First Stop Lunch

Morning of October 3:  As usual I got up early and took a walk in the misty city running into a massive dead dog in a trash pile then a dead orange kitten under a tall prayer wheel.  Death was not a good sign.  At 10 am we would be getting on horses.   We had a very quick horse riding lesson, loaded up the ponies with handmade saddlebags made out of rice bags that were filled with sleeping bags, rain ponchos, and fresh vegetables.  Then we started out into the grasslands of Langmusi riding through town like cowboys.  By lunchtime the misty gray cloud cover had burned off and we were eating rice covered with egg and tomatoes in a tent under blue skies. After lunch, we hiked up a small hill before riding off again. Photo:  In the left hand distance below you can barely see you the horses and the tent.  Because my body was trying to feel comfortable and confident on a horse, during the first day it was hard for me to take photos while riding a pony.