Random trek pictures

Cute sherpa girl (not in traditional dress though)

and why you do not eat meat while on trek in Nepal!

We will try to post video of yaks and flight leaving Lukla tomorrow...

More trekking pics

Along the trail there are many beautiful things to see other than mountains, so just want to share a few...

Everest Memorials

Mani stones / walls

prayer wheels

and door hangings

Tengbouche Monestery

The highlight of the descent was Tengbouche Monestery. We attended a chanting ceremony in the evening, thought we could make it through the whole thing, but 2-1/2 hours later, it was dinner time, getting dark and we had no lights to get back to camp, and our feet were freezing (you have to take off your shoes). It was very beautiful, but I had wanted to take pictures and you can 't take pics during the ceremony.

Before leaving the following morning, we got lucky because morning chants were on a break, and the monestery was opened for a short time and we met a young monk Mingme (who chatted with Tammie and I for 45 minutes and gave his e-mail address!).

Here are a few pics from the monestery. Exterior gate with monestery beyond, and an interior.

Back in Kathmandu!

Hello again! We are back in KTM where internet costs 20 rupees an hour rather than 10-15 rupees per minute in Namche and Lukla, etc... hence why we didn't post much before Namche (in Dingboche it was 20 rupees per minute and we were running out of rupees!

Anyway, back to the trek update... but before I tell you about our descent and Tengbouche Monestary, I have to tell you all that we are glad to be back in the smog pollution of Kathmandu rather than breathing yak dung all the time! Yes, yak DUNG! It was everywhere... along the trail, burning in the stoves in the lodges, and then we were breathing it in when camping outside... I think I might be able to blow my nose and not have it be black any longer! EW, yes, but it's TRUE!

I think the yak dung smoke made my cough / sinuses worse too, and I'm feeling better now. Met up with Brian and Tammie in Dingbouche after they descended from Labouche and I was in the next valley in Pheriche at the clinic. Also, I wasn't alone in case you are reading this mom... World Expeditions always sends a porter with you to carry your duffel, and one of the guides. Our head guide Harka actually came with me because one of the kitchen staff had fallen ill 2 days prior and descended to Pheriche and Harka hadn 't heard from him and was worried. Then, after Mingma was done bringing Holly back to Lukla, he headed up the valley and Harka tracked him down and Mingma stayed the 2nd day at the lodge and Harka went back up to Labouche.

So, not only had we heard about a porter dying from AMS in Machermo, but then we heard of another woman dying ( a nurse who should have known better than to continue ascending since she probably had syptoms) and 2 climbers fell and died on Ama Dablam last week too. Plus numerous people walking out sick, being shuttled down on ponies with injuries, and helicopters too. Our last few days it seemed like we heard at least 3-4 helicopters per day heading up the Khumbu valley. We all made it out in one piece thank goodness...

My trekking poles were stolen from under our tent fly in Dingbouche, good thing they were old, but still I had to get down from about 4000 meters!! I used Brian's and our cook Parsharum lent Brian his single pole for a walking stick... one less thing to pack to bring home!

I know I have pictures of yak dung everywhere, but I think on the other camera... here are some yak-like animals called dhopku's (yak/cow hybrid)... traffic jam on the bridge, Khumbu valley style!!

will post more in another window...

Into the Khumbu Valley

After Cho La pass, we camped about 500 meters below on the other side of the pass and collapsed! We were exhausted... and I continued to struggle with my cough and congestion. The next day we descended a little and turned north again to Lobuche. I was then feeling slow and coughing and suffering allot, and was not looking forward to camping above 5000 meters in Gorak Shep again (after Lobuche). I felt like if I went further and got to Gorkak Shep, I could hold up the group, and I wouldn't have the energy to climb to Base Camp or Kala Pattar anyway since the plan was to hike to GS, climb KP the same afternoon, then next morning 5 am start the 6 hour round trip trek to Base Camp, and then back to Lobuche in the same day.

I descended to Pheriche where there was a medical clinic instead, and saw the doctor and recieved additional medications. It was not bacterial, and she said I was on the mend, but probably good that I did not ascend since it could easily turn into pneumonia up here. The body does not heal well at these altitudes, and I am now convinced that half of this trek is about staying healthy... between Altitude Mountain Sickness, food / stomache problems, and colds taking a turn for the worse. Nearly every day we have seen helicopters flying up the valley to get someone who fell, got sick... etc. I stayed in a lodge with a lovely woman from the U.K., Susan, who had stomach problems that could be dysentery, and she was only doing Everest Base Camp trek so she missed most of hers... another Ozzie came down to the lodge and she had been vomiting for 3 days and couldn't keep any food down... so, better to descend and live to hike another day than to end up in a hospital in Kathmandu (which doesn't sound pleasant!).

Here is a picture of Brian from the top of Kala Pattar - approx. 18,500 ft (he was the only one to make it - Tammy got to GS, did not attempt KP, and didn't get all the way to Base Camp either... she had started getting a slight cold, but not as bad as mine and she still was not able to push on.

In the photo, the Khumbu ice fall is behind his shoulder and the Khumbu Glacier toward the bottom of the photo. Everest is above his head, and Nuptse is above on the right side of the photo.

Will post more in a few days from Kathmandu...

More trek update

Didn't want to post too much at once or the computer could crash.

After Gokyo Ri, we had to leave the next day toward Cho La pass since we used our rest day in Machermo. We had a long hike over a glacier that was covered with rocks and allot of up and down all day. After lunch, a long ascent toward the pass where we camped above 5000 meters for the first time. (Gokyo campsite was 16000 ft, and Gokyo Ri was 17,900 ft - which is about 5200 meters I think... can't remember).

I had my first (and thankfully only!) breakdown. I had been still suffering the cold that began in Namche, and I had started antibiotics in Machermo because I thought it was a sinus infection. So, about every 100 meters, I was having coughing fits and it was impossible to feel like I was making progress. I made it to camp, with Harka's help carrying my pack. That night was very cold, camping at about 5000 meters. The pass was only about 300 meters climb the next day, but very rocky and steep. We all made it up just fine, but unfortunately did not have great views that day. H ere is a picture with Harka our leader, his brother C.B., and our cook Parshuram with Brian Tammy and I.

trek is winding down...

Well, it's been a while since we posted since we have had NO service with the blackberry above Namche (we're back in Namche today). Actually, we are listening to Madonna's greatest hits we think, and we just ate pizza with yak cheese too! Crazy things being on the other side of the world...

Anyway... Up on our way to Gokyo was challenging, it is more difficult to acclimatize going up this valley (we later found out of course) and Brian and I both had some altitude sickness signs (headaches, nausea, loss of appetite). Holly, had more severe sypmtoms - couldn't get to a resting breathe even shortness at night, and more severe headaches, and bad nausea. When we reached Machermo, Brian had begun Diamox (Holly had begun even a couple days prior) and we visisted the clinic there. Brian's pulse ox level was 79 (normal at that altitude is about 88). So, we took a rest day earlier than planned for Holly and Brian. By the next day, Holly was no better, and the doctor told her to descend. Trip over. She was cold and not very happy anyway so she was o.k. Brian's pulse ox had risen to 85 so he was o.k. to continue.

The next day I had more headaches, and started Diamox also. We got to Gokyo, and climbed Gokyo Ri the next morning (early, 5 am!) Here are 2 pics from Gokyo Ri. Tammy is with us on the left. The lakes are beautiful there... 2nd photo is on the descent. more to come...