Going north

I've been toying with the idea of living in a remote island in north Maldives for a few months. It should prove an interesting contrast to the weeks I've spent in the high Himalaya.

For some reason I was flooded with ideas for a film about a tiny island community on the verge of extinction, as I made my way up well-worn mountain trails in mist and snow. If I could swan off to Haa Alif Atoll with my Mac and camcorder, this film, conceived at altitudes so high that not even grass grows, could well become a reality.

I've been showing the pictures from the trek to friends, and going through the images again is stirring a familiar longing to return to the Himalaya, even though I've only been back in this country for a few days. I think Muha felt a similar longing as he scrolled through the pictures yesterday.

I took the photo in this post about 50 metres or so up Kala Pattar. It's so early that the sun is still rising behind Everest. The highest mountain in the world reveals itself bit by bit as you ascend Kala Pattar. By half-past seven Maldives time (I hadn't changed my watch to the Nepali timezone) I was on the crest, gawking at the black pyramid and the panorama of snow peaks, with several dozen other trekkers.

I sat in the morning sun for an hour or so, nibbling coconut biscuits, drinking water, and thinking this was probably the last time I would be on the summit of Kala Pattar.

But as I look at the pictures again, I'm not so sure.

Bisugir Sharif

Visitors may recall that in my last trek to Nepal, Muha and I came across a town called Bijgirsharif somewhere in north India. At the time we couldn't recall its exact whereabouts. Well, this time around I was on the look out and I can now put the matter to rest. In fact, although the town is spelt Bijgirsharif in my India Railway Atlas, it is called Bisugir Sharif, and it's an insignificant station lying a few kilometres north of Warangal, a main railway junction in Andhra Pradesh.

Sadly, I wasn't able to verify whether bisugir meant big in Andhra but it looked little more than a disused station so I very much doubt it.

I hope Sharif is pleased with this information.

I should point out that there are two islands in the Maldives which appropriate his surname: Ali Fushi and Fee Ali.

Motorcycle diaries

I unexpectedly bumped into a friend in Kathmandu and we hired a motorcycle and rode into the mountains. It was a bit like The Motorcycle Diaries, only shorter. Due to the secretive nature of the person in question I'm unable to say who he is, though.

Room with a view

The view from my room in Lukla, minus myself, especially for Shari. Looking out of the window from there was like looking into a live painting.

Hardy kids

Children grow up hardy in this environment, essential for their survival.

More rhododendrons

As my trek drew to a close I walked through yet more rhododendron forests. But the colour of the flower had paled somewhat.

Dole

After several days in the bleak high-altitude environment, descending through the clouds to Dole was a visual treat. The green reminded me of England.

Yeti land

Machchermo in the Gokyo valley is famed for yeti sightings. In the seventies, there were reports that the yeti had abducted a woman and killed some yaks.

Unclimbed peak

On the day I was in Gokyo, there was a mist early morning and by the time it had cleared, there were clouds covering the mountains. so I didn't bother climbing the peak opting, instead, to descend down the valley.

Cho La Pass

I hired a porter, Santosh, for a day, to guide me over the Cho La Pass. It later emerged that the young Rai from the village of Bung had never crossed the pass himself. Nevertheless, he was great company on the most challenging climb on rock and snow. It was a long day for both of us and as I grew increasingly tired and grumpy Santosh was singing, chirpy as ever.

Dzongla

Dzongla lies at the foot of the Cho La Pass. Cold and snowbound, it's the bleakest spot I've seen on the trek.

Snow

It snowed every afternoon from around 4,000 metres upwards. The Sherpas said this season was more like winter than spring.

Mount Everest

My third time up on Kala Pattar which affords, arguably, the best view of Mount Everest. I summitted KP very early in the morning, in less than half the time I took the last time. Summit fever was very much in evidence as 40 or so trekkers basked in the morning sunlight and cameras clicked.

Everest base camp

My first visit to the famed tent city. The climbing season is in full swing around the feared Khumbu icefall.

Gompa

The Tengboche Gompa, or monastery, and a yak rests after day of carrying loads.

Monk

A female monk pants up the steep hill to Tengboche, the spiritual centre of the Everest region.

Rhododendrons

One of the reasons I undertook the trek in the spring was to see the rhododendrons in bloom. I was not disappointed.

Like mum like son

Children learn load-carrying very early on here. It's a harsh life up on these mountains and everyone must contribute to earning an income.

The centre

Namche from a different angle. On my acclimatisation day there I climbed a steep ridge to the Everest View Hotel, the world's highest 4 star hotel. On the way down I took the longer less steep route and got this view.

The lure of Everest

Above Namche trekkers are greeted with spectacular views of Everest, which for many is the main attraction of this trek.

Green

From Lukla to Namche is the really green part of the trail. It's also a packed highway.