Up at 5:30, still get nine hours sleep - brilliant stars, surprisingly it's not totally freezing.
Watch sun rise, chefs are up so manage to get early cup of tea.
Traveling with us are two chefs (these guys double as porters to carry our camera gear when we walk), a guide, a scout (who carries a 1940's italian bolt action rifle, god help us [and him] if he ever has to fire it!), several horse wranglers and a bunch of other people, though i'm not sure what they do.
Tim rises for tea also and we walk back to escarpment for more photos before breakfast, porridge, banana and honey.
Quick pack then we're off. Lungs immediately feel the altitude, heaving up every step. Our little caravan moving through the alpine scrub. Horses with most of our gear has gone via the vehicle track. We see them at a distance, only once.
Come across dusty depression with several mounds of stones finely balanced into columns. Tim takes a bunch of photos and Ollie tries to find out who created, why. Then proceeds to repair and in fact improve the columns. A little controversial ...but fun. Walk away very proud.
Many little encounters today as the path rises and falls. A baboon sunning himself on a little rock throne. A collection of locals come out to stare ...and sell something to the tourists; cane baskets, woven hats, trinkets, slingshots. Ollie becomes the proud owner of a walking stick. It will become my secret weapon in my uphill struggles.
Stop for lunch on a narrow precipice. the river more than a kilometer below. A noisy black scavenger bird heckles us from a safe distance; lamergeyer vultures soar on the thermals for a stunning display.
We continue on uphill, lungs screaming, towards the road and meet a collection of boys, one playing the flute. Ollie spends some time filming this, especially for sound. Give each a little folding surprise, ten times this for the musician who had to endure quite a lot.
Meet Jimal on road and walk down to river, our official lunch spot. Ollie Washes feet - sublime. Slogging hard for the next two hours as Ollie runs out of water. Then out of the blue, a man with a canvas bag, selling icy cool soft drinks (at highly inflated prices). I treat Tim and we take in a surreal moment. Continue the uphill slog, everyone tired.
Hundreds of baboons on path, stampede, racing to cross. Tim and Ollie dive for cameras. Fighting at close range, many good close-up moments.
Arrive camp and collapse. Tea & cookie refresher, then cold shower at 3600 meters.
Out for an evening walk with Tim for photos. Sparse alpine scrub dotted with many stands of Giant Lobelia, a kind of clustered palm to 3 meters with an occasional flower stalk to five meters, beautiful. Home to two servings of minestrone, rice, mushroom sauce, beetroot salad & chips. Followed by pineapple in juice. Yummy!
Bed 8pm.
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