Third Day of the Gosykunda Trek

 On this day, I would take the journey alone down the mountain and back to Dhunche! I had run out of money. That morning, I had porridge with oats and apple, and began early. It was surreal to have woken up after such a restless night consisting of altitude sickness symptoms, and a lot of prayer. I felt lighter. I was so grateful to not be in pain, however, I knew I was weak. I was only growing weaker. It was a matter of reaching Dhunche by the end of the day, before nightfall, and without having to stop at another teahouse. I knew I would run into complications, as it is consistent for me to have knee pain on climb-downs. I bid farewell to the fellow hikers, and to the moments we all shared around the fire with the ukulele and with our gracious host. She was kind in that I did not have to pay the full amount. I began my journey into the rising sun, and reveled in the golden light coming from the east sky, over the mountain. I felt grateful to be alive, and also, had a strong sense of who I am. I felt like I was with my self, finally, and could enjoy the quiet descent. I began along the mountain ridge, and followed the rail, sliding down it with my gloves to conserve my knees as much as possible. I followed my footsteps passed the lodges, now quiet and void of hikers, except for the families there carrying out daily household chores. I found myself a little lost on a plateau after following a horse trail from the cabin below a teahouse on the second step closest to the last stretch towards the lake. I met a very nice teahouse owner who let me charge my phone, and as I sat there, I rest my head on the table, and felt a cold coming on. I didn't think much of it. I continued on and meeting a group of kind hikers who had been through Langtang, I was ready to find my way without any complications. From the shallow forest, I followed hoof grooves and dung until I found sall paths that led back through the forest onto the ridge of the mountain and back to the path of the stupas, where I saw the bellowing flags from a distance. I thought, these stupas were wonderful ways for travellers, local or otherwise, to keep on the right path without risk of getting lost. I continued on, purchasing some tibetan flat bread as a snack from a kind family in a small town on the descent, in a german inspired bakery, where I could connect to reliable wifi and talk to my mom while their baby daughter was walking along the foot of the table on the side of the building. She seemed so happy and starry eyed. I spoke to my mom for a while, grateful to hear her voice. Remembering how that is all I wanted the night before, while I battled the cold, pain, and panic. After finishing my conversation and most of the bread, I pocketed the rest of the oily now cold bread, and preparing to eat the crisp right out the door, not afraid of the crumbs in my pockets, I paid the kind mother of the household as her husband returned to her side after building a fire, and kept on. My knees at this time were beginning to hurt, and they were swelling. I found a lovely walking stick, which would become my only life line. As I reached lower and lower levels, I kept my sweater on, and met other hikers going up, as well as one young man who kept whistling along the path periodically as he carried a linked fence on his back, that I later found out from the house he had originally come from, and that I ran into him again on his way down, was meant for horses. I passed the locals and felt their way of life there. They seemed quiet, and yet, embraced every sound of wind, bird, voice, hammer on wood. I felt connected to something deeper within my self. I kept on, and ran into some hikers who had seen monkeys, with their two guides there carrying an insane amount of stuff on their backs. I was shocked, and grateful for the hello, but couldn't bare to stop them any longer than was necessary. I kept on, and ran into the remaining monkeys that were still there. At this time, the descent became steps, literally, and I remembered where we were by a patch of woods my friend had pointed out on the other mountain ridge, and how he had said if he could, he would spend days there. He sounded much like a saddhu in that moment. I felt this sort of growth within myself. At these steps, I began to walk backwards. I was running out of sun time, and did not want to walk in the cold dark. By using the stick, I was able to keep up a good pace. I dragged the stick along the travel during the driveway like descents. I kept this pace until I reached the wire bridge and the ice cold stream rushing below. At this time, I felt grateful that the journey was almost over. I overlooked the pain I felt in my legs, and sat gratefully, taking in the moments I had saved by my adaptive technique of walking backwards, and made it up the road into Dhunche. A young boy joined me on the last few minutes of my hike, and walked me directly to the house of his school mate, and my new little sister, who's family invited me to stay with them for the evening. My little sister told me about her school, and invited me to the room I had stayed at when I first left for the trail. She brought hot mustard seed oil to help me massage my knees, and a cup of hot water for my bottle. Her mom prepared a meal for me of dhal bhaat and I watched Netflix after making my favorite reel of the hike. I slept with a lot of congestion and in the next morning, I woke with a very high fever and a sore throat. I took the assistance they offered, and my knees felt a little better, so I took the oppotunity to take the earliest bus back to Kathmandu. My friend and little sister walked me to the bus before her school, and we shared a teary and heartfelt good bye. On the bus ride back home, I cried for the moments I shared with the mountain. I teared up at the thought of my beautiful mother and brotehr waiting for me at home. And I cried, because I knew I would come back one day again soon, to attempt the same journey, deeper into Langtang National Park. This was my journey, in short, at Gosykunda. May I have the same opportunity to share my experience, when I return again, next week, the first week of 2024.

This hike for sure has set a passion in me for trekking in high alltitude. I had many insights and shared moments with nature and my self.

Much Love,

Camila Wilson