Day 7, 1114 hours, Dingboche, 4400 meters

My knee has had me pre-occupied in the last 24 hours. Even though the last stretch of the walk last evening was quite pleasant - a transition as we left the treeline around 4000 meters and continued on a flat-ish patch that lasted about 800 meters to the lodge. Phortse was a brilliant place to stay. Here is a little less so but at a macro level things are ok. Well, relatively. 

It is an acclimatization day and I skipped the walk up the hill with the gang to rest the knee. I got to use the internet cafe and walk around the village, after I came back to the teahouse its been exercise for the knee – rolling with a bottle on the floor, stretches and a shower. Walking around the village was pretty painful too – I tried skipping over a few stone boundary walls and struggled there as well. Not a good sign. 

Anyway. I also discovered the caretaker has a 4 year old girl named Melissa. He has a 24 year old working in Malaysia and a 15 year old boy studying in Kathmandu. Its a pretty quaint life for the family here I wonder how the eldest son copes and what the future holds for the girl without any great education. 

1301 hours

The team that came back from the walk said its pretty cold and they had a hard time keeping warm at all. A pack of Uno came out post lunch but it turned out to be only half a deck of and it has instructions in Japanese besides being a Winnie the Pooh version. Oh Andrea! I am going to go back to the book after I pick up my clothes from the sun and contemplate the knee!

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Day 6, 1114 hours, Pangboche, 3920 meters

Gorgeous views of the mountains right outside the room this morning. The moon was still out when we got out of the room – up and over the mountains. Josh also pulled out his portable speakers and we had a bit of Dire Straits to kick off the morning breakfast. 

It has been a little tough with the knee as we go up and down the mountain. Apparently it is my ITB in the left thigh that is strained and it is hurting the knee. This problem takes away a lot from the trek and the photos. Everyone has been very nice and pitched with extra poles, advise to stretch the knee and the band specifically. However, the pain narrows one’s focus. I tried a global economies conversation with Denys and Nimah to distract me but I thinbk I was a rather lackisidical participant. I hope the knee problem clears up soon.

1334 hours, Orsho, 4190 meters

Some interesting firsts on this trek yet

- We’ve crossed the treeline

- We went to a 150 year old monastery today – a lot of the work is being redone and the monks were eating lunch. They were happy to chat but spoke no Hindi or English

- We saw our first set of mountain goats – we’d been seeing the jogpey (cross between yak and cow) for a while but the goats are a new phenomenon

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Day 5, 0655 hours, 3400 meters, Namche Bazaar

6 hour hike today. Did not sleep as well as I would have liked to. Was comfortable in the sleeping bag but sleep came and went. Gorgeous morning though. Walked to the end of the corridor (Nimah and Denise’s side grr...) and got two priceless photos of Thamserku overlooking Namche and also the market creaking to life. Slightly sore from yesterday’s walk so will take it easy today. Running to some breakfast

1630 hours

Phortse Gaon, Thamserku View Lodge

3780 meters

Micro Issues: my left knee hurts. Been a terrible 2 hours up and down hills. However, it seems to be diagnosed as a trekkers knee – stretching, anti-inflammatories and a slap to me should make it fine!

Macro: We’re staying at a lovely tea house. Its owned and run by a Sherpa family where a few of the men have climbed a chunk of the world’s 8-thousanders between them. I see certificates for Cho-Yoo, Everest and Makalu up on the wall. The tea house is also set in the middle of a village (phortse). Fields all around, mountains in the distance, people tilling the land peacefully or chilling in the sun – all seems reassuringly alright with the world!

1756 hours

Showered and changed. The dining room is nice and toasty. Despite the 14 people in the room though you could hear a pin drop (just experimented with a toothpick). Egg fried rice and Sherpa stew for dinner. Nimah has passed me some anti inflammatory for the knee. I also have been told two stretching exercises. Hopefully all will be well.

1944 hours

Knee hurts but dinner was awesome. I was so taken in by Phortse earlier that I forgot to mention our brilliant views of Ama Dabalam and Thamserku earlier this afternoon. Hopefully I have some stunning pictures to boot.

The conversation post dinner turned to British geography with Helen. With three Welsh and two English on the trek its pretty clear that regional distinctions are nice and vivid. The Welsh have a great back up in the form of Adrian and Kate – another couple who are charting the same route as us and meet us often. So now I know a little more about the midlands, Wales and Scotland. My roomie Nigel comes from Milford Haven and Denys and Kate from Haverford West. 

Stina on the other hand bought up Kabbalah, religion, India and spirituality. Its always a challenge as I seek logic in these things and they are a recreation for most people. I think I managed to not cross the line by appearing too firm. That is good. 

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Day 22, Bhaktapur, 10 k from Kathmandu

Bhaktapur I imagine is like those old fort towns in India that people continue to live in. Its so quiant that its hard to imagine people stay in that place. Its a little buit like a showcase city / doll house. The town square is a cluster of buuldings on display but in use. Most of it comes alive in the festive season. There is also a temple that seems to be under renovation for the upcoming festival season. Till then its cordoned off to visitors.

I spent a few hours in Bhaktapur today. Lets see if the pictures below tell a good tale.

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]The town square as soon as you enter with the pagoda like building to the right

[[posterous-content:pid___1]]The main square begins here on with a cluster of buildings - houses, temples, out buildings - now converted to restaurants, hotels, a museum etc

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The juxtaposition of the old and the new? 400 year old temple entrance and a pretty new motobike

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The temple area begins. I thought the lions guarding the buuildings were pretty striking and replicated in metal / stone all over

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Metal lion at the temple

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They call this the Golden Gate. 1. made me think of how I still want to see the Golden Gate in SF 2. awesome woodwork in the area inside

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Trying to get a better look at the woodworl

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My coffee place almost at the entrance of the town square

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Wooden ties anyone?

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Monasteruy! I climbed up the stairs and they were building a Buddha statue. Sweet chat with the owner and worker there, how do they come across as so humble?

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I met two ducks on the way...

[[posterous-content:pid___17]]Still amazed that they live here

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A tiny lane between buildings. The extent of woodwork is stellar though it has been redone multiple times yes[[posterous-content:pid___21]]

The temple at the furthest square for tourists in town

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Guardian of the temple steps. Distinct Indian / Hindu influences

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Walked onto this thanka shop in a bylane on my way to the potters area of the town

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Two old men and a game of chess - btw I bought myself one of these hats. Super Nepali convert

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A corner of the potters area

[[posterous-content:pid___31]]And I could not resist taking one of the old man staring out in deep thought of this wondow

To the White Monastery early tomorrow morning at 0630 I go. Time to wind up today :)

 

 

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Day 4, Namche Bazar, 3375 metres, 0723 hours

Kalapathar Guest House Dining Hall 

Great start to the morning with yoga class thanks to Stina. It is amusing to hear an non Indian chant Sat-naam and have the whole crowd listen to the meaning of it. But boy what a good way to open up those muscles and realize for the nth time that I am as flexible as an iron rod (not true, I am very flexible – it just depends on the issue at hand). Beautiful views right outside the corridor. I believe Nimah and Denise have a room where the sun floods in and they have a breathtaking view of Namche. Envious. Looks like a clear day till noon topday atleast. Feeling supple thanks to yoga, excited that we get to spot Everest today.

1817 hours

Busy day. 4 hour hike to the Sagarmatha Park Museum and a higher point above the Namche Airstrip. The clouds closed in and we did not make it to Khumjung for a better view. Some interesting stuff over at the Museum about Everest and the surrounding region. First sighting of Ama Dablam - Everest remained shy and hid behind a cloud. Good sighting of Lohtse and its neighbouring peak Lohtse Shar though. 

We ascended beyond the airfield and came down back to Namche for acclimatization. Realizing for the first time how hard the descent could be. Gang quite excited to touch 3800 meters. I was surprised to know the highest spot in the UK – Ben Nevis is just shy of 2000 metres maybe. I should know my mountain stuff better.

AND I also met my old pal Michelle from the airplane. Good to see hm. He calls me “Ta-hun”. Good to hear him call out and see his gang. Even Prakash our guide has started looking out for him now. 

I also realized that I might need a base-layer shirt. Hence I’ve invested in a reed Sherpa baselayer that seems to fit well and is quick drying. It is going to be priceless in the windy cold. 

Still need to hit email but quite tired with the walking today. Will do so post dinner. Have some repacking to do to. Forgot to mention – brilliant food day. Steak for lunch with chapatti and veg, chocolate cake with Denys and Nigel this afternoon at the Everest bakery & sharing spag bol with Josh tonight. Stomach feels happy!

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Day 3, 0641 hours, 2595 meters, Phakding

Well slept and rested. Breakfast on the way. Rained last night hence should be a clear day. Full moon as I mentioned. Excited to be hitting Namche soon.

2690 meters, Benkgar Guest House. Approx 11 am

First tea break of the day. Rhododendrons on the way and a well lit path. Spotted Mt Thamserku on the way. At 6600 meters appros it is quite an imposing peak on the trail. See a lot of helicopters to and fro BC and Namche Bazar. A sign here says we’re halfway between Lukla and Namche (4 hours each way) and then cheekily adds it depends on walking speed. I am avoiding the tea for now but doing well on the fluid intake. (pee and tell). Will probably email the world from Namche Bazar!

3395 meters, Namche Bazar, 1600 hours

700 metres+ gained in less than 7 hours. Feels geekily good. We had a fair shower getting into Namche and it was a wonderful chance to test my waterproof equipment. Well at least the top jacket and the bag cover. I think I am well served! The children, as always in the hills, are pick cheeked and sweet. Yesterday as I whipped out my camera to catch a girl with the cat she was cuddling she promptly shouted “No pic-chah!”. I got some of my own back today when I shook hands with a young boy, flashed the camera at him and he had me surprised when he posed promptly at attention for the picture, had a quick look and then bobbed away down the mountain. I wish we’d swapped names. Also – if you hold you a hand the kids high five you and them scamper away. Charming

2121 hours, post dinner

 

Post shower and a well deserved tea at Namche bazaar done we took a quick stroll around Namche Bazaar. Its a bustling place with shops, trekkers and porters. The mountain views of he surrounding peaks even from the village itself are splendid. 

Tomorrow is another day at Namche. We are trekking out till lunch and then have the afternoon to relax and recoup. We see our first sight of Everest (think we missed one of the way up from Namche due to rain and clouds). We will also see Ama Dablam for the first time. 

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Day 2, 0739 hours, Kathmandu Domestic Airport

We’re squatting at the airport waiting for our flight to Lukla. 0530 does not feel like an early start at all with the whole place teeming with activity and lots of people with backpacks getting set to get out of Kathmandu and into the mountains. We had a final and slightly late addition to the gang last night – Nimah from Ireland joined us – she’s tall! Might be taller than me and reminds me of a family joke about how I could be the tallest in the family from Ma’s side.

The flight to Lukla is not until 0830 and the famished part of me is wondering how soon food is going to come around. Meanwhile, Kathmandu / Thamel is extremely touristy. Dinner last night was actually stupendous with ham and salami pizza and beers flowing all around. Certainly a very different start from mountaineering course or even the climb to Machoi. Makes me think this is quite tourist friendly and a do-able climb. 

Otherwise Kathmandu is old school and quaint by the first look. A little like small town India or how big cities were a while ago. Dharamshala may be a very good parallel – cosmopolitan, good food, lots of different nationalities but the town shuts early and everyone knows each other – familiar good feeling. 

Like I mentioned yesterday the preponderance of teachers in the group is amazing. Between special ed, middle school, language teachers, college lecturers and primary school there is a lot of experience in this gang. 

1020 hours

Still  at the airport! No breakfast yet. Without a phone and hence not fiddling with it all the time. Wise decision. Also met a gaggle of 7 indians climbing to EBC. Actually people from across different cities in India but ones who live outside the country right now. While there have been snatches of time to think I seem to not have sunk in yet into thinking mode. A friend said turning 25 is contemplative. Wonder how contemplative it is going to be for me.

1842 hours, 2600 meteres

Phakding

Trekking = a shower and meal well earned. We just wrapped up the first three hour leg from Lukla to Phakding along the Dudh Kosi river. Great views and fresh legs put to good use. I am looking forward to my Nepal set meal and garlic soup. 

Before the 3 hour stint we took a teeny 16 seater Otter plane from Kathmandu to Lukla. On a depressurized plane it was a joy to see the altimeter on the Sunnto tick up the gain in altitude and register the changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature. Though the sighting of the mountains was far and few in between (we had cloud cover) Lukla is a sight to behold! The airstrip runs UP a hill and seems too tiny for the plan to land on. You can actually see the end of the runaway and I let out a loud whoop when I first saw it. Quite sure we were going to run into the rockface (I had also imagined a tabletop runway with clear airspace on both sides).

It is also a full moon might tonight. Nigel and I tried some shots with the camera – they seem to come out like sunrise. I knocked the door next door but Andrea and Helen seemed a little unimpressed. I am sure I am going to get some flak tomorrow for talking about the full moon (I did).

End note: the tea house is rather luxurious compared to what he Intrepid trip notes mentioned. The food is awesome, the shower hot and the room has an ensuite loo! Proper sit down potty with a roll of toilet paper screwed into the wall. We trek to Namche Bazar tomorrow which is an altitude gain of approximately 500 meters from here. We’ll spend two nights there acclimatizing befoe moving onto the next stop. 

 

Tomorrow is a 0600 start to the day so I am going to get into my sleeping bag. And I am still not sure how to set an altitude alarm on the Sunnto (do I need one really? )

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Day 1, 1200 noon, 1350 meters, Kathmandu Guest House, Ktm, Nepal

It’s nice and quiet here.  I landed at about 1000 am, took in the nice brick laid airport (fascinated at being in a new country within a 1.5 hour flight, notwithstanding the standard 2.5 – 3 hours check-in) and stepped out expectantly into the Nepalese sun. Was promptly mobbed by the usual taxi –wallahs. Ultimately a polite Gorkha, Kamal, took me to the Guest House. If Dalhousie or Nanital, as I remember it, were to have an airport it would be a lot like Kathmandu. Kamal says I look European because I am so big and even called me handsome. I have no such illusions but its always good to hear ;)

I met a Swiss man Michelle on the plane. We shared an excitement for the peaks appearing out of our window to the left from our aircraft window especially since Michelle was great to offer me the window seat that was booked under his name. I had completely forgotten to ask for my usual left window seat but Michelle was nice enough to help. He is going to the Gokoyo Ri peak and has been trekking in Nepal a lot. To one it seems like a chilled out European life – retired / given up a business, Mont Blanc circuits in the European summer, Nepal treks in the spring / autumn and a few summits in the middle. 

My room is sweet. I came in, pulled out the curtains, unlaced the boots and hit the bed. The cool bedsheets were a welcome change from Delhi. They reminded me of the hills and lulled me into a quick and much needed 20 min nap.

I am now down at the lobby indulging myself with a cappuccino. Fish curry is on its way. I am  meant to get done with lunch and be ready by 1300 for the first briefing and meeting with my intrepid group. It seems I am amongst the first ones from the group to arrive. I do not see many other people around. I am excited about meeting my new team. 

PS – the decision to carry the laptop or not seems to have been taken out of my hands. The charger does not seem to work. I am leaving the PC behind! 

2056 hours 

Unexpected turn of events post dinner with a few people from the new group. There is an Irish bar right opposite the Kathmandu Guest House where we are staying and the pub is blaring awesome music. Settled in for a few drinks – they have Bushmills! I have yet to find that whisky in India outside of my tasting in Belfast! Helen and Andrea who I went with are both teachers from England teaching at an international school inHK. There are 5+ teachers in this group but no-one seems to have heard of Teach for America / Teach for India / Teach First.  I wonder if and when we will get talking about teaching and children. 

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