TRAVERSE 157
TRAVEL FEATURE - NEPAL LEIGH WILKINS
STUNTED COWS & MYSTERIOUS CAVES
Thump ! Thump ! Thump ! A drum was beating somewhere , I couldn ’ t tell where , it was neither close nor far , it was just beating , loud to the point of being internal . I felt nauseous .
“ Hey , stop , are you alright ?”, a rider had pulled beside me , a look of concern on her face as we slowed to a complete halt .
I ’ d confirmed that I was , but she saw something different , stating that I ’ d been riding erratic to the point of concern . The drummer had been joined by many friends ; this was out of control .
“ You have altitude sickness ,” explained Christina , the only female on our exploration of Nepal ’ s Upper Mustang . “ Take some pain killers and drink plenty of water .”
I ’ d nodded knowing that this could be serious , I ’ d never suffered from this condition before despite reaching higher altitudes . My body had been telling me that we ’ d ascended much too quickly for its liking , I ’ m not sure that we had , it affects people differently at different times . I ’ d appreciated Christina ’ s motherly concern .
A day earlier we ’ d left our camp on the banks of Kali Gandaki river , the hospitality of the farming family we had stayed with was exceptional . Their home had become our home , a warm welcome from the cold air flowing into the valley as soon as the sun hid behind the nearby high peaks . Our tents providing protection during the night , albeit fully clothed , thermal underwear a must .
Riding north , following the river , saw the landscape change dramatically . Marpha , the small , traditional village a highlight as we ’ d made our way to Jomsom , the last staging post before entering the Upper Mustang , one of the world ’ s last kingdoms opened to the modern world .
TRAVERSE 157