We had such a great time but it was haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard. We took loads of piccies and have put a selection below (managed to resist the urge to post all 300!!). They are in 3 sections which are the wrong order.... but you get the general idea!!!
Love Jo n G xxx
Part 3 - Dragnag via Chola Pass to Kala Pattar (5,580) and Everest Base Camp (5,350m) and then back to civilisation.
The dreaded Chola Pass, this was one of the hardest parts to climb, the altitude and the carrying ruck sacs and the steepness meant that we would take about 10 steps and then have to stop and recover, otherwise we would get too dizzy. Also we were clambering over a rock fall so constantly on the lookout for falling rocks (give me kinder Scout anyday).
Some places we stayed they would only provide a hot bowl of water for 80 rupees (about 60 pence)....
The gang, after 3 weeks together we knew each others bowel movements and even consistency !!
Me on the top of KalaPattar, this was our highest point and thus most knackerin'. From here we got our best views of Mt Everest and it is where the majority of Everest pictires are taken from (without donning crampons etc). At the top when we had recovered slightly I remember forgetting our height amd when I suddenly got up to walk about had to stop and breathe deeply, very weird feeling, and not too pleasant.
Next to a frozen lake at 5,650m
On the lake, skidding about, much fun
Walking over a glacier, finally heading down from the top of Kala Pattar
Our guides, always streaming ahead, obviously they were more acclimatised than us
Awesome views from every angle.One of the many many rests we had to take
We met a Dutch guy called Martin, he joined us for one day and we destroyed him, after a day trekking with us he got a bad headache and had to descend to a lower town - oops. I think it was because he had flown in and not had time to acclimatise
The many Yaks we saw en-route, they are used to ferry goods up and down the mountains. And in their spare time they make cheese, we ate a lot of yak-cheese.
The BIG GUY himself - Everest.
View from the top of Kala Pattar - we made it! 5,650m and the thin air made walking a massive struggle. Everest is the one on my head...
SHE RA- princess of power, that aint padding...
Everest towering behind. I have read two books on climbing everest now and I would seriously recommend the Bear Grylls one
Yak with nice ear-rings....
View from Gorak Shep (5,160m) of Everest and Nupste (7,879m) at sunset....
The sun setting on Everest.....
Everest Base Camp - 5,380m and -10 degrees (the dog was cold). No idea why anyone would want to go higher, base camp was enough for us! The expeditions climb in May and already the sherpa climbing teams are setting up base camp, it is a huuuuge logistical nightmare.
SHE RA- princess of power, that aint padding...
Everest towering behind. I have read two books on climbing everest now and I would seriously recommend the Bear Grylls one
Yak with nice ear-rings....
View from Gorak Shep (5,160m) of Everest and Nupste (7,879m) at sunset....
The sun setting on Everest.....
Everest Base Camp - 5,380m and -10 degrees (the dog was cold). No idea why anyone would want to go higher, base camp was enough for us! The expeditions climb in May and already the sherpa climbing teams are setting up base camp, it is a huuuuge logistical nightmare. Brr base camp....The first part of the climb for people who are trying to summit Everest is called the Khumbu ice-fall, it is one of the most dangerous parts that claims many lives. Its is a slow moving glacier with ice boulders the size of multi-storey houses and is constantly shifting. The best time to climb it is before sunrise because when the sun gets on it it starts to move and crack. The sherpas are constantly working on it providing ropes and ladders to cross the dangerous crevasses. And when they inevitably break the sherpas are up there mending them again. The sherpas are the real heroes of Everest, they are never mentioned however when the teams make it to the summit.
Yaks carrying expedition stuff to base camp....when base camp is in full flow (may/june) yaks and porters also carry human faeces down the mountain to be used as fertiliser for growing vegetables, hmmmm we only found this out after eating much veg...
Sun rise - we were such early birds
Temple at Temboche on the way back down. Sherper Everest climbers go here to get permission from the godess of Everest to climb her....
Brrrr, a lot of time was spent huddled around Yak shit fuled stoves
Tengboche Monestary
Yee hah, nearly back!!!
Greasy hair after 9 days of not washing :-( You have no idea how a hot shower feels after 9 days.....
Porter carrying way too much stuff. I read a story whereby a guy died of altitude sickness below base camp, his body had to be transported down the mountain but rigor mrtis had set in. They tried to bend it but couldn''t so the only option was for them to lean on it and break the spine so as to fold him in two. Then he could be placed in a porters basket and carried down.
Prayer walls with Tibetan Buddhist mantras
We made it! Arrived in Lukla, our final destination - NO MORE WALKING EVER AGAIN! (check out Graham's sweaty arm pits...) 
Hurrah - in Lukla on the last night enjoying alcohol for the first time in 3 weeks, ahhhhh (well apart from the odd cup of chang - a hideous Nepalese millet wine)
Lukla - 2,800m.
The flight home back to Kathmandu (I was scared). Took 35 mins to fly what took us 8 days to walk, hmmmm.....
Part 2 - Namche to Dragnag via Gokyo and the frozen lakes.......
Yaks carrying expedition stuff to base camp....when base camp is in full flow (may/june) yaks and porters also carry human faeces down the mountain to be used as fertiliser for growing vegetables, hmmmm we only found this out after eating much veg...
Sun rise - we were such early birds
Temple at Temboche on the way back down. Sherper Everest climbers go here to get permission from the godess of Everest to climb her....
Brrrr, a lot of time was spent huddled around Yak shit fuled stoves
Tengboche Monestary
Yee hah, nearly back!!!
Greasy hair after 9 days of not washing :-( You have no idea how a hot shower feels after 9 days.....
Porter carrying way too much stuff. I read a story whereby a guy died of altitude sickness below base camp, his body had to be transported down the mountain but rigor mrtis had set in. They tried to bend it but couldn''t so the only option was for them to lean on it and break the spine so as to fold him in two. Then he could be placed in a porters basket and carried down.
Prayer walls with Tibetan Buddhist mantras
We made it! Arrived in Lukla, our final destination - NO MORE WALKING EVER AGAIN! (check out Graham's sweaty arm pits...) Hurrah - in Lukla on the last night enjoying alcohol for the first time in 3 weeks, ahhhhh (well apart from the odd cup of chang - a hideous Nepalese millet wine)
Lukla - 2,800m.
The flight home back to Kathmandu (I was scared). Took 35 mins to fly what took us 8 days to walk, hmmmm..... Back in Kathmandu. Our guide took us to meet his wife and 3 years old boy at their room in Kathmandu. We had lunch sitting on their bed - they rent one room in which they cook and sleep, it was a shock to see where he lives, especially as he is wealthy by Nepali standards.
Part 2 - Namche to Dragnag via Gokyo and the frozen lakes....... The Namche was a real turning point for us, above this (3,500m) the altitude was going to affect us more and we were to only walk 5 hour days, as oppposed to 7-8 hour days
A tipple at Mt Everest View Hotel....mainly for rich, lazy Japanese
For the record Jo and I hired our down jackets, however they were so warm that I have since bought my own and also bought my dad one. Roger you lucky man....don''t worry yours is green and black.
Nice hats though, thank you Yaks for your bum hair...
Sleeping with your head torch was essential because the altitude makes you wee more, inevitably in the night too. Something to do with making the blood more concentrated and therefore more efficient with oxygen transportation.
Jo and I having some Sherpa tea, she was looking rough that day
These colourful flags are buddhist prayer flags, used for luck on the mountains. They are absolutely everywhere.
Jo in meditative pose....
Me meditating in a cave, sort of......So far I am onto my 3rd book on buddhist philosophy, but don''t worry I''m not going to start chanting.......just yet
Overlooking a massive glacier, it looks grey because it has been scraping rocks from the sides for years, so the top is rocks but underneath is slow moving glacial ice. Amazingly when we crossed the glacier there were parts which were pure white sand, this is due to the same effect that occurs on beaches, millions of years of erosion on the rocks
A frozen lake, one of 3 in Gokyo. When the wind catches it it makes a kind of distant boomning sound (no idea why), it sounds like there is a drum and base party going on somewhere in the distance
High above the frozen lakes with my chubby wife...;-)
Jo was well pleased with her walking, as you can see
Above 3,500m most of the places we stayed looked like this, pretty drab really, just purely for trekkers. Ice would form on the windows during the night and generally no hot showers, occasionally a bucket, but usually it was too cold to comtemplate washing. Getting out of bed was tough in the mornings, and usually around 6am................next year Hawaii !!
Our guide Rishi, a bit of a nutter really
In the middle of a glacier
White sandy beach in the glacier....weird...
1st half of the trek - Jiri to Namche Bazaar....(Jo) On the first day we took an 8 hour bus journey to Jiri and started our trek on day two. It took 8 days walking to get to Lukla (where most people fly to) and it was super tiring. Our guide Rishie was a legend (especially for me as he helped me carry my bag). We met a Belgian lass called Kiki on day one and spent the rest of the 3 weeks with her and her guide (Raj) which was lots a fun.
More prayer walls and yaks....
And another yak....they carry up to 60kg....
Not sure which day this was, they started to blur into one. Rishie, Graham, Raj and Kiki....
Hurrah, puppy tastic! Saw lots of cool baby animals en route, always a good excuse to stop for a rest!
The highest mountain pass of the first section at 3,500m. It was the first time there was snow on the ground and it was coooooooooooold....
One of the long cold afternoons! We started walking at 7.30am and so arrived at the villages mid afternoon. The routine was the same every day - we had a cold bucket shower and then put on the entired contents of our bag and sat grannies. We played lots of cards and read lots of books - it was so odd being totally away from civilisation. It wasn't exactly luxury... but then we were paying 1-2 pounds a night - there wasn't any heating in any of the lodges (not even a yak shit stove), there was often no running water or electricity and only outdoor "toilets" (holes in the ground covered with sawdust) so getting up in the night was not ideal (and a tiger killed a dog in one of the villages the week before so we were even less keen to venture out at night!).
Cure Sherpa kids - the 8 year old was carrying her younger bro as she helped out in the lodge.
Chang - minging alcoholic drink made from millet
More baby animals, hurrah! (don't think they are massively enjoying being picked up)
Sitting round the warm stove at lunchtime waiting for Daal Baht to cook - our staple diet was rice, lentils and potato curry, mmmmmmmmmmmmmm (especially after 3 weeks). Eating was the highlight of my day and I enjoyed having the excuse of being able to eat as much as physically possible....
There were loads of porters supplies up the mountain as it is cheaper than using helecopter. These guys were amazingly strong and have such hard jobs - they carry up to 100kg by a rope on their heads. Most of the porters are lowlanders from the Rai cast (and sadly some of them were school age boys) - the Sherpers have made a lot of money from tourism and no longer have porter jobs. These guys get paid 2 - 4 pounds a day depending on how much they carry.
The porters loads...
More cool Sherpa kids...
Crop terraces - typical terrain for the first 8 days....
A tipple at Mt Everest View Hotel....mainly for rich, lazy Japanese
For the record Jo and I hired our down jackets, however they were so warm that I have since bought my own and also bought my dad one. Roger you lucky man....don''t worry yours is green and black.
Nice hats though, thank you Yaks for your bum hair...
Sleeping with your head torch was essential because the altitude makes you wee more, inevitably in the night too. Something to do with making the blood more concentrated and therefore more efficient with oxygen transportation.
Jo and I having some Sherpa tea, she was looking rough that day
These colourful flags are buddhist prayer flags, used for luck on the mountains. They are absolutely everywhere.
Jo in meditative pose....
Me meditating in a cave, sort of......So far I am onto my 3rd book on buddhist philosophy, but don''t worry I''m not going to start chanting.......just yet
Overlooking a massive glacier, it looks grey because it has been scraping rocks from the sides for years, so the top is rocks but underneath is slow moving glacial ice. Amazingly when we crossed the glacier there were parts which were pure white sand, this is due to the same effect that occurs on beaches, millions of years of erosion on the rocks
A frozen lake, one of 3 in Gokyo. When the wind catches it it makes a kind of distant boomning sound (no idea why), it sounds like there is a drum and base party going on somewhere in the distance
High above the frozen lakes with my chubby wife...;-)
Jo was well pleased with her walking, as you can see
Above 3,500m most of the places we stayed looked like this, pretty drab really, just purely for trekkers. Ice would form on the windows during the night and generally no hot showers, occasionally a bucket, but usually it was too cold to comtemplate washing. Getting out of bed was tough in the mornings, and usually around 6am................next year Hawaii !!
Our guide Rishi, a bit of a nutter really
In the middle of a glacier
White sandy beach in the glacier....weird...
1st half of the trek - Jiri to Namche Bazaar....(Jo) On the first day we took an 8 hour bus journey to Jiri and started our trek on day two. It took 8 days walking to get to Lukla (where most people fly to) and it was super tiring. Our guide Rishie was a legend (especially for me as he helped me carry my bag). We met a Belgian lass called Kiki on day one and spent the rest of the 3 weeks with her and her guide (Raj) which was lots a fun.The first part was haaaaard work - each day we went up up up and then all the way down again to the bottom of valley, so was a bit soul destroying! The max height was only 3,500 but probably helped us acclimatise for the rest of the trek. This is the old route (pre the flying option) and hardly any tourists still do this route - there was only us three and a crazy Canadian guy was a bit of a lost soul. It was nice to walk through the remote villages - all of the kids rushed over to say hello. Amazing that people have to walk for 3-4 days to get to their houses(Chloe, definitely no taxi option, will mail!) and school kids walk for hours to get to school. We walked about 6-7 hours a day and passed a lot of time by learning super basic Nepali from the guides. Walked along steep hillsides with crop terraces and didn't see any snowey peaks until the 5th day. Went through lots of different ethnic groups but as we got higher we were into Buddhist Sherper territory.
Buddist temple in one of the first villages
More prayer walls and yaks....
And another yak....they carry up to 60kg....
Not sure which day this was, they started to blur into one. Rishie, Graham, Raj and Kiki....
Hurrah, puppy tastic! Saw lots of cool baby animals en route, always a good excuse to stop for a rest!
The highest mountain pass of the first section at 3,500m. It was the first time there was snow on the ground and it was coooooooooooold....
One of the long cold afternoons! We started walking at 7.30am and so arrived at the villages mid afternoon. The routine was the same every day - we had a cold bucket shower and then put on the entired contents of our bag and sat grannies. We played lots of cards and read lots of books - it was so odd being totally away from civilisation. It wasn't exactly luxury... but then we were paying 1-2 pounds a night - there wasn't any heating in any of the lodges (not even a yak shit stove), there was often no running water or electricity and only outdoor "toilets" (holes in the ground covered with sawdust) so getting up in the night was not ideal (and a tiger killed a dog in one of the villages the week before so we were even less keen to venture out at night!).
Cure Sherpa kids - the 8 year old was carrying her younger bro as she helped out in the lodge.
Chang - minging alcoholic drink made from millet
More baby animals, hurrah! (don't think they are massively enjoying being picked up)
Sitting round the warm stove at lunchtime waiting for Daal Baht to cook - our staple diet was rice, lentils and potato curry, mmmmmmmmmmmmmm (especially after 3 weeks). Eating was the highlight of my day and I enjoyed having the excuse of being able to eat as much as physically possible....
There were loads of porters supplies up the mountain as it is cheaper than using helecopter. These guys were amazingly strong and have such hard jobs - they carry up to 100kg by a rope on their heads. Most of the porters are lowlanders from the Rai cast (and sadly some of them were school age boys) - the Sherpers have made a lot of money from tourism and no longer have porter jobs. These guys get paid 2 - 4 pounds a day depending on how much they carry.The porters loads...
More cool Sherpa kids...
Crop terraces - typical terrain for the first 8 days....
We are now back and it is soooo warm compared to the mountains. It is AMAZING to have normal food, running water and a warm shower again. We have spent 2 days seeing the sights in K’du and now off tomorrow with Kiki again to a place called The Last Resort by Tibetan boarder to chill out (cheers sparkle for the recommendation).
Bye for now!! xx
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