It was worth it!

Sorry for disappearing, I got really sick and I'm in bed with a fever. This is what happened: The buddhist monk Thuptean, took me for a hike at the mountain two days ago. Quite soon we realized it took quite much longer for me to get up, being not half as fast as him (he's like a mountain goat!) + filming and taking pictures and all.



So when we met a group of Americans who invited us to stay over the night in their camp on top of the mountain, we accepted their invitation. When we got there the sun was about to set. We were about 12 people up there not believing our minds! Being above the clouds, watching birds with a wingspan broader than a tall man quietly gliding by, surrounded by goats, sheep and cows, watching the most beautiful sunset I ever saw in my life. I don't think I ever felt so happy.



Later on we were sitting around the campfire, getting a delicious (madly poisonous I found out later) Indian dinner with vegetables, dal, rice, chapatis and chai masala. I was quite suspicious, since the mountain people who lived up there cooked the food in a shed and it was no spring water on the top - they had to carry the water up with donkeys - which probably didn't improve the hygiene in the kitchen. But I didn't want to be rude, and it was wonderful after the hike.



The group up there were social workers from Louisiana, their professor took his students to India every year for different charity work. One of his students called Mike, knew Tibetan to Thupteans delight, so they had a long conversation.



It's really cold in the mountains at night, I bought a hat and socks up there, sleeping in all my clothes + a thick sleeping bag which kept me warm. I fell asleep to an Indian couple arguing loudly in their shed (keeping everyone awake for about two hours wondering what they acctually argued about) and the rest of the locals playing drums singing around the campfire trying to not listen to the fight.



Next morning when I woke up I wanted to puke. And I did. Quickly I decided it was time to get down to the village better sooner than later. With a stomach that I don't want to get into the details about, the hike was a pain in the ass (literally). I couldn't keep any water in my body and got quickly dehydrated. When I got down I had a high fever shivering and sweating like mad.



Since the hotel I stayed in before was fully booked they wanted me out. I was lying on the sofa in the TV-room 'to get some energy', not being able to stand up. The receptionist still tried to get me out of there, and she spoke to the manager who also said I had to leave. I didn't have the energy to get into a discussion about why I couldn't get out in the pouring rain with all my stuff and a high fever and diarrhea. I think the manager changed his mind when understood what condition I was in; my face wet by sweat and exhaustion. I got to stay on the couch. When I woke up the fever was down and I got some medicine from a doctor who proclaimed food poisoning. Of course. It's always a matter of time before you get it in India, I've been there before - that's why I put this at the end of the trip...



Ps. One more thing: The rental of two tents + two sleeping bags + 2 dinners + 2 breakfasts + 1 wollen hat + 1 pair of wollen socks + plenty of drinks and snacks, came down at the bargain of 13 € (900 rupees) + food poisoning. And you know what - it was worth it!