Lynne and I in the Annapurna Sanctuary . . . the South Face of Annapurna I
rising to 8,091 metres (26,247 feet) behind us!
As we got out of our cosy sleeping bags and changed into our walking clothes we clambered out of our tent to greet our fellow trekkers. As our camp-sites were usually still in shade in the early morning the air temperature was still bitterly cold. However you can see in the photo on the left (I am in the red jumper) I am wearing shorts! By the time we were on the trail in the sunshine the air tepmerature was very pleasant . . . suitable for shorts and t-shirts! This was only the case at the lower altitudes of the Annapurna trek . . . as soon as we approached Machupuchare Base Camp and the Annapurna Sanctuary it was much colder. |
"Who's put soap in the main bowl?"
Every morning before breakfast a large bowl of steaming hot water was placed in the communal area between our tents. Everyone was then supposed to take a mug or small bowl of the hot water to use for a personal wash with their own soap etc. That morning, I'm sure by mistake, someone had put some soap in the main communal bowl! From then on the opening cry of the day was . . . "Who's put soap in the main bowl?"
This is the joint journal that Lynne and I kept during our Annapurna trek
. . . made of traditional Nepalese hand-made paper
Approaching a village on the trail . . . view of 'Annapurna South'
David crossing over the Modi Khola!
Below is a slide-show of photos from our christmas celebration at altitude!
Slide-show of Christmas at altitude!
David at Hinku Cave at 3,100 metres (10,170 feet)
We continued up the rocky and wild gorge finally reaching our camp at Machupuchare Base Camp almost at the mouth of the Annapurna Sanctuary. I could see the edge of a glacier high above me . . . by now I was feeling an intense excitement building up as we were now on the final approach to the Annapurna Sanctuary. We were now at an altitude of 3,700 metres (12,139 feet) . . . it was freezing! We had a welcome hot tea with a dash of brandy! After our evening meal, huddled round a flickering single candle, our sherpas told us about the legend of the Yeti! Indeed it was close by in 1970, just ten years before, that the climber Don Whillans described to Chris Bonington on the Annurpurna South Face Expedition the sighting of unusual foot-prints in the snow. That evening from his tent, exactly where our tents were pitched. Don decribed the following . . .
'I began to ponder about the tracks. It did occur to me that it was possible that this creature, whatever it was, might still be around, so I stuck my head outside the tent. It was bright moonlight and the moon was shining straight onto the hillside where the tracks were . . . It was a fantastically cold night . . . I was in two sleeping bags but was still cold. Even so I kept my head sticking outside the tent, and after a time I noticed that a dark spot appeared to have moved. I couldn't be sure, but I continued watching and then, without a doubt, it started to move quite quickly . . . I focused on the dark, moving shape. It was then that I could definitely distinguish limbs and a kind of bounding movement . . . Once it started to move out in the moonlight I could get a better idea of what it was. It was on all fours and it was bounding along very quickly across the snow, heading for the shelter of the cliffs. That was at the point I thought, that thing is an ape or ape-like creature. Then it just disappeared into the shadow of the rocks and I felt then that that was the last I was ever going to see this creature, whatever it was . . . there had beem a peculiar atmosphere about the place ever since we had arrived at the Machupuchare Base camp - and now this seemed to have gone!
Chris Bonington
Annapurna South Face
1970
After sharing the 'Yeti' story described by Don Whillans we made our way back to our tents . . . I noticed there was a thin layer of high altitude cloud . . . I was worried this could mean the oncoming of poor weather. I prayed that it would stay clear. Tomorrow was a big day when we would finally enter the Sanctuary and hopefully have our first view of the South Face of Annapurna I. During the night both Lynne and I were sure we heard strange noises on the slopes above our campsite! It was to be an extremely cold night . . . we eventually drifted off to a fitful sleep caused by the altitude and freezing temperature.
Lynne holding solid frozen socks at Machupuchare Base Camp
David leaving Machupuchare Base Camp . . . about to enter the Annapurn Sanctuary
Our first view of the South Face of Annapurna I 8,091 metres (26,545 feet)
and the lower slopes of Baraha Shikar known as 'The Fang'
David at Annapurna Base Camp 4,130 metres (13,549 feet)
The Annapurna Sanctuary
Lynne and I agreed it was one of the most amazing travel experiences we had ever witnessed . . . under the stars . . . in the glow of a campfire! Truly awesome! At the end of the evening we were presented with necklaces made of marigold flowers. As the 'rakshi' spirit flowed everyone clapped and sang . . . we even joined in with the dancing which Lynne described in our journal as 'hectic and enthusiastic'!
Our final days in Kathmandu . . . we loved exploring the back-streets of this amazing city!
I would love to hear from you either by commenting directly to this blog or by secure email as outlined in the 'Contact' section of 'Beyond the sacred Mountains'.
As Reinhold Messner says . . .
Regards and see you soon on another of my adventures on 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'!
David