AFTER FUMBLING TO FIND MY PHONE TO CHECK THE TIME, I roll back into bed and try to remember what could have caused me to wake up at 2:30 am. I wasn’t having a bad dream, nor am I restless. And yet somehow, I’m awake at this unearthly hour.
That’s when I remember that I’ve been sleeping in a canvas tent in what many consider to be the most miserable and unforgiving place in the entire ‘Ladakh circuit’. Perched at an elevation of over 14,500 feet, Sarchu — at the border between Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh — is infamous not only for its piercingly cold and fierce winds but also for the notoriously low levels of essential oxygen in the air. It is a haven for Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and many a brave adventurer has fallen (quite literally) victim to harsh conditions of this barren and seemingly vengeful locale. I quickly try taking a deep breath and exhale slowly — my breathing seems to be in order. I don’t have a headache and pinch myself to make sure that I’m not hallucinating. The altitude hasn’t gotten the better of me, yet!
I slowly (and somewhat reluctantly) pull aside the three blankets that I’ve slid into in a desperate attempt to stay warm and grasp around to find my jacket, beanie, gloves, and shoes. I stumble clumsily to the door and reach out to find the handle but end up only swiping at thin air. Blame it on the altitude!
Better sense eventually prevails as I find the zip and open the piece of fabric that acts as a door to the tent. A bitter, cold wind sweeps in, instantly jolting me into my senses, but I still can’t see very much. All the other tents are cloaked in darkness, lying still and motionless.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 2021 من Outlook Traveller.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 2021 من Outlook Traveller.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
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