Saturday March 30th Another acclimatisation day. Turns out that Axel (staying in my room) got very sick (throwing up and all). And Cedric is also sick. Antibiotics come on the table again. Good timing for a rest day. We go for a walk to Chukkung. I really start feeling the altitude. It's like walking through yoghurt. Your legs feel really heavy and the muscles hurt a bit because they don't get enough oxygen. The walk was nice. Very good weather (sun) and walking through snow. In chukkung we meet Laurie and Jamie from Portland in the US. They tell stories about Maoists (big groups) that were walking around between Jiri and Lukla. They're pretty friendly usually and their English is really good. Still strange that we didn't notice anything. Ulrich is staying an extra night in Chukkung (to do his big climb). I'm suprised how well it goes with the group. Everybody gets along well. Matthis and Parker enjoy going for a smoke together. It doesn't bother me (or anyone else I think) that Ced and Avril are a couple. It's just cool being together and getting through this (cold, altitude and sickness) together. Ulrich is a bit different than the rest. He sets his goals really high, while the rest is really laid back. this clashes sometimes. Interesting parallel between this trip and my diarrhoea trip to Luxor, Egypt. We had an asian looking doctor as well, and everyday everybody's checking their vital signs and there's a lot of talk about bowel motions (what happens in the toilet). Now about the food. It gets more and more expensive everyday (but hey, the porters have to carry everything up here). A coke is about 3 Euro's already. The variety isn't great. mostly fried noodles, fried potatoes, fried rice and soups. Everything can be served with a minimum quantity of vegetables and eggs eggs eggs eggs. I don't think I've ever eaten as many eggs in my life Sunday March 31st The antibiotics did their work. Everybody feels better in the morning. We start walking and guess what, we loose the track again. Up to a point that it gets really steep and we can either fall off the mountain or climb straight up. The last option is chosen. We arrive in Dughla around lunchtime. Here we meet a swiss expedition with the now for us already famous Tashi Tenzing. He chats a bit with the Aussies (he lives in Australia) and Avril is completely star-struck taking pictures and chatting with the french photographer. We stay in Dughla and take a walk up the hill towards a memorial ground for many fallen climbers (mostly sherpa's) and also Scott Fisher (died in big tragedy in 1996). Very impressive (the clouds come in and we get the real graveyard feeling). At night, the lodge owner (climbed everest twice) tells us story by the stove. Real good insiders stuff. Already in this season (only 22 days long) 13 trekkers had to be rescued off the mountain because of altitude problems. It really gets cold now at night. During the day, it's not bad (when the sun is out). Here's the sequence of clothes I wore whilst sleeping during different stages of the trek: Shorts and T- Shirt Long underpants and t-shirt Thermal underware (pants and longsleeve shirt) Thermal underware and socks Thermal underware and socks and fleece hat Thermal underware , socks, hat, longsleeve t-shirt At 5100 m (still to come): everything plus a blanket After Dughla, I didn't change anymore out of my underware and thermals! (it didn't get that smelly actually: long live the merino wool thermals!) Mon April 1st Cedric still feels weak, but decides he can meake it to Lobuche (4900 something). It's tough going uphill with backpack (went better yesterday without). The others split the stuff in Cedric's backpack to make it easier for him. Back in the memorial ground, the weather was clear now and the views great. On to lobuche it wasn't too tough. Ulrich caught up with us and when he started talking about acclimatisation, Matthis dramatically fell off his chair. Ced is still sick. It's probably not giardia this time. We decide to give him another rest day tomorrow. We want to move to the (expensive) eco-lodge where it's warm and luxoury. Tuesday April 2nd Another day in Lobouche. It turns out that Jamie (US) got some kind of food poisening last night. Sick sick sick. Laurie inquires and finds out the eco lodge is full (bummer!). Everyone calls Lobouche a shit hole (I don't mind it that much), it's a bit dirty with the yak shit everywhere. The stronger in the group walk to Ghorak shep (goal for tomorrow). Very tough walk. Altitude is getting to me now. Step - breathe in - Step - breathe out! Exhausted when I got there and I still had to go back. I start taking diamox that day. Diamox helps your body with efficiently using the oxygen. Also had headache. The surroundings are beautiful though. Even though I don't feel good it is great. We walked past the Khumbu glacier (comes from everest) and I saw the Khumbu Icefall (first part of ascent to Everest). Can't believe the mountains are even 3000 metres higher than we are. Me and Matthis went to the Eco-Lodge. He wanted some yak steak (officially only on the menu when a yak falls off the trail). The steak looked more like yak-shit (that they use to light the stoves here, since we're above the treee line). Tasted like that as well he said. I just had a cup of tea. Wednesday April 3rd Big day today. I slept well (diamox helped). Jamie and Cedric hired porters to get their packs to Ghorak Shep. Walk was long again, but not as hard as yesterday. After arrival in Ghorak Shep, I had a coke (most expensive one: about 5 Euro) and felt good to go on. We went to Everest Base Camp. 3 hour long walk very tough, but well worth it. Great views of everest, while walking on a ridge next to the glacier which had the most amazing spikes sticking out. Last bit over glacier (mostly rocks, hardly any ice at the surface) was long and hard, but we all made it. Basecamp itself was really cold (sun started to dissappear behind clouds). We just stayed there shortly. Great experience though. For the expeditions, this is just the beginning! I can't believe they can be at this altitude 5400m (only half the oxygen compared to sea-level) and even go up further. Walk back was long and hard again, but we all made it back Thursday April 4th Slept restless, which is normal at this altitude. Not too cold though, inside (outside at least -15 Celcius). Left at 6.45 for the climb of Kala Patar(5545 m). Only way to do it is really really slow. For me, it took me 2 hrs of hard breathing to get up there, but again: well worth it! Super view all around During ascent, the sun was coming up behind Everest. So surreal and so Beautiful!!! Kala Pattar is the best Everest View Point. Stayed up there for a while and then back down to Ghorak Shep. From now on: only down. We stayed in the Sun Room (glass house) in Ghorak Shep for a while resting and then descended down pas Lobouche to Dughla. I walked mostly alone (because of different speed of group). Felt exhausted when I got to Dughla. Was pretty busy there (outside the Mountain Madness Expedition was camping). Inside a big trekking group. Went to bed early again. Matthis was snoring loudly (or was it the German Lady next door), but the earplugs really helped (first time I had to use them). |
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| The Pictures: Top: Me on the top of Kala Pattar (5545m) Middle: Mount Everest (highest mountain in this picture) from the top of Kala Patar Bottom: The gang (from front to back: Axel, Heiko, Matthis, Avril, Cedric and Parker |