There’s no such thing as a rest day when climbing mountains or trekking, especially at altitude. Today has been no exception.
I think I was the first to bed last night at 8.30pm and thankfully only had to get up once for a pee in the night. God it was cold!
Pancakes for breakfast turned out to be just what I needed to get me fuelled for the day – even if it tasted smoky from the fire. I also managed to drink a litre of tea and water before we set off and managed another litre during the day, which has certainly helped today with the altitude.
It was cold and frosty when we left Chutanga, walking half way up and along tomorrow’s route, towards the Zatrwa La pass. It’s been easy going at a nice slow pace and when the sun finally came out we stopped to take off our down jackets and appreciate the warmth.
We reached the small huts at Kharkateng at around 4000m at 11.30am and it was nice to sit in the sun, drinking hot lemon and eating chocolate. 
After a short break we headed back down to Chutanga to enjoy soup and more hot lemon in the sunshine.
Having booked this trip as a camping expedition I’m grateful for the last minute decision by the company to use the lodges as it remains cold in the evening, and if we were in tents we’d be hidden away much earlier than our current bedtime of 8pm. We’d be in our sleeping bags the minute the sun goes down at 5pm!
It also means we are able to choose what we have to eat (albeit from a limited range) – but anything is better than having to eat whatever is served. Not that I’m fussy. My appetite hasn’t disappeared yet from the altitude, but when it does being able to choose food will mean at least I eat something. Tonight my appetite is huge so I had soup and fried rice. Mmm.
I’m already tucked up in my sleeping bag, and it’s certainly colder tonight as the sky is clear, though the stars are amazing set against the faint outline of the snowy mountains and the Zatrwa Og pass which we cross tomorrow.