Somewhere Above The Clouds
Nepal
EVEREST
Foreword:
Before starting to write this article, I was sitting and staring at a blank piece of paper for a long time, trying to tune in to that wave, or more precisely, that altitude at which I existed during my trip to the Himalayas. Suddenly - a stream of thoughts and emotions started to pour out of me, all of it was pulled from the depths of my subconscious by the mountains. And so, I could not stop!
Somewhere above the clouds…
I still cannot believe that I was lucky enough to see the glimpse of Mount Everest, or as Nepalese people call it – Chomolungma (Mother Goddess of Earth). The Himalayas are cosmic, grand and incomprehensible. Its magnificent landscapes and the sensations are also absolutely COSMIC!!! You feel at ease and completely ethereal.
It all started the moment we loaded into a tiny plane that flew us to Lukla, home for the World’s scariest airport. When a little plane took off, it laterally plunged downhill toward an abyss, before gaining the necessary speed. If you are still breathing after this, you will have to deal with the turbulence and the 40 minutes of mountain-dodging! Nevertheless, the views of the Himalayan peaks during this roller-coaster-like flight are spectacular and unforgettable, especially if you try hard enough to keep your eyes open!
Throughout the journey, you are surrounded by giant Himalayan Eight-Thousanders that are at least millions of years old! Again, and again, I mentally return to that atmosphere of unity with nature and hear the ringing of the bells, from passing yaks - shaggy but very elegant animals that can only live in high-altitude areas, no lower than 4300-4600 meters above sea level. I see the snow-covered mountain peaks, which sometimes disappear somewhere in the fog, or behind the clouds. For a while, you don’t realize where you are and what surrounds you, and only the next morning you suddenly start to suck in all this cosmic energy that has fallen upon you.
The whole track to Everest Base camp consists of steep ascents and descents. So you walk, or rather - climb, 5-7 hours a day: up - down, up - down. Part of the road was strewn with stones and boulders, and in the process, we kept bumping into local Sherpa people and passed through dozens of amazing villages, feeling the local flavor.
Walking along the suspension bridges, high in the mountains, above the river, Dudh Kosi, was very memorable, and the views – just breathtaking. With every step, the bridge began to swing actively. I grabbed onto the hanging railing that was exposing the foam of the bubbling river from a bird's-eye view. While from the opposite side, the Yaks were quietly walking towards us, making distinctive sounds with their bells. They, unlike us, were not at all afraid. Neither the swinging of the bridge, nor the height, or even the presence of scared us along the way, nothing brought them out of their natural state of Zen.
The most memorable part of the journey was our first vertical climb that lasted for a few hours, and at the end of which, we reached the Buddhist monastery. There, we plunged into a meditative state, and for a while quietly watched our breathing that was entirely out and smitten. In general, meditation became an integral part of our journey, and we managed to practice it directly in Buddhist temples and monasteries. In Tengboche, the monastery that gracefully rises 3867 meters above sea level, we witnessed the monks chanting mantras in almost a hypnotic way, accompanied by various kinds of sound-producing instruments.
One day we were trekking, and it started to get dark. In the mountains, it gets dark relatively quickly, and suddenly you see nothing at all in front of you, or at least, that’s what you think at first… Then, instinctively you look up and become a witness of the dramatic arch of the Milky Way rising over the horizon. The entire universe is right in front of you, glowing in its glory! It is such a strange feeling because we are so used to the artificial, man-made lights that obscure our view of the stars. It is never dark enough to see the Milky Way in the overpopulated cities, and it doesn’t even cross our minds what we are missing out! Himalaya is the best place to enjoy a view of the night sky and blend in with our universe to experience genuine happiness and maybe even see a shooting star for a second! As someone once said: “A shooting star only lasts a second. But, aren’t you glad to at least have seen it?”
Another unique feature of Himalaya is its very peaceful and wise looking Mountain Dogs, who like to hang out near the Buddhist monasteries and usually appear out of nowhere on the trekking paths. There is this theory that these dogs are reincarnations of the souls of the mountain climbers, who never made it to the top of Mount Everest. Hence, they are now guiding people, who are making summit attempts.
In the valley known as Chukpa Lare - a sacred memorial site, people built pyramids of piled stones with nameplates and inscribed letters in the memory of those Sherpas and climbers who have died trying to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Prayer flags and memorial monuments are everywhere in that spot. My attention was caught by a huge three-meter boulder, with a big gold cross and inscribed letters in Russian saying: "To fallen mountaineers." This is a rare place on earth, where dreamers are remembered and praised! Respect to all!
Step by step, every day, despite the cold, anxiety and symptoms of the altitude sickness, practicing patience and willpower, you slowly climb up. You must have self-confidence and overcome your fear and fatigue to absorb all these Cosmos! You concentrate on your goal so much that everything else seems so small and unimportant. As long as you have something to sleep on and some basic food to eat, you can go on, and that's all that matters! You merge with the mountains and experience mutual love - this is FREEDOM!
The altitude, in one way or another, affected our entire group, including me. The body was merely stunned by a small level of oxygen and great physical exertion. Here, the discharged air does not allow you to breathe normally, and a sip of a hot mixture of ginger, lemon, and honey, quickly brings you to life and gives new strength! Hard climbing sometimes interfered with the contemplation of beauty, but at the same time, you enjoy the process itself and the given opportunity to reach the base camp.
01 CHAPTER