Mount Everest Base Camp Here We Come

4/21/13 Lukla to Phakding: We started with an early flight to Lukla with 20 Trekkers and 6 Sherpa. Our group was split into 3 planes with the last group of 4 not able to fly out due to weather.  After hours of waiting and no flight for the last 4 an opportunity came up to fly them in a helicopter to Lukla. Again due to poor weather they had to land in a field quite a distance from the airport and start their trek and sleep at a different Tea House.  Our group had a shorter trek (5mile) due to the delay in the pouring rain stepping over yak dung and rivers of yak dung flowing down the stairs.

4/22/13 Phakding to Namche Bazaar. We were able to meet up with the other 4 at lunchtime! Today's trek was extremely rigorous with the last 1600 ft of the 2800 ft climb was going up hill and again the later half was in the pouring rain.  Walking down uneven rock trails, mud and steps with sporadic yak dung is a challenge, I  was so fearful of slipping and falling. Again I keep thinking how did I get into this mess? As I forged my way forward being the last in my group I did have my Sherpa bodyguard, Lalit, constantly by my side. There were a couple times that I was pinned in a corner trying to avoid being speared on the horns of a passing yak.

I know I knew I was climbing a mountain, but let me tell you, I really had no idea what it entailed. We are following the Dudh Koshi river and had to cross a suspension bridge over the river 4 times. Doing that consisted of going up and down hill each time, exhausting! There were boulders laying close to the river that we had to pass over or around. I was hoping that nothing would break from the mountain as I passed.

There were points I didn't think I would make it, but my bodyguard, Lalit was by my side encouraging me all the way. I can't tell you how relieved that I was to arrive at the Namche Hotel Tea House in Namche Bazaar!  The most surprising thing was that I was only 5 minutes behind the rest of the group.

4/23/12  Namche Bazaar: Today is for rest and acclimatization.  Rest included a 2 hour hike with spectacular views. We were able to see the peaks of Tabuche, Mt Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam,  Thamserku. The viewing site was called Chorcamp and had a nice Sherpa Museum. We increased altitude about 500 ft and returned to Namche Bazaar. The rest of the afternoon was for whatever you cared to do. I went for a massage!