Stu's Camino

EBC Day 9 – 26th October 2009

I woke fully rested with no headache and felt at this point the fittest I had been since starting the trek. By 0600hrs we were out walking up towards the Cho La Pass. It starts out very much like Scafel Pike, back home in the Lake District, with hidden and false peaks.

I was going strong, enjoying the walk and scenery. Around 5100m we first laid our eyes on the pass itself. It looked formidable, causing a wave of doubt to pass over me whether I could do this. Here’s a quote from journal: “I have never seen a more daunting, malevolent path in my life. Just looking at it sent a chill down my spine.” I was going to be in for a challenge!

The whole group walked in silence, occasionally glancing up to the path with a somber gaze. Soon we were confronted with a line of Sherpas carrying our gear packed within blue covers, up a near vertical wall. We had to ascend this to get to a ledge that marked the start of the climb up the Cho La Pass. Underfoot consisted of energy sapping sand and loose stones, up a horrifically steep path. It took great effort to reach the top.

From the ledge we had to cross a boulder field; I had to forgo the trekking poles as they were more of a hinderance. The pace was slow and difficult to reach the base of the pass itself. We stopped for a break in the shadow of the this beast to eat our packed lunches. It looked insurmountable, the terrain was sheer loose rock and ice, but there was no turning back, the only way was forward.

With great and tiring effort we pushed on. Our legs were burning with the physical effort of this difficult section. The pace was slow with frequent rest stops and a lot of scrambling to finally reach the ice field over the top of the pass (5380m). All the exhaustion was worth it to be granted views back down towards the Ngozumba Glacier.

We all rested for half an hour, elated and in very high spirits for conquering such a challenging ascent. I got some of my favourite pictures of the adventure here. At the shout of ‘Djam Djam’ picked up our packs and moved on.

My map marked this section with warnings about crevasses and to keep left, which heightened my sense of adventure. It was picturesque and it fulfilled what I had imagined walking in the Himalayas would be like. Crossing through snow and ice while being surrounded by white capped mountains; a magical moment. Alas, with great care navigating a very slippery route, we reached the other side of the pass to enter the ‘Khumbu Valley’, Everest’s valley.

The views were just as spectacular as the Ngozumba side. The path on the way down very much mirrored the ascent, leading down to a stream that cut through flat heathland. It was easy going from this point, a great way to walk off the intensity of the pass.

By 1400hrs we arrived at our stop for the night, ‘The Green Valley Lodge’ in Dzonghla. To our surprise the whole group was sharing a dorm for the night! Bunk beds had been lined up in a row, creating a single giant bunk bed. It was going to very cozy! After wolfing down some food we relaxed in the common room chatting about the day’s experience.

EBC Day 8 – 25th October 2009

By this point trekking at high altitude in such a remote part of the world, you quickly learn to adjust and cope with the little annoyances that you experience. For example, as mentioned earlier in my blog series, there is no hot water for showers and you wash by baby wipes. This presents a unique challenge in the mornings, having spent the night in subzero temperatures. The wipes are blooming cold!

To get around this, you sleep with them in your sleeping bag. This is also the same for batteries, as the cold affects their ability to hold a charge. Things you take for granted at home are a luxury here. Something as simple as a Mars bar, is divine; a pure bit of joy I would not trade for the world.

It is also interesting and amusing how people react to being stripped back to a basic lifestyle. While sat in the common room enjoying the warmth from the morning sun before breakfast, there was another guest at the teahouse (not part our group), complaining to the proprietor about the room she had been allocated.

She kept on comparing the teahouse to hotels back home, she even dropped the most cringe sentence ever “This would be unacceptable in western society”. She continued rabbiting on about how the marathon runners would be spoiling the tranquility of the walk. I felt embarrassed from the other side of the room and I wasn’t even part of the conversation! No self-awareness at all; she certainly hadn’t done her homework on the trip and clearly needed bringing back to reality!

From Gokyo, we would make our way to the Khumbu Valley. This meant crossing the Ngozumba Glacier to reach the beginning to the Cho La Pass. News had reached us that due to flooding, the main route through the glacier was inaccessible resulting in a diversion. We had a briefing from Rajesh, which was unusual as we hadn’t had one like this until today.

He stressed that the route would be dangerous and that we would need to keep a fast pace to cross the glacier due its instability. He added that there is a risk that the temporary path may move, even while we are crossing it!

We climbed up to the moraine that marked the edge of the glacier. The sight was menacing. Rocks tumbled down mercilessly below. You could hear them thundering around us. Large boulders clung precariously along the edges and the path through only visible by the little hastily constructed cairns marking the route.

We made our way reaching the centre of the glacier to the sound of the rumbling, crunching ice below our feet. Loose rocks covered the terrain making it treacherous underfoot as we raced forward. If it wasn’t for my trekking poles, I would have been on my back several times! We arrived at a small glacial lake in the middle of the glacier where we stopped for a short break.

You could see the huge moraine on the opposite side from here. Gigantic rocks overhung it erratically, where every now and then, one would tumble down. As a yak train sped past us, we moved on. Rounding a huge rock we came to a stop, the path had changed in a matter of minutes and the cairn stones had been swept away.

Ram (one of the guides) took point, leading our group through this now uncharted territory. We kept the hard pace that strained our lungs and with a sigh of relief, we soon caught sight of the cairn stones. Before long we were scrambling out of the glacier joining the path to ‘Dragnag’, the end point for the day.

From here it was easy going. I looked back at the barren, lifeless, grey expanse we had just traversed. From this vantage point, it looked like nothing, but it demanded our utmost respect. The adrenaline was still kicking and I felt alive, I carried on with a giddy smile.

We reached Dragnag (4700m) at the mouth of the Cho La Pass in the mid afternoon. I checked my map to see what the following day would bring. It showed a very sharp ascent to over 5000m, with warnings of falling rocks, crevasses and in bold “Keep Left”. Looking up the gulley to the pass was daunting, but knowing I had conquered Gokyo Ri, I knew I could also conquer this challenge.

After some sunbathing on the patio to the teahouse, I was feeling lethargic prompting me to go for a siesta. One effect the altitude has had on me, is that I had been having very surreal and vivid dreams. Thus far, I have had one where I was hiking in my sleeping bag, one where I was investigating a murder while being taunted over the phone by the murderer and on this occasion, I dreamt I was David Tennant in Dr Who battling aliens that had toilet rolls for eyes!

To ensure I would have more crazy dreams, at dinner I added extra grated cheese to my spaghetti bolognese. We all sat in the common room playing cards for the evening; Ron showed us a game that was a cross between bridge and poker. We all named ‘Ron’s Game’. After now spending a week together, the whole group had bonded. It felt like we had known each other for years, not just for 8 days.

EBC Day 7 – 24th October 2009

Gokyo Ri Summit (Left) Irish Neil, Neil, Nick, Ron, Brydon (front), me, Pete (front), Colin, Linda, Steve (front), Andre, Bettina, Mark, Neil, Leon

The summit was the most difficult and challenging experience I had ever undertaken. We left the warmth of our beds at 0400hrs in the dead of night. I had every layer possible on, except for my down jacket as I knew once I started walking I would be too hot in it. I only took water and some food to keep my backpack light.

We snaked up Gokyo Ri in single file by the lights of our headtorches. I don’t know what the temperature was, but it I knew it way below zero. It was a 567m ascent to the summit from the teahouse. Surprisingly I hadn’t got the headache that had plagued me for the last week.

I felt ok until around the 5000m mark. My lungs were straining to absorb the little Oxygen in the air and the cold was almost unbearable and effecting my hands, they were hurting so much it made me feel sick. It was getting so bad I had to take my gloves off to inspect what was going on. To my horror they were an unhealthy dark red-purple colour and I feared I was getting frostbite. (Turns out I had frostnip, a precursor to frostbite. It also causes the effected area to be more susceptible to the cold, and even to this day, my hands become very painful when the temperature drops below 10 degrees).

The gloves I had were clearly inadequate for such an environment. Having read up on expeditions in the Himalayas, in almost all the literature there are warnings about frostbite. A common method to save your hands, is to stick them down your pants to warm them up.

In fear of losing my digits, I did just that. I laugh now remembering the sight of me, standing on the side of the mountain like a stereotypical ‘Chav’, getting disparaging looks as my traveling companions passed me by.

The feeling eventually and agonisingly returned to my hands, enabling me to continue. We kept a very slow pace with plenty of rest stops to gasp at the lack of Oxygen. The peak just seemed always out of reach and the dawn light at our backs filled the valley below. This meant I would miss the sunrise over Everest.

We slowly plodded on and the flapping prayer flags that marked the summit came into view. The peak was now within reach and the warmth of the Sun on my back spurred me on. I arrived to cheers from Nick and Andre. The elation of conquering Gokyo Ri, having suffered the low temperatures and little Oxygen, with moments where I was unsure I would make it, blotted out any disappointment of missing the sunrise.

I was bouncing around the top of Gokyo Ri (5357m) like Tigger. I grabbed my camera and started snapping away. Eventually the rest of the group joined us; some had struggled more than me, even those who had been taking Diamox! (Medication that is meant to alleviate the effects of altitude sickness).

It is not always guaranteed Diamox will work and today emphasized the fact that the altitude effects people differently. To celebrate I pulled out a Twix, however it was a solid block of ice. There is only one tested way to remedy this, I stuck it down my pants! If it worked for my hands it would work for my Twix! Luckily our guides had a stash of biscuits for us in the meantime. After about 30 minutes we began our descent back to our lodgings.

Everest (Pyramid shaped one on the right)

At about 0830hrs we arrived back; I was still buzzing from the climb. I amazed myself that I had climbed this mountain in such cold and miserable conditions, in an atmosphere that has a significantly lower Oxygen concentration, than at sea level.

We all headed to the common room for a breakfast of porridge and spent the rest of the day relaxing, catching up on sleep. Our room was North facing meaning it never warmed up; we opted to spend the day in the common room. The teahouse was very busy as there was a high altitude marathon passing through the region and this was one of the stages.

I grabbed my book (High Adventure by Edmund Hillary) enjoying the warmth and the views, as I buried my nose into the pages. At one point Andre decided to go for a swim in the lake, for which he won the infamous jacket for the day! The whole group joined us in the evening where we played card games until it was time for bed.

EBC Day 6 – 23 October 2009

It is becoming a pattern at this altitude. I wake in the early hours with my head feeling like someone is ticking away on typewriter and a parched throat. This night had been my worst so far, as I woke with an upset stomach. Having to squat over a long drop is not a pleasant experience when your not feeling a 100%.

I am finding though, after a bowl of porridge, some black tea and a couple of paracetamol, it gears me up for the day. Setting out it was warm and the clear skies still remained. I found I was getting out of breath easily now, an indication that the air is getting thinner.

The terrain became more barren as we progressed, almost lunar like. The vegetation was receding and it was becoming more rocky. The landscape was a mixture of browns and greys and difficult underfoot. The rocks were just large enough to catch your feet if you were not paying attention.

It wasn’t long before we reached the first of the three Gokyo Lakes. Only a small one, resembling a pond rather than a lake. Little cairns had been erected around the shore of the turquoise waters. Our head guide Rajesh said these waters were very pure and you could drink from it.

My water bottle was almost empty so I filled it up from a small stream running off the lake; I wasn’t 100% sure it was as pure as he claimed, so to be safe I dropped in a chlorine tablet and the neutraliser. It was so cool and refreshing, just what I needed on this hot day.

We continued onwards with our friend Cho Oyu watching over us. Before we knew it we arrived at the second lake. This one was larger and more scenic than the first, overlooked by a craggy snowcapped summit, stark against the vivid turquoise waters.

We finally made it to Gokyo (4790m) and the third lake. The teahouse sat on the shore with the common room and its three sided glassed walls showcasing the panoramic views of the lake, Gokyo Ri and Cho Oyu. Around the perimeter of the room were cushioned benches surrounding a large central stove, typical of the teahouses.

After a quick bite to eat, I decided to get some fresh air. I sat on a stone wall with my feet dangling over the edge and taking in the bliss of the scenery. The lack of Oxygen is very noticeable now, even as I sat there I felt out of breath.

I took a short walk around a ridgeline behind the teahouse giving views of the Ngozumba glacier and the glory of Cho Oyu. This is the first time I had seen a glacier up close and it wasn’t what I expected. You expect it to be white and ice like, but it wasn’t, it was grey and drab.

I found a very convenient rock to poise for a picture with Cho Oyu as the back drop; you could even see the snow trail from the the jet stream blowing over the top. One of my favourite pictures of the trip was taken here. Pete had decided on a siesta so I would have to take him to this spot the next day.

Our room looked out over Cho Oyu and as the sun set, it gave magical views of the mountain, casting yellow light over the snow capped peak. Tomorrow we would climb Gokyo Ri, the first mountain we would ascend in this region. The plan is to be at the summit at dawn so we can see the sunrise over Everest. This meant it would be a very early start.

Up and Out in Paris

My Camino family have all kept in touch since we said our goodbyes in Santiago back in October. Marcus and Sandra have birthdays a day apart in May, giving the perfect excuse to meet up; Marcus kindly invited us to stay at his home in Paris.

I caught the Eurostar from London on 3rd of May and skipped under the channel to Paris, where I met up with the gang at a restaurant opposite the Gare du Nord station.

After some food and a brief catch up we did a little sight seeing. First stopping at the Sacre Coeur Basilica. A beautiful church perched on a hill overlooking Paris. I ascended the narrow spiral staircase with almost 300 steps to the roof, to get the panoramic views of the city.

I descended more spiral steps to have a look inside the Church. It reminded me of the reason why pilgrims dislike steps! From here I met back up with the gang at Place du Tertre, to have a drink and watch the world go by.

We then walked down more steps into Pigalle to see the infamous Moulin Rouge theatre. We hopped onto the metro to La Defense, where Marcus lives so we could drop off our bags, before heading back out for dinner.

Marcus used to work in this business area and has lived here for over 20 years. It is a complete contrast to the historic city centre, entering this modern high rise office district.

We passed some sculptures and got up close to the grand arch that is in direct line of sight to the Arc de Triomphe.

Once our gear was dropped off and a quick freshen up, we hit the metro back into Paris to a restaurant called ‘Le Train Bleu’. A grand place built in 1900 as the buffet lounge for the station at the Gare de Lyon.

The splendour and artwork were a real treat and it all seemed very posh; I felt a little out of place, but it was enjoyable none the less. We celebrated with fine food and drink singing happy birthday to Marcus’ and Sandra’s embarrassment.

The next day Dirk and I took a walk along the Bois de Boulogne into Paris. The sun was out as we crossed through this picturesque park with it’s lakes containing huge carp.

We caught up with life after the Camino and joked about our journey and adventures back in September. It felt like old times walking together again.

Soon we were on the Champs Elysees heading towards the Arc de Triomphe. We arrived at the chaos that is the roundabout that encircles the monument. There seems to be no rules for the traffic and resembles more of a destruction derby!

To get to arch you take an under path below the road. The queue to the top was too long so we decided to have a walk around the outside before continuing on for some lunch.

After calling into a small pizzeria we made our way to the river Seine, not far from the Eiffel Tower. From here we walked along the banks of the river in the direction of Notre Dame.

Passing the Concorde plaza, the Louvre and many more museums with eloquent architecture. We overtook countless statues as cruise boats overtook us on the Seine.

Our destination was the Tour St. Jacques. The Paris start point for the Camino de Santiago. This was once a church, but during the revolution it was demolished except for the tower, that was used to make musket balls.

The rest of the Camino family joined us for a drink, then we walked part of the Chemin St. Jacque (the Camino), following the familiar scallop shells. We arrived at the Notre Dame.

I was a school boy the last time I was here, and I would have liked to have gone inside. However due to the fire that devastated cathedral, causing the roof to collapse a few years ago, it was closed for reconstruction.

We jumped on the metro to the Eiffel Tower and had a walk round before walking up to the Palais de Chaillot. We stopped for some Crepes then moved on to the Arc de Triomphe, to climb to the top and see the Sunset through the Grand Arch.

By now it was late, so we returned home, concluding our time in Paris. We were all feeling tired now, and looking at my watch I had walked 25km; a typical day on the Camino!

I had a great time catching up with my dear friends, reminiscing on our adventures across Spain and exploring the city of Paris together. We all agreed will we meet up again for someone else’s birthday!

More pictures can be found here https://youtu.be/okQSJMV4xnI

EBC Day 5 – 22nd October 2009

I had slept well despite the cold; it took a while for my sleeping bag to reach a comfortable temperature, but once it had I was out like a light. I woke around 0400hours feeling dehydrated and my thumping headache had returned. I drank from my water bottle that was icy cold and fell back to sleep. It hadn’t improved by breakfast, so I drank a further litre of water, warmed up with some black tea and forced down a bowl of porridge.

Luckily this seemed to do the trick as I was feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. As we stepped out of the teahouse, the striking views of the mountains stunned us. There was a cloudless, deep blue sky and the temperature was perfect for walking; we set off at a slow pace.

Now that we are above 4000m the lack of large plants and trees are noticeable. The air now too thin to support large vegetation. The landscape is dominated by the low growing heather. With the high walls of the mountains surrounding us, it emphasized the remoteness of this part part of the world.

The huge titan that is Cho Oyu, standing at 8,188m, sitting at the head of the Ngozumba Valley was our constant companion for the day. Around mid morning we all stopped for a rest, spreading ourselves out basking in the sunlight.

At the call of Djam Djam, we continued our slow pace onwards. We passed abandoned dry stone buildings, shrines with their prayer flags flapping in the wind. It is so peaceful and quiet, it felt alien. We reached another shrine surrounded by the snowcapped mountains overlooking our stop for the night Machherma (4470M).

We reached our lodgings that thankfully had power and I settled in for the evening. Unlike the previous nights, the clouds hadn’t moved in, leaving the sky clear showing us the stars overhead. There is no light pollution here and I’ve never seen so many stars nor them so bright before. Despite the freezing temperatures I stood outside admiring the heavens before it was time for bed.

EBC Day 4 – 21st October 2009

This morning I felt dizzy, lightheaded and the nagging headache had returned. I stood outside on the patio in the bright morning sunshine to get some fresh air. I popped a couple of the super ibuprofen and after breakfast I was feeling a lot better.

There wasn’t a cloud and the titans were in their full glory. I had never seen mountains like these before in my life; it really is a magical place. We followed the same route out of Namche as our climatization day along a path that clung to the mountain sides. We passed huge shrines perched on the cliff edges, with prayer flags flapping in the alpine breeze.

At one point the path narrowed to almost single file through a small gulley. I heard a shout from the guides at the rear of the group that a Yak train was approaching. One warning we were given on day one, is if there is a Yak train, you get out of its way, specifically move to the mountain side of the path. These things do not stop and they will knock you over the edge!

Unfortunately me and Pete were at a pinch point on the path with huge boulders either side of us. Pete managed to take some quick steps forward and jump up a small bank to get out the way, however there was no room for me. I tried to scramble up the side of a boulder but couldn’t get my footing; I could feel the ground vibrating from the approaching Yaks.

At the very last moment Neil and Leon grabbed my backpack and both lifted me into the air, as I watched the train speed past under my dangling feet in a blur, kicking up dust into the air. A very close call; leaving this world via a Yak train would have been too embarrassing!

Around midday we arrived at Mong (4000m) where I was famished and my head was pounding. I wolfed down some egg noodles and fell asleep, only to be woken by shouts of “Djam Djam”. From Mong, we descended 400m into a Rhododendron forest. I really enjoyed this part of the route.

It felt so secluded and serene, completely cut off from civilisation; it is rumoured to be Yeti country! The trees offered shade from the sun making it ideal for walking. We passed waterfalls and watched eagles riding the thermals overhead. I soon lost myself in my own thoughts and my headache began to subside.

We arrived at our destination for the night, Dohle (4110m), at 1600hrs after a grueling 2 hour uphill climb from the Rhododendron forest. As the sun dipped behind a mountain the clouds enveloped us and the temperature dropped considerably. The teahouse was the most basic we had experienced so far on the trek. There were no lights at all, so we had to eat and socialize by headtorch.

After a meal of vegetable curry and plenty of water, my headache had almost completely dissipated. We spent the evening in the common room feeling exhausted, chatting until it was time for bed.

EBC Day 3 – 20th October 2009

At around 0635hrs I woke after a restless nights sleep. Despite the improvement in the mattresses and the warmth compared to Prakding, I had a disturbed sleep due to a mouse infestation. I kept being woken by the scratching and scurrying within the plywood walls and ceiling that formed our room.

To make matters worse, I also had a headache and a sore throat. The thin dry air appeared to be having a negative effect on me. Today is a scheduled ‘Climatization Day’, where we would ascended a further 400m before returning to our lodgings; we were over the 3000m mark, where the thin atmosphere now posed a risk of altitude sickness. Today’s “little” walk was to enable our bodies to adjust to the low Oxygen levels.

Everest Left & Above Pete and Ama Dablam Above me

Once we devoured breakfast, the group walked around the ridge line above Namche Bazaar to arrive at a visitor centre for a break. It is meant to boast views of Everest and Ama Dablam, however we were out of luck as these giants were hidden behind clouds. From the centre we followed a steep, winding path to a teahouse where we stopped for an hour or so at the elevation of 3800m.

It had been tough going and the lack of Oxygen was noticeable, I was getting very easily out of breath and exhausted. Despite the strenuous walk and the constant nagging headache, it was enjoyable. When we arrived at the teahouse the sun had burnt away the clouds revealing Everest and the unmistakable twin peaks of Ama Dablam.

(Left) Ron, Irish Neil, Neil, Mark (Front), Andre, Brydon, Neil, Linda , Bettina (Front), Colin, Steve, Leon, Pete, Me

We posed for photographs, getting our first of the whole group (minus Nick as he took the picture). The clouds had almost completely dissipated uncovering the magical scenery of the Himalayas, leaving us even more breathless! The back drop to our descent back into Namche Bazaar was unforgettable; a world like no other.

In the afternoon Pete and I went to the shops to get some supplies for the coming days. Knowing the prices would increase and items would become more scarce, we thought it prudent to stock up now. I also got myself some more Ibuprofen, popping a couple as we browsed. These seemed to be stronger than the over the counter medication we get back home. My headache cleared in no time!

The last item I got was a map of the region, so I could identify the mountains that would tower over us as we progressed further into the Himalayas. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at our teahouse playing cards and chatting with the group.

EBC Day 2 – 19th October 2009

I woke around 2300hrs to visit the rest room; seems the copious litres of water I had drunk during the day hadn’t finished with me. The paracetamol I took before bed hadn’t worked and my headache had intensified; so I popped an ibuprofen and went back to sleep. The next thing I knew it was 0600hrs, no headache and I felt refreshed!

There are no showering facilities nor hot water (as this requires a wood stove is to be burning). This meant we had to use a technique that is known as a ‘Whores Bath’ (or a ‘Corby Wash’ for those readers from Northamptonshire!) This involves using baby wipes to clean your armpits and groin region. (We brought a supply of baby wipes with us, thanks to my research for the trip)

We met the group for breakfast of porridge and black tea. One of the quirks of trekking in such a remote region of the world, is not having access to products we take for granted back home. Anything that has a short shelf life, like milk, is almost none existent. Everything has to be transported by the Sherpas on foot, which you can imagine is a slow process. There are no motorized vehicles here.

The further into the Himalayas you go, the rarer items become (and the more expensive), especially luxury items such as milk. However, you soon get used to drinking black tea and even to this day, I prefer tea without milk.

Once fueled up, Rajesh shouted “Djam Djam” (Nepalese for let’s go or move) which is the signal for us to get walking. Leaving Prakding the incline was gentle, traversing more suspension bridges that crisscrossed the river, passing smallholdings with gardens full of green vegetables; I joked with Pete that we are in the shire from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ books.

The path came alongside a waterfall and a small teahouse, overlooked by a snow capped peak. We stopped here for a lemon tea break and a snack. At the shout of ‘Djam Djam’ we continued onwards to the manned entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park (Sagarmatha is the Sherpa name for Everest).

We had to get a photographed permit at the office before we could continue. As part of the equipment and documentation requirements given to us by the travel company, we already had our passport photographs. I now have the permit displayed on a book shelf in my living room.

The group passed through the brick built gatehouse into the national park, continuing along the footpath, still with the gentle incline. This abruptly ended at a suspension bridge that crossed the river, to what looked like a huge, treed rockface. From here the route became fiercely steep, zigzagging it’s way to the Sherpa capitol, Namche Bazaar.

Once we crossed the bridge, two Sherpas and a man on horseback were heading down. The chap on the horse didn’t seem very well, he was pale and had a dazed/vacant look. Turns out he had altitude sickness and was being taken to lower climes, to recover in the Oxygen rich lowlands.

It was tough going as we snaked up the track, dodging yak trains and Sherpas who were practically running past us. We got to a view point and through a clearing in the trees, we got our first view of Sagarmatha herself. Unfortunately Everest’s peak was obscured by clouds and we only got brief glimpses through small gaps.

I couldn’t help but smile seeing our destination in the distance, I just hoped that it would be cloudless when we climb Kala Patthar, to get those infamous views of the tallest mountain in the world.

Late afternoon we arrived at Namche Bazaar. A brightly coloured jewel clinging to the mountain side in a horseshoe shape. We were guided through the narrow, winding streets to our teahouse and home for the next two nights. (Thankfully they had hot water and showers)

Outside there is a patio giving views down the valley we had just ascended. After sorting out our gear, we sat on the patio watching the clouds move in from the valley below. They rolled in like a tide with surprising speed until they enveloped the Sherpa Capitol.

Pete needed some trainers, so we hit the markets and stalls. We had a browse at what was on offer and after treating ourselves to a Mars bar each, we met up with Andre and Nick from our group in a teahouse; soon the rest of the group joined us.

Pete and I, along with two members of the group, Colin and Linda, headed back to the shops. Colin works in sales and used his bartering skills to get a pair of trainers that were 2500 rupees for 1500 rupees! He was so slick at it, expertly using humour to haggle down the price; it was like watching an artist at work!

Pete was over the moon with them, although Nike knock offs, if you ask him, he will say those were the best pair of trainers he has ever owned! We continued browsing as Colin was hunting for a hideous looking item of clothing for a game he wanted to play with the group.

It was called “Dick of the Day”. The idea being, if someone had done something silly or noteworthy, they are nominated to a chosen committee. If it is approved, as a forfeit they would have to wear this item the following day.

After searching almost all the shops in Namche Bazaar, Colin found the ideal item. A fur lined, blue Tibetan style jacket with a floral pattern. At dinner, the game was announced and the first winner was Nick! We all retired for the evening and so far my headache hadn’t returned; long may that last!

EBC Day 1 – 18th October 2009

The previous day had been exhausting travelling from blighty, arriving at the hotel in in the evening at Kathmandu. After we had the meet and greet with our guide Rajesh, we headed into town to get something to eat and to transfer some currency into Nepalese Rupee. The streets were alive with celebration and fireworks for Diwali, resulting in a late one.

It was difficult forcing myself out of bed at 0400hrs to get ready to catch the coach to the airport at 0515hrs. This was made even harder due to the lights in the bathroom not working, thus we had to do business by torch light. To top it off there was no hot water, so I skipped my morning shower that I rely on to wake me up!

The short coach ride to the airport passed through the now quiet and empty streets that were full of life the night before. From the airport in the dawn light, we could see the Himalayas in the distance causing a little wave of giddiness to pass over me. The adventure is about to begin! We left the terminal and crossed the tarmac to a tiny twin propeller plane, squeezing through a tiny hatch to the cabin, where we were packed in like sardines.

The two pilots, in brown leather flight jackets with white woolen collars, complete with aviator glasses were all set in the cockpit. It was like something from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom!

The flight to Lukla resembled a rollercoaster. The plane would bank left and right, zipping between the towering peaks of the Himalayas. Just before we came into land, the pilot reached up and grabbed the throttle and with a swift motion, pulls on it as the plane dives into it’s approach to Lukla.

The peculiar thing about this airport is the runway; nestled on a cliff face, it has an upward gradient ending in the side of a mountain, however the most striking feature though, is the runway, it is very, very short! If the plane were to overshoot on landing, it would crash into the mountain and if the plane doesn’t build enough speed on take off, it will fall off the mountain!

As we disembarked the plane, I was stunned by the scenery; I was amongst giants! I had finally set foot in the Himalayas. Lush green mountains, blue skies and fresh cool mountain air. The adrenaline was surging through my veins.

Our group stopped at a teahouse to get a hot drink and sort our luggage out. Moving items to our day packs from our main bags. Here we met the remainder of our guides and the Sherpas who would be carrying the bulk of our belongings.

We set off following a mountain path, passing through a welcoming arch where we met our first yak train. All the while we were being overtaken by Sherpas carrying items in baskets strapped to their heads with sandals for footwear; they really put me to shame. There was one snow capped mountain that dominated the skyline for most of the day. ‘Karyolung’ with a summit of 6511 metres above sea level. EBC sits 1200m below that, putting into perspective how high I would be reaching.

We took our time following the path at the advice of our head guide Rajesh. To avoid altitude sickness, we were to walk slowly and drink plenty of water. As a result, we made plenty of stops for the toilet! The route crossed suspension bridges over rivers and valleys. It would snake around huge painted boulders and shrines, under lines of prayer flags flapping in the mountain breezes.

We eventually reached our teahouse for the night at Prakding (2610m). It was very basic, which is common of the lodgings along the trek. Two single wooden beds made up each room, with mattresses that might as well have been a sheet of cardboard.

We had a light meal of noodle soup before having a siesta, after which we had an explore of this little hamlet. We met up with more of our group at a teahouse and chatted over a cup of lemon tea. We returned for our evening meal of chicken and chips; I would have had the Yak but they had ran out!

We got to know our group a little more over a few card games. Night had arrived and so began the Diwali celebrations. We ventured out again to watch the festivities before retiring for the night. I lay in bed feeling very weary from the flights, lack of sleep and the day’s walking. I had a mild headache since dinner and I hoped it would go in the night and not a sign of altitude sickness.