[The following post is from the archives of my In Search Of Incredible blog, originally published on 2 January 2016]

 

2 August 2015, Saturday

The alarm went off at 6:45am. We were to have breakfast at 7:30am, and depart at 8:30am. However, the porters would be leaving first at 8am, so we needed to have our bags packed and ready for the porters at 8am. Before I slept the previous night, I had already prepared my clothes in order so I knew exactly what item to put on first, from top to bottom.

After removing my down jacket and fleece top, I put on the first layer of thermal, followed by a Uniqlo Heat Tech top, followed by a Uniqlo parka water-resistant jacket and lastly a North Face waterproof jacket. So I had 4 layers in total for the top. Next, after removing the sleepwear for the bottom, I put on a thermal pants and a North Face Windbreaker pants. So I had 2 layers for the bottom. I then quickly put on my socks and shoes. The key is to minimise the time spent exposed to the cold, so that you won’t feel uncomfortable.

After getting changed, I proceeded to roll up my sleeping bag and pack my clothes into the backpack. ZJ and I shared one backpack so I helped her to pack her stuff into the backpack as well. She had rented a heavy duty sleeping bag from Singapore, and her sleeping bag took up about one third the space of the backpack already. After packing up, we brushed our teeth and got ready for breakfast.

Despite my tiredness from the previous day’s trek and the intermittent sleep, I actually felt quite refreshed and my legs held up quite well. Mt. Kailash was obscured by the early morning clouds but the rest of the mountains were visible. It was a beautiful morning and I was so glad that it had stopped raining. It wouldn’t have been fun to trek in the rain.

Breakfast was Tibetan bread and hard-boiled egg. The bread was very dry and plain. As unappetising as it was, I ate as much as I could because I knew I needed the energy. The second day of the trek would take us from Dira Phug (elevation 5,050m) to Zuthal Puk (elevation 4,835m), covering a distance of 20km in total. This would be the toughest day because we would be ascending to 5,630m at Dolma-La Pass. This would be the highest altitude I have ever been. However, I felt good at the moment and I was mentally prepared for the challenge ahead. Bring it on!

We departed later than planned, leaving our guesthouse at about 9:15am. The moment we set off, it was almost uphill all the way till we reached Dolma-La Pass. XY wasn’t feeling well so she opted to hire a horse to carry her up to Dolma-La Pass. The horse cost RMB 600 (about S$130) and it came with a horseman. XY would ride the horse while the horseman traversed on foot, guiding the horse along the way. However, the horse can only go up to Dolma-La Pass and make a U-turn back, so after dropping XY off at Dolma-La Pass, which is the highest point, XY would have to disembark and continue the rest of the mostly downhill trek on foot. The plan was for us to RV at the lunch place, a few kilometres after Dolma-La Pass.

Unbeknownst to us, XY had alighted before reaching the uppermost point of Dolma-La Pass because she had asked her horseman how much further to go, and was told it was only about 2km more. XY underestimated the distance and decided to get off the horse early because she wanted to meet us earlier and walk with us, in a gesture of unity. When she later found out how tough that 2km stretch was, she regretted her decision bitterly. It was a bad call for her because she had already paid for the horse and should have utilised it fully.

In the meantime, the five of us were still struggling with Dolma-La Pass. The path up to Dolma-La Pass was actually very scenic but also very tough. As we ascended, each step became more laborious and demanding. I couldn’t walk more than 10 steps without pausing to catch my breath. It was that bad. I never imagined that the thin air at that altitude would make such a big difference to even climbing a gentle slope. Amazingly, we did not resort to using the oxygen tanks that we had brought along. Whether it was a matter of saving it for the next difficult stretch ahead or simply a stubbornness/determination not to give in, I do not know. But I am proud that we managed to conquer the entire trek without using the oxygen tanks.

When we were climbing up a particularly steep stretch, we spotted XY ahead of us, in her bright lime green jacket waving at us, and we waved back happily. At that moment, we thought we were near the peak already, so we couldn’t have been happier to see her. After trudging up the steep slope to meet XY, we continued walking and our happiness quickly evaporated. Turns out that there was another stretch of upslope to overcome, and after we crossed that, there was yet another one waiting for us. It was a series of false hopes one after another, and our morale was super low at that point. XY then rued her decision to get off the horse early – “only 2km!” Nevertheless, we struggled through Dolma-La Pass together and we made it eventually.

It took us about 5 hours to conquer Dolma-La Pass. After that, it was mostly downhill, but no less tough. After a steep downslope journey past the emerald green lake, we had to cross a stretch of ice and snow to get to the other side. Our guide Tenzin had bounded way ahead of us (as usual) so we were alone to fend for ourselves. There also didn’t seem to be many other people around anymore – we were possibly among the last few walking the path at that time.

We were not very sure if it was the right way but it seemed like the most logical and obvious option, so we bravely crossed the snow and ice. I thought it was quite fun but ZJ didn’t like it because she was afraid that the ice/snow would give way any moment and she would fall into the river below. I’m not sure if there was any river below actually, but the ice/snow felt secure and we all crossed safely.

After that, we continued walking on normal ground and for the second time that day, we felt a bit lost. In general, the trek is easy to navigate as there is only one direction but here, the path didn’t seem too obvious. It was an open area and there was no well-trodden path in sight. Thankfully, we spotted a local and followed him, but his pace was too fast for us and we lost sight of him soon after. We then reached another point where we were not sure how to proceed. It was a steep downslope and it looked dangerous. We could see a river valley in front of us, and there was a white tentage/shelter in the far distance. We immediately thought that was our lunch place and rejoiced for a moment. The question now was – how do we get there?

Miraculously, some locals reappeared at this point and we saw them climbing down the steep slope and figured that it was the only way. KL led us down the slope and we followed her. The way down was steep and slightly dangerous as the sand and stones were sometimes loose. I lost my footing twice and almost fell, but managed to regain my balance just in time.

After about 15 minutes, we successfully navigated that tricky stretch and we were rewarded with the sight of another tentage even nearer than one we saw earlier. It was located just below the hill and we were so glad to see it. And like magic, Tenzin appeared out of nowhere and his appearance confirmed that we were at the right place. Before he appeared, I was thinking what would happen if we had taken the wrong path and ended up being lost? Do we head back towards Dolma-La Pass to get to the previous night’s accommodation or do we press forward? The thought of backtracking up Dolma-La Pass was damning and I am pretty sure I would not have had the energy to do so. So we were really happy to see Tenzin then.

One thing I later discovered – to know if you are on the right path, look out for the blue steel rubbish bins. They are placed along the main trekking route at about 1km intervals. Granted, 1km intervals are fairly long, but they are the best indicator that you are on the right track.

Tenzin told us he had waited for us for over an hour at Dolma-La Pass but we didn’t show up, so he came down first because it was cold there, especially when in a stationary position. Dear Tenzin, we come from Singapore, where it is almost 0m above sea level. Of course we will struggle at 5,630m!

So we dragged our feet into the tentage for our lunch break. We had brought along our own cup noodles from home, so we just requested for hot water. We took our time to eat and to rest our tired legs. After lunch, we carried on with the trek. It was around 4:15pm when we set off again.

The final stretch was mostly flat with a few gentle undulations but it was still tough because our energy levels were low. It was the last stretch of a second long day of trekking. It then began to drizzle so we pulled out our ponchos again. We were cold and miserable and walked with our heads down. Finally, at about 8:00pm, we arrived at our guesthouse at Zuthal Puk.

After dropping our bags, we went for dinner. ST and RL didn’t even want to eat because they were so tired. KL fell asleep while waiting for the food to be served. I didn’t have much appetite either and only swallowed a few mouthfuls of rice. We then retired into our rooms and got ready to sleep.

Personally, I felt the first day was tougher because it wasn’t what I expected, in terms of the long distances with few proper rest points along the way. The altitude was also a major factor in the difficulty level. Once I managed to overcome the first day, I knew what to expect for the second day and I adjusted myself mentally accordingly. So while the second day was physically tougher, I was able to conquer it mostly because of my mental expectations. I think this shows the importance of mental preparation and visualisation. That is why athletes tend to perform better at home because they are familiar with the terrain and environment.

After a very taxing second day, our spirits were raised because we knew that the toughest part was over. The next day would be a relatively more relaxing 14km trek back to Darchen. Even the rain throughout the night could not dampen my spirits and I actually slept well for once.