The trek down from Tengboche, Nepal
Sunday 8th January 2006.
Trek Day 6: Tengboche to Namche Bazar
At 9am we started the walk back towards Namche. It was very slow going downhill to the river crossing. It wasn’t quite as slow as going up, but one has to be extra careful going downhill. It would be very easy to sustain a bad injury. After crossing back over the river we had a 400 metre climb back out of the valley again. I found this just as demanding as yesterday’s climb to Tengboche. Fortunately it was not as long. I took it very slowly and rested frequently to get some oxygen into my system.
He called me Pappie
At the top of the climb we stopped at a lodge for lunch. Again the tea and soup was very welcome but the main course I only nibbled at. Others in the group also lacked an appetite. Ananta (our guide) planned to take an alternative, longer route back to Namche but he gave me the option of heading straight back to our lodge there. This was the direct route back, the one we used yesterday and far easier and shorter than the alternative it turned out. The rest of the group went back via the Everest View Hotel and another village in that area. I was escorted by one of the guides, the one who called me “Pappie†when he found out that Rose was my daughter. I arrived back about an hour before the rest of the group staggered into the dining room. I was able to set up my room, wash and change before they had arrived.
OUCH
When I changed my shoes and socks I was rather concerned about the state of my feet. I have managed to keep going but the blisters are very sore. One small toenail looks very bruised and sore to touch. This injury must have been caused by the steep gradient when going downhill, I guess.
Longing for the Comforts of Home
Tomorrow we go steeply downhill again to the river crossing, then follow the river back towards Monjo. We won’t stay there for the night but will press on to Phakding where we stayed the first night. It will then be a relatively easy three hours back to Lukla where we will stay the night before flying back to Kathmandu. Up to today I have walked for 24 and a half hours over six days. Just eight hours to go. I can’t wait for decent toilets, showers and bed in the Shangri La Hotel in Kathmandu. I’m convinced that I’m too soft and like the comforts of home too much.
Our Nightly Entertainment
One of the fascinating things about the trek has been the camaraderie amongst the trekkers, the guides and the Sherpas. We don’t spend any time with the porters as they usually head off ahead of us. Apart from Rose and myself there is Russell, a classical guitarist from London. He currently works in the office of a fashion design house. He has made recordings of his playing for his own use. He and Ananta have entertained us with their guitar playing every evening along the way. Each lodge has its own guitar. Russell has played a variety of classical and jazz pieces, some he has written himself. Ananta has a broad repertoire, including a wide knowledge of Beatles songs. He taught himself to play with lessons accessed over the internet. He also sings along to his own playing.
Members of Our Trekking Group
Linda, perhaps a few years younger than me (I haven’t asked her), is from Horsham Victoria. She is accompanying Jenny, her daughter and Jen’s partner James who are both currently working in London. Then there is Jade and Kane from Darwin. Kane is a builder and his wife Jade is a high school teacher of Maths and Science. She is a few months pregnant and has really struggled with the food and with morning sickness.
The last member of the group is Kath from Melbourne. She is a trained nurse who recently changed jobs and is contracted to do Enterprise Bargaining Agreements for different organisations. She is by far the “life of the party†type person who tries to keep spirits up. While I get along well with her, I can imagine that over time I could only take her in small doses.
After the trek I will be going to Chitwan with Kane and Jade and that will be good for companionship. I get along quite well with them. Apart from a few annoying little things, overall the group is very easy to get along with. There has been very little swearing and that is a pleasant aspect of the trek.
Rose has just arrived back from looking at the shopping area here in Namche. She bought me a Mars Bar and a bottle of Sprite. The Mars Bar was very enjoyable. Bless her.
Tengboche to Namche Bazar, Nepal
Sunday 8th January 2006.
Trek Day 6: Tengboche to Namche Bazar
Last night I went to bed very early at 8pm. I was feeling a little better than earlier. It was getting very cold so I put on my thermal underwear before snuggling into my sleeping bag. I was feeling very cosy and Ananta (our guide) came into my room a few minutes later to check up on me. He gave me some advice about what to do if I felt any discomfort during the night. He emphasised that I could wake him if I needed assistance at any time. He woke me again at about midnight to check on how I was going. I think that I had about six hours good sleep during the night, despite it being extremely cold. Unfortunately Rose did not sleep at all well. I guess I snored a bit. She also said later that she was listening to see if I was still breathing. I guess I worried her quite a deal.
Arise for the Sunrise
We were woken at 6:30am to witness the sunrise again. After that we walked over to the nearby Visitor Centre but there was no-one available to open it for us. The early morning air was very crisp, probably around minus 5 degrees I thought. Certainly colder than a frosty morning home in Murray Bridge (South Australia). A warm fire in the dining room at breakfast time was most attractive.
Group Photo
After breakfast we all lined up for a group photograph with Everest in the background. The chill factor in the wind made this an uncomfortable time. It seemed to take forever because there were so many cameras to get through.
Last night the Sherpas and porters had made a special banner celebrating our achievement. They hung it in the dining room for us to photograph.
Avalanche!
Saturday 7th January 2006.
Trek day 5: Namche Bazar to Tengboche
As we neared Tengboche we heard a loud rumble.
Avalanche!
A huge avalanche of snow and ice, perhaps 400 metres wide, thundered down the valley opposite us. We were in no danger whatsoever. We stopped in awe and wonderment, excited by this spectacular display of the powerful forces of nature unleashed in a split second. Despite this we all had the presence of mind to take some excellent photos.
Snow and Dust
The snow start billowing up several hundreds of metres, whipped up by the wind. Soon we were walking in dust around our feet from the path and with snow flakes swirling around our heads from the avalanche. Bizarre! It only lasted a few minutes. Ten minutes later we heard another, smaller avalanche. Amazing! I never even thought about the possibility of an avalanche, and here, we had seen two in the space of ten minutes.
Test of Endurance
In the morning I knew that this walk would take about six hours, the average time for most trekkers. I set a goal of doing it in seven hours. I managed to do it in five and half hours, so I felt a good sense of achievement. Despite that, I acknowledge that I was way beyond what I thought was my level of endurance physically. I was way beyond what I thought I could achieve. On arrival I felt very distressed. Ananta (our guide) gave me some medication, a diuretic tablet, as well as plenty of hot liquids. The hot lemon is very refreshing. After about two hours I had recovered except for some discomfort due to stomach cramps.
I DID IT
The view around here simply awesome with 6000 metre+ peaks all around. The view of Mt Everest shows only the top of the peak. Despite the relatively poor view of Everest, it seems incredible that we are only about 20km from it. We are still at least five days walk from Base Camp. It seems impossible that I have reached this far, and so close to the “Top of the World.†The dreams and aspirations of so many years have, in part, been realised today. I think, on reflection, my distress was in reality total relief that I had made it.
I did it.
I achieved the highest point on this particular trek. The enormity of what I have achieved has not yet fully sunk in. It may take weeks.
Buddhist Monastry
At 4pm the rest of the trekking group went to the nearby monastery to watch the afternoon prayers. This is a Buddhist monastery which is the predominant religion in this region. I found it interesting that so many make a long pilgrimage to this place. Many coming from India for example, would have to travel for two to three weeks, much of it on foot. A sign in the dining room of our lodge is thought provoking: “Prayer is the pillar of religion and the key to paradise.â€
Pilgrimage
I was not on a religious pilgrimage as such. Rather, it turned out to be something of a journey of personal discovery. I discovered that I was capable of achieving something way beyond what I had ever imagined. I discovered the true meaning of perseverance. And I also discovered that travel agents’ brochures not only look glossy, their descriptions are also very “glossy”, that is, they gloss over the hard bits.
Namche Bazar to Tengboche, Nepal
Saturday 7th January 2006.
Trek day 5: Namche Bazar to Tengboche
We have arrived at Tengboche. At 3875 metres (12800 feet) it is the highest point on our trek. We were woken at 7am and were ready to leave at 8:40am the immediate climb out of Namche is hard, slow going for the first thirty minutes. This was the fourth time we had done this little stretch in 26 hours. It hurt.
Step carefully
After passing the Sagarmartha National Park Headquarters we continued along the contoured path around the next mountain. This was generally level going with a few gentle rises and falls – that is, gentle by Nepal standards. After about two and a half hours we dropped steeply down some 400 metres into the valley. I often found that going downhill can be as demanding as climbing. One has to step very carefully. One is always one false step away from falling, twisting an ankle or worse. You try not to think about the “what ifs†and tread cautiously every step of the way.
Lack of Appetite
Near the suspension bridge over the river we stopped for lunch at a small restaurant attached to a lodge. I really appreciated the hot vegetable soup we were served. The main course was a different matter and I only nibbled at the food. Lack of appetite at altitude is quite common. Many of the others in the trekking group had the same problem. The hot lemon drink went down very well, however. Keeping hydrated is also very important at high altitudes.
Unrelenting Climb
After lunch we crossed the raging river over a very rickety wooden suspension bridge. From that point the track went straight up to Tengboche. Two and a half hours of unrelenting climbing with no down slopes and only a few metres here and there of what might be called level going. This was by far our greatest challenge on the trek. It was a monumental challenge for this old body of mine.
Mental Challenge
Not only was it a physical challenge, it was also a huge mental challenge. It was just a matter of one foot in front of the other all the way. That makes it sound easy; putting that one foot in front of the other quickly became to hardest physical and mental thing I have ever done. The breathing became more laboured, gasping for every smidgeon of oxygen my lungs could gather. The leg muscles screamed for me to stop after every step. Interestingly, even after this steep climb I had no residual muscle stiffness the next day. That part of my training worked.
Namche Bazar, Nepal
Friday 6th January 2006Â Â Trek Day 4
Sobering scene
This morning one of our Sherpas left us to walk five days to Everest Base Camp. He was going to replace another guide who had died due to altitude sickness. Shortly after we had arrived yesterday we actually saw the body being carried down the valley. I guess he was to be cremated further on down the valley, maybe even in Kathmandu. It was a sobering scene. One cannot be too careful about taking things slowly; altitude sickness comes swiftly and unexpectedly. Even the locals are susceptable. Acclimatization is the key.
Sleeping In a Cold Climate
Last night I slept quite well despite the cold. Thermal underwear and a good sleeping bag are essential in this area, even in the lodges. The walls of the rooms are so thin that they can get very cold at 5am. The slight tummy upset I had last night lasted until about 11pm. I feel much better now and I seem to be coping with the altitude. Having said that, climbing even a few stairs to get to one’s room brings on a deep gasping for air. Thankfully I am able to get a reasonable amount of sleep. I have only had a few short sessions of dizziness. Our guides are very understanding and have taken very good care of us all so far.