5 June – Tuesday: Mansarovar to Saga
Got up early to get ready; did not want to run into a crowd anywhere. My voice is completely gone. Maybe its good. The sherpas were busy till late last night in the kitchen tent and now they have been up since early morning.
There is no use being out, it is really cold. It had snowed over the night and now everything was covered with thin film of snow. The sky is still full of dark clouds. I am so glad it was not like this yesterday and that it is time to go away from here. Chai was brought in the tent. Breakfast was nice today – aaloo ka paratha! Finally something north Indian – except the occasional grain of sand.
We packed up to go and by 9 am we were on the road. I was not feeling well at all today; the last few days of not sleeping well, waking up with a headache and a cold and now my throat; it was taking its toll on me.
The first 2-3 hrs was all snow covered area, it was quite widespread. The driver took it slow. Bhaiya was a little irritated but maybe it was better that he was going slow. If anything happened there would be no one to take care of us. Besides the entire group had to stay together. I slept most of the way. We stopped at a town P…. to have lunch. Lunch was chole-rice and noodles. Someone in this group loves noodles! I ate little bit – I am not feeling too well.
Phinsu and Shorey (the driver) kept talking all the way like school girls. I slept some more since the scenery is the same as last time and I am not feeling well. Got up around 4 pm and listened to my music for a while.
We arrived at Saga at around 6:30 pm. It was at the same place where we had lunch on the way to Mansarovar. The Tourist Hotel seemed okay. We were assigned three people to a room. I asked Barbara (the other lone woman) to stay with us. I felt guilty for leaving her with the boys for one of the previous nights.
The room was like a normal hotel. Finally!!! Thank you! The attached bathroom was great and beds were comfortable and there was tea in the room. Oh civilization!!! Hot water was to come from 8pm-12am and then in the morning at 7am. So when the water came, we started cleaning up. Oh God!! My scalp was hurting from not being washed for 6 days. It was strange feeling not to have the silly cap on.
Our other friends came and told us that they were actually 6 to a room. Yikes! Meaning two people sleeping on a twin bed. Oh God – what is wrong with this travel company??? The south Indian group was actually with a Swamiji and this Swamiji was apparently calling a lot of shots. I am of sound belief that he was the one who stopped us from going for parikrama.
There is a group of people going back to Kathmandu directly from Saga, while the rest of us are going to Nyalam first and then to Kathmandu. Apparently the south Indian group who went to take bath in the Mansarovar fell sick so they need to get back. I feel it will be better for us to do the journey with a break so I did not want to go directly to Kathmandu.
This room made me wonder why the Chinese cannot make residences like this everywhere. Charge the people some more money but at least provide for a comfortable journey.
Dinner at around 10 pm was as boring as ever. Went to bed right after that!! A very good night!
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