Freyja put the binoculars away. "I think we're going to have to go higher, perhaps up to the glacier."
"The glacier." Julia sighed. "I thought you didn't want to go up too high."
"It's not ideal, but we'll need to see beyond just the port." Freyja explained. "Plus, I haven't seen a glacier in years, and you've probably never seen one period. Come on, it'll be fun." The blond began trudging further up the mountain.
"Suuure, funnn." Julia rolled her eyes as she started to follow behind. "Just as long as your fun doesn't get us both killed."
“Well, if you want to go higher on the hunk of rock we will need to go back and get better gear.” Julia offers. “We will need warmer cloths and ice climbing boots.”
“OK, OK we can go back.” Freyja shoots back. “We will spend a day or two to get what we need.”
“So, ladies how did you like the climb?”
“The view is wonderful.” Freyja responds. “How far has anyone climbed up?”
“I think someone made it thousand meters once. It was a professional team, and they just made it back.”
“What happened?” Julia asks.
“Well people forget that Nejiro is a large planet and a thousand meters here is not like other worlds that are smaller. The pressures, air and temperature change much faster and harder past a hundred meters or so.”
“Wow, just how high is it to the top?” Julia asks.
“From the records it is listed a ten thousand meters. Anything above about five hundred you need air tanks because the air is too thin for normal breathing.” The guide looks at both. “How far do you think you got?”
“About fifty maybe seventy-five meters up. We had not hit ice yet.” Freyja answers. “We do like climbing and this was not all that bad.”
“Well, it is a good thing you turned around, if you get caught in a storm or at night you would be dead.” He looks back at both. “Your gear was good for what you did but any higher and you would have been in trouble. If you want to go higher you will need others that know the terrain.”
“Do you know any that would be willing to go?” Freyja asks.
“Not at this time of year. We have a very limited time when it is safe to go higher than a hundred meters.”
“Thanks for the information.” Julia will poke Freyja. “Let’s get back to our room, I want to clean up and get some hot food.”
“OH, sure.” Looking to the guide. “Thanks. Any place you would recommend for us to try?”
“You want local?”
“Sure, what is good?” Julia asks.
“We have a couple of nice places down the street, but if you want something small and nice two blocks over and one south, you’ll find a nice place.”
“Thanks.” Julia will respond.
“That shower was nice. I’m looking forward to dinner.” Julia looks at Freyja as she finishes dressing, “So we going to one of the places down the block or the other one?”
“Let’s check put the other one.” Freyja hands Julia her handbag. “Keep it close just in case.”
“What, why?”
“Two young ladies by themselves off the normal path. Girls need to take care.” She checks her bag as well.
“Welcome ladies. Do you want a table or to sit at the bar?”
“A table please.” Julia will answer before Freyja can say anything.
“Very good. It will be only a few minutes; you can have a seat here or at the bar. I will inform when your table is ready.”
“So here or the bar?” Julia asks.
“The bar I need a drink.” As they go to the bar.
“This place is not bad. I like the old Terran Russian vibes.” Julia checks out the place.
“It is rather nice.” Taking a couple of stoles at the bar.
“What will you have ladies?” the bartender asks.
“I don’t know, what do you think?” Julia looks at Freyja.
“A couple of glasses of you house white.” Freyja looks around and the place is full.
“Very good two glasses of the house white.” She reaches down and puts two wine glasses on the bar and pours wine in both glasses. “Do you want to run a tab?”
“Can you put on our dinner tab?”
“Sure, no problem.”
