Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Kathmandu to Bangkok
Leaving Kathmandu in about an hour. Can't believe it is over. We spent the last two days in Kathmandu. We had sheets, towels, hot water and all those other luxuries. Such decadance! last night our tour company treated us to a typical Napali dinner. We were joined by a group of Iranians who had done the Anapunia Circuit. Very ineresting to hear their stories and about life in Iran. I got to he airport very early to see Sylvie off.
Now I head to Bangkok and then on to Tokyo. Distressed to hear they had another earthquake yesterday.
Back to Suncadia Thurdsday morning adn Denver on April 21st. Namaste!
Now I head to Bangkok and then on to Tokyo. Distressed to hear they had another earthquake yesterday.
Back to Suncadia Thurdsday morning adn Denver on April 21st. Namaste!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
We Made It - Everest Base Camp April 5, 2011
We made it safe, sound and feeling great. After 8 days of walking up mountains, down mountains, over rocks through snow, over suspension bridges. After being so cold our water froze in our rooms and we did take our clothes off for three days. We made our goal. Such a feeling of elation! Will I ever reach that height again either literally or figuratively? Nearly 18K feet!
I will fill in the rest of the details later. Yesterday we descended about 3500 feet we walked about 8 hours. Although we descended it wasn’t all downhill. It was a beautiful day with amazing views. We stopped in Pangboche for the night and had a view of Everest outside our window. How could it be better?
I am writing from the Tengboche Monastery. Later- Namaste!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Namche to Photse to Dingboche 2 days
We were without internet last night. We stayed in Photse which is a rural village that grows potatoes. The day was okay trekking. We saw the village almost all day after we left Namche, The problem was that even thought as the crow flies it wasn't long, we had to go up and over a mountain, down the mountain to cross the river and then up to the town. 5 hours in all of walking.
Nothing really to do except play cards. It was freezing and I had to get up in the middle of the night to add layers. I am tired today because I shivered all night.
Today we hiked from Photse to Dingboche . The terrain was not so hard but the altitude went above 4400 meters 13.2 K feet. It was slow going and we were walking about 5 hours again. Mid day we stop for lunch at a tea house. It is a nice break. We had great "up close and personal views of Everest, Lhotse, and Amadablam. We saw a cornice of snow that had to be 500 feet tall.
We are staying at the Valley View hotel. No lights in our room but they gave us extra blankets.
Tomorrow we go to Lobuche which is at 4900 meters which is nearly 15K feet. We will be slow and expect to be going for at least 6 hours.
We will probably not have internet for 2 days. April 5 is our day to go to base camp. Whoo, hoo!!
Nothing really to do except play cards. It was freezing and I had to get up in the middle of the night to add layers. I am tired today because I shivered all night.
Today we hiked from Photse to Dingboche . The terrain was not so hard but the altitude went above 4400 meters 13.2 K feet. It was slow going and we were walking about 5 hours again. Mid day we stop for lunch at a tea house. It is a nice break. We had great "up close and personal views of Everest, Lhotse, and Amadablam. We saw a cornice of snow that had to be 500 feet tall.
We are staying at the Valley View hotel. No lights in our room but they gave us extra blankets.
Tomorrow we go to Lobuche which is at 4900 meters which is nearly 15K feet. We will be slow and expect to be going for at least 6 hours.
We will probably not have internet for 2 days. April 5 is our day to go to base camp. Whoo, hoo!!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Namche Bazaar (11.2 K)– Acclimatization day
Today is our acclimatization day so that we can get used to the altitude and to “rest”. We started our day visiting a Sherpa Peoples’ museum and learning about both the culture and the flora and fauna. I learned much and have great respect for this strong and resourceful people.
We did a 2 hour hike as is our custom, straight up a mountain. We went to the Everest view Hotel(12K) to see a close view of Everest but it was cloudy and we only saw Lhotse . That was spectacular in its own right. We had tea with our guide and porter on the deck of the hotel and then headed down. It takes about half the time to get down but it is hard on the legs. So far we haven’t had any sore muscles. Chocolate of course J I am drinking water every hour and taking about a quarter of a protein bar with it and that seems to be sustaining.
We got back a 2 pm and now are having our rest. We didn’t have any issues with the altitude. Tomorrow we above 12K so that will be the test of our acclimatization.
Sylvie and Pat at Everest View Hotel
Lhotse Peak
Looking down on Namche
Our common room - note the Coca Cola :(
Phakding to Namche Bazaar - yesterday
As we started our day we followed a group of pack animals who were taking supplies up to other villages along the trek. We knew we had 4-5 hours of pure trekking ahead of us but little did we know how arduous the day would be. Hari our guide said that the morning wouldn’t be too bad but the afternoon would be really tough. As we hiked along up hills and down, crossing suspension bridges that hovered hundreds of feet above the rive we kept thinking. How much tougher could the afternoon be? This was pretty rugged. Sylvie kept on reminding me that it would give us buns of steel. We had made a pact years earlier that when we had bodies like Greek goddesses we would go to Greece Greece
We stooped for a nice lunch at the last teahouse before Namche and we told eat well for the afternoon will be an effort.
Stanley at Lunch
Looking down on the river that we crossed earlier in the day
I can say that afternoon was the most strenuous of my life. Think about three hours going up a steep staircase. We name to the hell stairway to heaven. I have run 11 marathons and hiked 7 14ers and nothing compared to this day!
But we arrived safely in Namche and were surprisingly not all that tried after having a cup of tea and a shower. We then hit the shopping. Namche is a relatively large and prosperous town. Beautiful homes and Guest houses made from stones. There is nearly every modern convenience and very tons of markets. We had pledged not to shop until the way down but we soon succumbed to buy a few light items.
We were chilled to the bone after taking our showers and then walking into the cold night, we sat by the fire and dried our hair and warmed up. After a hearty meal of Dal Baht and fried rice we went to our room and read. I crashed as usual at 8:30 pm and woke up a 6 am. Ready for another day… Namaste!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Lukla to Phakding
We landed safely at Lukla. The flight was a bit noisy but genarally smooth. I took wonderful pictures of the mountains as we arrived. Poor Rocky Mountains... you have some growing to do! I tried to upload some pictures but theconnection is too slow. Never the less, I marvel that we even have a connection.
We were accompanied by our guide Hari and our porter Purna. The poor porter had to carry our 30 kg of belongings on his back using a head strap for stability and support.
We had a light day today, only three hours. The hardest part was the rocky path which for me is difficult footing. We had to do alot of dung dodging. Sylvie of course, is an Olympian since she walks the streets of Paris! We made it to Phakking. After a lunch we slept for an hour since we had less than 5 hours of sleep the night before. We are refreshed and relaxed.
This time of year is beautiful with Rhodedenrons and wild flowers all abloom. There are plentiful vegetable crops and fruit trees are blooming at present. Tomorrow we head to Namche Bazaar and will spend two days acclimatizing. The shopping will have to wait since I am not carrying another ounce on my back.
Sylvie says hi to all. Namaste!
We were accompanied by our guide Hari and our porter Purna. The poor porter had to carry our 30 kg of belongings on his back using a head strap for stability and support.
We had a light day today, only three hours. The hardest part was the rocky path which for me is difficult footing. We had to do alot of dung dodging. Sylvie of course, is an Olympian since she walks the streets of Paris! We made it to Phakking. After a lunch we slept for an hour since we had less than 5 hours of sleep the night before. We are refreshed and relaxed.
This time of year is beautiful with Rhodedenrons and wild flowers all abloom. There are plentiful vegetable crops and fruit trees are blooming at present. Tomorrow we head to Namche Bazaar and will spend two days acclimatizing. The shopping will have to wait since I am not carrying another ounce on my back.
Sylvie says hi to all. Namaste!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Off we go to Lukla
5 am and off we are going to Lukla. I took my dramamine since I was told it was a hairy ride! We arrive in Lukla and then only hke for about 3 hours in order to get acclimatized.
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