4000 metres in the sky

The top of the mountain - well 2ks shy of the peak is just over 4000 metres above sea level. Probably the highest place I've ever been outside of an airplane. Altitude sickness can cause nausea, dizziness, sleeplessness, gas, slow circulation, breathlessness etc etc. Seems like a place I’d like to go.

I didn’t experience all of these, although dizziness was certainly there as was the lack of sleep at the hostel (but that may have been the noisy Koreans and Russians and freezing conditions). I politely declined to get up at 2am to see the sunrise at the peak and laid in bed, enjoying the feeling as warmth returned to my thighs and fingers.

The descent was to be slightly shorter, with us taking the main trail and we were hoping to be done by lunch. The first few steps were shaky and unsure as my legs rejected any more walking especially down slippery wooden planks spaced at uncomfortable intervals down a sheer granite slope. But I had a stern talking to myself and braced for the next four hours of knee slaughtering angles and steps.

I did make it down for lunch and ended up almost running the last 2ks – I was ever so happy to get off that f-ing mountain.