Days of trekking means getting up early, 7-8 hours of daily trekking, reaching the next camp in the afternoon. Then set up a tent, a short body wash, eating and sleeping.
A rest day for longer tours is just right. The closer one get’s to the rest day, the more the day is longed for and everyone makes plans for the day break. And in fact, the day off makes sense: forces are regenerated, dirty laundry is washed and your own body care is followed.
But a bath with cold water doesn’t last forever and you don’t have that much clothes on a trek to wash for hours.
Otherwise, there is not much to do in the camp: no internet, no television, nothing that absolutely has to be done. There is only the company of the others, meals and maybe a book. Sleeping during the day should be rather avoided- who wants to be awake at night in a tent?
I am myself on such a day of rest at this minute. Four days of intensive trekking is over. I am exhausted, but I find this day of doing nothing very unusual. Months of intensive work, in which I moved from one place to another and had barely an hour for myself, are behind me. Often, various things had to be done at the same tim. Now I’m not used to have nothing to do. I’m just using the last battery of my smartphone to be able to do something meaningful and at least type this article. Somehow sad. But a day with 24 hours in the middle of nowhere can be long.
Especially without a book and company. (we are with a group of Indian clients).
On the one hand, I enjoy being alone by myself and not having any responsibility for anyone. The morning was nice with a cool bath, yoga and breakfast. But since then I have to make sure that my naps are not only interrupted by the next meal.
We always yearn so much for rest and less work. But are we really still able to really do nothing?
It’s definately hard for me. My Indian companions are clearly better in it than me. But I’m struggling and now I am just going to enjoy sitting with the others and drink a cup of tea.
