. We were traveling through an animal reserve and Jerry was hoping to see an ibex - he didn't! The countryside was very similar, at least initially, to the Spiti Valley (we had just left it I guess) but as we went further in it started to change - there was more colour in the mountains and wild flowers - purple, yellow and white - started to be seen. We stopped for lunch in the first tiny village we came to - all of about 5 houses - where a lady cooked us some food in her kitchen and we ate it next to her stove. The rest of the trip to Mudh was beautiful - her little village was an oasis of greenery, with a stream coming down the mountain into the Pin River, stone fences and masses of wildflowers. I wanted to stay there - little did I know that Mudh was going to be even prettier! Three quarters of an hour later we arrived in Mudh - we had passed
another tiny village on the way set down next to the river - and the road ended. Though actually it went about a kilometer past Mudh as they are extending it further along the valley so I guess there must be another village further on. Mudh was tiny - population 155 - and most of the houses were of the same style as the white flat topped houses with blue window surrounds that we had seen in Tabo.
The Germans traveling with Bandbox had arrived an hour before us and thankfully had booked us a room as beds were very limited in the village. Our room was basic - a bed with a dirty blanket over the mattress and an old rusty metal office desk. We did have a window with a fabulous view straight down the valley which was edged with snow capped mountains. No running water and no electricity a lot of the time. The Germans had scored the last 2 rooms in the most established guest house next door and it was a much more organised than ours. We were to use that guest houses facilities - one toilet and a bathroom with plastic bucket shower. To
get to that shower we had to climb down a ladder to the ground (our guest house was set well below road level), climb a set of steps back up to the road, down a set of steps to the house next door (again set below the road) across the cafe area, and down another set of steps to the outdoor toilet. None of the steps had railings and were quite steep. Going to the loo at night was going to be an adventure!
We spent two nights there and loved every minute of the time. The people were very poor but very friendly and welcoming. I guess they realised that there future was going to be in tourism. Half the population seemed to be grubby little children but so far they had escaped the 'rupee mister' or 'one pen' that we were getting in a lot of other places. There were a lot (in comparison to the total population of the village), of young backpackers, predominantly Israeli, whom I find generally arrogant, rude and with little respect for the local customs. They are also very noisy! Jerry and I spent the afternoon wandering through the fields of wildflowers and
beside the river. There was a suspension bridge to the other side but to get to it you had to paddle through another stream of icy cold fast flowing water. We decided that could wait until the next day. One thing that has really impressed us about the whole area that we have been traveling through the last few weeks are the system of roads and footpaths that criss cross the mountains. Many of them are stone or cement and seem to go on for miles. Also the stone channels that take water from the rivers to the villages can go for miles as well.
At our guest house I managed to make the owner understand that I would like a clean sheet - he didn't have one but gave me a tablecloth still wrapped up in dusty plastic to use. On the bed were the usual quilts - very thick, heavy padded cotton covers, narrow but long that are used for warmth. Very rarely are they covered in an outer cover so can be grubby and dusty. These were filthy - somebody had actually vomited on one and it stank. There was no way we could sleep under it
that night so went to bed wearing all our woolen underwear and coats. We were still cold so had a pretty uncomfortable night. Next morning one of the German ladies gave us her spare clean doona so our second night was much more comfortable.
With the three Germans we had decided to go on a yak trek on our second day in Mudh. To get to the yaks we had to paddle across the stream and walk across the wooden suspension bridge to the other side of the river. The two drivers decided to come with us - Sanju walked along playing Jerry's flute and Songee led the way under his lime green umbrella. It was great fun, if very uncomfortable! The yaks have very wide backs and there was not much padding between us and their bones. I was the first to get off and walk - Sanju very happily took over my yak (he had never been on one before either) and just as happily got off 20 minutes later - they really weren't made for comfort. The scenery was spectacular and we passed many people collecting manure in tripod shaped baskets. As well as yaks the fields
Kids are the same all over the world
They were playing on a bike being riden by an Aussie guy we first saw in Sarahan - there's only a circuit around the valleys - no other roadswere full of sheep, cows, goats and donkeys. Up and down we went along the valley - I got on and off my yak - I was quite short of breath as we were very high up and it was tiring walking. We were right at the snow line though there were only isolated patches of snow. The colours in the mountains were stunning - lots of pinks from the granite, green grass, vivid blue sky (no pollution - the stars the night before had been the brightest I had seen) and all shades of Grey and blues in the mountains.
Eventually we arrived at a little stone cottage and were presented a cup of chai. We sat in the front garden admiring the scene and dozing in the sun whilst all the yak owners had lunch! The yaks had disappeared when it was time to go and we needed no persuasion to start walking back. Half an hour later the yaks caught up with us again and we all had to remount. I think that they were worried if we didn't actually ride some of the way back they wouldn't get paid. I lasted only a short time before
I was off walking again. But not before I nearly fell off the monster as he was sliding down the hill. When yaks go downhill they bend their front legs and literally slide down with their noses just above the ground. Quite scary when you're not expecting them to do it! Anyway we had a great day but to get back to the village we got rather wet as the stream had risen since we left that morning - and the water was icy cold.
That evening we were entertained in the same way we had been the evening before. Great fun to watch. The only bus in to Mudh arrives just on dusk full of men who have gone elsewhere to work for the day and all the backpackers who are traveling the long slow way around this area using local transport. The bus arrives at about the same time all the animals come into the village from the fields so for half an hour each day whilst we were there (and I'm sure every other day as well) it is total chaos in Mudh's only street. Tired backpackers all trying to find somewhere to sleep (by that time
of day there are no beds so they end up sleeping on the roofs or in the fields), dirty kids chasing the animals around the houses, locals enjoying a rest and chat at the end of the day in the middle of it all and the rest of us enjoying the spectacle! The guest house next door had a thriving business, and the young 21 year old female cook worked very hard long hours cooking in extremely basic conditions to feed all the visitors. She was always there and I wonder what she must have thought as she worked amidst the changing dozens of young women her own age who were privileged enough to be able to travel the world.
After a much warmer and more comfortable night we were up early and off again back along the Pin River headed to Kaza for the next 2 nights. The Dalai Lama was now in Tabo so there were beds available. We stopped once and visited another small monastery in the valley, but it wasn't very old and sadly already faded and rundown. What a wonderful experience Mudh had been - we were both so pleased that we hadn't missed it!
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Devin
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I'm very jealous...
The Pin Valley looks so beautiful - I'll definately have to go there one day... Love you both! xoxoxo