We got to camp after hiking leisurely for not more than three hours. This was unusual for us - Cam and I had hiked into the night on multiple occasions on other trips this year. Three out of three nights, Rohit and I had ridden till 8 or 9 in the night on our Leh - Tso Moriri cycle tour. A clearing in the forest was our campsite for the next two days - and camp was already set up by the time we reached. Another unusual sight for us this year. I had forgotten the upsides of a mule/porter assisted hike, and half felt like taking the tents apart and pitching them again.
Dinner stole the show that night though- enjoying the perks of the short first-day’s journey, we feasted on a piping hot chicken curry and paneer dish, sweetly wrapped up with a box of soan papdi being passed around the fire.
As we move into my first winter season of hiking the Himalayas, I’m finding it more difficult each time to deal with the cold. I realized, as we huddled close to the fire, that this was the first time I’ve trekked here outside the milder summer months. January should be fun.
We slept early, tummies full and hands temporarily warmed by the fire, ready for the early wake up call to push for the summit of Patalsu Peak.
I guess I should have told Cam the wake up call would not be early. We slept till 8:30 in the morning - another unusual luxury and woke to being served tea in bed and the fire already roaring again.