Day Four
5.30am the phone rang and I answered it. "Namaste thank you....Yes, Namaste thank you....Namaste!" - I'm talking to a recorded message! Throw my pillow at a sniggering Carmel and scuttle off into the shower. We have breakfast, check out and pile into the bus for the trip to the airport.
The Lukla plane left on time - 8.20am - but not before a little mixup in which Glen was turned back from his frisking because he did't have a boarding pass. Nima had forgotten him! We arrived in Lukla at 9am, but cloud cover meant we didn't see the famous dramatic approach to the runway. After sorting the bags and putting on our rain gear - light drizzle and no views of the mountains - we were off!
Four hours walking found us in Phakding. Stunning scenery! I'm amazed at how green and lush it all is. Lots of prayer flags, chortens and mani stones. Rest of the group gets a quick lesson in the right way to approach these. The rain stops and jackets come off, but misty clouds still obscure any views of mountains. A huge landslip stops us all in our tracks and we take it in turns to slowly and carefully cross it. Repair crews are busily working to fix it. Lots and lots of people - trekkers, locals, porters - coming up and down the trail.
We've sorted out our rooms and unpacked our sleeping bags and are now all in the teahouse waiting for tea and bikkies. The Dudh Khosi is thundering past the window - it's incredibly loud! Everyone in the group seems very nice. Jack in particular is a real character. Colin is struggling with his enormous pack. God knows what he's carrying in it!
Nima introduced the rest of the crew to us. Mandal Sherpa, Kangccha Sherpa, Pasang Sherpa, Cheung Rai and Raju Dharma, who is our cook.
Day Five
After a yummy breakfast of muesli and toast, we set off for Monjo. Crossed our first major suspension bridge on the outskirts of Phakding. An interesting sensation - a side to side swing whilst simultaneously bouncing up and down. The pace is really slow, so the walking is very enjoyable. Lots of kids crowded around begging as we left Phakding and again through Benkar. Practised new phrase - "Chaina bon bons" which means "I have no sweets/lollies". We stopped at Tok Tok for a loo break (seems Toni has a dodgy tummy) and a delightful little group of kids were calling out Hello! Namaste! They caught sight of Carmel's soft toy Platypus hanging off her pack and were all pointing excitedly to it. I got out Edwina Echidna and they all crowded around to pat her. A couple of the very small kids tried to keep her, but I managed to rescue her and stow her in my pack!
Arrived in Monjo around lunch time. Got our rooms sorted, had a scrummy lunch then set off for a 'side walk' up to a viewing point where it's possible to see Namche, and to visit a monastery. We've joined forces with another Peregrine trekking group, who are doing the Introductory trek, ie to Tengboche and back. Their Sherpa leader is Bema and he does most of the talking and guiding on this acclimatisation walk. It was a terrific work out. Steeply uphill along a winding track all the way to 3165m, where we all rested in a meadow completely surrounded by clouds! Absolutely no view at all! Shirts saturated with sweat from the walk up quickly made us all chilly as we stood around, so we all headed back down to the lodge for a change of clothes and glasses of delicious lemon tea - tea with a dash of lemon cordial - very refreshing!
I should sleep very well after all that walking, especially given the restless night last night. Tomorrow it's on to Namche Bazaar!
Day Six
We lost Shane today. He's been suffering bad headaches for the past three days and yesterday was breathless too. Nima gave him some Diamox last night, but today he was no better. He confessed he has kidney problems too, so today he stayed behind at Monjo and has decided to go home rather than take any risks. Mandal will escort him back to Lukla, then collect George and bring him up to Namche later today.
So, at 8am we all set off for Namche Bazaar. A brilliant clear day - could see Kusum Kangguru behind the lodge at Monjo, and with snow on it! Khumbila was a stunning sight ahead of us. Through Jorsale and over the Dudh Khosi and gradually up and up and up. Crossed over the river again at the famous high bridge and then it was the Namche hill ascent proper. Slowly, slowly - bistari, bistari - we inched our way up the hill. Got our first views of Everest! Also saw Kantega, and earlier glimpsed the top parts of Themserku. A fabulous day for mountain spotting! On and on and up and up. Then at last our first glimpse of Namche! Still we went on and on and up and up until, at last, we reached our lodge. Lunch of vegetable soup, toasted cheese sandwiches and hot chips. Then we all took off for a little acclimatisation walk up to the Sagamartha Visitors Centre and the Sherpa Museum. Carmel and I then went for a walk into town for apple strudel and cuppacino. We may be nearly 4000m above sea level and in the middle of nowhere, but the comforts of home are still available! I was right chuffed to discover that Namche even has a library! Posed for a photo outside the Sagamartha Community Library just up the hill from our lodge!
We have just washed some jocks and socks and are now waiting for tea. George arrived just after lunch. He had walked through from Phakding. I am feeling really good, despite the altitude of 3446m. Get a little breathless going up and down all the steps, but otherwise feel terrific.
Here's a puzzle - Nepali people are, on average, about my size if not smaller. Why then, do they make such giant steps!!
The clouds had begun to come in by the time we reached Namche so no mountain views. However, when at the Sherpa museum, I happened to look out the window and there was Kwande Ri emerging from the clouds. Brilliant!
We all know how strong the porters are - passed one yesterday carrying a chest freezer up to Namche! Well, at the museum I watched one guy whilst he tossed large rocks up over his head into the doko (woven cane basket) that hung from the strap around his forehead. Ten to fifteen rocks must have gone in - and they were big bloody rocks too - before he decided he had enough and walked off with his load. Tough people these Nepalese!
Day Seven
We have a whole day for rest and acclimatisation in Namche today. So what do we all do? 5.30am and we're heading up the hill to the National Park Visitors Centre to watch the sun rise on the mountains! Perfectly clear views of Ama Dablam, Everest, Tawache, Lhotse, Kwande Ri. Just fantastic! Two dogs - with Tibetan Mastiff in them - followed us up the hill. Just as someone was about to take a photo of Carmel and I posed with Everest behind us, one of the dogs trotted into the picture and sat at Carmel's feet! A very funny moment.
Back down for breakfast, then we all set off for our excursion to the infamous Everest View Hotel. Up another bloody big steep hill, but it was a fabulous walk. Yaks, deer, kestrels, gentians, euphorbia, eidelweis, juniper. And the mountains! Everest, Ama Dablam, Themserku, Kusum Kangguru, Kantega, Tawache, Lhotse and the Nuptse Wall. Just fabulous fabulous. Also spotted the villages of Phorste, Tengboche and Pangboche.
Long long walk back down for lunch. Afterwards, Carmel and I visited Namche Gompa, with its solitary monk, did a circumlocation of the chorten, wandered through the Tibetan market and through the streets of Namche. I bought a book and a couple of cloth badges. On our way back to the lodge, we encountered a yak train that went the wrong way. Whilst they were being turned around, another two trains came through and we had a yak jam! Great photo opportunity.
