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Seb's Big Adventure
Last night the temperature dropped sharply, I expect not far above freezing point. The wagons used for sleeping are not particularly insulated, and so the temperature inside is not far above outside. Fortunately I have a warm sleeping bag, and there are plenty of blankets. Not to mention sleeping fully dressed.
Things wake up in the camp from about 6am, in time for breakfast at 7am. It's very cold. Although the temperature is probably a few degrees above freezing, it's the fact that this time yesterday I was waking up in Osh in the heat of the Central Asian summer, temperatures touching 30°C. Breakfast is a shivering experience, gloomy and bleak, in the dark tent with no light. The heat of the soup and tea which is served out from the cauldron is bland and basic but it serves its purpose well - to heat you up and provide plenty of energy for the busy day ahead.
First thing on today's agenda, a hike into the mountains to see what all the fuss is about. This is where my descriptions have to cease, obviously I can't say any more at this point. It was however a good chance to get to grips with the geography of the Aksur valley and see what was going on. I felt unbelievably unfit, desperately out of breath on every step - although it soon became clear that this is just part of the aclimatisation process, the air at 2,500 metres and above being significantly thinner. As well as this, the sun is strong here - you can feel your skin burning within a few minutes of exposure.
And so to round off the first day, a supper of more soup, or 'broth', perhaps. The warmth of the day quickly disappears as soon as the sun leaves the valley and the temperatures drop sharply to hover around freezing. At 10pm, the electricity goes off again and its time for bed. Unnaturally early for me, but I am quick to adjust knowing that I'll need to be up early tomorrow morning.
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