Kaza, Himachal Pradesh, India, 20 January 2017, 1649 hours:
We just had a late but usual packed lunch of Stuffed Tibetan Roti, Boiled Egg and chai, and are now heading back to Sakya Abode. It was quite a day. We didn’t go to Chicham after all. Instead, we took the turn leading to Key Monastery.
Once there, Abhishek, Sanju, Ameen and Suresh started climbing the mountain behind and across the Monastery. Abhinav and I got off a little before the Monastery Main Gate and walked it up, he to click photographs, me to sketch.
An hour later, I walked up alone to the Monastery, exchanging greetings and information with the monks. Eventually, I went up the old temple building, onto the roof and just sat there at the edge of the roof, listening to the sounds of the Spiti Valley.
I couldn’t find the others anywhere so I walked back down to the school, then walked down the winding trail behind the monastery, then back again to the school and then I started climbing the mountain across the Monastery. I had been walking around the shadow areas so far and it was very collld! The mountain looked nice and sunny, so I kept climbing and then sat down on a big rock, letting the sun toast me a bit and generally soaking in the environment.
Eventually, I found everyone, back from their own individual trips. (Apparently, Suresh and Ameen also climbed a quarter of the way up the mountainside- with three cameras, accessories and tripod!).