I froze, took a small step then danced quickly over the rocks in front of me. Then just as I began to make my next move – CRACK! A huge stone that I had stepped on dislodged and hurtled down the ravine towards the raging waters of the river below. I looked shocked at Prem. If he had of been right behind me, he would surely have fallen to his death!
The day started off tranquil with hot temperatures and waterfalls cooling us as we made our way up the valley. Little did we know, we were to get a taste of what the local people have to deal with constantly. Landslides and potential death.
This was one of the last photo’s that I took before we were met by landslides after passing the small town of Nakeri. The path soon resembled a quarry of rocks and fallen debris. Some Sherpa’s had set up some makeshift bridges but because of the quantity of trekkers on the path, these soon began to become loose and dangerous. We crossed over five fresh landslides before we were stopped by a fresh one that could only have happened only a short time before we had come. It had taken the whole side of the valley wall down to the swirling waters of the Budigandaki river. If you had survived the fall, you would not have survived these treacherous waters that were cold and full of rocks.
“So what do we do now”? I asked Prem. He looked at the landslide where the path had once been. On the other side stood a local woman stranded. “We cannot continue, Prem said after a pause. “Sometimes it is better to value life”
We decided to go back to the town and reevaluate the trip. We met other trekkers and warned them of the dangers but they seemed more intent to make it at any cost. I was angry with them and deep down, a part of me wanted them to get injured so that they would learn to respect both the nature and more importantly the safety of their porter and guides.
Thats not very Zen of me now is it?
