Day 4 - the beginning of the day from Hell

It rained all night and was still raining at 4:30 when I was ready to go - a bit nervous about the coming climb. I did not sleep well because there was a gale blowing outside and something was making a strange, eerie, squeaking noise right outside my window. Had strange dreams. As soon as it got light, I went out and looked but could not see what was making the noise - maybe one of the wires from the air conditioning unit.
After a breakfast of two eggs, five rolls, and three cups of coffee, Ian and I took a taxi to Temple #11, which we had visited two days before. In the pouring rain we found a narrow path that went around the side of the temple and up into the mountains.
At first it was pretty easy and there were numerous Buddhist statues and little houses with strange things in side. In the picture, you can just see Ian off in the distance. The blue plastic poncho covering his backpack and his red rain pants are just visible.
As we progressed, the train got steeper and followed the curves of the mountainside. Here Ian is standing on the trail beside the steep drop off, which went almost straight down for many meters.
Me, standing on the trail, resting a bit before beginning a steep climb.
In this picture Ian is actually sitting on the trail which was cut from living rock. In some places it was so steep that I was able to put my left hand out in front of me and help support myself on the rock surface of the trail.
Early in the day, the trail rose above the trees and we were treated to a wonderful view of the valley from which we came and in which we had walked for the first three days. The mountains on the other side of the valley are completely hidden in the clouds and it was still raining heavily.

The trail was getting steeper and steeper and the worst was yet to come, in spite of the fact that I was already exhausted physically. However, once up into these mountains there was nothing to do except continue or go back. There were no roads or any other ways out.