A hard day,
a tiring day, a satisfying day.
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| River at the base of the Thethi Valley |
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| Our group plus the Poles and a Frenchman meeting at the top of the pass separating Valbona from the Thethi Valley. |
We hiked
uphill to 2,000 meters to start the day. I was very worried, after yesterday’s
difficulties, that I’d not be able to accomplish this day’s hike, but I got it
done without great difficulty and without any pain or discomfort. It was a
wonder to me. The summit today was a pass between two mountains. We arrived at
the pass to find a group of Poles with one Frenchman resting after a climb from
the other side.
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| There were springs everywhere, very convenient for refilling water bottles. |
Next we
descended the other side. That turned
out to be the most arduous part of the day. Three hours of walking steeply
downhill made my knees almost rigid and unbendable. And my back seemed to acquire
a permanent scoliosis. Yet we had one more bit of business, a thirty minute
trek directly uphill to our guesthouse. It was during that last portion that my
body really began to give out. There was no pain, just deep fatigue. That last
few steps to our destination seemed immense.
The
remarkable thing was that I had none of the real pain of yesterday. It seems as
if my body will allow me to finish these five days. That is a great relief.
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