Kora, Day Two - Reflections of a Traveler

      I apologize for the delay. You'll understand as I explain. At the end of day one, we were assigned to dormitory-style accommodations, with five people per room. Fortunately, the core group (the Back of the Bus Gang) was together, which made us all feel comfortable. We left at 6:00 AM, so breakfast wasn't an option, but the guide assured us there was a teahouse within two hours of our start. It was still dark as we set off with our headlamps. I felt grateful for my backpacking experience, as some participants were unprepared without headlamps and relied on others for guidance. Although the path was well-trodden, it was quite rough and uneven. While moving through the dark, we crossed wooden plank bridges over noisy, raging streams, with no guard rails for safety. The trail occasionally diverged, and I found myself on a steep rock climb instead of a clearer path. Our group did a great job of staying close and looking out for one another. Many in the larger tour group split off early due to varying skill levels, while the guide stayed at the back to support the less experienced hikers. After climbing over the rocks, we reached a rocky, dusty trail that continued upward. Along the way, I heard a woman exclaiming with excitement, and when I looked up, I saw the stunning sunrise illuminating Mt. Kailash in a golden hue. It was breathtaking and uplifting. We continued to meet pilgrims completing the Kora, prostrating themselves, a journey that takes about 22 days. They often rely on donations to support their trek. Their faces were covered in dust, sometimes smeared with an unknown substance. Occasionally, we would see a vehicle parked nearby with women and children having a picnic, leading us to assume that some pilgrims had support crews that met them along the way. We finally reached the teahouse, which had a distinctive character. I ordered a thermos of tea for the group, and the only food available was noodle cups. We continued our upward journey, feeling the effects of the elevation gain significantly. We balanced between pushing forward and catching our breath, checking in on each other, and found that we were all out of breath. With the rise in elevation, the oxygen concentration decreased, making breathing harder. We decided on a strategy of taking brief breaks to catch our breath but limiting their length, as we needed to make progress. The first leg of the day involved climbing to our highest elevation, starting at 5057 meters and culminating at 5648 meters over an 8 km stretch. The vistas were endless, with beauty all around. Photos never truly capture the magnificence, and I took pictures while reminding myself to live in the moment and hope my memory could retain this sense of awe. Eventually, we spotted the distant prayer flags that marked the high point of the Kora. We ascended further on a steep section that involved climbing over rocks, requiring us to pause for breath every 25 to 50 feet. None of our group had yet needed to use our oxygen canisters, but we monitored our oxygen levels to ensure we stayed safe. It was around this time that we encountered other members of our tour, learning that one participant was using a lot of oxygen and struggling. He appeared unsteady and staggered like he was intoxicated. Later, we learned that the guide had found a strong porter to carry him back to our hostel, where he could take a car via an alternate route to meet us at the next hostel. After five hours of climbing, we finally reached the peak, out of breath but relieved to reach our high point for the day. The view was again breathtaking, but we had been cautioned to keep our stay at the top short due to the low oxygen levels, so we were advised to begin our descent within ten minutes. Since none of us felt a strong need for supplemental oxygen and were curious how it would feel, we tested our canisters. None of us experienced a noticeable difference. We then started our descent, with 16 kilometers left to reach our next hostel. The trail began as a gentle downward slope of mostly dust and rock, but there were points where we had to climb down rocks, which were slippery due to dust and small pebbles. As we approached the final teahouse before the hostel, the path became very steep and treacherous. Being cautious after an earlier slip where I fell in a controlled manner onto horse dung, I was extra careful. This portion was much steeper and had metal fencing to prevent falls into the steep drop-off beside the trail. Despite my caution, I slipped and fell completely on my back this time, with the backpack absorbing much of the impact. Aside from a slight twinge in my shoulder, I was fine. Help came quickly, almost too quickly as I was trying to gather my thoughts, but I soon got back on my feet and continued

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