Sarankot and Machapuare

Watching the daybreak is one of the most profound experience, especially for those wait behind the viewfinder.  Into late 2010, the term "viewfinder" has suddenly becomes old or even ancient with waves of new camera introductions without it, perhaps it also change the experience of taking photograph. But so as the experience of transportation, eat and living, so it is what it is, and we need to move on, regardless where it moves to, we are part of it.  Anyway, with the experience of photography from films to digital, I do appreciate I have and still have the opportunity to picture from behind the viewfinder.
And this morning, while waiting, the sense of worrying that perhaps it would not be a day to shoot Machapuchare never subside.

without knowing it, the light of rising sun dominate the sky, beautiful, and the expectation that the heat will drive away the heavy clouds gre stronger.
And soon I realized that the rising sun did push away the chilliness, because I came to Nepal in May, quite certain that I do not need any jacket, I was not wrong, but here in this little hill of Sarankot, arrived before first light of day, you sure feel it, although not to a point that it is uncomfortable, but warmth is certainly welcome.  And while my body felt more comfortable, my heart of hoping to see the beautiful Machapuchare sank.

The sun does cast a little highlight on the ridge of main peak of Machapuchare, but that is all about it.  Somewhat disappointed but certainly not upset, I still managed to take few images of whatever it is possible, while prepare to descent.  We will be back to the hotel for breakfast and plan to go to Phewa Lake in the afternoon, by then, hopefully the clouds break.
As I would tell everyone from my experience of climbing.  Going up, your mind is focused and so your eyes, with each step up, your target becomes smaller and the sky beocmes bigger - in comparison - and so you would see less. Certainly, on top of where you are going there you have the full grapse of panoramic image that itself is imcomprable. But often times, during the descent you found what you missed on the way up, and usually there are lots of great views to be taken on the way down - but sometimes you ran out of films (in the past) or space in memory cards (present day, which is less desperate because it allows you to delete something less desriable for something more desirable - a great digital advantage - provided your battery power allows it).
Short video clip taken with Canon 5DII.

After packing up my medium format gear - a Phase One P65+ on Hasselblad H2, and lenses,  I turned around to see the other side of the view and saw the air ballons flying overhead, took the image with a Canon 5DII + EF 24-105/4L IS, and wondered, will the view from above be clear of clouds?  May be not.
Before the descent, I also use the Canon 5DII to capture a series of capture of the little Pokhara town early in the day, still cover by thin mist, a panoramic image stitched in Adobe CS5.  Everything again back into my LowePro backpack except the Panasonic GF-1 in my hand, I started moving down.