Rest Day at Paiju Camp
To help us acclimatize (and recover!), we planned a few extra rest days early on, which most groups skip. This was a huge advantage of being on our own private tour, allowing us to adjust to the altitude gradually for both the boys and ourselves. We were also taking Diamox, which helps with altitude adjustment (check out our page on this for more info).
Today, we relaxed at Paiju alongside a few other teams. Staying out of the intense sun all day was a huge relief, especially since I woke up feeling worn out from yesterday’s heat. I honestly don’t think I could have managed another full day of hiking under that blazing sun.
We treated ourselves to a (warm) bucket shower. The camp has a few “toilets” and shower huts—simple fiberglass structures with holes in the ground. Some even had Western seats, which was a bit of a luxury out here, though they did get pretty grimy as the day wore on. Thankfully, the camp workers cleaned them regularly.
The showers were a blessing, washing away the sweat and grime from the past two days. Even just splashing some warm water from a bucket over yourself makes a world of difference out here! We also did a quick wash of anything that needed it, knowing it would soon be too cold to dry anything properly.
After chores and lunch, we took a short walk around camp to stretch our legs and chat with other groups, some of whom were here to climb the mountains, while others, like us, were trekking. Paiju is surprisingly comfortable and was definitely a good spot for a rest day.
After a hearty dinner, we hit the hay early, setting our alarms for 4 a.m. in hopes of hitting the trail by 5 to beat the heat. The porters, meanwhile, had a lively celebration below, filling the camp with rhythmic tunes that lulled us to sleep.
Family Russell-Smith Travel 