I awoke at 5am to do yoga under a full moon together with fellow trekkers Kas, Tessa, Jack and Rosie beside the river. Once breakfast was consumed and bags were packed, we encounted locals already engaged with the day.
Elderly man bringing foliage either for his goats, cows or buffulo.
The previous evening we were warned about the landslides further up the valley. Several trekking groups were returning citing that it was too dangerous to continue, and that further up at the Lake pass, a Sherpa had been swept to his death. Seven people had also died at Manaslu Basecamp. Cautiously, we decided to continue up the valley and see if the conditions and weather would improve to our favor.
We passed by expedition porters as the valley became steeper on both sides. The side walls began to tower above us. It was easy to see how the dangers of landslides existed in places like this.
Here we negotiated through overflowing waterfalls which one wondered if there would be a rock or tree coming down on top of us as we walked by.
We arrived at Jagat after a nine hour walk. I had witnessed the severity of the nature and wondered if I had been a local, would I have viewed this place with the same awe as I did as a tourist, or would I have despised the place due to the challenges that came with it?
Tomorrow we were told the worst of the landslides were to come.
