I was tired of walking on such a high altitude that makes my
bones cracking and the cold wind chill my bones. That makes me weak and unable
to walk ahead but somehow we are able to reach our final destination while
dragging my heavy foots. “Thanks god
finally we reached Muktinath.” I said with exhausted. Just right after dinner I
felt sleep like I never had slept for decade. I had a pleasant dream too.
The next day, I wake up with chillness and freezing, both
Karma and Tsewang were in sound sleep in their respective cozy bed peacefully.
Karma was snoring but it was not too loud, his knees and arms were curl up in
the foetus position clenching extra pillow, he sleep just like a baby.
I put two more logs
in the fireplace to keep the room warm, opened the small wooden window for the
fresh air which was beautifully craft. When I gazed outside the room,
everything was covered up with snow just like a white sheet. The morning sun
was shining brightly from the clear blue sky. The beam as if the golden threats
were falling down from the heaven. Snow was twinkling, sparkling and glittering
which was magnificent.
A large, ferocious and aggressive Tibetan Mastiff was
waiting patiently for the owner, when the old women opened the wooden door; he
started wagging his thick tail while showing happy expression to the old women.
She gave something to eat and then move toward the cage of chickens which were
clucking in a high pitch as a demonstration of being getting free. The old
women put maize into the big bowl and water in the other yellow bowl which was
made from plastic oil container.
I poured a hot water from Chinese flask and wear sweeter
then my thick black coat, getting out of trouble with the frigid climate. With
a hot water and old Sony camera hanging on my neck, I climbed up the narrow
single ladder log to capture some beautiful scenery of the spot. For the first
time in my life, I had experience to climb on such unique ladder and the feel
the twinkling snow. I can’t believe that I was standing on the thick snow am I
imagining or am I hallucinating? I pinched my cheek to make sure that I wasn’t
dreaming. I simply smile silently while bending down, feel the snow and slept
there for a minutes.
 |
| Kagbeni.... |
I went back to room as I was shivering, poured down another
cup of water then put another log. Both of them were still dreaming, I felt
chill when I opened the small wooden window again. I give a shit about the
coolness and walk toward the old women. She was around at her 60’s, with black
and white hair, facial wrinkle were clearly seen on her oily brown skin. She
was wearing an old black chupa and songba (Tibetan traditional shoes) shinny
rosary was hanging on her chest and keeps reciting OM MANI PAD ME HUM mantra.
After lunch, we trekked toward small village called Zhong,
were my friend Karma was born and grow up. It was situated on the hill with
around fifteen to twenty families, the structure of the house were similar to
each other mainly painted in white except the red monastery. Which was
constructed on the top, can be recognize easily from far away. Karma’s house
was quite big, ground floor were used to keep dry animals dunk and small logs
and left were used as store room. They lived at the first floor, there was one
big living room with kitchen attach, three rooms and a shrine room. At the
corner of the roof, a small square is constructed to hold a wooden pole to hang
a prayer flags.
Karma’s mom has already prepared special dinner for us, a
big Mustangi momo with special local chilli. My stomach was rumbling at the
moment but I was unable to bite my fifth one, as it was not only the matter of
size but full of meat and juicy. Not like one you get from the restaurant, full
of onion but I drink two bowl of pure soup. I asked Karma if I can get
telephone but unfortunately because of the thick snow the telephone line was
dead.
After exploring some days there we climbed down toward
Kagbeni as Tsewang was from there. Unlike Zhong, Kagbeni was quite advance in
its modern technology and infrastructure compare to any villages around. There
are sufficient of nice hotel, restaurant and café so on. Tsewang family own a
hotel call Mount Everest and one of my class-mate is running Big Apple cafe at
the edge of village and was constructed on the cliff beautifully but it was
close at the time.
As Tsewang was busy with her family, Karma sneak out of
house and I followed him quietly. It was quiet and peaceful only a handful of
people were seen mostly older. While rolling and puffing a cigarettes we met
our long lost friend Sonam Wangdu, we greet each other.
Whatever it was fun in snow and windy weather. I love it
