This morning, we finally got our certificates that we tested negative for corona upon arrival in Leh. This means that Bharath with the majority of the group (there are still 3 Indians waiting for their report as they arrived a day later) took off this morning to Chilling to start their Kangri trekking.
Although it was planned that I would join them until Skiu, I cannot leave since I am officially in quarantine and closely watched by the Ministry of Health. If they really insist on my quarantine until the 18th, it won’t be possible to climb Kang Yatse 1 unless I delay my flight back. The alternative option, according to Rigzin, is to climb Kang Yatse 2, but that is way less challenging and exciting…
Rigzin told me, however, that since I got a printed negative test result, I could go out as long as I wore a mask. So this afternoon I climb up to the Shanti Stupa north of Leh and subsequently walked through downtown Leh and the Old City. This was really good as I felt like a caged animal the last few days…
When I came back, Rigzin called me as he wanted to talk. I went to see him and he told me that he had spoken with the chief medical officer. Basically, the medical officer understands that I am vaccinated three times, tested negative three times over the past 6 days and that I go straight up into the mountains and that therefore the risk of me contaminating anybody would be negligible. He proposed that I would write a letter explaining all this (so that he can cover his ass if questioned) and give it to him with copies of my vaccination certificates and test certificates in a private converstaion tomorrow and that he then would release me from quarantine. So that is very good news, because then we can leave tomorrow or day after. Unfortunately, Rigzin had also bad news: Mingma tested positive and cannot join since he is now quarantined. Rigzin knows some other climbers that could replace him and is chasing them down. However, it is uncertain whether they would be available straight away…