Travels in Nepal # 39 Another Steep Climb

Near Namche Bazar, Nepal

Although we were now descending towards Namche Bazar, there was another very steep climb left on the trek. After the steep descent from Tengboche there is a crossing over a suspension bridge over the river at the bottom of the valley. It is then another hard slog back to the top again. I’m convinced someone sharpened the climb in the intervening 24 hours! It seemed nowhere near as steep on the way down the day before.

Again I had to let the group go ahead. I set my own pace, steadily getting slower as the climb progressed. As we approached our lunch time destination I found the going particularly hard. It was through sheer persistence and determination that I finally made it. The legs didn’t want to be lifted up one more rock, or take one more step. One of the guides kept by me the whole time; he knew I was struggling, but he kept on encouraging me to keep going. The rest of the trekking group had almost finished their drinks by the time I arrived for lunch. So what – I made it, didn’t I? I also have the satisfaction of achieving the climb.