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!!!
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