In search of the yeti


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November 24th 2012
Published: December 15th 2012
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We did a trek. It was amazing. It took us to the very remote region of Laya, right up on the Tibetan border. 12 days involving lots of uphill, lots of downhill, lots of yaks, lots of snowy mountains, and not very many toilet facilities. We went with 3 other expats our age, plus the usual Bhutanese staff for a mountain trek. We didn't find the yeti, but we think we might have heard her one evening (although that could have been a horse).

Highlight: Being totally in the middle of nowhere: 5 days walk from the nearest road at one point.

Lowlight: Being a long way from a meal which did not involve rice and chilli.

Highlight: Being somewhere so remote that signs of snow leopards were seen

Lowlight: The sign of the snow leopard being one of the porterage yaks losing large amounts of blood.

Highlight: Crisp, cold mountain air

Lowlight: Discovering that frost can freeze a sleeping bag on the inside of a tent, and that you can't drink from frozen waterbottles.

Highlight: Discovering that fleece trousers, fleece jumper, woolly hat, sleeping bag liner, 2 sleeping bags each and a fleece
Campsite at Jomolhari Base campCampsite at Jomolhari Base campCampsite at Jomolhari Base camp

ABL and Mel sleep in the orange tent.
blanket make sleeping just about possible.

Lowlight: Discovering that our yak man chose to sleep face down, outside, in minus 10 Celsius, with just a Goh (i.e. his traditional clothes) and a belly full of whiskey to keep him warm.

Highlight: Discovering that our yak herder was alive, following a night sleeping face down, outside.

Lowlight: The yaks trampling our own bottle of whiskey into a thousand pieces.

Highlight: Discovering the other bottle was still okay.

Lowlight: "Ooooo rice! Again! what a treat!"

Highlight: Mel helping a Laya woman carry all her farm tools, and subsequently getting an evening in a traditional Layap home.

Curiosity: Realising the Laya woman's family had made loads of money from Cordyceps, but had only ever bought bags of rice and blankets with money. Thus with their new found wealth they had purchased over 700kg of rice ("enough for 3 years")

Highlight: Our chef/guide showing off that he could cook a Victoria Sponge birthday cake in a saucepan on an open fire (for our two friends who celebrated birthdays on the trek).

Lowlight: Washing our armpits with a rock-solid frozen flannel #

Highlight: Washing our
ABL with Jichu  DrakeABL with Jichu  DrakeABL with Jichu Drake

Jichu Drake (at approx 6900m) is quite tall.
armpits in the hot springs of Gasa

Lowlight: Getting bitten by fleas from puppies in the remote village of Laya

Highlight: Coming home with three mountain puppies from the remote village of Laya

Lowlight: Coaxing one of our group over the 5000m pass, where the altitude had got him singing sea-shanties, and trying to cha-cha-cha his way over.

Highlight: One day seeing all the snow-capped himalayas from 5000m, and the next seeing himalayan valleys swathed in autumn colour.

Lowlight: "Oooo red rice AND WITH SOME CHILLIS! AGAIN! YUM YUM YUM!"

Highlight: 186km walked, 7000m total altitude gain (including ups and downs)

Lowlight: Our bus breaking down half way up to the 3000m Dochu-La pass, at night fall, on the way home from Gasa.

Highlight: Whilst the driver shouted down the phone to his office, and our guide shouted at the driver, A and M quietly got busy with a spanner, and after 20 minutes under the bonnet we got the bus going again!


Additional photos below
Photos: 19, Displayed: 19


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Mel at ChebisaMel at Chebisa
Mel at Chebisa

This village is 4 days south to nearest road. To the West it is one day to Tibet.
5005m pass5005m pass
5005m pass

Our little group heading north after our highest pass of 5005m.
Our happy group!Our happy group!
Our happy group!

Niall, Mel, Andy, Brett and Antonia in front of Jomolhari
Frozen tentFrozen tent
Frozen tent

Inside two sleeping bags, and wearing full fleeces. Brrrrr. Water bottles all frozen!
NiallNiall
Niall

Niall and Mel
BrettBrett
Brett

This may look like a posed photo, but it isn't. Brett always walks like this.
Stream crossingStream crossing
Stream crossing

Glacial water. No crossing point. Shoes off, trousers up. Sooo cold. So so so so cold. Brrrrrr.
Hair washHair wash
Hair wash

A bar of cheap soap and glacial (literally) water. Every girls dream of the perfect spa treatment.
4500m sunset4500m sunset
4500m sunset

Looking south from above the Jomolhari basecamp
Layap girlsLayap girls
Layap girls

Only in this remote region do people wear these clothes and fantastic hats. It is cold - everything they wear is yak wool.
Laya villageLaya village
Laya village

The remote village of Laya
Antonia and puppy LayaAntonia and puppy Laya
Antonia and puppy Laya

Antonia adopted a puppy, which became named 'Laya'. This little ball of fluff will be the size of a small horse in 9 months time!


15th December 2012

Wow!!
Amazing pics again guys and what an adventure. xxx
20th December 2012

Scenes
LOve those mountain vistas guys

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