Trek from Phakding to Lukla, Nepal
Tuesday 10th January 2006.
Trek Day 8: Phakding to Lukla
Some of the trekking group stayed up until 10pm last night singing and dancing in the small dining room. At 8pm I was so tired I just had to head off to bed early. I fell asleep almost immediately and was only vaguely aware of Rose coming to bed later. I slept soundly all night only waking a few times to roll over and in so doing resting the bruised spot on each hip. The almost non-existent mattresses are real hip bruisers. I was pleased to get some good sleep because it was extremely cold. I usually do not like using the hood of a sleeping bag, but over the last three nights I have had to use it.
Pool Games
Before dinner last night I played pool in the pool room of the lodge. They have a regular sized pool table as well as a large size snooker table. They weren’t carried up to the lodge in one piece but were rather taken up in pieces and assembled inside the pool room.
Room Service
This morning we were able to sleep in until woken at 8am with the usual cup of tea delivered to our room. This is very nice and I am getting used to the room service. We had breakfast at 9 o’clock and were on our way again by 9:30am.
The track back to Lukla is fairly level for much of the way until the last climb up to Lukla which is about 200 metres and takes about an hour. Nothing here is measured in distance. It is always in hours or days for the longer trips. We arrived at about midday after two and a half hours walking. We all had a drink before lunch. I am really getting used to the hot lemon drink they serve as a beverage.
Lukla, Nepal
The town of Lukla is quite prosperous looking, probably as a result of the trekkers. There are many lodges and hotels here too. I guess many tourists fly in here for a few days without going on an extended trek. It is quite a good destination to just get a taste of the mountains and their amazing grandeur. The track to our lodge goes down the main street. There is a wide range of things available for sale, but prices tend to be cheaper in Kathmandu. I noticed quite a few places offered STD and ISD connections as well as internet availability.
Lukla Numbur Hotel
Our lodge is the Peregrine preferred one called the Lukla Numbur Hotel. Compared to those on the trek it is very nice. The bed mattresses are four inch foam and have quilt with beautiful designs on them. (They were so lovely I took a photo). The rooms are more spacious and have an en suite! After lunch many of us enjoyed a long shower. Some in the group did not get any hot water. They are solar heated so I guess too much demand was placed on the water supply.
Farewell to our Porters
Our room here has a westerly aspect so it is lovely and warm right now at 4:20pm. We were outside at 3pm for the presentations to the porters and the sherpas and the air was quite chilly, especially in the shade. On the last day we are expected to give a tip to the sherpas and porters. This includes a monetary tip plus a gift of any excess clothing, water bottles and so on. I gave a total of about $30 Australian which is about $10 more than what is expected. I did this for two reasons. Firstly, they really looked after me when I struggled. Secondly, I had no other items to donate. The clothing I bought in Australia was so expensive I was very reluctant to part with it.
Security at Lukla
As we entered Lukla we were very aware of the police numbers (blue uniforms) and strong army presence (green uniforms). There were also quite a few police last night at Phakding. The airport here at Lukla is particularly well garrisoned. Several bunkers overlook our hotel which is right next to the airport. Before lunch I took a few photos of the surrounding mountains but I was careful not to aim my camera at the soldiers. There is no sense in tempting trouble.
A poignant reminder
While we were waiting for lunch Ananta and James started playing cricket in the hotel garden. The ball went over the fence and was rescued by a young boy who would have loved to have joined in the game, I’m sure. He watched them through the razor wire surrounding our hotel. I carefully took a photo of him. It will be a poignant reminder of the current political unrest in this country. I was careful not to include the bunker only a few feet above his head. Zoom lenses are great in situations like that.
My appetite returns
Lunch today was great. I’m getting my appetite back again. My nose is also improving. Blowing blood clots is quite normal when trekking. Fortunately there was not as much dust today. My major concern is my feet. They are bruised, sore and blistered. The blister on my left heel burst today and has been left raw and very sore over an area about the size of a ten cent coin. I asked Ananta to bandage it. Kath also gave me some extra bandaging for it. I will try to get some extra things in Kathmandu for it. My toe nails are also very battered and bruised.
Observations while Trekking in Nepal
Monday 9th January 2006.
Trek Day 7 Namche to Phakding
As I write this in my journal one of the lodge workers has just come in to light the fire. It still takes quite a while for the dining room to warm up. Then after dinner when we are sitting around talking, listening to the guitar or reading, the fire makes the room hot enough to start taking off layers put on during the late afternoon. Later, at bedtime, one has to rug up again ready to brave the outside air to go to our freezing room. Even in lodges where we do not have to go outside to get to the room the air is far cooler away from the heater. Thankfully our sleeping bags are very warm.
Drinking Water
Every evening during the trek drinking water is boiled for us and then our water bottles are topped up ready for the day’s hike. Most of us had at least two of these flasks, each containing a litre of water. Many others in the trekking group used these flasks to heat their sleeping bags before they crawled into them for the night. I didn’t need to do that; I didn’t want a cold lump around my feet at four o’clock in the morning.
Buildings along the track
The buildings along the trek route are amazing. Most have been made using local granite, hand cut to shape. They fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. We passed a stone quarry this afternoon, the workers’ chisels and stone axes making beautiful chinking music that wafted down the valley as we walked along.
Amazing Porters
The porters never fail to amaze me with their incredible strength. We passed two porters carrying 4 or 5 sheets of 5-ply. Each sheet was 8 feet by 4 feet. Amazing – I have trouble carrying just one and here they were taking them up the mountain. On another occasion I saw two other porters carrying what looked like verandah posts. They were 2.4 metres (8 feet) long and about 10cm by 10cm and they were each carrying 14 of these posts.
Trekking Guides
The nimble-footedness of the guides is also something that amazes me. I feel very clumsy as I plod along. They sometimes race ahead and go back to check on something and they go at three times my speed, sometimes even running. As they walk behind me making such slow progress they chatter away in Nepalese. I can hardly get enough air and they start singing or whistling. I sometimes wondered if they were having a good laugh at my expense. Never mind – I rose to the challenge and made it to the top. I did it my way – slow and steady.
A Valuable Lesson Learned
Monday 9th January 2006.
Trek Day 7 Namche to Phakding
I have learned a very valuable lesson while on this trek. I have learned about perseverance big time! I have had to perform physically far beyond what I thought I was capable. To get to our destination I had to keep going no matter how far, no matter how much I hurt, no matter how tired I felt. It did not matter how much I felt incapable to going on, no-one was going to carry me!
 Application
I couldn’t help but think of applying this to my writing. No-one is going to write the stories for me. Not too many people ever come up to me with a brilliant idea and say “I think you should write this story.†(Corinne does – bless her!) I must come up with the ideas. I must put in the hard work. I am the one who must put in the long hours at the computer. I must persevere. Success only comes with hard work and extreme perseverance. I’ve taken it far too easy up to now. I’ve given up far too easily when the going gets tough. I’ve given up far too easily when I’ve pretended I’ve be too tired or not in the mood or feeling a bit off colour.
 The Perseverance Principle
This not only applies to my writing but the principle can also apply to many other pursuits. If it’s worth doing it’s worth giving every ounce of strength. Seeing tasks through to completion is also part of this persistence, not counting the cost, not stopping when the walk is hard, painful and tiredness wracks the body. The apostle Paul encouraged this attitude when he wrote:
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.†(Philippians 3:13-14)
Life in a Cold Climate
Monday 9th January 2006.
Trek Day 7 Namche to Phakding
I have been delighted with so many children saying “hello†or “namaste†as we go past. Rose even heard one child say “thankyou†in Japanese. I guess there are so many Japanese trekkers that they pick up such words very readily.
Heating in a Cold Climate
Heating is a problem in this region. Even in the better lodges like we’ve been using they only light the fire late in the afternoon. Right now as I sit in the dining room at Phakding I feel very cold despite thermal underwear and my very warm Polartek jacket. There are windows all around but the sun went down behind the nearest mountain an hour ago. It is now 4:45pm.
Icicles
The outside air must be about 5 degrees. Just up the hill from out lodge is a leaking pipe spraying water into the air. The spray is falling on to several trees just below and then freezes. It looks quite picturesque with icicles dangling from the trees like bizarre Christmas tree decorations. This is indicative of the air temperature outside. (Postscript: I took several lovely photos of these icicles during breakfast next morning.) Many sections of the path we used today have rivulets of water trickling over them; they appear to be permanently frozen. Several creeks we crossed also had ice around the rocks.
Snapshots of Life in Nepal
Monday 9th January 2006.
Trek Day 7 Namche to Phakding
Because there was quite a deal of level or easier going today, I was able to take in more of the atmosphere and culture of the area. The hardship of living in such a climate is astounding. How do they cope with the cold, with thin walls, no insulation and poor heating? The temperatures would rarely go above 8 – 12 degrees. Everything is done by hand; there are few tools in this area and those they do have are basic hand operated with no power tools. I did hear a power saw and saw an angle grinder in Namche, but then the people there are better off financially. The power supply is also more reliable.
Washing Clothes
Washing clothes is a major issue here. Things take so long to dry in the thin atmosphere. They seem to have few clothes lines. The only one I have seen on the trek was at the back of the lodge in Monjo. They just hang things over the numerous stone fences or drape them on the roof of their house. This afternoon I saw a four year old throw a dozen or so socks up on the roof. He then scampered up on the roof on a four inch wide plank to spread out the socks on the roof.
Life in your face
Numerous times I have seen people washing themselves, especially their hair, right outside their front door. Now this also happens to be the main “street†through the village. There is no privacy for many people. Their front door opens straight on to the path used by by hundreds of porters and trekkers daily. Rarely is the street more than three metres wide. While walking along I often felt that I was intruding on their private lives. Life is in your face wherever you go.