Plaza de Mulas
We take down our tents and pack up our gear. I don’t have much to pack. Today is a long 12 mile (20km) hike up to Plaza de Mulas 4300m (14108ft). This took us about 7 hours including several breaks. There were a few stream crossings along the way. The valley is hot and boring. The last bit is up 1000ft and then down 400ft to a stream crossing and then back up 500ft to camp. Plaza de Mulas makes Confluencia look like a small affair. This will be our camp for a few days of acclimatization. You can rent solar showers and make satellite phone calls or use the internet. Across the valley is Hotel Refugio Plaza de Mulas. As we arrive, there are platters of watermelon which we devour. We collect our gear from the muleteers and set up our tents. We meet the 2nd half of our group here. We also meet our 3rd guide Wyne, a young girl next door type, sweet and caring, who just so happens to be a very fast and strong climber.
It is Christmas Eve and we get a descent dinner starting with soup. The muleteers and guides stay up late making lots of noise and partying. It is a cold night and we are all feeling a bit groggy. I sleep well. There is no word on my bag and I have given up on it arriving. Tomorrow is a rest day and I will use it to rent the gear I need.
Did I mention that I also don’t have my pee bottle, so I’ve been using a 500ml Pepsi bottle. Try peeing in that while lying on your side in a tent, small opening and small container, you get the picture. With all the extra water you need to drink up here 500ml isn’t enough to last the night and I have to get up at least once to empty it in the squat toilet and go again while I’m there. I knew that was going to be a problem and had bought a 1.5L collapsible pee bottle for this trip to replace the 1L I had been using since I drink a lot, but it’s in my lost luggage.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008