MAY19, 2011
TREK DAY THREE
GHOREPANI TO TADAPANI, NEPAL
Our reward for our pre-dawn summiting was that as soon as we walked out the door after breakfast we immediately started climbing what seemed the identical length, amount of time and steepness, but now on new ridge going in a new direction.
NICOLA NEMY, HYLA NEMY
This gave us a grand view of where we were in the early hours of day before we descended and repeated this pattern throughout the day.
Both today and the previous days saw us climb straight up at various degrees of speed and rest for sometimes well over an hour. Always respective of each others well being and whereabouts, it was at these times that the unspoken word of “I prefer to suffer on my own and will see you at the top if there is one” was silently conveyed.
We originally thought we would hire a porter, but even with Tikka’s relentless requests to carry some of our gear, we seemed not ready to give in an accepted and slightly paid for our stubbornness.
At times when I desperately casped for air and carefully repositioned my backpack shoulder harness over my heart so as it would not pop out of my chest as it seemed to try, my thoughts drifted. Is it possible that this will be my stairway to heaven? Was it some cruel trick that, with a backpack, I was hiking myself to my own death zone? Are there no Angel porters? I was also resigning myself, quite easily, to the acceptance of what lies at the bottom of these stairs. Somebody did tell me once to “Go to Hell” As the day was quite hot already, I would be already somewhat acclimatized. Now I shall opt for my newfound option. It’s Buddha time!
NICOLA NEMY
Tika proved to an eager studier of the world. It was quickly reflective that over His twenty years of exposure to travellers from throughout the world, he amassed, and partly adopted, a significant knowledge of vast amount of countries, their people and customs. Though most importantly, and many times carefully explained to us, he was Nepalese.
With Tika we had many discussion about both Nepal and as he was always eager to learn, Canada. One such discussion led to local heath care. I very much enjoy Tikka’s ultimate response after much explanation that when you have an afterlife, why worry about rushing off to some hospital. Trying to be the accommodating travellers, it was this option that was looking pretty good in my sorried state of Himalayan climbing. I would ask to be taken now. Then kindly ask to have the rest of the day to wash up and rest awhile. I would start my new life tomorrow. Something that would combine the reward of life long achievement and siting. Preferably not a Subway Token Collector as I believe they are occasionally subject to ridicule.
I also at these time, unbeknownst to Kate, that I gave the girls specific instruction that if I was to found in ultimate human failure on these steps that I be dragged to the nearest, steepest cliff and thrown over immediately. I would be quite comfortable to have my obituary read; MR. PAUL NEMY succumbed to injuries sustained on a perilous climb in the Himalaya. I would request that it would be dully noted that these are the highest mountains in the world and also include the local phonetics, HE-MALL-YA, as I believe it only adds to the snootiness.
It is often that one sees a photograph of a mountaineer’s crowning achievement with summit flag in hand, but pretty unrecognizable due his or her face being obscured by goggles and the breathing apparatus worn.
I had dreams of a photo being leaked to the world of myself lying face up, all legs and arms extended, on some couch of a lodge we just visited. Supplemental oxygen breathing mask securely attached with the attached story tag line reading “ Paul Nemy, at the dizzying height of 3,000ft (which was a blatant misprinted, as it should have stated 3,000 meters) tries to gain a head of steam in final preparation for an assault on a mountainous piece of Nepalese dessert.
Beyond all this nonsense I shall conclude that whenever I Look upon the CN tower from the window of mom’s Toronto apartment, my thoughts will not be the same as I left. My thoughts will be that the four of us, laiden with gear, climbed and sadly descended the equalivent of over three towers most everyday we trekked.
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