Day 3

Dokhang to Beding 2791 meters to 3740 meters

That's 9156 feet to 12,270 feet!

Well, we are in a pattern now. We are basically up at dawn and wash water comes about 5:30. We had a breakfast of chocolate pancakes and eggs with cereal. Just as we were packed up and ready to go, it started raining. We all donned rain gear and headed out. It only rained for about 40 minutes and stopped to take off rain gear. The hiking was steep again today. Before we stopped for lunch, we stopped at a river where the waters of Gaurishankar meet with the Rolwaling River. Here is a sacred place. We drank from the river and our sherpas built cairns along the side of the river along with a small ceremony to the goddess of long life. Trekking again, we stopped for lunch next to the river and our cooks set out a table on a tarp with a cloth in the middle. We ate spam, vegies, and corn. It was an excellent meal in a beautiful place.

After lunch, we kept on to Beding. Before reaching Beding, we stopped for a ceremony at the "doorway of Rolwaling". Here we had chanting and much rice throwing. Before reaching Beding, there is a lower settlement that is a winter retreat. Here we saw where Chhiring set fire to the hillside and the house where he was born. This is also the spot of the "angel's footprint". She meditated here and then went to heaven. We stopped and saw the footprint. Soon afterwards, we were approaching the monastery school just below Beding. The boys were busy learning and we interrupted them and met them.

Coming in to Beding was amazing. The town is beautiful, all spread out on a hillside. All the roofs are blue and it truly is a magical place. We headed to Chhiring's new tea house that he had built, but hadn't seen before today. For the most part he was happy with it, with just minor adjustments he'd like made. Many of our porters left, but some stayed on to build a fence for Chhiring.

We had dinner and then headed to bed. Tomorrow is a rest day!