Onward and Upward...No Pain, No Gain

4/24/13 Namche Bazaar to Khum Jung. Today Kevin taught us a step to use while climbing hills and steps. It incorporates a rest step and allows time for the muscles to have a rest period.  My friend Cindy had shown me this on the steps of the ship while we were working, but it was a bit different putting it to real use. Let me tell you, I climbed amazing heights without huffing and puffing or taking many rest breaks. 

Our climb today was 1600 ft and took took us 3.5 hours. The views as always are spectacular.  Our morning tea was at the Everest View Hotel.  During the trek we had intermittent spurts of snow.  Our final destination for the day was in Khum Jung, the biggest village in the Khumbu region. As you are walking down the mountain towards the village you can see rock walls all over. These walls separate gardens and family plots. One of the first sights upon entering the village is the Edmund Hillary School.  We visited the school and viewed an art classroom. Children were heard in the classroom,  but were unable to enter.

4/25/13 Khum Jung to Deboche The weather was perfect all day.

We trekked  2000 ft down to the river, crossed a suspension bridge and then climbed back up 2000  Feet.  The mantra of the day was "slow and steady."  The trek was 3 miles and again I can't thank Kevin and Cindy enough for teaching the rest step, it has been a lifesaver! The trek was up twisting and winding trails. When I asked Lalit when it would become flat, he said " it is flat, Nepalese flat!"

We visited the Tengboche Monastery and spent the rest of the day in Deboche.

As most of you know, I have never camped a day in my life. Life in Tea Houses with Sherpas is still a luxury compared to having to set up my own tent, cook my own food, blah, blah, blah. But for me, there still are challenges;

cold bedrooms with no heat, some have sitting toilets and others just a hole in the floor to squat over, many dinners consist of a potato dish, pasta and vegetables. They use yak dung to fuel the fire pit in the dining hall/common room. They dry the yak dung on the walls of their houses or buildings. Shower facilities are not available at all tea houses, some bedrooms have lights, others do not.

4/26/13  Tengbuche to Dingboche Today we will have a 2000 ft elevation gain and end at 14,800 ft. Our group has been experiencing isolated gastrointestinal problems, but today we have had the most people sick at one time, 25% of our group. 

Throughout the trek we had views of Lhotse, Everest and Ama Dablam.

Part of our group saw a yak that fell off of a cliff. The Sherpas left hay and placed a blanket over him. 

We had our Wilderness ortho lecture by Reed and some fine demonstrations by Reed, Bob an Kevin on how to fix a dislocated hip! In attempts to get warm in the cold Dining Hall the group sat around the chimney to get warm.  Dinner was ready and chairs were moved to the tables. As Andree went to sit down Lalit started to pull out the chair from behind her. Luckily they both noticed and she didn't fall to the ground!

4/27/13 Dingboche:  Today is a Rest day. Most of the group went on a hike, but 5 of us chose to just relax and start feeling better. During the middle of the night I woke with a headache which can be a sign of altitude sickness. I have increased my dose of Diamox and am taking my favorite drug (other than Jack Daniels) Ibuprofen.