Kyanjin Gompa

We were up early and caught glimpses of the surrounding mountains towering majestically all around us – including Langtang Lirung at 7227 metres. Aite brought us tea, we had porridge oats with honey to sustain us and were walking by 7.30 am, in a beautiful sunny morning. All the snowy peaks came into view, we were very lucky. The landscape we walked through was stunning with diverse colours in the rocks, trees, flowers and the roaring river running through it. There were mani stone walls and a square chorten up on the ridge. The air got even thinner and I definitely felt short of breath. After 2 ½ hours or so we stopped at a stone wall for water and a muesli bar – a welcome rest.

 

Another climb, yaks and wild ponies dotting the scene, and suddenly we arrived at Kyanjin Gompa, 3870 metres. Mithu headed straight for the Super View Lodge, where he found us a very nice room with sunshine and mountain views. We both felt weary, but Mithu only allowed us a short rest before leading us up to the Langtang glacier. I actually think he tried to kill us!

We hiked up behind Kyanjin almost all the way to the glacier terminus. We could certainly see it clearly, and we went beyond that, climbing to well over 4000 metres – it sure felt like it – to a cluster of stone houses used by the yak herders in the summer. All around were lovely fluffy yaks. Mithu found a wall creeper bird, quite rare, so Rob was happy, and also a mouse like creature, quite fluffy with big ears and not much tail.

We climbed on – I was dying by then – to look over a ridge down to the remains of another old glacier. Suddenly mid afternoon the weather changed and we had to hightail it back. Mithu didn’t have a proper jacket and Aite had none at all – I was worried about him as it was so cold, and the rain became heavy. Rob and I were okay in our good gear although I was completely knackered. The boys are so caring of me, helping me over rocks and slippery bridges. It took us just over an hour to get down, with a 1 minute rest sheltering under an overhanging rock.

On the way up through the village we had seen sheep being shorn with hand scissors. We also passed a cheese factory – we must buy some and we must buy some of the gorgeous knitted hats complete with ear-covering pigtails.

On our return we changed clothes, got into our sleeping bags and nearly fell asleep. I was so overcome with tiredness that Rob made me cry by saying he was organizing the next holiday and it would involve palm trees, sunshine, beaches, fales and it would only be a ½ km island and we would stay there until we had each put on 2 kgs!

We eventually made our way downstairs to the very full and busy dining room where everyone was crowded around the fire. Aite got us a brew and biscuits, and Rob taught him Sudoku. We met a great group of Germans from Hewlett Packard – I liked them instantly as they thought I spoke such good English that I must be from the UK! A very noisy night as our room was opposite the loo and I swear everyone in the place went at some stage.