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100 DAYS
WRITER'S BLOG
DEBBY NG
Musk deer
It's been a day of nerves, physique and emotions. Beginning at 0730, Mukhiya and I ascended Gangapurna in search of Blue sheep and the elusive musk deer. On the way up the peak, just before passing the ridge over Gangapurna Lake, Mukhiya stops to ask a woodcutter if he's seen any musk deer (because he's so confident about finding Blue sheep he doesn't even ask about those!) And the answer is positive: a musk deer crossed the trail right around the "big rock".
Ngarwal to Manang
Julu Village. The warmest village in Menang district because it's sheltered from the wind. First snow fell this morning but the sun kept its rays up. I had tsampa porridge and eggs. I'm now at the Snow Lion Foundation, one of 12 schools in Nepal comissioned by the foundation's HQ in Daramsala. 80 students. 5 teachers. All students on scholarships but only 20 have individual sponsors.
Pisang to Ngarwal
Today I trekked from upper Pisang to Ngarwal via Gyaru. Its old name is Yakru and some of the signs along the trail still bear this name.
I'm not sure of the date because that doesn't seem very important here unless you have a plane or bus or something to catch! The route was fantastic. With out-of-this-world views of the villages we'd trekked through and encounters with all sorts of alpine scrub birds as well as vultures in the heavens. Like the day before, we didn't manage to see any musk deer.
Serangkot viewpoint
"You need to learn some words." Mukhiya encourages. "One word a day. What do you say?" I tell him I think I might be able to manage that. "Bistare bistare means go slow." I sound it out and it seems simple enough. "OK that was easy right? So today you can learn two. Jam jam means let's go." I write down the words phonetically, convinced that as simple as they might sound, I'm bound to forget them tomorrow. "These two words will be useful on our trek. OK?
To Pokhara by bus
Mukhiya began guiding treks into the Annapurna Mountains since he was 13 years old. He comes from a family of 13, had an arranged marriage at 22, and has 2 sons. "My brother sells culture. I save it." Mukhiya's older brother, like so many others in their region, leave their homes in the mountains carrying semi-precious stones, rocks, and art pieces from times of old, into the cities to sell. "We've argued many times."
TRACK THE FIRES
