16,700 feet. The wind carries a chill, stirs tundra life, and carries on to the North across the Tibetan plateau. We are a group of 9 that has hiked to this point just 3 miles from the Tibetan frontier, the wild, wild, east. We are tired but inspired by this dream land. We are dirty but it makes us feel close to the earth, we are close to each other with the toil of altitude pressing us together. The beauty has pulled us on, deeper into the wild. Three of our porters have joined us. It is supposed to be their day off from carrying loads but they are pulled also. We reach the 5th holy lake of Gokyo. As if each on a treasure hunt, we disperse. I find myself alone ducking behind a boulder to escape the soft, cold wind. The South face of the Cho Oyu is eye blinding bright. The sun carries little warmth but behind the boulder out of the wind is a haven. Convection. I lay down and scan the slopes for Snow Leopard. This is where they would be, they are probably watching me. Here they are free to frolic, free of the hunter. This place is so freeing to the soul that it is a place one would not mind to walk. Walk any direction, and just keep walking, infinite, timeless, just keep walking. Twenty minutes pass and the treasure hunters return to my haven behind the boulder. Treasures are worn on each of their faces, wide eyes, happy souls, the sparkle of freedom, the face of happiness. A few words are exchanged, trail food shared, and a quiet surrounds us, a veil of silence. Soon we are all horizontal, the heat from the stone sooths us, sleep.
I wake feeling as I had slept for a lifetime. We all woke at the same time with the same feeling. My first words were "what happened" ? All had the same question. We were baffled and over joyed at the place we had slept and woke. It was as if we were one body sharing the same sleep, and now awake, sharing a dream like state. The moments were perfect. This is nirvana, heaven the same. We were confused, questioning, one utters "are we awake". We all laugh at this wonderful "happening" that we all experience at the same time. Several breaths later we shoulder our packs to head down out of the clouds. The snow leapard stretches and lays down, probably watching our every step, content to stay in dreamland.