Travels in Nepal #17 Views from Namche Bazar
Near Namche Bazar, Nepal
As we gained altitude on the way to Namche Bazar, the million dollar views were in your face in every direction. It was hard to decide where to point the camera. In reality though, I was disappointed on arrival back home that I didn’t take more on this particular leg of the trek. Granted, I did take far more on the way down.
The reason for not taking more photos on the third day of the trek was that I really struggled to reach Namche Bazar. The climb was unrelenting. It is quite easy to say that we climbed 600 metres on that day. The sheer physical effort needed to get up that mountain was possibly the hardest thing I had ever attempted to do. To top it all off, near the end of the leg I was aware of a blister developing on my left heel. My daughter ordered me to stop and she administered a patch to prevent it getting worse. She is usually the one to suffer from blisters and I rarely get them. How perverse – this time the situation was reversed; mind you, she always takes precautions, having suffered too many times in the past.
Despite the difficulties and pain the views were worth every agonising step and every gasp for air. On every rest stop I would stare in amazement at the views in every direction. I couldn’t believe that these mountains were so steep and so magnificent – and I was there looking at them in real life – not on a film or on television.
Related articles:
- Trekking from Monjo to Namche Bazar – my travel journal
- My photo gallery – photos of Nepal
- Travels in Nepal – archives of articles about my adventures in Nepal.
Travels in Nepal #16 The Climb to Namche Bazar
Between Monjo and Namche Bazar, Nepal
From the little village of Monjo we trekked further up the valley of the Dudh Kosi (Milk River). For the first hour or so the going was relatively easy. The river was never far from the path. Sometimes we were only metres from the roaring water and at other times we were high up looking down on the boulders and the foaming water surging around them.
Eventually we came to a very high suspension bridge. It was only when looking at my photos on my return home that I realised how high that particular bridge was above the valley. from this crossing the track then snaked its way relentlessly uphill towards Namche Bazar, our destination for that day. At this point the lack of oxygen at this altitude started to really take its toll on me. Every step was an effort and the climb seemed to be never ending. Every breath I was gasping for oxygen.
Near Namche Bazar, Nepal
I decided not to try to keep up with the younger, fitter members of the trekking group and set my own steady pace. In reality, I had little choice. My body wouldn’t go any faster. And there were no prizes for coming first.
The only way I could make it was to set a steady pace – my pace – and persevere until I reached the day’s goal, our lodge in Namche Bazar. I needed frequent rests which were good because it enabled me to take in the views. On reflection back home I wish I had taken more photos on this leg of the trek.
Related articles:
- Trekking from Monjo to Namche Bazar – my travel journal
- Trekking from Monjo to Namche Bazar part 2 – my travel journal
Travels in Nepal #15 The village of Monjo
Buddhist temple in Nepal
After lunch on the second day of our trek we had a guided tour of the village of Monjo. we visited the school and the nearby Buddhist temple. The interesting thing about the temple was the brilliant colours used in painting the woodwork of the building. I just had to take several photos of the detail on the windows, as seen in the photo above.
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Travels in Nepal #14 A small matter of convenience
Toilet at our lodge in Monjo
I have mixed feelings about camping in the Australian bush on cold nights. From time to time one has to heed the promptings of natural bodily functions. Should one wait until sunrise – or brave the cold frosty air in the middle of the night? Leaving the warm cosiness of your sleeping bag is a challenge indeed.
Imagine my discomfort then while trekking in Nepal in January earlier this year. The days were quite pleasant; we walked in T-shirts and lightweight trousers. The moment the sun went behind the nearest mountain the temperature dropped to below freezing in a matter of minutes. At least, that’s what it felt like. So using the toilet (bathroom for all my American readers) was an even greater challenge than on a frosty night in the Aussie bush.
At Monjo, where the above photo was taken, the toilet and washing facilities were in a little shed out the back of the lodge where we slept. I had never used squat toilets before this trek, so the challenge was more than just coping with the cold. I coped. There was no choice, actually. Makes one appreciate the creature comforts of home.
And it was lovely to get back into that warm sleeping bag for a few more hours.
Related articles:
- My photo gallery – photos of Australia, Thailand and Nepal – plus much more.
- Travels in Nepal – archive of articles I have written about my adventures in Nepal.
- Trekking from Monjo to Namche Bazar – my journal written on the trek.
- Trekking from Monjo to Namche Bazar – part 2
Travels in Nepal #13 What a view
Scene from our lodge in Monjo, Nepal
The most amazing thing about the trek I did in Nepal in January of this year was my reaction to the mountain views. I could not come to terms with the fact that mountains could be so high, so steep and so magnificent. At every turn I could have taken dozens of photos. I did take a large number of photos and only some are featured here on this blog.
The photo above was taken from the back door of the lodge where we stayed in the village of Monjo. This village is on the trek I did from Lukla to Tengboche. It is the same track one takes to get to Everest Base Camp. What a view to have at your back door. The mountain shown in the photo – I haven’t worked out its name yet – towers several thousand metres above the village. It seemed only a few kilometres away.
Since arriving back home I have shown some of these photos to family and friends. Several have asked me if the colour of the sky is accurate. Yes, it is. We were fortunate that the weather during our trek was bright and sunny on all days except one.
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