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Published: April 15th 2018
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Sama (3520m) – Samdo (3875m)
The walk today was relatively short, only take 2.5hrs, but the altitude is starting to make any climb feel tough and today’s height gain was largely over two short climbs. Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Up and usual breakfast at 7.00, Arch still not right but starting on antibiotics so hopefully will come good quickly now.
Mornings up here are spectacular with sun rising against the mountains and clear blue sky, the price paid for this is that it is also very cold, perhaps -5degC.
We left a bit before 8.00 not before McVet had realised his towel was hanging behind his door three nights back and had to return to the tea house for his poles having left them in the courtyard of the tea house. Anyway, good to have normality, and we did finally get underway, actually before schedule.
Followed the same route out of the village to the north as we went yesterday then veered slightly to the east and continued to follow the valley upwards.
Really not a lot to report from the walk except the ongoing feeling of insignificance as we are surrounded by
these enormous mountains and one very long mani wall on the flat land just before we commence the long climb into Samdo. Why these Nepalese cant build their villages at the bottoms of hills instead of the top is beyond me.
Himal had raced on and got rooms at a tea house in the village. When he left us we requested, internet, hot showers, massage service, 24hr electricity, comfy beds and attached bathrooms. Just to ensure he was consistent he delivered none of these! But all’s good and we have a roof over our heads.
Arch still not firing on all cylinders so have made the call to stay here two nights in order to allow him to recuperate.
I read a book specifically about this village (Where the rivers meet) before I left which was fascinating, so good to be able to see it in the flesh. I’d recommend the book, it really does give a great insight into life up here in the high Himalayas.
The story behind Samdo is, it was first established by Tibetan refugees after China annexed Tibet in the 1950’s. They came on mass from a village on the other
side of the border (Ro) and were generally traders who traded between the Tibetan highlands and lower areas of Nepal. This trade continues today albeit on a much reduced scale.
A really tough life for the villagers, in the summer months they are either cultivating crops or trading on the traditional trading routes During winter the men take rather ponies and Dozpas to lower pastures and find work there while they tend the animals The women, children and old folk stay in the village. Temperatures during winter are frequently below -10degC during the day and obviously colder at night. So these are really tough, resilient people.
We went for an exploratory wander through the village proper and it retains a very Tibetan nature to it. Most of the houses are set on the hillside with the animals living below and the family in a room above. Apparently the heat generated by the animals helps keep the house warm.
Back to the lodge where we discovery they have no power for lights in the rooms so our ability to charge phones, cameras etc is severely compromised. Now all trying to conserve battery power for the couple of days
ahead. There’d be nothing worse than getting to the pass (and highest pint on the trek) only to find we haven’t got any means to record it!
Dinner and cards in the dining room which was quite warm, being heated by a couple of pot-belly type stoves burning dried yaks dung.
All in bed by 7.30 so a relatively early night.
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