October 1997 - The 'Shipton/Tilman' Route - Day 9 - October 19

 Sunday 19th October

Breakfast at the campsite near Dekhandhar

Today we began as usual on another fine morning, leaving at a leisurely 9am for the 4 hour trek to Ghunni.

Feeding time for the ponies

I walk with Anil and converse with him about Himalayan routes. 

There is high cloud but it is still ok for shorts and sandals. John also wears sandals today. Pass children in rags then come to Ala, where we linger at length by a house with a beautiful wooden doorway and external decorations (carvings). 

There is pink and blue convolvulus here - used to make ink. A leaf bird is spotted, and a sort of prickly tomato plant is abundant here, as are a vicious variety of nettle.

More belvedere paths, cutting into side valleys with a few ups and downs involved.

Pass through a pleasant wood at the halfway point, then on the next open hillside we spend some time watching eagles / vultures gracefully playing with the thermals. Some come very close.

Ponies pass through one of the villages en route

On the trek to Ghunni (all four of us together for a while)

Drying crops

Passing through a village

I continue alone after the lunch stop, along the path above a 700 ft drop to fields and terraces below. 

Interlude: more Flowers of the Himalaya

On the lovely belvedere path

Naughty monkeys

A house in Ghunni

"Moo"

I reach camp at 1:15pm, at Ghunni, next to the school which serves nearby Ramani.

The weather by now was cloudy but fine, after rain shortly after I arrived. The others had sheltered under a tree almost within sight of camp.

Later the usual tea is served, this time accompanied by halva.

Camp kitchen

By 5pm we decide to visit Ramani, which is a prosperous place with solar powered electricity. The streets are a mixture of mud, stones, dung, cattle and leaf mould. Men play cards on a patio. New houses are being built, and there are lovely chrysanthemums and sunflowers in the garden.

Ramani

A lovely village. I return by the same route by dusk, but the others divert to look at temples and arrive after dark for another lovely meal:

• sweetcorn soup
• goat curry
• momos (Tibetan dumplings stuffed with spicy veg)
• pan fried crispy noodles with veg and fried egg
• tomato relish (sauce)
• rice
• Pudding was - kir - a sort of sweet noodle dish with nuts and sultanas in a milk sauce.

Followed by the usual drinks, laphroaig whisky, and a fairly early night.

Last photo of the day - these people, shod with flip flops and armed with
 walking sticks carry huge loads

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