Day 6 -- October 3 => Shivalaya to Bhandar

Descent from cloud shrouded Deorali La to Bhandar.

Leaving at 7:45 am under sunny skies, we quickly rose above our campsite in Shivala. Around 11am, we stopped just below Deorali La for lunch in Mohabir. Clouds had quickly formed during our morning hike and by the time we reached Deorali La (2705m/8,875') after lunch, the pass was engulfed in heavy cloud cover (as seen in the photo above). As we descended from the pass towards Bhandar, the thing I remember most was some porters who had their tape player cranked up, with what I suspect was a popular song -- I liked it. We reached our campsite in Bhandar (2194m/7,198') by 2:30pm. Bhandar is known to the sherpas as Chyangma. Padam, our sirdar, told us to watch out for leeches.

Sarah taking the tumpline test in Bhandar. I think the local porters have some serious competition!

When our porters arrived shortly after, we decided to tote around their loads using the tumpline. We were already impressed with their abilities; even more so when we found out just how much weight they can carry with what seems like relative ease.

Our campsite in Bhandar. Gompa visible at the top left side.

After our afternoon tea & biscuits, I went for a stroll around Bhandar. I talked with some Australians who had stopped in Bhandar because an 11 year old with them was "crook". Well okay, I'll admit I've never heard that before and so I got the Canadian equivalent -- "sick". I hiked back up the trail towards the pass and talked to a Swiss trekker, with a guide, who had come all the way from Jiri to Bhandar in one day and was headed for Gokyo. I then walked back down below our campsite and ran into my porter named "Bat". As I was talking to him I felt a sudden cool sensation on my back. A quick check did not reveal anything. When I got back to my tent just before dinner, I suddenly found a fat leech on my tent floor! This time though I found blood on my back so the sensation I felt earlier had been the leech injecting a pain neutralizer before its blood meal began. There is usually nothing to worry about from a leech bite so a few bandages with Dettol is normally enough to treat it. When I returned to my tent after supper, I found two more leeches in the tent. I managed to survive the night without further incident. Sarah had not reported any problems with leeches by the next morning. A few days later though, she found a small red mark on her foot and was informed that it was a leech bite. So, Torontonians beware, you are not immune to leeches! :=)

Day 5 - Jiri to Shivalaya Day 7 - Bhandar to Sete.

Return to the Nepal 2002 home page. Jiri to Sete map

Created: November 21, 2002. Revised: November 25, 2002.