Wednesday, September 30, 2015

A Thousand Words?


My most priced possessions? I don't know. There are probably so many or probably none at all. This sketch however is quite dear to me. I met Ben and Petra during my solo climb in the Merkha Valley, a few days before I was to attempt Kun. I met the German - Hungarian couple on my last day in Nimaling. I am usually averse to or skeptic about getting too friendly with people, blame it on my introversion; but Ben and Petra were different. 

We grew fond of each other; so we would hang out in Leh, eat together and so on. They really caught me by surprise (a pleasant surprise) when they showed up at Gulmatonga (The road head on our way to Kun) to receive me at the end of the expedition. The day after they came to meet me at Gulmatonga was Petras birthday. We met for dinner at a restaurant called Korean House on her birthday and she gave this sketch to me as a parting gift. I have never been given something so original by anyone, let alone a girl. I promised to Petra that I would keep this safe for as long as I live; and wished the couple the very best before leaving.