Dec. 19, 2008
On my third day of trekking, I set off from Jagat shortly after dawn on the heels of another trekker, the young woman I had passed the day before on the trail. I had ended my previous day early in the afternoon and this woman caught up with me and stayed at the same lodge. I was one of five trekkers who slept at the Hotel Mont Blanc that night.
At dinner, the young woman sat with two Germans. I learned from their conversation that the woman, a Russian named Alina, is a fellow photographer and journalist. Hearing this, I struck up a conversation with her and the others. One of the men who was from East Germany commented that our little group consisted of an American and a Russian, and two Germans from either side of the Berlin wall.
The next morning, fully intending to set off alone ahead of the others, Alina was also up with the same plan in mind. When we took off, one of the Germans rubbing sleep from his eyes said "Oh look. A new team has formed."
I think both Alina and I had the same thought: We were content to go alone.
She got ahead of me, but I passed her on the trail in the village of Chamje (1,430 m). I walked alone for miles. It was a long, hard ascent along switchbacks and steep inclines to the Buddhist village of Tal (1,700 m).
Tal was one of my favorite places on the trek. The muscles burning from the climb is worth the entry to this heavenly little town. Tal emerges after a long, dusty hill in this quiet valley where the blue, grey river widens and bends creating sandy beaches. From the cloud covered hills that create the valley spill high, thin waterfalls.
Alina caught up to me in this little village and the two of us sat down for lunch. It was over black tea and pumpkin soup in placid Tal that the Russian and I decided to walk together.
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