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HADT - DIARY UPDATE FOR: Day 6 Sunday 28 March 2004 |
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| Camp Location: | Pangkongma |
| Weather Summary: | Very hot but occasionally breezy |
| Objective: | To continue to acclimatise and trek towards our first objective of Mera Peak. |
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SUMMARY OF ACTIVITY BY TEAM |
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| Our camp this evening is only 60 metres higher than
last night's however our route today was undulating to say the least.
We began in the cool and shade of 'Karte Danda' ridge and climbed
to 'Khari La' at 3081m. Everywhere that is remotely flat has been
cultivated by the Nepalis with an elaborate network of terraced
fields. The staple crops here are barley and potatoes with some
cabbages. We also passed a number of religious 'mani walls' with
carved stone tablets set into the block work which, in keeping with
local religious custom, must be passed in a clockwise fashion. Each
tablet is inscribed with the Buddhist mantra "Om ma padme hun".
After our lunch stop we descended further into a valley before starting
a long 500m ascent through Nyungso and on to our camp here in Pangkongma
(2846m). This is a small but typical Sherpa village with well kept
fields, and deep lanes winding between walled fields that protect
the crops from the weather, and any livestock from marauding animals.
The village has a gompa (monastery) with a resident Llama (monk)
and we hope to visit it on the way out of the village tomorrow as
we head up to the Pangkongma La pass that leads over to the next
valley - the Hinku Valley. We will turn left at the pass and for
the next three days head along the ridge that separates the two
valleys. |
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