Splintered Lives (16 page)

He meets the group at the airport in
Kathmandu
and takes them to a cheap hotel that he has found before their arrival.
 
He knows that the place is clean and that they will be able to afford the price.

Simon is so pleased to see Mark that he rushes over and hugs his cousin in front of his friends as he introduces them all.

“This is Pete.” He says as he pushes a red haired lad in his wake.
 
“He wants to be a surgeon when he qualifies.” Simon tells Mark.

“Pleased to meet you at last after hearing such a lot about you from Simon.” He says.

“Meet Luke and this is Ben” Simon introduces his other friends. The five of them get into Mark’s four by four and he takes them to their accommodation where they unpack and have a shower to refresh them after their long flight.

Mark has also a room along side them and he waits for them to emerge into the small seating place in the reception area.

“Come on lads.” He says as they arrive looking so much better and smelling of shaving lotion and toothpaste and all of them smiling happily.

“Let’s find a place to eat; I’m sure that you are all starving.” Says Mark as he leads them on to the street and into a small restaurant.

“The food is basic but I think that you will enjoy it.” Says Mark as they find a large table and settle around it. They order five beers and then the food.
 
When it arrives they are surprised at how good it is.
 
Mark has been to
Kathmandu
many times when he has worked in
Nepal
and has found the best places to eat.
 
They have a few beers and the lads joke and laugh and Mark remembers the times he and his friends were like this, and he feels a bit older than he generally does.

The next morning the friends are keen to see the mountains.
 
Kathmandu
is in a basin and there is always smog falling into the valley, so Mark takes them out of
Kathmandu
and up towards the Eastern side, where he is working on his project. Simon pleads to be able to see where his cousin is working, and where he is staying. He tells them that to do that they will have to move on, and stay in less pleasant accommodation, as the roadside places are much better than they used to be, but are not yet up to even student standards.
 
The lads agree that they are happy to see the place where Mark and his men are working, that they may then take a trek in that area.
 

It’s a long day’s drive to the village where Mark stays so after they have packed up their things at the hotel, and paid their dues, they set out for the mountains.

Simon is so in love with mountains, he can’t believe how beautiful they are and the white tops shining in the sunshine overwhelms him

They stop at a wayside “café” and enjoy a quiet half hour sat in the warm sunshine whilst they drink coffee and eat a sandwich before starting out again on the rough mountain roads.

“What do you want to do Simon when you have your degree?” Asks Mark.

“I’m not sure yet, I may go into general medicine or perhaps be a sports doctor.” Simon replies

“That’s a laugh.” Jokes Luke, who himself is a keen athlete.
 
“Simon can’t play tennis for toffee or even kick a ball at football.”

“Of course I can, just because you sometimes win at tennis doesn’t make you a champion.” Simon laughs.

The kidding goes on with Ben putting his oar in and Pete chuckling at the banter.

Eventually they arrive at Mark’s village, all feeling a little stiff from the long bumpy drive.

“Come on lads, let’s see if I can find you accommodation near to me, perhaps you will have to go into different places, but there may be a hostel for trekkers just a few miles up the mountain.
 
I’ll find Geng and see if he has any idea where you lot can stay.” Mark says.

Mark finds Geng at home as it’s quite late by this time and he reassures them that there is a trekker’s lodge on the next ridge.

Mark takes the lads to the accommodation and they find it to be adequate.
 
They thank him profusely and he hugs them all and wishes them a good long hike, as he arranges to see them before they go back home. They will have to return to
Kathmandu
by the 20
^th
September, in order to start their degree courses.

Mark returns to his village and retires to bed ready for his work the following day.

Simon and his friends get out their maps and information booklets and begin to plan their extensive trek.

They decide to find a route by which they can work back to Kathmandu.
 
They have travelled approximately two hundred miles east of Kathmandu on the arduous roads, and now they want to trek as far up the mountains as possible, but in a western direction, so that they are in the general direction of their destination for their return home. They have almost three months of a trek and they intend to walk about ten miles a day. That doesn’t sound a lot but it will be on rough ground and as it is uphill a lot of the way it will be hard going and they will have to assemble their tents and camping equipment each night.

Chapter 25

Simon has become a well-loved young man, liked by all his friends, boys and girls alike.
 
He is independent, intelligent with a humorous streak and always is chosen to lead.
 
He loves to read and plays the guitar and loves a party.
 
Pete, his best friend, is sporty, practical and very strong and he is also studying medicine because he wants to become a surgeon.
  

Luke is a sure, assertive lad who is going to be a chemical engineer. He has a wicked sense of humour, and keeps the banter going even when things get rough.
 
Ben is the shy one, he is gentle but introverted and he keeps his family problems to himself.
 
The four of them have been friends from the beginning of secondary school and have walked and climbed together since they were fifteen, when one or other of their parents would take them to the nearest hill country, and pick them up when they rang to say that they were ready for their lift home.

Simon and his friends begin their trek early in the day when the air is cool.
 
They have breakfast of bread and cheese and they have some milk to give them energy.
 
They have brought some easily carried nuts and chocolate for the middle of the day.
 
They intend to reach their evening stop around six o’clock where they will sleep for the night in a hostel and have their evening meal.
 

The sky is a brilliant blue and there is a spark of sharpness in the air.
 
The boys are full of enthusiasm as they climb the steep path.
 
The white peaks are far above them as they climb the lower slopes.
 
Ben is not keeping up with the others but they wait for him by sitting on a low wall.

“Come on you slow coach.” Shouts Luke who is impatient to reach the higher slopes.

“I’m looking at the wonderful views.” Replies Ben

“Why don’t you see what’s in front of you?”

The party climb steadily for two hours and then they decide to have a drink and a rest and take in their surroundings that are magnificent.
 
They eat some nuts and their chocolate and then feel ready to continue on their way.

The trek has been pleasant, not too hard but quite invigorating, after another few hours they decide that they will find a lodge for the night, where they will have a proper meal.

‘They study their map and find a trekking lodge about two miles to the west and they make their way towards their goal.

When they climb to the higher slopes they will have to use their tents and camping equipment but they have budgeted for a couple of lodge stops, two on the upward journey and one on the downward one on their way back to Kathmandu.
 
They eat and sleep well at the lodge they have found and they meet a party of French students who are hoping to reach the high slopes very soon as they have to return home in another week.
 
They are full of stories of their trek and the lads have a chat and a drink together before retiring to their rooms. The French boys have climbed up from another direction so they have relevant information and useful details for Simon’s party to take on board.

The four lads share a dormitory but they are soon asleep, as the fresh air has made them tired.
 
They rise early and after a quick breakfast are back on their trek.
 
They continue for the next ten days and they have found a steady pace whereby they can keep up with each other and still tell their jokes and funny stories to keep their spirits up.
 
The terrain is becoming more difficult, there are slippery parts on the rocky surfaces and Ben is finding it harder than the others.
 

“Hurry up slow coach.”
 
Shouts Luke.
 
“We need to get to our camping ground before it gets dark.”

“You two carry on, I will walk with Ben.” Says Simon

“We can keep you in sight but we will be a bit behind you.”

“O.K.” Says Pete as he and Luke walk at a faster pace but they are still in sight.

Ben is feeling quite sick with the altitude that is now reaching ten thousand feet and dehydration is starting to affect him.

Luke and Pete are still in sight and are signalling that the campsite is in their view.
 
They have found it difficult with the conditions changing all the time, with ice sheets now in their path, they having to keep their eyes on their feet.

When they arrive at the site they quickly assemble their small tents and heat their rations by boiling water in their primus stove.
 
They eat and drink quickly and get themselves tucked up in their sleeping bags whilst they are still warm from the food and drink.
 
This last day they have all found it exhausting but Ben is feeling tired and ill.

Simon is worried about him but he keeps up the chat and hopes that a good night’s sleep will put him back on track.
 
They have only two tents and Luke and Pete share one with Ben and Simon sharing the other.
 
They are warm enough in their tents and eventually they all sleep well.
 
They awake to a beautiful sight of blue skies and white peaks.
 
They are beginning to reach the higher slopes and their enthusiasm is at a high level.

“Just look up there.” Shouts Pete who is fully dressed and ready for off.

“Give us time to have our breakfast.” Says Ben who seems to feel better after his sleep.

“It will not be so easy from this place on.” Says Luke looking up at the rock face.

“We will have to use ropes and climbing equipment for the next hundred metres.”

Ben’s spirits rally and he is determined to keep up with the others, Simon decides he will keep an eye on him but as the ice fields are very dangerous he has to find his own way through the white craggy boulders.

They travel slowly because they are all struggling for breath and the cold weather is taking its toll.
 
Their trekking the higher reaches has toughened their bodies. But they have to find a place where they can rest.
 
There is an overhanging rock where they can get out of the fierce wind.
 
Ben is dangerously weak; his body feels as though he cannot walk another step.
 
The whole party is exhausted and they decide to put up camp under the shelter of the rock.