Hello Friends,

That was 10th day of our tour. We were excited that we were starting the Parikrama of Mount Kailash. The surprising thing was the Tibetans did not permit us to start our day without Breakfast and the tabs preventing us from the mountain sickness.

At one side I was excited and at one side feeling bad because without a hot bath we were to start the pari krama of Kailash. As I told I have stopped having meals, I had some energy bars, and I was taking the tabs after eating one energy bar and coffee. Without coffee I can not start my day.

From the camp base where we stayed in the night we had to go to Tarboche 10 Km away. Till there we were dropped by Land cruisers. There we find Yama dwar Once we cross that we are supposed to be in Kailash. There was a well to which we did Parikrama, and then prayed Yama to bless us, and then we went through Yama dwar and started our Parikrama. People who want to do the Parikrama by horses, horses were available. And few porters to carry our luggage too were available. And they dont carry more than 2 kg weight. As we were provided our lunch packs, containing a single sandwich, one chocolate and a soft drink. Mine, Rams and one more for the porter we have put in the back pack along with a water bottle and gave it to the porter to carry with us, and who can help us as a guide too.

By the time we have passed through Yama dwar and started Parkrama it was all most 1.00 pm. slowly we started climbing the Himalayas. There was no road. Full of stones and ups and downs. The weather was windy and chilly even though the skies were clear. The first 2 hours it was okay dokey. Then slowly it started showing its true colors. As I knew that next days parikrama was tougher I was not exerting myself more. I was walking slowly. Of course we were advised to walk slowly and one more advise we were given was, when we feel tiered and could not walk, we were to stand and take rest, but not sit for taking rest. They said if we sit, there was every possibility of going to sleep and not able to reach the next camp base. So I was walking slowly and Ram was keeping me company, and the porter was with us. Every one in our Troup over took us.

The way was tough but beautiful. There was a stream passing by. One side we were walking at the foot hills of Mount Kailash and another side higest rock mountain called Sesh nag and those mountains were really looking like 1000 heads Snake. It was 6pm started getting dark, and seeing this rock mountain, I was really afraid. I had a phobia for heights. And this highest mountain started making me nervous.

The Sherpas told us, if the porter, the Chinese boy gives us any thing eatable or to drink, not to accept because they were dangerous. The boy who was with us started showing a knife to us and started saying some thing. His language we could not understand. I thought he was threatening us to kill. Ram said, he was such a young boy, and I was unnecessarily getting afraid of that young boy that too when Ram was with me to take care of me. To be honest, still I was afraid of that boy. We were walking and walking the camp base wont come. Climbing was tough and the weather making us feel chili. We were told that it was 12Km walk, but I am sure it was more than 18Km. The going became tough and it was getting dark, I thought the camp base would never come, and then we reached the camp base.

Later we came to know that the boy was asking us to purchase his knife and was asking for money. We had a good laugh at ourselves!

I was so happy to reach the camp base which was called Diraphuk ( 16500 ft.) and completed the first day parikrama; Whole team in the tour was so friendly they kept for me the best place for my nights sleep. There were only 4 constructed rooms and all the rest were tents. So they gave me one of the best rooms available but toilet facilities just forget about them. No washrooms, no toilets. Temporarily erected tents for that purpose.

As soon as we reached the camp base Sherpas who were waiting for us served us with hot soup and I was really in need of it. Because as we were under the icy mountain of Mount Kailash it was very windy and cold. After going into the room I just collapsed on the bed and started shivering. Luckily there were plenty of Rugs and sleeping bags. So I have taken few and made myself warm. Then had my soup and was about to go to sleep. But one after another the whole tour members came to say hi and to tell me their experiences of the first day of the trekking. And suddenly it was moon light and some one showed me that I can see mount Kailash through my window at a very near distance, as if I was in the lap of mount Kailash.

The pleasant surprise was so great, the tiered ness just vanished. The beautiful mountain kailash was just like a silver mount and was creating sacred vibrations within us; one has to experience the happiness of being there.

We were placed in the camp in such a way, we were looking at mount Kailash, behind it the mount shesh nag and on top the moon. As if it is Lord shiva himself sitting and looking at us. What more one wants after seeing such a sacred beautiful natural formation?

By 10pm every one gone to sleep. But for me it took long time to get sleep because I was feeling as if I was really in Kailash and Lord Shiva was looking at me. So I did not want to sleep and miss a sec by not looking at him. Ram started warning me. If I dont sleep, it would not be possible for me to do the next day trekking which was supposed to be much more dangerous and hard and we had to pass the highest mountain.

So whole night I was sleeping for some time and suddenly was getting up and praying Lord Shiva by looking through my window. It was the happiest night in those 3 days of Parikrama of mount Kailash.

Indu.

PS; Wait for my 2nd day trekking experience of climbing the highest mountain to 19000ft!