Goecha-La Trek Day Five

I have learned not to fully trust the guide book's description of our trek. The 8km descent from Dzongri to Thangsing turned out to be rather a mixture of ascent, rolling hills and one steep and rocky descent through pine and rhododendron forests. The Bear had problems walking quickly and we were soon overtaken by our dzos and crew who had left thirty minutes after us.

The morning began with tea in the tent followed  by my new favorite morning ritual of warm bowls of water to clean our faces. It is amazing how quickly your requirements for comfort drop from a bubble bath to a few splashes of water on your face. We ran into Jana and Ivan who were making their way down from the Dzongri viewpoint and getting ready to pack for Thangsing as well. Before setting off we enjoyed a delicious breakfast of oatmeal with bananas, eggs and french fries. The muscle underneath my left shoulder blade that I somehow pulled was really acting up all morning and I could barely lift anything with my left arm. Nothing a little movement couldn't alleviate, however, for once we set off I began to forget about the pain.

We were the last group to set off on the steep, rocky path along the washing spring. At the top of the climb the path cut into a series of rolling hills through alpine meadow and once again we appeared to be chasing Mount Pandim. The trail turned muddy, then icy, then finally began the razor sharp descent back under tree cover. We found feces belonging to the blood pheasant and blue sheep but the only wildlife I spotted was a mouse scurrying across an iced over landslide. At the bottom of the descent we crossed a crystal clear river of snowmelt and then followed the same through vaporous clouds and a rocky scramble. One more tough climb  into another lichen-covered forest and a relatively flat plain of boulders and we were in Thangsing, the valley which we had spotted by the Dzongri viewpoint.


The afternoon after lunch was spent in the tent during a snowstorm. As per usual, the Bear slept and I meditated. Meditation is so easy here. The mountains almost beg for it. I can even get in a few moments while waiting for the Bear on the trail. My goal at this point is to ask the mountain gods to guide me to the right place of study for my final month alone.