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.
Around Namche Bazar, Nepal
Friday 6th January 2006
Trek Day 4: Namche Bazar
After breakfast we went for a three hour walk along the edge of the valley to another stupa. Except for the climb out of the area around Namche this walk did not include much climbing. Along the way we passed through extensive rhododendron forests but they were not in flower, being the middle of winter.
Himalayan Monal – Nepal’s National Bird
We also had stunning views of the national bird of Nepal, the Himalayan Monal (also called Danphe’s Pheasant). These turkey sized birds feed on the ground using their beaks to search for their food in the leaves under trees. they also nest on the ground. I saw several gliding away below me, their iridescent feathers glowing in the sunlight, their coppery coloured wings stunningly beautiful. (For detailed information click here.) We also saw a group of Himalayan Thar, a large goat native to the area.
Sherpa Museum
After lunch we went for yet another walk up the pass, this time to the Sherpa Museum. The photographic display of Everest attempts was very interesting. After our return to the lodge I sorted out my clothes after receiving my laundry bag back. Except for what I am wearing, everything is now clean. At Rs200 ($4) it was worth it. I then went and had a shower which was most welcome, especially being able to wash my hair. Again, at a cost of Rs150 ($3) it was worth it. The system for hot showers her in the lodge is complicated. One has to book ahead for the water to be heated. It is then poured into the tank above the shower and so you need to move quickly before either the water gets too cold or you run out of hot water. I managed not to run out of water.
My suffering feet
My blisters on my toes and feet have been quite reasonable today. The one on my left heel has given me beans all day and I renewed the patch on it after my shower. Several of my little toes are quite bruised under the nail. They get bruised when walking downhill because they take the brunt of the pressure as the foot slides forward.
Highway to Tibet
Upstream from where we were this morning is a hydro-electric power system. This supplies Namche and a few other nearby villages. The track we walked on is the “highway†to Tibet. Over the centuries this has been a major trade route between Nepal and Tibet as well as China. From here it is a seven day walk to the next big town in Tibet.
A day in Namche Bazar, Nepal
Friday 6th January 2006
Trek Day 4: At Namche Bazar
Early Rise
This morning we were woken at 6am to leave at 6:30am to climb up the pass to the north of Namche Bazar to view the sunrise on Mt. Everest, Lohtse and several other prominent peaks in the area. The climb up to the pass was a killer after all the effort expended yesterday.
Crashed Helicopters
Along the way we passed two crashed helicopters. One of them was only last week. We were advised not to take any photos as the army is just a little embarrassed about the incident. There were quite a few armed soldiers at an army post at the lookout, so we made sure we were very careful about where we aimed our cameras. Wind gusts area real problem for pilots in this area, which explains the wrecks. Still, they do not inspire confidence knowing that our special insurance policy for the trek includes evacuation by helicopter!
New Birds
The view from the pass was quite spectacular and we all took quite a few photos. On the way back to the lodge we visited the National Park Headquarters. It was hard to see the exhibits due to a lack of light. On our way back I had excellent views of two Yellow Billed Choughs and a flock of Snow Pigeons, both new species for me.
Trekking from Monjo to Namche Bazar
Thursday 5th January 2006.
Trek day 3: Monjo to Namche Bazar
In the first hour we crossed several suspension bridges. The last one, at the confluence of the Dudh Kosi and the Bhote Kosi, was the highest. I have had no trouble crossing all these bridges despite the swinging, both sideways and vertically. One tries not to be aware of the enormous boulders and the raging water below.
Unrelenting Climb
The steep climb up the valley sides towards Namche Bazar was unrelenting. There are hardly any breaks, very few down slopes or level paths. Two and a half hours of steady slog. In that time we climbed about 600 metres (nearly 2000 feet). Until the last twenty minutes my leg muscles were fine. They have given me so problems so far and surprisingly no residual stiffness the next day. All my training paid off, it seems. About ten minutes from the lodge my daughter Rose ordered me to stop and apply a patch to the developing blister on my heel.
Lack of Oxygen
My major problem is still the breathing. I am constantly gasping for air. The lack of oxygen at 3446 metres (11,100 feet) is really telling. Every step becomes an effort, not only physically. I am surprised at the mental effort needed to keep going. You know that you have to keep each foot moving, one after the other, until your reach the goal, the lodge for the night. Just when you think you can’t take another step, or step up another rock, you come around a bend in the track and you realise that the track continues to wend its tortuous way up yet another steep pinch.
A day’s rest for acclimatisation tomorrow will be most welcome. What worries me is that we still have another 400 metres of altitude to gain the following day. Included in this is a steep descent of 200 metres to cross a river, followed by another 600 metre climb to Tengboche where our next lodge is located.
Encouragement
Ananta our guide is very encouraging. He, or another of the guides, stayed just behind me all the time this morning. He says that today was the most important day of the trek. The fact that we all made it is a good sign. It is even more encouraging that I made the distance and the climb in three and a half hours today instead of the five hours I set myself.
On the downside however, I could hardly eat lunch. I was seriously dehydrated I think. Jade and Kane were marvellous and shared their drink with me. It was a special drink that assists with re-hydration. Although it didn’t taste all that good it was quite beneficial.
After lunch we had to wait a long time for our bags to arrive. The porters decided to stop along the way for a drink in a local pub. At the same time Ananta warned us not to drink alcohol at this altitude because it is like a poison to those who are not acclimatised.
Namche Bazar
Namche Bazar is quite a large village perched on the sides of a steep amphitheatre. The beautiful houses and lodges are very quaint with white stone walls, green or blue roofs and blue, green or orange window frames. It is the commercial centre for this part of Nepal and is important for trade between Nepal and Tibet. In days past salt from Tibet was traded for other goods. It has now the highest per capita income of any town or village in Nepal, principally due to the trekking and mountaineering business. Tourism is the backbone of this area.
Washing Day
After we had unpacked our bags and settled into our lodge rooms we arranged for some washing to be done at a local laundry, essentials like socks, undies and t-shirts. Getting things dry in our rooms would be impossible, as there is nowhere to hang things and little air circulation. Other items will have to wait until our return to Kathmandu.
Sudden Chill
It is now 3:30pm as I write this and the sun has disappeared behind a huge mountain to the west. This mountain has many small glaciers in the valleys and the white snow and ice glows in the sun. During the wet season these are probably waterfalls. As the sun went the temperature dropped several degrees immediately. The sun coming in through the dining room windows has been beautiful – until it goes. I hope that they light the fire soon.
Our lodge
Our lodge room, like the others, is small, basic but adequate. It’s better than camping outside – and probably quite a deal warmer. It seems that the rooms we have had on this trek are far superior than what some of the trekkers experienced on their trek in the Annapurna region last week. They are quite pleased with the accommodation we have had on this trek.
Cricket Scores
This afternoon, one of the group, James, found out the scores in the Third Test cricket match in Sydney between Australia and South Africa. There are several internet facilities here in Namche, but they are very expensive. It is expensive because it is a satellite connection. I have seen about 5 or 6 satellite dishes on buildings around the town.