Phalut

The next morning I wake up early, very early to my respect, possibly it was 4:00 AM. Awakened I was thinking of the scape I saw in the dreams, on loads of travel journals and from people. The picturesque view of Khangchendzonga and the Sleeping Budhha along with Mt Everest....I was thrilled!

I pan my eyes outside, suddenly I come into reality. I was realizing a dark cloud in my dreams. In reality, it was storming, the weather was just cloudy.

I waited till 5:40 AM thinking the weather to be moderate. We went out at around 6 AM to see if its better now. But Alas! unlike other occurrences this time also Kanchenjunga was far from my site - with deep clouds hiding it. We two stayed for about 45 mins zooming the camera, but we just seen some discrete strips of the whole mountain panorama.

At 7:30 we headed to Phalut leaving the highest altitude behind. We had morning tea before we leave. We packed our breakfast for the route.

In next hour we walked on mostly straight ways, some downs were there but no significant upstream. Finally we paused at around 9:50 AM to have our breakfast at a ground like place.

Up to this we walked in the roads, now as we were finished with breakfast and start again we have been taken into a never-seen landscape. It was like some green humps on earth, beautifully covered with red rhododendron and Yaks/Horses roaming here and there, in short it was a picture perfect place one can dream of.

We walked through the uphills and down in bare grass crossing several such humps and finally reached Sabargram at 4.By that time everybody was so tired to go ahead anymore. We had noodles and hot tea mug which revitalize me to go ahead.It was another 8kms to go to reach Phalut.

From Sabargram to Phalut, it was just a battle between the bad weather and some feeble travelers as many of us went weary and fatigued in their legs. Some of us started having issues with high altitude and oxygen depletion. As the storm started, oxygen depletion grows bolder.

At 6 PM, we were still struggling with storm, had to pause as the viewing was impossible for objects grater than two feet. We were firmly depending on the guide to make us finish the journey in a very-low-light and misty-way in which in all probabilities we can distract the routes. Finally at 6:30 we seen some hut like structures in out moisten eyes. Those were trekker's hut our destination!!

We took rest, at-least tried to feel comfortable as temperature was less with heavy rain. On that night we 6 has to stay in the same room, insufficient lodging but we had to accept anyway. Around 12o Clock I felt I have an issue breathing in, it was an unnatural feel, I never felt before. I went up and open up the window of toilet and felt much better. I came back and opened the vents of window to a bit for air circulation, it was very cold but I had to eventually do that to avoid big massacre. Then I slept off.

Again, before I sleep, I prayed once for giving us opportunity to see Kanchenjunga next morning. May not be a sunrise or big exposure but a glimpse at least!
Those who said keeping hope is always a better option ; doesn't hold true always...Im an exception to it!