We went for what must have been hours but seemed like days. The altitude was overwhelming, an exhaustion set in that on moving slowly could cure, and moving slowly seems to be a hypnosis that saturated the consciousness. At times I felt like my heart was exploding. Maybe second hut is only a myth. Maybe second hut is only a broken heart. We could camp anywhere, but the goal 'lies ahead'. The sun is setting, and a view of the peaks lit with late day sun burns into the heart. It is hard to press on when everything seems already well beyond expectation. The guide urges on, I follow.
