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Tuesday, September 16th, 1997
Tashigaon, 6.560 ft. (Steffen Walton)
After a trek of five days, we finally have reached the Makalu-Barun National
Park, about half way to Makalu Base Camp, where the climbing takes its begin.
Monday afternoon we checked in on a lodge (30 cent a night) in the village of
Tashigaon, situated at an altitude of 6.560 ft. Everyone is in good spirits,
stomach trouble is over, and only catching a little cold is lying in wait due to
the unsettled weather. Last Sunday we started the day's trek in the village of
Num, trekking 2.600 ft. down a steep mountain side to the river of Arun (River
Wild is Gudenåen at comparison), which was crossed on a long and narrow
suspension bridge. The bridge was followed by an (unusual) steep climb up
through terraced fields and rainforest to the village of Seduwa at 4.890 ft.
where we camped for the night and celebrated Per Lyhne's 31st birthday. Monday
morning the trek continued up narrow paths towards the high passes, where the
only living beings we met were the leeches, sucking to our legs as vampires.
From Tashigaon the climb into the Barun Valley commenced.
