Day 4 – Namche bazaar to Tengboche
Before lunch the walk is an easy relatively flat hike but after lunch its all uphill. A steady 3 hours of steps and hills brings us to the Tengboche monastery. The towns are getting fewer and fewer and toilets are turning into rocks with trees. At this point we are around halfway and starting to notice the lack of air. Breathing is slightly harder and quicker as your body attempts to draw in more oxygen. Lucky for me I have no side effects from taking Diamox, however others have tingly hands and feet and their bathroom usage has quadrupled. We all take of our shoes and sit in on a ceremony at the monastery, blessing those who are summiting Everest. I sit cross -egged on the cold floor staring at the summiting groups. They also sit cross-legged, their eyes closed and heads slightly down. The monks hum in different tunes creating a deep reverberating sound that rocks itself into your bones. I can’t help but stare and wonder why they want to ascend nearly 8,800m above sea level, their bodies shutting down at 7,000m literally dying as they reach the highest point in the world.
We were told no more running water but when we arrive at Tengboche our lodge not only has indoor toilets but also has running water. Our guide also tells us not to eat any meat or eggs as because they have to be carried up they’re not safe to eat by the time they arrive. Instead we tuck into the usual; rice or noodles.
Day 5 – Tengboche to Dengboche
Today is easy, the path is relatively flat or as the Nepalese like to say its Nepali flat, little up and little down. I’ve come down with a head cold and feeling congested which makes breathing even harder. Every breath is laboured and strained. It is steadily getting colder during the day and from time to time I switch between my jumper and windbreaker.
Unfortunately gastro makes its first appearance for everyone and we’re all popping gastro-stop. There are no toilets on the track and even when we hit a small village the only available toilet is a hole cut into the wooden floor of a small square wooden cube. The landscape has drastically changed, trees are few and far between, shrubbery is disappearing and it’s starting to look barren. It is so silent and serene, the only noise is the slap of my feet on the ground, the tinkling of a loose rock and my haggard breathing.
Day 6 – Acclimatization day
This morning we get a sleep in till 8am before tucking into warm porridge for breaky then we start our acclimatization hike. A strenuous, steep and difficult hour climb which is almost vertical it is so steep. Sadly, a girl in our group has severe gastro and is stuck in bed all day, the rest of us are fine and soldier on. The only thought running through my mind is just one step, just one more step. It is cold and windy, I am bundled up in a jumper, windbreaker, beanie and gloves. My neck is bunched down and my face towards my feet as I concentrate on placing my feet between the rocks and push onwards and upwards. I concentrate on breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, struggling to get enough air in. My breathing is loud as I hit the top and slowly, between gulping down water, I managed to control it enough to stand with my mouth agape at the glorious view.
It is like a sea of rocky hills, each one ascending and descending creating a jagged line in the blue sky. White-topped, the ice dribbles down into crevasses, the wind whips against my face drowning out the sound of my breath and a black long-winged bird floats in sky letting itself be carried before swooping down, soaring back up again to float, starting the whole process again. We all stand there smiling at the earth’s beauty. This is why I am climbing to base camp, to see pictures like this. It’s real, raw and incredible.
madeleinecurby 