I try to climb a mountain

It's been a while.  I just got back from a couple of days of holiday in central Hunza.  I'll write more about those days, but here's the appetizer.

 

I finish work early and visit an apricot processing plant.

I walk up a windy gorge under a cloudy sky threatening rain and hear water running.

I look out the back of a moving Suzuki, feel rain drops and smell the samosas I'm about to buy

I get a ride home from a friend

I savour a few days off work

I look at the sun and try to climb a mountain with two Canadians, two Americans and a Brit

I learn to drink tea from the Brit in the Serena dining room looking out on Gilgit town and the space usually occupied by Rakaposhi, now sealed in with clouds.

I chill at my house.

I wake up late and make coffee.

I shoot hoops on my private court

I get the front seat of the van to Karimabad, next to an old man who grins up at me

I eat food at midday with my back turned to the fasters

I arrive in the town and hire a jeep

I step out on the edge of a mountain and gasp at the beauty of snow and ice-bound rock and azure sky and golden sun.

I look down at the valley spread out under me.  Under the irrigation line of thorn-bushes the earth is laced with golds and ambers and greens and Horatio's russet mantle pulled off the dawn and cut into ribbons.

I watch the gold on Spantik and shadows on the glacier and nearness of a 6000m granite spike hooking the last rays of the day.

I eat by myself, smiling at peace and solitude and the crisp air that greats me when

I step outside, dazzled by the milky way, more brilliant through the thinned air and

I sleep.

 

(I (will) try to post more picture on my Flickr page and hope that it works :)