The last days in Kathmandu have rushed by in a haze of sightseeing and saying goodbye. I'm not sure what my emotions are, I'm sad to be leaving but feel my journey is complete.
I finally got to the monkey temple with it's fine views of the Kathmandu valley and it's place in history as the hilltop on which the Buddha preached. It seemed a fitting end to my time here.
I met up with Fletch again, and Laura from Pokhara, we all leave on three consecutive days, with me in the middle.
I have achieved so much here personally that I'm really happy with myself, I've felt pain like never before, exhilaration, frustration, fear and exhaustion. I've been pushed beyond what I thought I was capable of, and forced to look inside myself in a way like never before.
Not a day wasn't worthwhile, there was always something new to do, see or taste, or someone new to meet.
I won't miss the toilets, the pollution in Kathmandu or the sickness, but I'll miss Nepal and it's people, and I'll miss the excitement of travelling.
Obviously I am going back to my old life, different in at least one way I hadn't expected, but I'm better equipped now to deal with that at least.
Fletch left today, and I'm taking Laura out tonight for last night drinks, and, well it had to be - Dhal Bat!
The ribs have become really painful again so I'm going to have to see the doc as soon as I get home, I'm worried what the damage is and disappointed that they prevented me from some of the things I wanted to do. However this opened up new opportunities, for which I am grateful.
Si and Liz probably won't believe I've added a touch of organisation to my life, and Gabe I'm sure would have loved to watch me pack! Gabe - it's all folded and in sections and I didn't just shove my arm across my bed and scoop it all in - honest!!!
So, home tomorrow, the adventure is over and there are new challenges to face, an empty flat, a single life again, and Storm - the new IT at work. So at least it'll be busy and occupy me while I settle back down. I'm dying to see the family too and can't wait to spend time with my nieces.
I saw a Christmas tree today, I guess I missed Autumn!
Oh, and yes I know there's a missing 12 days in Pokhara. It's difficult to write about as it was the only time I didn't make notes, and it's a time when there are moments I'd rather forget. But I'll fill in the blanks back in the UK.
Wednesday 24 November 2010
Saturday 20 November 2010
Things can only get better 20/11 Pokhara to Kathmandu
Pokhara to Ktm.
Cold on the bus, but good views of Annapurna, almost as if hidden by a curtain. Just outside Pokhara the local bus in front of us goes over the side, rolls, and slides down a really steep slope. People go down to help and I grab a first aid kit off an American girl and slide down. There's a couple of people beyond help, I go to start CPR on one kid then realise there's no ambulance to come. A man comes round from behind with a young child of maybe 6, and I take her up the slope. She's covered in blood but it's not hers, and she appears to be in shock only. An old woman sits next to me with pleading eyes, she has a large open gash to her head, there's no glass I can see so I mop it up and bandage her, getting blood all over my clothes. A trekking guide comes to help, and we get her, the child and an old man onto our bus, and I sit on the floor and mop him up. He seems to have a depressed fracture to his cheek, all I can give him is two paracetamol and the packet to show when he gets to hospital.
We drop them off there, then we head off for breakfast. The trekking guide thanks me for my compassion privately and says all the other westerners just watched. It's a sorry thing really, and I feel some guilt I couldn't have helped more people.
The rest of the journey is thankfully uneventful as we travel our bumpy way through the mountains back to Kathmandu. I return to Wonderland with it's swamp view and fog chorus, and as I check in I remember the excitement of heading out for Lukla and I'm a little bit sad. The adventure is coming to a close, and i know now what I'd been dreading, I'm going home single, it's going to be a tough adjustment.
I'll blog about the missing days in Pokhara soon. Clbomg wall tomorrow to take out some frustration!
Cold on the bus, but good views of Annapurna, almost as if hidden by a curtain. Just outside Pokhara the local bus in front of us goes over the side, rolls, and slides down a really steep slope. People go down to help and I grab a first aid kit off an American girl and slide down. There's a couple of people beyond help, I go to start CPR on one kid then realise there's no ambulance to come. A man comes round from behind with a young child of maybe 6, and I take her up the slope. She's covered in blood but it's not hers, and she appears to be in shock only. An old woman sits next to me with pleading eyes, she has a large open gash to her head, there's no glass I can see so I mop it up and bandage her, getting blood all over my clothes. A trekking guide comes to help, and we get her, the child and an old man onto our bus, and I sit on the floor and mop him up. He seems to have a depressed fracture to his cheek, all I can give him is two paracetamol and the packet to show when he gets to hospital.
We drop them off there, then we head off for breakfast. The trekking guide thanks me for my compassion privately and says all the other westerners just watched. It's a sorry thing really, and I feel some guilt I couldn't have helped more people.
The rest of the journey is thankfully uneventful as we travel our bumpy way through the mountains back to Kathmandu. I return to Wonderland with it's swamp view and fog chorus, and as I check in I remember the excitement of heading out for Lukla and I'm a little bit sad. The adventure is coming to a close, and i know now what I'd been dreading, I'm going home single, it's going to be a tough adjustment.
I'll blog about the missing days in Pokhara soon. Clbomg wall tomorrow to take out some frustration!
Thursday 18 November 2010
6/7/8 11 Kathmandu - the waiting game.
The sixth is our last day, Ken and Gabe sort laundry and are in a bit of a tizz when it appears the bloke then shuts up and goes home for the weekend. It's another festival here and everything is on a go slow.
We eat out, and Kristin and I return to Paddys for a few drinks, where we meet Gabe's pilot for the next, also entertainingly drunk, accompanied by two friendly Thai girls.
We get lost walking back to Shakti, and I fall over for a change, and we promptl wake Dave and IngeElin up for no apparent reason.
The next day is a blur of goodbyes and moving hotels, Dave and I back to Wonderland, everyone else heads out home.
I feel a bit down, and for the ext two days wander Thamel, bored and aimless, trying to figure out what to do. it's festival, everywhere is closed. My plan to do a couple of days volunteering melts away as all the schools are shut too. It's a bit of a lowpoint really, so much excitement, and then suddenly everyone is gone and we're back in transition.
My rib is incredibly sore now, and no matter how I lay I have difficulty sleeping, and have to get up and go out at 7.30am so I don't keep waking Fletch up. I'm listless and lethargic, and should really go to Swyambruth, or do something, but I struggle to find the energy. I'm tired from trekking, worried about a few things at home and missing the group dynamic. But on the 9th Fletch and I are moving on to Pokhara, and the change of scenery should inject some life into the nxt part of the Nepal tour.
We eat out, and Kristin and I return to Paddys for a few drinks, where we meet Gabe's pilot for the next, also entertainingly drunk, accompanied by two friendly Thai girls.
We get lost walking back to Shakti, and I fall over for a change, and we promptl wake Dave and IngeElin up for no apparent reason.
The next day is a blur of goodbyes and moving hotels, Dave and I back to Wonderland, everyone else heads out home.
I feel a bit down, and for the ext two days wander Thamel, bored and aimless, trying to figure out what to do. it's festival, everywhere is closed. My plan to do a couple of days volunteering melts away as all the schools are shut too. It's a bit of a lowpoint really, so much excitement, and then suddenly everyone is gone and we're back in transition.
My rib is incredibly sore now, and no matter how I lay I have difficulty sleeping, and have to get up and go out at 7.30am so I don't keep waking Fletch up. I'm listless and lethargic, and should really go to Swyambruth, or do something, but I struggle to find the energy. I'm tired from trekking, worried about a few things at home and missing the group dynamic. But on the 9th Fletch and I are moving on to Pokhara, and the change of scenery should inject some life into the nxt part of the Nepal tour.
4 & 5/11 Namche to Lukla / Lukla- to KTM
Sangay leads us on the last day, the long walk back to Lukla. It's a sad day, although we're reunited it's the last day of trekking, and the end of the journe is now in sight.
In fact it's in sight nearly all day as we watch the plans coming into land at the world's most extreme airport.
Despite this it never seems to get any nearer! We chat as we walk, enjoying the forests and the improved oxygen supply at this elevation! We pass a memorial to a plane that crashed a few years ago a reminder to me that I have one small hurdle to cross - the flight out, and after what seems an eternity of walking we reach the village.
Sangay offers to show us his monastery but we're all beat. It's a negative I regret, even as I write my notes up,because I think he was very excited that Lon had shown an interest.
We are late at the lodge, it's nearly dark as we walk down the side of the airstrip, and it's not long before we have black tea and Finjo joins us.
Tonight's the last supper, a communal meal of Dal Bhat with everyone, porters, guides and the team, with the table exceptions of Fletch and Barbara.
We all tuck in heartily and the beer starts to flow, tips are issued and speeches are made. Jim nominates me as the person who fell over the most, which is true by some wide margin!!!
The porters leave us for their homes after the meal, clutching large tips in appreciation of the important and incredible work they do. It's hard enough lugging a six kilo back around at 5400m on steep ground in the freezing cold, I cannot conceive what it is like to do so with two 15kg or so packs, in flip flops or converse trainers like this guys do. One of them is no more than 4ft11 tall, and is as strong as an ox. It's really incredible. Without them we couldn't have got as far as we did, and they do it all with huge smiles on their faces and never a complaint.
The guides, Finjo, Nima and Sangay all stay for what starts off as a few drinks. We're told we're in outside rooms as another group is having a party and will be noisy and we have a 5.30am flight. That's not quite how it works out.
At midnight Ken, Kristin, IngeElin and I and the three guides are the only people awake in the lodge, incredibly dunk dancing to a mixture of Nepali music and Norwegian pop. It's a great evening, really good fun, with arm wrestling, and Nima doing an entertaining dance that mimics my everlasting cough. I put him in a gooseneck hold, which he immediately wants to learn, and later I recall doing squats with Finjo Sherpa over my shoulders. Which probably does my ribs no good - but I'm not letting a little thing like that spoil what has been an incredible experience.
I share with Ken and have an incident involving a bin and a total lack of navigational ability, and before you know it we have to get up for our flight.
I struggle with breakfast, which of curse Lon doesn't - and am glad I don't have too long to sit and stress about the flight.
On the Twin Otter we are taxied past the crashed plane and then held at the top of the runway while the pilot winds up the elastic band. Then he takes his feet off the floor and we zip forward like some crazy fairground ride, before plummeting off the side of the mountain, gaining lift and heading back to Kathmandu.
Back at Shakti Ken offers to let me go in with Dave who is already back, and probably regrets his kindness as they all wait several hours for rooms to become available. There's lots of tired smelly hungry people about when I emerge clean and fresh from the shower.
There follows a day of mooching about and cleaning up before our evening party at Kilroy's. I get to eat fish and chips, which isn't bad at all, and we all have great fun joking about the joys of trekking.
Ken, Gabe, Fletch, IngeElin, Kristin and I take Finjo and his friend to Paddys after, where we listen to a Nepali rock cover band and get stuck into the tequilas in a big way. Unfortunately someone tells Finjo it's water and he gets a bit enthusiastic in his consumption. This later contributes to an unfortunate incident with the police and a slightly sad exit from the evening's entertainment.
There'll be some hangovers tomorrow.
In fact it's in sight nearly all day as we watch the plans coming into land at the world's most extreme airport.
Despite this it never seems to get any nearer! We chat as we walk, enjoying the forests and the improved oxygen supply at this elevation! We pass a memorial to a plane that crashed a few years ago a reminder to me that I have one small hurdle to cross - the flight out, and after what seems an eternity of walking we reach the village.
Sangay offers to show us his monastery but we're all beat. It's a negative I regret, even as I write my notes up,because I think he was very excited that Lon had shown an interest.
We are late at the lodge, it's nearly dark as we walk down the side of the airstrip, and it's not long before we have black tea and Finjo joins us.
Tonight's the last supper, a communal meal of Dal Bhat with everyone, porters, guides and the team, with the table exceptions of Fletch and Barbara.
We all tuck in heartily and the beer starts to flow, tips are issued and speeches are made. Jim nominates me as the person who fell over the most, which is true by some wide margin!!!
The porters leave us for their homes after the meal, clutching large tips in appreciation of the important and incredible work they do. It's hard enough lugging a six kilo back around at 5400m on steep ground in the freezing cold, I cannot conceive what it is like to do so with two 15kg or so packs, in flip flops or converse trainers like this guys do. One of them is no more than 4ft11 tall, and is as strong as an ox. It's really incredible. Without them we couldn't have got as far as we did, and they do it all with huge smiles on their faces and never a complaint.
The guides, Finjo, Nima and Sangay all stay for what starts off as a few drinks. We're told we're in outside rooms as another group is having a party and will be noisy and we have a 5.30am flight. That's not quite how it works out.
At midnight Ken, Kristin, IngeElin and I and the three guides are the only people awake in the lodge, incredibly dunk dancing to a mixture of Nepali music and Norwegian pop. It's a great evening, really good fun, with arm wrestling, and Nima doing an entertaining dance that mimics my everlasting cough. I put him in a gooseneck hold, which he immediately wants to learn, and later I recall doing squats with Finjo Sherpa over my shoulders. Which probably does my ribs no good - but I'm not letting a little thing like that spoil what has been an incredible experience.
I share with Ken and have an incident involving a bin and a total lack of navigational ability, and before you know it we have to get up for our flight.
I struggle with breakfast, which of curse Lon doesn't - and am glad I don't have too long to sit and stress about the flight.
On the Twin Otter we are taxied past the crashed plane and then held at the top of the runway while the pilot winds up the elastic band. Then he takes his feet off the floor and we zip forward like some crazy fairground ride, before plummeting off the side of the mountain, gaining lift and heading back to Kathmandu.
Back at Shakti Ken offers to let me go in with Dave who is already back, and probably regrets his kindness as they all wait several hours for rooms to become available. There's lots of tired smelly hungry people about when I emerge clean and fresh from the shower.
There follows a day of mooching about and cleaning up before our evening party at Kilroy's. I get to eat fish and chips, which isn't bad at all, and we all have great fun joking about the joys of trekking.
Ken, Gabe, Fletch, IngeElin, Kristin and I take Finjo and his friend to Paddys after, where we listen to a Nepali rock cover band and get stuck into the tequilas in a big way. Unfortunately someone tells Finjo it's water and he gets a bit enthusiastic in his consumption. This later contributes to an unfortunate incident with the police and a slightly sad exit from the evening's entertainment.
There'll be some hangovers tomorrow.
Saturday 13 November 2010
3/11 Namche. Rest Day.
Up late at 8, check mail... Again.... Stuff I feel needs sorting out, and I miss the outside world!!
After brekkie we go shopping, we find a bakery and have fantastic coffee and cakes. We finally get news that Lon and IngeElin summited and we're all incredibly pleased for them. They had to summit and get down to Dengboche, then today they're repeating our yomp from yesterday. They'll be slaughtered when they get here, and will have to finish with another long day to Lukla.
I sit on a wall for a while watching the rescue helicopters which seem to fly in a steady stream, and u smile at the slow people wandering up.
Kristin, Ken and I go shopping after lunch again and get more cakes. I buy presses for B, and we all fall about when a stray cow goes in the massage shop, abd doesn't come out.
Sangay appears from Lukla at three abd then the summiteers arrive.
I'm not as congratulatory as I should be, I'm distracted, and I sit and read while Kristin thrashes everyone at blackjack, and Lon eats everything in sight.
I have Sherpa stew which is delicious, the others all have yak steak, thier first meat in 3 weeks.
I go through the good wishes on facebook, although I'm not as disappointed as people think I might be. I'm content, I face it everything, and think I would have done it but for the AMS.
For me, the journey has been incredible, I know now the limits I can push myself to, and what I can achieve.I know now I'm strong enough to overcome any hurdle, abd I know I've got some I'm going to deal with when I get back to the UK!!
"in mountains we find what we seek, be it peace or violence, beauty or terror"
After brekkie we go shopping, we find a bakery and have fantastic coffee and cakes. We finally get news that Lon and IngeElin summited and we're all incredibly pleased for them. They had to summit and get down to Dengboche, then today they're repeating our yomp from yesterday. They'll be slaughtered when they get here, and will have to finish with another long day to Lukla.
I sit on a wall for a while watching the rescue helicopters which seem to fly in a steady stream, and u smile at the slow people wandering up.
Kristin, Ken and I go shopping after lunch again and get more cakes. I buy presses for B, and we all fall about when a stray cow goes in the massage shop, abd doesn't come out.
Sangay appears from Lukla at three abd then the summiteers arrive.
I'm not as congratulatory as I should be, I'm distracted, and I sit and read while Kristin thrashes everyone at blackjack, and Lon eats everything in sight.
I have Sherpa stew which is delicious, the others all have yak steak, thier first meat in 3 weeks.
I go through the good wishes on facebook, although I'm not as disappointed as people think I might be. I'm content, I face it everything, and think I would have done it but for the AMS.
For me, the journey has been incredible, I know now the limits I can push myself to, and what I can achieve.I know now I'm strong enough to overcome any hurdle, abd I know I've got some I'm going to deal with when I get back to the UK!!
"in mountains we find what we seek, be it peace or violence, beauty or terror"
The curtain starts to fall....
Left Dengboche just after 8am. Hajaramah left a present for Barbara with Jim which was touching. It's one hell of a walk today, through Dengboche then Thangboche with it's incredible monastery. We tramp downhill through stunning forests, the first time we've been below the treeline for days. We have tea at Pangboche and push on in sunshine. There are blue gentian in flower and the smell of pine and rhododendron in the air. Ever down now, Kristin hiding behind me from yaks, which I'm now confident enough to shove out of the way - until I come face to face with one on a suspension bridge and have to turn and run back the way I came, much to Neema's amusement. By the time we leave Phunky Thanga I'm in a bad mood. I think all the oxygen in the air is making bits of my brain that had been out of commission work again!! The pace is too quick and I take a couple if spectacular falls. My ankle, which I sprained just before I came out doesn't feel strong, and it collapses very easily if not well balanced. After lunch it's a 900m climb back into Namche. The fog comes in and the wind covers us in dirt. Not that it matters, I'm filthy anyway and stink like a yak. We pass by a crazy dude galloping along the narrow path on a horse, and finally, at last we get to Namche. I'm last, but this time because I stopped to watch Nepal's national bird, the Monar, grubbing around in a field in good numbers. The male is like a pheasant, with seven colours, some iridescent.
We have tea and biscuits and wait for the porters, mine and Kristin's are last as one of them had to run back to help another one who had got sick. He's so apologetic it's painful, so we give him a biscuit. The dining area is full of Germans so I don't hang about, and I go and check emails. It's nice to hear from B again, it's been hard being away from her. Kristin and I sit and chat and she has a beer, I resist the temptation and go to bed at 8 with her taking the piss loudly in the background. Our rooms are thinly divided and we keep each other awake shuffling in our bags, she farts incredibly loudly for a woman - if you're reading this you know it's true......
Then with mind racing about things at home, Gabe snoring and mice running around I lay awake for ages. Gabe takes a great pic of me all hunkered down in the bag, propped up by various bits of clothing.... And finally I sleep!
We have tea and biscuits and wait for the porters, mine and Kristin's are last as one of them had to run back to help another one who had got sick. He's so apologetic it's painful, so we give him a biscuit. The dining area is full of Germans so I don't hang about, and I go and check emails. It's nice to hear from B again, it's been hard being away from her. Kristin and I sit and chat and she has a beer, I resist the temptation and go to bed at 8 with her taking the piss loudly in the background. Our rooms are thinly divided and we keep each other awake shuffling in our bags, she farts incredibly loudly for a woman - if you're reading this you know it's true......
Then with mind racing about things at home, Gabe snoring and mice running around I lay awake for ages. Gabe takes a great pic of me all hunkered down in the bag, propped up by various bits of clothing.... And finally I sleep!
Thursday 11 November 2010
Himalayan Nights
I wake at 8, the lodge is fantastic here, and Sangay gets me to try hot seabuckthorn instead of wake up tea. It's a local fruit, and is really nice. I eat some apple porridge, and look across at Imja, through the window, with the sun at my back. I have three days to recover and gain my strength. Sangay suggests I try some light hiking to try and acclimatise again, the diamox has ben giving me pins and needles in my feet, and it makes it uncomfortable to walk, but I'll give it a go.
I ask him about medication for my chest, and he seeks out another MMA guide, and they chat in Nepali. I clearly hear them talking about HAPE, and then I am told there is no medication - just rest. Yesterday Jim had ben keen for me to go to Periche, which is a hospital on the way yo Dengboche, but Finjo wouldn't hear of it. He feels that they would have medivaced me back to KTM without really checking me over as they have some kind of deal wiyj yje rescue chopper. They know my insurance would cover it. Anyway, I sit in silence for a bit as I realise it could have been a lot more serious than I realised. I'm not entirely sure what they were talking about, but if I did have, or come close to having HAPE then I am lucky to be sitting here typing!
Gabe arrives at the lodge and the news is not good. He's come back after a night of being ill and tired. The lodges at Lobuche were rammed and no-one ha been well. Fletch is very sick indeed, and was to be sent down, but changed his mind. Ken sat up all night with him I learn later, while he tried to manage Chaine-Stokes episodes. He also spent two hours in the decrompression bag in an effort to get more oxygen into him. Gbae also says both the girls have had an off fay too. It's good to have Gabe back though, he's been such a help - even folding my sleeping bag when I was too feeble to do it one morning.
I take him round Dengboche but he's clearly shattered and goes top bed. There's a no day sleeping rule, but we've all had to break it.
In the lodge there's lots of pictures nad mountain gear layiong around. There's an ice-ax with 'Hilary 1953' on it, which I think is a hoax until I discover that the man smiling out of all the pictures with Sir Ed is none other than the lodge owner himself, Sonma Hishi Sherpa. A bit of a legend in these parts apparently.
As I wirte this, I see Imja again and I decide to go to Base Camp. and chuck everything at it if I have a good sleep there. It's daunting, but not as daunting as Ama Dablam which rises out of the river opposite. It's fearsome, and also beautiful. I can also see the south face of Lhotse, so step little snow sticks to it, Cholatse and a host of other peaks.
I spend the afternoon reading, and Gabe sleps fully dressed in his bag! After 5 hours in bed he's still really tired, so I go and find Sangay and sit and cha5t with him, and he writes in my notebook - a little something to make me smile and also to make me think.
Later we watch the imax film about Everest in the company of one of the guides for the expedition, a man who had been talking to me over lunch about my cough, and giving me some advice. By the end of the film he has a glass full of Rakshi, and eyes full of tears.
28/10
Another day of recuperation. Hiked up the hill to the Gompa for some aweesome views, and I can look back to Chola, and see just how far I managed to walk a couple of days back. The views are stunning. I spent some expensive time catching up on emails, washing (at last!!) and reading. I mailed Bernie to say I had been a little bit ill, not wanting to worry her. I figure I'll tell her before I blog. It wouldn't be a nice way to find out how close things seemed to be.
Sangay tells me that a flock of birds that fly past are penguins, which makes me chuckle, and at 1600 the whole team arrives. No-one went to EBC, and hardly anyone bothered with Kala Pattar. Fletch looks shot. The schedule is tight and there's no time to recover once you are ill.
I'm feeling better, and despite being sick I am loving it here, the views, the walking, and just the whole experience. It's tough but you find things out about yourself on the way!
At the Gompa and picked out B's name in stones and sat looking at Imja. I realised I didn't care anymore if I climbed it. The journey has become the main thing, noit the result. I have been able to get away from the stresses of home and put my mind straight. The sickness has focused me too.
It's a nice evening as part of the team again, he play cards and chat and Fletch says he's pretty much decided to quit. It's sad he feels like that, but I can see why. I'm going to carry on for now, but I had more rest thaNn he did. He hasn't slept for 4 days and just doesn't have it left any more. I manage to get him to eat some of my fruit cocktail, and he crams down some Pringles. I hope he sticks around.
29/10
Fletch quits. He's had enough. He's been sick for too long and needs to go down. He seems happy to go and we'll see him in KTM, but I'm sorry he's going because he's a good bloke and good company. We don't do anything today, I sunbathe, while the others wrap up in down jackets. it's not COLD people!! Lon has amusing incident where Finjo is trying to find him and he's on the toilet. It ends upo with Lon shouting 'I am taking a f***ing crap' at some poor trekker who was waiting outside the toilet to use it. Early to bed, 6 hour yomp tomorrow......
30/10 Dengboche to Base Camp
Strike out at 9, after dumoping as muchg gear as I dare, I feel strong and working well. Everything is good until we reach Chukkung, then it happens again. I am coughing, and it gets so harsh I start coughing up blood again. It's not much but it's annoying. My lips go blue then crack, and my nose is peeling. I can hardly drink anything and the whole thing is miserable.
We watch a chopper circling Ama Dablam, which is bad news, and as Jim and I notice, there's lenticular cloud over Lhotse and Pumori, which is really bad news.
We reach base camp around 1600, set up gear bags and muck around with plastic boots. We all congregate in the mess tents and eat the best food I've had in Nepal. Except, my appetite is going again. I know I'm unlikely to climb.
The night passes sleeplessly, I have to pee maybe a hundred times, but I least I get to see the amazing skies. I have never sen so many stars. It's sad though, my heart is racing, my chest is pounding and I feel like I asm drowning all night. I have a constantly running nose, and a cake of blood and snot at the back of m,y throat. I'm living the dream!
Gabe moans about his fleece liner feeling like a coffin, then falls asleep, while I lay there wishing I was at home with Bernie.
30/10
I bail this morning. I have had enough. Finjo tries to get me in the gammow bag, but 2 hours in there, or two hours walk to Chukkung...... I tell him I'm quitting. I know it's the right thing, I have no strength. I'm gutted and I feel a bit of a failure, but I really want to go home in one piece, and the desire to fo that is greater than the desire to climb.
I'm suprised when Ken and Jim bail too, the cloud base has plummeted and it's snowing hard. The four remaining may not even get the chance to climb tonight if the weather continues. Neema is so happy to be coming fown with us he dances around base camp and then shoots off so fast we have to almost run to keep up. We have to call him back at Chukkung so we can have tea. Ken and I walk round and get yak attacked, and take a few pictures of the snow, but we're pretty subdued.
I am thinking of home, and my friends on the mountain, and what I want to do with life when I get back. I am sad to come down but when you are hallucinating, sneezing blood, can't eat or sleep and have most of your face peeling off it's time to come down. My high point is about 16500ft, higher than anywhere in western europe and most of the US. I have walked in the footsteps of giants, slept in lodges where my heroes have stayed, seen amazing things, meet awesome people and answered questions about myself. I am now one of those going down, but I am going down a different person. I am no longer one of the pained faces going up, and my load will be a lot lighter.
1/11
Finally sleep. It's a beautiful thing. I had a beer last night, my first in thre weeks, and I quietly toast those on the hill. It's 8 am when we wake and there's a deep layer of snow. The team should be on the fixed rope now, but Neema thinks they won't climb. We wait for news. It has warmed uyp from about 15 below last night, and Harjaramah is revelling in looking after us. I've done email and caught up with friends and the good lady herself, which cheers me up no end. I pack gear ready for the off tomorrow. Three more days and we're back in Lukla, the tear in my throat seems to be healing, and there's no blood now.
1400 - no sign of the others and no news, we're still waiting.
1600 - Gabe and Kristin arrive with news of a terrible night in which the tents were blown around and they had to shout to speak to each other. No-one went up, but IngeElin and Lon have stayed to have a go tonight. This means tomorrow we're out of Dengboche, but will have to walk further - Namche - something like 9 hours away, finishing with a climb of about 800m. Which is annoying. It's never easy in the mountains!!!
I ask him about medication for my chest, and he seeks out another MMA guide, and they chat in Nepali. I clearly hear them talking about HAPE, and then I am told there is no medication - just rest. Yesterday Jim had ben keen for me to go to Periche, which is a hospital on the way yo Dengboche, but Finjo wouldn't hear of it. He feels that they would have medivaced me back to KTM without really checking me over as they have some kind of deal wiyj yje rescue chopper. They know my insurance would cover it. Anyway, I sit in silence for a bit as I realise it could have been a lot more serious than I realised. I'm not entirely sure what they were talking about, but if I did have, or come close to having HAPE then I am lucky to be sitting here typing!
Gabe arrives at the lodge and the news is not good. He's come back after a night of being ill and tired. The lodges at Lobuche were rammed and no-one ha been well. Fletch is very sick indeed, and was to be sent down, but changed his mind. Ken sat up all night with him I learn later, while he tried to manage Chaine-Stokes episodes. He also spent two hours in the decrompression bag in an effort to get more oxygen into him. Gbae also says both the girls have had an off fay too. It's good to have Gabe back though, he's been such a help - even folding my sleeping bag when I was too feeble to do it one morning.
I take him round Dengboche but he's clearly shattered and goes top bed. There's a no day sleeping rule, but we've all had to break it.
In the lodge there's lots of pictures nad mountain gear layiong around. There's an ice-ax with 'Hilary 1953' on it, which I think is a hoax until I discover that the man smiling out of all the pictures with Sir Ed is none other than the lodge owner himself, Sonma Hishi Sherpa. A bit of a legend in these parts apparently.
As I wirte this, I see Imja again and I decide to go to Base Camp. and chuck everything at it if I have a good sleep there. It's daunting, but not as daunting as Ama Dablam which rises out of the river opposite. It's fearsome, and also beautiful. I can also see the south face of Lhotse, so step little snow sticks to it, Cholatse and a host of other peaks.
I spend the afternoon reading, and Gabe sleps fully dressed in his bag! After 5 hours in bed he's still really tired, so I go and find Sangay and sit and cha5t with him, and he writes in my notebook - a little something to make me smile and also to make me think.
Later we watch the imax film about Everest in the company of one of the guides for the expedition, a man who had been talking to me over lunch about my cough, and giving me some advice. By the end of the film he has a glass full of Rakshi, and eyes full of tears.
28/10
Another day of recuperation. Hiked up the hill to the Gompa for some aweesome views, and I can look back to Chola, and see just how far I managed to walk a couple of days back. The views are stunning. I spent some expensive time catching up on emails, washing (at last!!) and reading. I mailed Bernie to say I had been a little bit ill, not wanting to worry her. I figure I'll tell her before I blog. It wouldn't be a nice way to find out how close things seemed to be.
Sangay tells me that a flock of birds that fly past are penguins, which makes me chuckle, and at 1600 the whole team arrives. No-one went to EBC, and hardly anyone bothered with Kala Pattar. Fletch looks shot. The schedule is tight and there's no time to recover once you are ill.
I'm feeling better, and despite being sick I am loving it here, the views, the walking, and just the whole experience. It's tough but you find things out about yourself on the way!
At the Gompa and picked out B's name in stones and sat looking at Imja. I realised I didn't care anymore if I climbed it. The journey has become the main thing, noit the result. I have been able to get away from the stresses of home and put my mind straight. The sickness has focused me too.
It's a nice evening as part of the team again, he play cards and chat and Fletch says he's pretty much decided to quit. It's sad he feels like that, but I can see why. I'm going to carry on for now, but I had more rest thaNn he did. He hasn't slept for 4 days and just doesn't have it left any more. I manage to get him to eat some of my fruit cocktail, and he crams down some Pringles. I hope he sticks around.
29/10
Fletch quits. He's had enough. He's been sick for too long and needs to go down. He seems happy to go and we'll see him in KTM, but I'm sorry he's going because he's a good bloke and good company. We don't do anything today, I sunbathe, while the others wrap up in down jackets. it's not COLD people!! Lon has amusing incident where Finjo is trying to find him and he's on the toilet. It ends upo with Lon shouting 'I am taking a f***ing crap' at some poor trekker who was waiting outside the toilet to use it. Early to bed, 6 hour yomp tomorrow......
30/10 Dengboche to Base Camp
Strike out at 9, after dumoping as muchg gear as I dare, I feel strong and working well. Everything is good until we reach Chukkung, then it happens again. I am coughing, and it gets so harsh I start coughing up blood again. It's not much but it's annoying. My lips go blue then crack, and my nose is peeling. I can hardly drink anything and the whole thing is miserable.
We watch a chopper circling Ama Dablam, which is bad news, and as Jim and I notice, there's lenticular cloud over Lhotse and Pumori, which is really bad news.
We reach base camp around 1600, set up gear bags and muck around with plastic boots. We all congregate in the mess tents and eat the best food I've had in Nepal. Except, my appetite is going again. I know I'm unlikely to climb.
The night passes sleeplessly, I have to pee maybe a hundred times, but I least I get to see the amazing skies. I have never sen so many stars. It's sad though, my heart is racing, my chest is pounding and I feel like I asm drowning all night. I have a constantly running nose, and a cake of blood and snot at the back of m,y throat. I'm living the dream!
Gabe moans about his fleece liner feeling like a coffin, then falls asleep, while I lay there wishing I was at home with Bernie.
30/10
I bail this morning. I have had enough. Finjo tries to get me in the gammow bag, but 2 hours in there, or two hours walk to Chukkung...... I tell him I'm quitting. I know it's the right thing, I have no strength. I'm gutted and I feel a bit of a failure, but I really want to go home in one piece, and the desire to fo that is greater than the desire to climb.
I'm suprised when Ken and Jim bail too, the cloud base has plummeted and it's snowing hard. The four remaining may not even get the chance to climb tonight if the weather continues. Neema is so happy to be coming fown with us he dances around base camp and then shoots off so fast we have to almost run to keep up. We have to call him back at Chukkung so we can have tea. Ken and I walk round and get yak attacked, and take a few pictures of the snow, but we're pretty subdued.
I am thinking of home, and my friends on the mountain, and what I want to do with life when I get back. I am sad to come down but when you are hallucinating, sneezing blood, can't eat or sleep and have most of your face peeling off it's time to come down. My high point is about 16500ft, higher than anywhere in western europe and most of the US. I have walked in the footsteps of giants, slept in lodges where my heroes have stayed, seen amazing things, meet awesome people and answered questions about myself. I am now one of those going down, but I am going down a different person. I am no longer one of the pained faces going up, and my load will be a lot lighter.
1/11
Finally sleep. It's a beautiful thing. I had a beer last night, my first in thre weeks, and I quietly toast those on the hill. It's 8 am when we wake and there's a deep layer of snow. The team should be on the fixed rope now, but Neema thinks they won't climb. We wait for news. It has warmed uyp from about 15 below last night, and Harjaramah is revelling in looking after us. I've done email and caught up with friends and the good lady herself, which cheers me up no end. I pack gear ready for the off tomorrow. Three more days and we're back in Lukla, the tear in my throat seems to be healing, and there's no blood now.
1400 - no sign of the others and no news, we're still waiting.
1600 - Gabe and Kristin arrive with news of a terrible night in which the tents were blown around and they had to shout to speak to each other. No-one went up, but IngeElin and Lon have stayed to have a go tonight. This means tomorrow we're out of Dengboche, but will have to walk further - Namche - something like 9 hours away, finishing with a climb of about 800m. Which is annoying. It's never easy in the mountains!!!
Monday 8 November 2010
26 October Tagnak-Dzongla-Dengboche. 12 hours.
The best and worst of days.
e set out just after four AM, a line of headlamps twinkle under star-filled Himalayan skies. The moon lights the peaks, and ice crunches underfoot. There is no other sound except the laboured breathing of climbing at 4800m. It's -15, but I'm really happy. There is a call of 'bistare, bistare' as I walk behind Neema, matching his pace. 'Slowly, slowly'.
We climb steadily, past snowcocks, and across frozen scree. We've left early to make sure the rocks are frozen hard to each other, so there's no danger of rockfall on the incredibly steep parts.
We reach the top of the first pass after a while without too much trouble, and I look out across the plateau towards Cho La. We have to lose a lot of height then regain it.
I start to cough again, it's a hard raking cough, the sort that tears throats and breaks ribs. I smash the ice on the top of my water bottle and drink hard, ice chunks and all. The air is crystallising as I breathe and I'm vaguely aware of the blood and snot that has frozen into my beard. I can't eat again. It's harsh but if i can't eat something will have to give. I can't carry on and I know it.
We descend to the plateau and pick our way across boulders the size of houses, Ken is sick of the rocks, they make iot really tough even on the flat ground. We gradually start to climb, it's stunning here but I don't have the energy for photographs.
It's one foot in front of the other now, nothing more, I can't get enough water on board, and I am now coughing up eevrything bad I have breathed in during the last 40 years. Great lumps of orange muck are coming out, streaked in blood.
he next section focuses me though, it's immense. Possibly three hundre vertical feet of scrambling on frozen and exposed rock. This would be hard at 1000m, but at 5000 it's incredible. I'm right at my limit, good holds disintegrate with a tinkle of breaking ice and then a crack as the rock breaks. It's exciting and all consuming. Total focus is needed tom prevent a small error becoming a big one, and I have a couple of moments where my feet scrape around on the verglass looking for purchase.
Four arms suddenly reach out and haul me onto the top. It's precipitous but awesome. This is it. Cho la. I made this one too. The view is incredible. I suck in the view and slump against what apears to be a safe rock. I cough really hard and vomit again.
I realise I might get pulled from the team here, I am really sick and i just can't get better Finjo tells me we'l need to talk when we get down to Dzongla, he's worried about my cough. I stare at Ama Dablam for a bit and fight back my emotions. I don't want to go down, or leave the team, but I don't have anything left.
Ken again tells me I've got balls, but all I can think is 'I don't belong here.' I'm scared. A porter died of a chest infection when we came out, and I have no idea if that's what I have. There's not much medical care up here.
We start to descend towards the ice field, passing the bergshrund. There's a short downclimb to a crevasse field. Sangay tries to position my foot on a hold as I face into the rock and climb down. 'Dude, the one thing I don't need help with is rock climbing,' I blurt out. I'm frustrated, but he laughs and slaps me on the back and lets me get on with it.
Ken and I joke as we cross the ice, we have no crampons and he's never walked on ice before, but it's me that fals over again. We stop for a team phot in among the crevasses, and for a while I'm loving it, this is where I am happiest.
As we descend to Dzongla though I start to fall behind.I can hardly walk. Gabe stays with me and gives me water, a kidness I find humbling in the circumstances. Every so often I sit on a rock and vomit.
I eventually reach the lodge, and collapse again. Finjo talks to me. I'm either going in the decompression bag or descending to Dengboche, which should be a safe altitude for me. He's the leader and I respect him. I'm not going in the bag though. I hear him tell the porters to sort my bag out from the rest, but I'm too upset to stop him. Kritin takes my temperature, which seems ok. Someone puts some boiled potatoes in front of me, and Fletch tells me later that I pick one up and stare at it as if I don't know what it is. I eat a couple and give the rest to Finjo. Kristin tires to make me eat, but I just can't. Finjo peels a potato and gives it back to me to eat. It's bland and rubbish.
No-one says much, I think they know how I feel, and after a hour or so walking down the trail they go off to Lobuje and eventually to Kala Pattar and EBC, I have to go down.
I have seen the map and know we've got a long way to go. Sangay puts my 15kg duffel on top of his pack and off we go. I turn to look back, Kristin waves, but I don't react and just walk off.
I have to drag out another six hours walking, Snagy and I taking turns in pace-setting. It starts to get cold. Very cold. It's foggy adn realy windy. We can see maybe 20ft, and we justy have to keep moving. Sangay is freezing and I can't feel my toes again. It takes forever, we only just reach Dengboche before it's dark. Sangay's nose has seperated from his face in one corner because of the cold and my ear is all blistered. My nose has windburn and my lips are cracked and peeling. Sangay sorts a room and I just sit in the corner coughing and feeling like shit.
Sangay has kept my spirits up talking about wildlife and buddhist philosophy. he talks about my life, and makes me think about a few things.
A woman comes over and asks if i am ok, which is kind, but it's clear I'm not. Sangay tries to get me to eat, but I can't. I keep falling asleep sitting up, and by 7 he's got me into my sleeping bag. I am utterly spent. I came here to find my limits, and I really have done that today. And some. After 12 hours of trail beating, rock climbing, crevasse crossing and coughing up various parts of my insides the tank is finally empty. I sleep for 13 hours.
e set out just after four AM, a line of headlamps twinkle under star-filled Himalayan skies. The moon lights the peaks, and ice crunches underfoot. There is no other sound except the laboured breathing of climbing at 4800m. It's -15, but I'm really happy. There is a call of 'bistare, bistare' as I walk behind Neema, matching his pace. 'Slowly, slowly'.
We climb steadily, past snowcocks, and across frozen scree. We've left early to make sure the rocks are frozen hard to each other, so there's no danger of rockfall on the incredibly steep parts.
We reach the top of the first pass after a while without too much trouble, and I look out across the plateau towards Cho La. We have to lose a lot of height then regain it.
I start to cough again, it's a hard raking cough, the sort that tears throats and breaks ribs. I smash the ice on the top of my water bottle and drink hard, ice chunks and all. The air is crystallising as I breathe and I'm vaguely aware of the blood and snot that has frozen into my beard. I can't eat again. It's harsh but if i can't eat something will have to give. I can't carry on and I know it.
We descend to the plateau and pick our way across boulders the size of houses, Ken is sick of the rocks, they make iot really tough even on the flat ground. We gradually start to climb, it's stunning here but I don't have the energy for photographs.
It's one foot in front of the other now, nothing more, I can't get enough water on board, and I am now coughing up eevrything bad I have breathed in during the last 40 years. Great lumps of orange muck are coming out, streaked in blood.
he next section focuses me though, it's immense. Possibly three hundre vertical feet of scrambling on frozen and exposed rock. This would be hard at 1000m, but at 5000 it's incredible. I'm right at my limit, good holds disintegrate with a tinkle of breaking ice and then a crack as the rock breaks. It's exciting and all consuming. Total focus is needed tom prevent a small error becoming a big one, and I have a couple of moments where my feet scrape around on the verglass looking for purchase.
Four arms suddenly reach out and haul me onto the top. It's precipitous but awesome. This is it. Cho la. I made this one too. The view is incredible. I suck in the view and slump against what apears to be a safe rock. I cough really hard and vomit again.
I realise I might get pulled from the team here, I am really sick and i just can't get better Finjo tells me we'l need to talk when we get down to Dzongla, he's worried about my cough. I stare at Ama Dablam for a bit and fight back my emotions. I don't want to go down, or leave the team, but I don't have anything left.
Ken again tells me I've got balls, but all I can think is 'I don't belong here.' I'm scared. A porter died of a chest infection when we came out, and I have no idea if that's what I have. There's not much medical care up here.
We start to descend towards the ice field, passing the bergshrund. There's a short downclimb to a crevasse field. Sangay tries to position my foot on a hold as I face into the rock and climb down. 'Dude, the one thing I don't need help with is rock climbing,' I blurt out. I'm frustrated, but he laughs and slaps me on the back and lets me get on with it.
Ken and I joke as we cross the ice, we have no crampons and he's never walked on ice before, but it's me that fals over again. We stop for a team phot in among the crevasses, and for a while I'm loving it, this is where I am happiest.
As we descend to Dzongla though I start to fall behind.I can hardly walk. Gabe stays with me and gives me water, a kidness I find humbling in the circumstances. Every so often I sit on a rock and vomit.
I eventually reach the lodge, and collapse again. Finjo talks to me. I'm either going in the decompression bag or descending to Dengboche, which should be a safe altitude for me. He's the leader and I respect him. I'm not going in the bag though. I hear him tell the porters to sort my bag out from the rest, but I'm too upset to stop him. Kritin takes my temperature, which seems ok. Someone puts some boiled potatoes in front of me, and Fletch tells me later that I pick one up and stare at it as if I don't know what it is. I eat a couple and give the rest to Finjo. Kristin tires to make me eat, but I just can't. Finjo peels a potato and gives it back to me to eat. It's bland and rubbish.
No-one says much, I think they know how I feel, and after a hour or so walking down the trail they go off to Lobuje and eventually to Kala Pattar and EBC, I have to go down.
I have seen the map and know we've got a long way to go. Sangay puts my 15kg duffel on top of his pack and off we go. I turn to look back, Kristin waves, but I don't react and just walk off.
I have to drag out another six hours walking, Snagy and I taking turns in pace-setting. It starts to get cold. Very cold. It's foggy adn realy windy. We can see maybe 20ft, and we justy have to keep moving. Sangay is freezing and I can't feel my toes again. It takes forever, we only just reach Dengboche before it's dark. Sangay's nose has seperated from his face in one corner because of the cold and my ear is all blistered. My nose has windburn and my lips are cracked and peeling. Sangay sorts a room and I just sit in the corner coughing and feeling like shit.
Sangay has kept my spirits up talking about wildlife and buddhist philosophy. he talks about my life, and makes me think about a few things.
A woman comes over and asks if i am ok, which is kind, but it's clear I'm not. Sangay tries to get me to eat, but I can't. I keep falling asleep sitting up, and by 7 he's got me into my sleeping bag. I am utterly spent. I came here to find my limits, and I really have done that today. And some. After 12 hours of trail beating, rock climbing, crevasse crossing and coughing up various parts of my insides the tank is finally empty. I sleep for 13 hours.
Part 3 - Gokyo to Tagnak
Pretty easy walking today - thankfully, across the Dzongala glacier, no snow or ice but it's a bit hairy a few times dodging rockfall, and hearing the ground creaking and groaning under your feet.
Some of the route is up and down - this is Nepal, flat means 'little bit up, little bit down', and Neema leads today, at his usual blistering pace. This strings the group out a bit and eventually Ken and I lose sight of him. I have to free climb a rock the size of a house to see the top of his baseball cap somewhere in front, and eventually we're all re-united.
Tagnak is packed with people and there's not a lot of lodge space. The guy who runs the lodge is like a Nepali John Cleese. He shouts at me for putting my backpack somewhere he doesn't want it and generally marches around being stressed and rude.
I'm managing full meals today, but this has a downside now. I have to deal with the toilets, which are interesting to say the least. If you can bring yourself to actually enter one.
Fletch is sick and spends the day in bed. Gabe is exhausted, and also takes to his bed. I talk to Ken about turning abck and he laughs it off, and tells me he can't believe my stamina and guts and how I just carry on no matter what, without even whinging. Ken's a tough Aussie and he expects the poms to whinge. He reminds me I got to 5400m, without eating and suggests most people would have turned back by now. It's god to have him on the team.
He alaso tells me he works with the brother of a guy who tried to kayak from Australia to New Zealand, a flim Bernie and I saw at the Banff film festival on our second date. ig world, small world.
It's a lazy afternoon, and I have time to think. I iss Bernie like mad, but with no comms home I can't do anything about it. I wonder what she's up to, and wish i could hear or voice just for a few minutes. I'm also missing her paella, it's been a lon time since I ate anything other than spuds or Dhal Bat. I'm craving cheese pasties too.
We've got a massive day tomorrow, to teh summit of Cho La, another 5000m top. I take the opportunity of the afternoon off to wash in a bowl of water stripped to the waist outside the lodge, where I've been sunbathing. Comically one of the sherpas is sat in his down jacket and asks me if I'm not a little cold!!!
Some of the route is up and down - this is Nepal, flat means 'little bit up, little bit down', and Neema leads today, at his usual blistering pace. This strings the group out a bit and eventually Ken and I lose sight of him. I have to free climb a rock the size of a house to see the top of his baseball cap somewhere in front, and eventually we're all re-united.
Tagnak is packed with people and there's not a lot of lodge space. The guy who runs the lodge is like a Nepali John Cleese. He shouts at me for putting my backpack somewhere he doesn't want it and generally marches around being stressed and rude.
I'm managing full meals today, but this has a downside now. I have to deal with the toilets, which are interesting to say the least. If you can bring yourself to actually enter one.
Fletch is sick and spends the day in bed. Gabe is exhausted, and also takes to his bed. I talk to Ken about turning abck and he laughs it off, and tells me he can't believe my stamina and guts and how I just carry on no matter what, without even whinging. Ken's a tough Aussie and he expects the poms to whinge. He reminds me I got to 5400m, without eating and suggests most people would have turned back by now. It's god to have him on the team.
He alaso tells me he works with the brother of a guy who tried to kayak from Australia to New Zealand, a flim Bernie and I saw at the Banff film festival on our second date. ig world, small world.
It's a lazy afternoon, and I have time to think. I iss Bernie like mad, but with no comms home I can't do anything about it. I wonder what she's up to, and wish i could hear or voice just for a few minutes. I'm also missing her paella, it's been a lon time since I ate anything other than spuds or Dhal Bat. I'm craving cheese pasties too.
We've got a massive day tomorrow, to teh summit of Cho La, another 5000m top. I take the opportunity of the afternoon off to wash in a bowl of water stripped to the waist outside the lodge, where I've been sunbathing. Comically one of the sherpas is sat in his down jacket and asks me if I'm not a little cold!!!
part 2
Up early, and a long line of headtorches work their way down to the dining area. I ram a piece of toast in my mouth and wash it down with water, but can only just stomach it. We set out at about 430 in the dark. it's really cold as start to climb up the steep ground, and i already feel like my toes are freezing. The constant coughing is draining, and it's really uncomfortable as we climb, every breath is hard and every so often I have to stop. Fletch is stamping his feet and I am wriggling fingers as well now, trying to stop frostnip setting in, so it's a welcome relief when the sun starts to come up.
We reach the twin lakes, which are stunningly beautiful, and I remember to look back ast the mountains above Lungden. I try to eat a Strepsil, and vomit it straight back up. I manage to force down a glucose tablet, and we move onto easier ground, where I remove some layers, and take another glucouse tablet.
Five hundred metres above us are the prayer flags of the summit, but the ground is incredibly steep. In places steps are cut into the rock, and it helps, but I'm now climbing in a daze, no-one is speaking, there's just the soun of hard breathing and coughing. We zig zag up but the prayer flags never seem to come any closer.
I am trying to keep a bandana over my face to warm and moisten the air I am breathing, but it feels like it is suffocating me. I pull it off and try and fix it to my pack with a 'biner, but I can't work out how to do it. My brain knows, but the signals to my hands seem to be messed up. I feel punch drunk, and my knees have gone like a new born foal's. I slump back against a rock and Finjo tries to take my pack. I refuse. There's a stand off for a few seconds, then I try to stand up but nothing happens. Finjo unclips my pack and hands it to Sangay. I nod my appreciation, but feel gutted I am needing help so close to the top.
I start off again, unhindered by the 8kg that was on my back, and now it's four breaths and two steps, four breaths, two steps. The air is so thin it's tough to get enough oxygen. Kristin is behind me, and I try to let her pass, but she wants to stay behind me, probably using me to pace herself. 'This is the hardest day of my lie...' she breathes. This is a girl who has climbed Elbrus the highest mountain in Europe. I ask her if she includes Elbrus and she says 'Elbrus was nothing.'
Now Inge-Ellen has had her pack taken as well, she has stomach problems. I try to speak to her, but I just cough up a mixture of blood and gunk, and just try to keep moving. Then I realise I've only got 5 metres to go, and the power comes back on. Over my right shoulder, as I crest the ridge I see Everest. It's enormous. It towers over everything, it's snow streaked granite pyramid distinct and clear against the perfect blue sky. It's glorious. I'm pretty much overcome and lurch out onto the narrow ridge. I'm on top of Renjo at 5400 metres. I don't know how I have accomplished it.
I realise I'm no longer suffering from my usal fear of heights, and stumble around on top for a bit. There's lots of back slapping, hand shaking and a few tears. Lots of pictures are taken, and I sit and suck in the scene. Makalu, Lhotse and Everest dominate the horizon, and there on the left is the huge north face of Cholatse, crossed with seracs and hanging glaciers. One of the most technical climbs in the Himalaya.
I scramble up a bit of rock and put up the prayer flag I had blessed at Kopan before the others arrive, with a couple of names and some thoughts for the future on it. I think Finjo does puja with the others, and I cram inn a Snickers, which I promptly vomit back up. Then we're off. We've been here less than half on hour. But it's enough.
The slope down to Gokyo is steep and loose now it's no longer frozen, Gokyo seems so close, yet the drop is huge. We pick our way carefully down, but I'm too tired to think, and I fall. I skid along on my backside for a good 5 metres before Neema manages to grab my pack and stop me disappearing. I now have a limp and a brusied backside to go with the cough, and then I start sneezing blood.
Seven and a half hours after we leave Lungden we reach Gokyo. The lake is incredibly beautiful with it's glacial green waters standing out in the grey and brown of the rocks.
We get to the lodge and I collapse. It's pretty much and hour before I am aware of anything. I've gone to 5400m on nothing more than a slice of toast, some glucose and a half eaten Snickers.
Fletch's watch says we're burning about 5000 calries a day, and I think I've been eating around 200 for the last 4 days. Essentially I am eating myself. I'm losing weight like anything, and by now pretty much everyone else is sick too. Lon is vomiting through dehydration, and possibly hallucinating, accoriding to Ken.
I manage to eat that evening, a few roast potatoes and i start to feel a bit better. I have some fruit salad from a can. In the evening we go out and watch Co Oyu in the starlight, and take a few pics. It's freezing cold here but stunningly beautiful. I decide to press on, despite this being the ideal place to abandon the trip. Tomorrow should be an easier day on flattish ground, and if I can only eat I should be able to go on.
Finjo congratulates me on getting to the top, my previous high is only 1344m, 4000m below what I achieved today, and by far the lowest altitude any of the team had as a previous record. I'm pleased, content, happy, tired and relieved as I crash out.
One thing is for sure though, next time we go high in a few days I won't wear my trainers. They didn't feel that safe. :)
We reach the twin lakes, which are stunningly beautiful, and I remember to look back ast the mountains above Lungden. I try to eat a Strepsil, and vomit it straight back up. I manage to force down a glucose tablet, and we move onto easier ground, where I remove some layers, and take another glucouse tablet.
Five hundred metres above us are the prayer flags of the summit, but the ground is incredibly steep. In places steps are cut into the rock, and it helps, but I'm now climbing in a daze, no-one is speaking, there's just the soun of hard breathing and coughing. We zig zag up but the prayer flags never seem to come any closer.
I am trying to keep a bandana over my face to warm and moisten the air I am breathing, but it feels like it is suffocating me. I pull it off and try and fix it to my pack with a 'biner, but I can't work out how to do it. My brain knows, but the signals to my hands seem to be messed up. I feel punch drunk, and my knees have gone like a new born foal's. I slump back against a rock and Finjo tries to take my pack. I refuse. There's a stand off for a few seconds, then I try to stand up but nothing happens. Finjo unclips my pack and hands it to Sangay. I nod my appreciation, but feel gutted I am needing help so close to the top.
I start off again, unhindered by the 8kg that was on my back, and now it's four breaths and two steps, four breaths, two steps. The air is so thin it's tough to get enough oxygen. Kristin is behind me, and I try to let her pass, but she wants to stay behind me, probably using me to pace herself. 'This is the hardest day of my lie...' she breathes. This is a girl who has climbed Elbrus the highest mountain in Europe. I ask her if she includes Elbrus and she says 'Elbrus was nothing.'
Now Inge-Ellen has had her pack taken as well, she has stomach problems. I try to speak to her, but I just cough up a mixture of blood and gunk, and just try to keep moving. Then I realise I've only got 5 metres to go, and the power comes back on. Over my right shoulder, as I crest the ridge I see Everest. It's enormous. It towers over everything, it's snow streaked granite pyramid distinct and clear against the perfect blue sky. It's glorious. I'm pretty much overcome and lurch out onto the narrow ridge. I'm on top of Renjo at 5400 metres. I don't know how I have accomplished it.
I realise I'm no longer suffering from my usal fear of heights, and stumble around on top for a bit. There's lots of back slapping, hand shaking and a few tears. Lots of pictures are taken, and I sit and suck in the scene. Makalu, Lhotse and Everest dominate the horizon, and there on the left is the huge north face of Cholatse, crossed with seracs and hanging glaciers. One of the most technical climbs in the Himalaya.
I scramble up a bit of rock and put up the prayer flag I had blessed at Kopan before the others arrive, with a couple of names and some thoughts for the future on it. I think Finjo does puja with the others, and I cram inn a Snickers, which I promptly vomit back up. Then we're off. We've been here less than half on hour. But it's enough.
The slope down to Gokyo is steep and loose now it's no longer frozen, Gokyo seems so close, yet the drop is huge. We pick our way carefully down, but I'm too tired to think, and I fall. I skid along on my backside for a good 5 metres before Neema manages to grab my pack and stop me disappearing. I now have a limp and a brusied backside to go with the cough, and then I start sneezing blood.
Seven and a half hours after we leave Lungden we reach Gokyo. The lake is incredibly beautiful with it's glacial green waters standing out in the grey and brown of the rocks.
We get to the lodge and I collapse. It's pretty much and hour before I am aware of anything. I've gone to 5400m on nothing more than a slice of toast, some glucose and a half eaten Snickers.
Fletch's watch says we're burning about 5000 calries a day, and I think I've been eating around 200 for the last 4 days. Essentially I am eating myself. I'm losing weight like anything, and by now pretty much everyone else is sick too. Lon is vomiting through dehydration, and possibly hallucinating, accoriding to Ken.
I manage to eat that evening, a few roast potatoes and i start to feel a bit better. I have some fruit salad from a can. In the evening we go out and watch Co Oyu in the starlight, and take a few pics. It's freezing cold here but stunningly beautiful. I decide to press on, despite this being the ideal place to abandon the trip. Tomorrow should be an easier day on flattish ground, and if I can only eat I should be able to go on.
Finjo congratulates me on getting to the top, my previous high is only 1344m, 4000m below what I achieved today, and by far the lowest altitude any of the team had as a previous record. I'm pleased, content, happy, tired and relieved as I crash out.
One thing is for sure though, next time we go high in a few days I won't wear my trainers. They didn't feel that safe. :)
The best and worst of times.
18 October
Fully recovered, or so I think, I'm up at 4am to get the chartered chopper over to Lukla. Fletch and Ken get the first flight and the rest of us end up waiting until nearly 11 before we can leave. Partly because someone had to come and pump the tyres back up on the MIG. We're crammed in with all the gear and a party for Ama Dablam, and I mean crammed, I spend the whole flight with my legs above my had and partly wrapped round Kristin, with Gabe's 6ft 4 frame crammed in by the window. Pasang Sherpa is on the flight and is the guid for Ama Dablam. H's summited Everest 5 times, and we're all a bit in awe. Lon gets to chat to him at KTM before we depart.
The flight is pretty awsome once w are under way, and not really as scary as you'd think, just uncomfortable. Kristin does look she's praying as we come into land, which makes me chuckle. We have a massive lunch at Lukla and meet back up with Fletch and Ken, and then set out, walking past the plane that crashed into the wall at the top of the airport a few days ago. We climb up towards Phakding, which takes just over 3 hours, walking through forsts that must be incrdible in spring, jumping out of the way of the Zopkio - cow-yak hybrids that porter on the lower slopes, and I feel like I am living the dream!!
The lodge at Phakding is ok, Lon has to go in with his Mum and Dad as one of the rooms is a triple, me and Gabe share again and have a good laugh when he opens his porter-pack to find his shaving foam has gone for a proper burton everywhere. I'm going full yeti so I am not going to have that problem. The big issue is the toilet paper - we've been issued two rolls each for three weeks, and I have another visitation like I did at Kathmandu it won't last long. So, first night in a lodge at the Prince Everest, where we at chilli potatoes and chat before an early night. We've had the rules read to us - no meat or dairy above Namche, no beer, etc - all thought out to try and stop us getting sick. Fingers crossed.
19 October Phakding - Namche (7 hours)
Set out early on what starts as an easy walk up to Monjo, whre we would have started today had the flight not been so late. The going gets harder here and Barbara is finding it tough, but she's in her sixties so it's no suprise. She's a well known US author on Nepal, and her knowldge is great and really interesting, but it's hard to talk to her because of the difference in our paces. We go over Nepal's longst suspension bridge, hoping the Zopkio don't start coming the other way, and after lunch we then cross the highest, which Ken bounces to test my nerves, but I'm ok on it and we're soon over the Dudh Koshi, th milk river.
Namche never seems to come, as we near 3000m it gets really hard, Barbara is now in front, so she can set the pace, and as we reach Namche we are disappointed to find the first Everest viewpoint in thick cloud. We then have to climb through the village right to the top to reach the lodge. It's a long day.
19th October Namche Bazar
There's an annoying French guy here who looks Gerard Depardieu! We joke about the price of snickers, of which Fletch has a stash in his bag - he's the Snickers King of Phakding, or the Snickers Tsar of Namche Bazar, we're not sure. Lon demonstrates his eating prowess by clearing up all the leftovers, I've never seen anything like it, but he's fit. I caught him doing push ups at Phakding, god knows where he gets the energy, I'm feeling good and I'm in the mood for altitude.
20-23 October
Didn't get to see as much of Namche as I'd hoped, by the time we reached the lodge I just wanted to sleep. The next 'rest day' we set out on an acclimitisation hike to the Everest View Hotel, where we are rewarded with our first views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse and a little peek at Everest behind the clouds. We walk round to Kunde to see the yeti skull at the monastery and the hospital, where we met a girl I had seen yesterday. She was telling her guide she felt ill because she had 'never walked uphill before!!!' Hmmmm. Anyway I'm last back to the lodge, feeling drained and unable to eat. Which is annoying.
The next day we walk up to Thame, and all I can eat is a Mars bar. and a few glucouse tablets. I'm not worried though, sure it will pass. Pretty thrilled to be staying at Appa Sherpa's lodge - 21 times summiteer of Everest. The certificates are all round the walls, with oxygen bottles and other memorbillia. This is also the village that Tenzing Norgay came from.
We leave for Lungden the next morning, and I still can't eat. I'm also crapping water, and now I'm not sleeping. I don't remember much of the walk, except the views of Kasum Kangure, Kongde and then Cho Oyu - the first 8000er we see. I get to Lungden on stamina and energy I didn't know I had. The lodg is very basic, w're here for two days too. I manage to eat a bizarre mix of chapati, jam and chips so I can start on Diamox, which will hopefully stem the onset of the AMS I think I am getting. Fletch is getting sick too, but Finjo finds a yellow tablet which sems to help. The lodge is full of Japanese, who have bought their own cook tent and food, so they pay 10 times the lodge price. They're a strange lot. Sangay says 'walk slow, no bag... Japanese....'
The next day we rest up, a really welcom day. Gabe, Jim and I sit in the sun, while the others do some light hiking, I'm still not eating very well and don't join in the High Altitude Rounders. I go to my room to eat, where I cram in potatoes washd down with water. It's easier in the room, I don't feel like I'm putting the others off with my retching and coughing as I eat. Early to bed for an early start.
Fully recovered, or so I think, I'm up at 4am to get the chartered chopper over to Lukla. Fletch and Ken get the first flight and the rest of us end up waiting until nearly 11 before we can leave. Partly because someone had to come and pump the tyres back up on the MIG. We're crammed in with all the gear and a party for Ama Dablam, and I mean crammed, I spend the whole flight with my legs above my had and partly wrapped round Kristin, with Gabe's 6ft 4 frame crammed in by the window. Pasang Sherpa is on the flight and is the guid for Ama Dablam. H's summited Everest 5 times, and we're all a bit in awe. Lon gets to chat to him at KTM before we depart.
The flight is pretty awsome once w are under way, and not really as scary as you'd think, just uncomfortable. Kristin does look she's praying as we come into land, which makes me chuckle. We have a massive lunch at Lukla and meet back up with Fletch and Ken, and then set out, walking past the plane that crashed into the wall at the top of the airport a few days ago. We climb up towards Phakding, which takes just over 3 hours, walking through forsts that must be incrdible in spring, jumping out of the way of the Zopkio - cow-yak hybrids that porter on the lower slopes, and I feel like I am living the dream!!
The lodge at Phakding is ok, Lon has to go in with his Mum and Dad as one of the rooms is a triple, me and Gabe share again and have a good laugh when he opens his porter-pack to find his shaving foam has gone for a proper burton everywhere. I'm going full yeti so I am not going to have that problem. The big issue is the toilet paper - we've been issued two rolls each for three weeks, and I have another visitation like I did at Kathmandu it won't last long. So, first night in a lodge at the Prince Everest, where we at chilli potatoes and chat before an early night. We've had the rules read to us - no meat or dairy above Namche, no beer, etc - all thought out to try and stop us getting sick. Fingers crossed.
19 October Phakding - Namche (7 hours)
Set out early on what starts as an easy walk up to Monjo, whre we would have started today had the flight not been so late. The going gets harder here and Barbara is finding it tough, but she's in her sixties so it's no suprise. She's a well known US author on Nepal, and her knowldge is great and really interesting, but it's hard to talk to her because of the difference in our paces. We go over Nepal's longst suspension bridge, hoping the Zopkio don't start coming the other way, and after lunch we then cross the highest, which Ken bounces to test my nerves, but I'm ok on it and we're soon over the Dudh Koshi, th milk river.
Namche never seems to come, as we near 3000m it gets really hard, Barbara is now in front, so she can set the pace, and as we reach Namche we are disappointed to find the first Everest viewpoint in thick cloud. We then have to climb through the village right to the top to reach the lodge. It's a long day.
19th October Namche Bazar
There's an annoying French guy here who looks Gerard Depardieu! We joke about the price of snickers, of which Fletch has a stash in his bag - he's the Snickers King of Phakding, or the Snickers Tsar of Namche Bazar, we're not sure. Lon demonstrates his eating prowess by clearing up all the leftovers, I've never seen anything like it, but he's fit. I caught him doing push ups at Phakding, god knows where he gets the energy, I'm feeling good and I'm in the mood for altitude.
20-23 October
Didn't get to see as much of Namche as I'd hoped, by the time we reached the lodge I just wanted to sleep. The next 'rest day' we set out on an acclimitisation hike to the Everest View Hotel, where we are rewarded with our first views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse and a little peek at Everest behind the clouds. We walk round to Kunde to see the yeti skull at the monastery and the hospital, where we met a girl I had seen yesterday. She was telling her guide she felt ill because she had 'never walked uphill before!!!' Hmmmm. Anyway I'm last back to the lodge, feeling drained and unable to eat. Which is annoying.
The next day we walk up to Thame, and all I can eat is a Mars bar. and a few glucouse tablets. I'm not worried though, sure it will pass. Pretty thrilled to be staying at Appa Sherpa's lodge - 21 times summiteer of Everest. The certificates are all round the walls, with oxygen bottles and other memorbillia. This is also the village that Tenzing Norgay came from.
We leave for Lungden the next morning, and I still can't eat. I'm also crapping water, and now I'm not sleeping. I don't remember much of the walk, except the views of Kasum Kangure, Kongde and then Cho Oyu - the first 8000er we see. I get to Lungden on stamina and energy I didn't know I had. The lodg is very basic, w're here for two days too. I manage to eat a bizarre mix of chapati, jam and chips so I can start on Diamox, which will hopefully stem the onset of the AMS I think I am getting. Fletch is getting sick too, but Finjo finds a yellow tablet which sems to help. The lodge is full of Japanese, who have bought their own cook tent and food, so they pay 10 times the lodge price. They're a strange lot. Sangay says 'walk slow, no bag... Japanese....'
The next day we rest up, a really welcom day. Gabe, Jim and I sit in the sun, while the others do some light hiking, I'm still not eating very well and don't join in the High Altitude Rounders. I go to my room to eat, where I cram in potatoes washd down with water. It's easier in the room, I don't feel like I'm putting the others off with my retching and coughing as I eat. Early to bed for an early start.
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