Helambu Trek

Siqala uhambo lweHelambu Trek ekuseni eKathmandu. Idolobha livuka kancane, kodwa sesivele sisendleleni; ngo-7 ekuseni, sesigibele i-jeep yangasese, siya enyakatho-mpumalanga siphuma esiphithiphithini. Umgwaqo ukhuphuka kancane kancane, ushiya izimoto ezishaya amahutha kanye nemigwaqo yedolobha ephithizelayo. Ngemva kwamakhilomitha angaba ngu-15 futhi ngaphezudlwana kwehora, sifika eSundarijal, isango eliya eHelambu Valley.

I-Sundarijal izwakala ihluke kakhulu kuneKathmandu; umoya upholile futhi umsindo womfula ugcwalisa ukuthula. Sima endaweni yokuhlola ukuze sihlole izimvume zethu. Ikhadi le-TIMS kanye nokungena eShivapuri National Park kufanele kuhlale kukulungele. Asikho isidingo sokusheshisa, kodwa amaphepha abushelelezi asindisa isikhathi.

Ihlathi liyasizungeza njengoba sisondela eChisapani. Iphayini, i-oki, kanye ne-rhododendron zilandela umzila esiwudlulayo. Entwasahlobo, izimbali ze-Rhododendron ezipinki ziqhakaza kahle, zihlobisa imizila. Sidlula ezindaweni ezincane lapho impilo ihamba khona ngesivinini esihlukile. Abesifazane bathwala imithwalo emhlane kanti izingane zihamba ngezinyawo ziya esikoleni sabo sendawo. Abalimi banakekela amasimu ommbila namazambane abekwe endaweni ebiyelwe, kanti ezinye izinkomo zihambahamba ngokukhululeka.

Izindawo zokudlela nezindawo zokudlela ziyavela njalo ngamakhilomitha ambalwa. Sima ukuze sithole amanzi, ukudla okulula, mhlawumbe nezinhlobo ezahlukene zetiye. IChisapani ihlezi ogwini, ibheke enyakatho, futhi ngezinsuku ezicacile, iHimalaya ivuleka ngemibono yeLangtang Lirung, iDorje Lakpa, ngisho neziqongo zaseGosainkunda. Sibeka imithwalo yethu endlini yezivakashi ethokomele futhi isidlo sethu sakusihlwa sizophakelwa ngemva kokuphumula. Kusasa, sizongena ngokujulile eHelambu.

Sisuka eChisapani ngo-7 ekuseni ngenkathi ukuphuma kwelanga kukhanyisa uhla lweLangtang. Siqala endleleni ebanzi eyenziwe ngezitebhisi ezincane zothuli namatshe. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, indlela yehla ehlathini lephayini nele-rhododendron; ukuphakama kwehle ngamamitha angu-300 ngehora lokuqala. Bese, kufanele siwele imifudlana emincane ngamabhuloho ezinyawo okhuni. Izimpawu zendlela ziyabonakala yonke indlela futhi izimpawu eziphuzi neziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka zikhomba eKutumsang. Abantu bendawo babiza le ndawo ngokuthi iMelamchi Gadhi. Bese sidlula ezindlini zamatshe ezinophahla lweslate.

Ngemva kwamahora angaba mathathu okuhamba ngezinyawo, sizofika edolobhaneni laseKutumsang ngamamitha angu-2,250. Usuku lwesibili lweHelambu Trek luhlanganisa amakhilomitha ayi-11 nesikhathi sokuhamba esimaphakathi samahora ama-5 kuya kwayi-6. IKutumsang iyidolobhana laseTamang, elihlotshiswe ngamafulegi omthandazo nama-chortens. Singabona izindonga eziningi eziqoshwe ngemithandazo yamaBuddha. Abantu bendawo basebenzisa amaphaneli elanga ugesi njengoba ukucima kukagesi kuvame kakhulu ezindaweni eziphakeme. Izindlu zezivakashi zinikeza amakamelo ayisisekelo anezingubo zokulala nezindlu zangasese ezihlanganyelwe.

Isidlo sethu sasemini sosuku cishe singaba yi-dal bhat nemifino eqoshiwe, kodwa ungakhetha nezinye izinketho kumenyu enikeziwe. Amahora okuhlwa amahhala, ungahamba uye egqumeni eliseduze ungaqondiswa noma uhlole idolobhana. Imibono ehlanganisa uJugal Himal noGauri Shankar ingabonakala ngezinsuku ezicacile. Imibala yokushona kwelanga iyaphela ngo-6 ntambama, okunikeza umbono omuhle weziqongo ezikude. Ukugula kokuphakama akuyona ingozi lapha njengoba siphansi kakhulu ekuphakameni. Sithola ukuphakama kancane kancane. Sizochitha ubusuku kumamitha angu-2,250, silungiselela izinsuku eziphakeme ezizayo.

Ngosuku lwesithathu lweHelambu Trek, sisuka eKutumsang ngemva kokudla kwasekuseni. Indlela iqala ngokwehla ehlathini likaphayini nele-rhododendron; indlela iphawulwe kahle ngezitebhisi zamatshe nezimpawu zokhuni. Silandela umugqa omncane onemibono empumalanga futhi ngemva kwamakhilomitha angaba ngu-2, siwela umfudlana omncane ebhulohweni lokhuni. Lena indawo evamile yokugcwalisa amanzi.

Ukusuka lapho, umzila ukhuphuka kancane kancane uye eThadepati Pass, okuyindawo ephakeme kakhulu yosuku ngamamitha angu-3,690. Ukukhuphukela phezulu kuthatha cishe amahora amathathu ukusuka eKutumsang. Ukuthambekela kuyafana kulo lonke ukukhuphuka; sizothatha ikhefu elifushane njalo ngemizuzu engama-30 ukuze sigcine umoya wethu uzinzile. Izinsika zokuhamba ngezinyawo ziyasiza kakhulu kulesi sigaba.

Abanye abantu bendawo bangasibingelela ngokuthi “Julay”, okuwukubingelela nje okunobungane. Amanye amakhaya anezindawo zokudlela ezincane nezindawo zokudlela lapho abagibeli bevame ukuma khona ukuze bathole itiye likalamula elishisayo nezinye iziphuzo. Njengoba siqhubeka nohambo lwaseHelambu, izitshalo ziyashintsha ngaphezu kwamamitha angu-2,400, kanti izihlahla zeRhododendron zithatha indawo ye-oki nejuniper. Ukukhala kwezinyoni kuvame kakhulu endleleni, futhi ungabona i-Himalayan bulbul kanye ne-red-billed blue magpie njalo. Azikho izilwane zasendle ezibonakala kakhulu, kodwa izimpawu zezinyamazane ziyabonakala endleleni.

Idolobhana laseThadepati liseduze nje kwe-pass, lincane uma liqhathaniswa nemizi yangaphambilini, linemizi engaba ngu-20. Izindlu zezivakashi zilula kakhulu kodwa zihlanzekile futhi ziphethwe kahle. Sifika lapho siya khona ngo-3 ntambama uma sigcina ijubane elizinzile. Amanzi ashisayo ayatholakala ukuze kuhlanjwe ngamabhakede, kodwa kuzokubiza imali eyengeziwe. Ebusuku, ukushona kwelanga kuletha imibono ecacile entshonalanga ngaseLangtang range.

Usuku lwesine lweHelambu Trek luqala eThadepati ngo-7 ekuseni. Ekuseni kuthule futhi umzila wehla ehlathini likaphayini nele-rhododendron. Silandela indlela encane enothuli enezinyathelo zamatshe kanti ukwehla kokuqala kuphakeme kwezinye izingxenye. Sincoma ukusebenzisa izingodo zokuhamba ngezinyawo ukuze kusekelwe amadolo.

Indlela idlula ezindaweni ezincane ezivulekile futhi sibona amasimu abekwe ngendlela eqondile emithambekeni. Abalimi batshala i-buckwheat namazambane kanti ama-Yak adla eduze kwamadlelo. Sizobe sesiwela umfudlana eThul Ghyang, silandelwe yibhuloho lokhuni elihamba emanzini. Ukusuka lapho, indlela ikhuphuka kancane kancane njengoba sikhuphuka amamitha angu-550 ngaphezu kwamakhilomitha ayi-10. Ukunyuka kuthatha amahora ama-5 kuya kwayi-6. Izimo zomzila zomile futhi ziphawulwe kahle futhi sidlula ama-chortens anezifulegi zomthandazo.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, sizofika eSerke Ghyang cishe emini, esinye sezindawo ezincane zokuma endleleni. Ingxenye elandelayo ivuliwe ngaphandle kokuvalwa kwesihlahla. Ngemva kwesikhashana, indlela yokugcina eya eSermathang iphakeme, ithatha cishe imizuzu engama-45 kufaka phakathi izitebhisi zamatshe ezingaphezu kuka-150. Indawo esiya kuyo ngosuku ingamamitha angu-2,250 ngaphezu kolwandle. Liyidolobhana elincane elinezindlu ezifulelwe ngamatshe futhi izindlu zetiye zinamakamelo anephansi lokhuni nezingubo zokulala ezinde.

Isidlo sethu sakusihlwa sinikezwa ngo-7 ntambama, futhi amanzi asezindlini zetiye avame ukubiliswa futhi aphephile ukuwaphuza. Sincoma ukuthi abantu abahamba ngezinyawo baphathe amabhodlela angasetshenziswa kabusha ukuze banciphise imfucuza. Idolobhana linendlu encane yezindela lapho izindela zihlabelela khona imithandazo yakusihlwa.

Sivuka eTarke Ghyang ngo-6 ekuseni bese siqala usuku lwesi-5 lweHelambu Trek ngesidlo sasekuseni. Sidla kusenesikhathi ukuze siqale ukuhamba ngezinyawo ngo-7. Indlela eya eSermathang ingamakhilomitha ayi-14 ubude, kanti isikhathi esilinganiselwa emahoreni ayi-6 kuya kwangu-7. Siphatha amanzi, ukudla okulula, kanye nejakethi elingamelana nesimo sezulu njengoba isimo sezulu sishintsha ngokushesha kule ndawo ephakeme.

Indlela iqala ngokwehla okukhulu futhi sehla cishe amamitha angu-600 kumakhilomitha amathathu okuqala. Izitebhisi zamatshe kanye nodaka olugcwele kuholela emahlathini ephayini kanye ne-rhododendron. Siwela imifudlana emincane emabhulohweni ezinyawo okhuni bese sifika emzileni wodaka. Amanye amabhuloho endleleni angase abonakale amadala futhi engazinzile, kodwa aphephile ngokuphelele.

Ebangeni elingamamitha angu-2,800, sifika esigodini futhi umzila uyathamba ngokushesha. Sidlula emasimini anezitezi lapho abalimi betshala khona ukolweni namazambane. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, sizongena edolobhaneni laseSermathang emini, sidlule ama-chortens nezinye izindawo ezincane zokuhlala. Ngemva kwekhefu lemizuzu engu-45, ungahlola idolobhana wedwa, ngaphambi kokulibiza ngokuthi ubusuku.

I-Serma isho ukuthi “uboya behhashi” ngesiTibet. Abantu bendawo bathi ihhashi le-lama lishiye uboya balo lapha ngesikhathi sohambo olungcwele, bese igama lanamathela. Singabona izindela ezincane lapho kuboniswa khona isithombe esineminyaka eyi-100 ubudala.

Ngosuku lokugcina lokuhamba ngezinyawo lwe-Helambu Trek, umzila wehla kusukela kumamitha angu-2,200 kuya kumamitha angu-700 eMelamchi Bazaar. Ibanga eliphelele lohambo losuku lingamakhilomitha angu-13, okuthatha cishe amahora angu-4 kuya kwangu-5 ukuhamba ngezinyawo. Indlela iphawulwe kahle ngezitebhisi zamatshe nemizila yothuli eholela ekwehleni.

Sihamba eThulo Bangal, idolobhana elincane elinophahla olunezitini ezibomvu. Ungabona abalimi besebenza emasimini anezitezi lapho kutshalwa khona amazambane, ama-radish, kanye ne-millet. Ukwehla kwehla kancane eduze kweSermathang Kharka futhi ihlathi liyancipha. Ukusuka lapho, sifika eMfuleni iMelamchi lapho ibhuloho lekhonkrithi liphawula khona indlela yokugcina. Ngemva kwesikhashana, sizoqala uhambo oluya eKathmandu, oluthatha amahora amathathu kuya kwamane.