Above: Hanging out in Nyalam
Jamie: Cho Oyu memories
For repeat Tibet climbers getting to the mountain seems to be a chore, suffering Zhangmu, Nyalam and Tingri.
Personally, I like the time to unwind and to catch up with friends. So what if we suffer the culinary delights of CTMA’s carefully selected restaurants and don’t get to shower until base camp. We do now get to sleep in dust-free rooms and comfy beds, and there is always yak steak available elsewhere.
Zhangmu is about getting across the border. For the climbers that is just a case of a thorough search through our bags. For the sherpas they have to unload the Nepal truck with our several tons of supplies, get the drums and bags and gas cylinders carried across and x-rayed, then loaded into a Chinese truck, so a busy day.
At Nyalam, with the stress of the Zhangmu border crossing over, the various sherpa crews and Tibetan helpers relax in the sun (above) and when the afternoon snow comes, move into the smoky teahouses, a chance to catch up with friends who work for different companies, make the connections again.
The black-topped road is a delight but Tingri is still a dusty dump, crumbling mud buildings with shaggy dogs and rubbish lining the road. Beware of even looking at the scallywag kids or taking their photo, they then pounce and wrap themselves around you legs pleading for money or chocolate, and if you display the slightest softness, they won't let go. The only thing that has changed is the clean and almost dust-free room. So the joy is getting out to climb the hill nearby, a chance to stretch the legs and take photos with Cho Oyu as a stunning backdrop...
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