Kyangjin Kharka (3,890m) to Shyabrubesi (1,500m): Duration: 7h16min. Distance: 18.5mi (29.8km). Vertical Elevation Gain: 1,324ft (404m).
Note: Trek stats sourced from Apple Watch are cumulative elevation increase and does not take into account elevation decreases.
I woke up at 6:30AM, clinging tightly to my sleeping bag for warmth and more time before having to endure the cold that lurked just outside my cocoon. It was a cold and cloudy morning, unlike every other we had experienced in the mountains thus far. I considered and appreciated my good fortune while summiting Yala Peak a day earlier than planned on account for the calm and clear weather we experienced. Once I emerged, I quickly went to the kitchen to sit by the cooking fire and sip some hot Nepali black tea. To eat, I had Tibetan bread with yak cheese and honey and two scrambled eggs. Having bribed the kitchen cook to use his phone’s data via hotspot, I sipped a second cup of tea to buy time for my next audiobook to download. A book on the origins and practical applications of ancient Chinese Taoism, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu would be my next listen. Word got around the village that the monastery had been opened for one hour. Tes told me that the village’s lama (similar to monk) was in Kathmandu, and so the villagers would periodically open the monastery for a short period to pray. We took a visit, and for being such a small village way up in the mountains, the artwork and statues filling the monastery were quite impressive. I did my own form of seated meditation and prayer before making departure.
Back in the hotel, I packed up and then went to find the hotel owners/host to offer my appreciation and farewell. I asked the host for a photo together, and she replied, “OK, but wait one second.” She went into the dining hall building, then returned holding a thin, blessed white cloth scarf. The same exact blessed white scarf that my friends Morgan and Joseph gifted me exactly one week earlier. The same exact blessed white scarf that I tied atop Yala Peak as a means to share blessings exactly 24 hours earlier. I couldn’t believe it. She handed it to me as a genuine gesture, saying, “Good luck for travels for one year.” She then handed Tes and Yuhan one as well, and we took a picture. Coincidence? Irony? Serendipity? Karma? Chance?
I searched the hotel for the Australian family I befriended the night before, but apparently they hit the trail already. “No worries, I’m sure we’ll catch them,” I thought. We left Kyangjin Kharka around 9:30AM, and within an hour, sure enough, we caught up to the friendly family of four. We shared the trail and more conversation for a while, until they made a snack stop at a bakery while Tes, Yuhan, and I continued on. As we moved forward into falling elevation, clouds and wind picked up. Around noon, we stopped for lunch in Thangsyap, the same village we had stayed at the second night of our trek. I said hello to the familiar folks of the village. I checked my watch and we had hiked over 6.6 miles in 2.5 hours. Even for a descent, we were moving at a solid speed. I ate fried potatoes with vegetables and cheese while sipping Nepali black tea, and by 1:15PM we were back on the trail.
The next stretch of trail was surrounded by loads of wildlife. Deer, yak, monkeys, mountain goats, monkeys, and more monkeys still. The monkeys were curious and keen to humans on the trail. We shared several minutes of just watching each other, from a safe distance of course. After my close call with a monkey bite in Bali, I made sure to maintain conservative and respectful space.
Around 2:00PM it began to rain. Already wearing my rain jacket, Tes and Yuhan put theirs on and we put rain covers and large protective plastic covers over the bags. “Wow. I am really lucky to have done the Yala Peak Summit yesterday instead of today,” I thought. We continued on the trail, partially protected by cover of trees in the forest landscape. The rain relentlessly persisted. At 3:15PM, we took a short break for tea and warmth at Lama hotel, the same place we had eaten lunch on the second day of the trek. Again, I was able to give greetings to villagers with whom I had already met. Many locals and trekkers were huddled around the wood fire stove for warmth and rain relief. When the brief break ended, we returned to the rain and resumed the trek. More monkeys mangled the trailside trees, unphased by the wet weather. We made our way through the forest, crossing many bridges over the river and walking alongside it. My fingers were numb, my socks squishing in small pools puddling in the toes of each boot, yet there was a natural soft smile on my face. Sure I wasn’t bothered by the rain, having deep appreciation it was today instead of yesterday, but still, that shouldn’t make me feel this happy. On the ups and downs of the slippery rock steps, I reached a meditative focused trance state, moving with full attentiveness and deliberateness behind each step. During the trail breaks from muddy or rocky hills, Tes, Yuhan, and I would break into a run, laughing, whooping, and hollering. I knew the cold couldn’t, but not even wetness could break our spirits? Despite the multiple consecutive days of challenging and physically demanding hikes, my body felt refreshed and full of energy. “Did the mountain surroundings, the trekking, the villages, and summiting a peak rejuvenate something deep inside of me? I must still be high on mountains and elevation because I don’t know why I feel so good,” I thought. I stopped questioning it and simply enjoyed each and every step forward.
The afternoon turned into evening, and we closed in on Shyabrubesi. By now, we’ve already gone off script, deviating from the set itinerary and creating our own. Why stop now? The set plan was to trek two days from Kyangjin Kharka to Shyabrubesi, then take a bus the following morning back to Kathmandu. However, given our trio’s strong speed, I decided we should make a push for Shyabrubesi in one day and take a bus the next morning, giving us back a day. I had loved every moment of my time on the trek and in the stunningly beautiful mountains, but several factors went into the decision. Since arrival in Kathmandu, I had stayed in a new bed every single night, and wanted to have a few days settled in Kathmandu to relax and decompress. Admittedly, I missed the comfort of a warm bed in a non-freezing room instead of sleeping in multiple layers in a sleeping bag to struggle for warmth. There were some things I’d like to do in Kathmandu that I otherwise wouldn’t have time for, as my flight out is already booked. Additionally, I know Tes and Yuhan work hard for little pay relative to American standards, and it’s a warm thought of them being rewarded with some free time in Kathmandu before their next trek.
We made our way through one village and climbed some steps that lead to another bridge over the river. Unlike the other bridges, this one was twisted, crooked, and damaged. The guardrails were lying flat on the sides of the uneven bridge, and there were rocks and large lumber pieces fastening the far side. To make things more uneasy, it was still raining, making the wet metal floorboards of the bridge slippery. “This looks safe. It must be up to code,” I said outlaid sarcastically. First Tes crossed, then Yuhan, and then I cautiously crossed. Once I made it mostly across to the far end, it became very slanted due to the rigged fastening methods. I slid to the right side, but thankfully there were rocks strategically placed there to prevent crossers from sliding off.
As warm colors signaling sunset streaked the sky, we made our arrival to Shyabrubesi. The time was around 6:15PM. We had covered so much distance this day, neither my guide Tes nor porter Yuhan had ever trekked all the way from Kyangjin Kharka to Shyabrubesi in a single day. 18.5 miles (29.8km) in just over 7 hours of trekking, we covered some serious ground, especially considering the muddy and slippery conditions. Soaked and smiling, Tes, Yuhan, and I shared high fives and hugs. We purchased bus tickets for the next morning, then checked into a hotel for the night. Immediately I stripped my wet clothes, took a hot shower, and put on the only dry clothes I had left, my snow pants and thermal wool shirt. We met in the hotel’s dining hall, and Tes and I clinked celebratory mugs of Gorkha Strong, a Nepali local lager beer that is quite delicious. Alcohol abstaining Yuhan enjoyed two celebratory Red Bulls. “Before bed? You’re insane, you’re going to be up all night,” I remarked. He shrugged, then preceded to drink. I ate vegetable and egg fried rice and mixed spring rolls for dinner while sharing some photos and updates with immediate friends and family, having stable internet connection for the first time on the trek. Shortly after, bedtime befell this beat boy.