Everest Base Camp Trek Day 10 – Lobuche to Gorak Shep

Despite my sleepless night, I felt fine in the morning, if not a bit dazed. Our friend Edgar, however, was in very poor shape and felt terrible. We tried to convince him to go back down and enticed him by saying we would accompany him in the descent, but he didn’t want to give up so close to the top. It was decided to bring him to the doctor and wait to hear the verdict. Shockingly, the doctor advised him to go up after taking his oxygen level and blood pressure, despite his deteriorating condition for the past 5 days.  We weren’t happy with the outcome but our friend was a grown man and he could make his own decisions. We ate our breakfast, packed our bags and departed.

On the way to Gorak Shep!

The trail went up nice and slowly. My pace was a bit slower than the group and I started to fall behind. About half way through I started seeing black spots and despite slowing down as much as possible, I had to sit down and rest. I felt really weak because of the sleepless night. It was worrying since the 5 boys were ahead of me. I felt scared and helpless but I knew I couldn’t keep going although I did try to catch them up at some point which left me even more tired. Finally, my companions noticed my absence and weren’t sure whether I was ahead or behind them. Chris walked ahead and Manu walked backwards to look for me. When I saw Manu walk back for me, I had tears in my eyes for two reasons. First I was upset that it wasn’t Chris coming back from me, second I was relieved they hadn’t forgot about me! I explained to him that I had to slow down since I was feeling dizzy and seeing spots. Without further discussion, Manuel grabbed my bag from me. A dozen of minutes later, I arrived at the spot where my group was waiting for me and understood that Chris had been looking for me ahead. They encouraged me to start taking Diamox so at 10am that day I started the AMS pills. Eric carried my bag from then on since he had the smallest pack of the group. I was very lucky to have the boys helping me out!

Amazing pools in the glacier

Difficult terrain - Water break!

We made it to Gorak Shep an hour later, at 5200 meters. This would be our final destination before ascending to the base camp. I felt completely exhausted and had an acute headache. I immediately took 2 Advils (ibuprofen) for the pain and ordered a garlic soup for the AMS symptoms since garlic is supposed to help in high altitude. After the food, I went straight to bed and luckily, I was able to fall asleep and take a well-needed nap. I re-emerged at 3pm and felt like a new woman, re-energised and thankfully feeling much better! From my bed, I peeked out the window and saw tiny snowflakes falling from the sky – how exciting!

Blizzard in Gorak Shep

I joined the boys in the dining room and Eric had made a thrilling discovery: the guesthouse held some boxes of Kraft Dinner macaroni and cheese!!! Only him and I felt the excitement (being American and Canadian) and our friends watched us with amusement while we devoured our bowls of bright orange noodles! The best 5 dollars I spent on this trek! As the day came to an end, we were treated to a beautiful pink sunset as the snow started falling heavier. After 3 hours of heavy snow, rumours of ‘being stuck’ in Gorak Shep for up to three days starting circling the guesthouse. We chatted with two Dutch men who had done the EBC trek last year at the same time and got snowed in Lobuche which halted their trek before the end. They were determined not to let this happen again a second time! We had a pleasant evening chatting with fellow trekkers, playing cards and eating mountains of Daal Bhat!

Inside the lodge's communal dining room (not a great picture but it gives an idea of our surroundings)

Hanging out in the lodge

What a treat! Unforgettable sunset in Gorak Shep 

Amazing light on the mountains

Everest Base Camp Trek Day 9 – Thukla to Lobuche

We knew what was coming when we woke up on the 12 of October – that terrible hill which haunted us since our failed attempt to climb it the day prior… My pace was that of an 80 year old woman, stopping every few steps to catch my breath and looking discouragingly at the summit. People descending were literally jumping downhill and responding to their greetings was virtually impossible with the extreme panting.

Nearly reached the top 

Reaching the top of the pass at 4840m, a huge sense of relief and pride overwhelmed me. The boys greeted me with claps of encouragement (I was the last one to reach the top!).

The six of us have made it to the summit!

Around us were multiple prayer flags as well as a large number of memorials to the climbers who didn’t make it back down Everest. Amongst those remembered there are Babu Chiri, a very famous Sherpa who summitted Everest 11 times, but died in 2001, and Scott Fischer, a legendary climber who was one of the eleven who perished on that fateful night in May 1996. Here I stood, totally worn out and unworthy after climbing a simple hill, in what is effectively a graveyard to the greats of mountaineering. In total, 162 people have lost their lives on Everest. We took some time to walk through the site and read the memorials, as well as admire the incredible view from the top in yet another gasping awestruck moment!

Tibetan flags surround was is effectively a cemetery for famous climbers 

If you haven't read 'Into Thin Air' yet I highly recommend it. It tells the tragic faith of Fischer and 15 others that died on Everest in 1996.

 

From here on upwards the walk changed perspective quite considerably. We were now in the main part of the Khumbu valley itself, with miles of moraine (debris, rock etc) from the glacier as it originally was. It was stunning, and we were now in the shadow of even more staggering peaks. In front of us loomed Pumori, at 7165m, and on our right the towering mass of Nuptse (7851m). We were now looking directly at Tibet, and around every corner everything got simply better and better.

Flat trail after the tough hill

We're really starting to feel like we're up high in the Himalayas now!

We reached Lobuche in 2 hours only and we were now at 4930 meters high! The town was much smaller than I expected. Chris felt unwell and went for a nap while I caught up with my book (Seven Years in Tibet). We got a visit from the Doctors again regarding the AMS survey and my oxygen level was now only 70% which was a little bit worrying. The worst part of the day for me was the impossibility to sleep! I literally stayed awake all night. It was my first time experiencing such insomnia and it was quite strange. I had a million thoughts going through my mind, heard every single person walking to the toilet through the corridor, tossed and turned… I wasn’t particularly anxious about it, but when the alarm rang I was stunned that all those hours had passed without me shutting an eye! Needless to say, I was a bit worried about my energy levels for the following day… 

Everest Base Camp Trek Day 8 – Dingboche to Thukla

I found the walk to be quite easy today, slightly uphill but do-able. We enjoyed beautiful views of a turquoise lake and tall snowy peaks. My back was still suffering from carrying a 10kg backpack every day and the shooting pain in my upper right shoulder didn’t seem to diminish. We left Dingboche (4410m) and reached Thukla (4620m) in a couple of hours.

Lake sighting on the way - and look at that clear sky!

The trail suddenly descended to cross the Khumbu river when we arrived in Thukla (or sometimes spelled Dughla) at noon. The village only has one guesthouse with a big restaurant which was completely packed, inside and out. We had to sit on the stone wall as there were no chairs available.  

Thukla under construction (buildings on the right aren't habitable yet)

We had a bite to eat and debated whether we should keep going or not, staring at the scary steep hill ahead of us, climbing 300 meters straight up. Most of the boys were really tired but I felt like we should try to ascend until Lobuche, the next town. It was only noon after all. We started walking slowly, breathing heavily, and literally 5 minutes into it, the decision was made to go back down and stay the night! We had to pay for our room for the very first time on the trek, a meager 100 rupees per person (only 1$!). People had difficulty breathing, almost everyone had a headache and felt tired.

Many guesthouses use solar panel to generate power

 After resting for a while, we went to explore that stunning lake we had caught sight of earlier. It took an hour and a half to reach a good view point, but it seemed too steep and arduous to reach the shore.

The clouds are coming in over the lake and the wind is blowing hard!

Manu enjoying the view

Chris decided to start taking Diamox to help relieve the symptoms of altitude sickness (our friend Edgar had been taking it since Namche Bazaar), while I strongly considered hiring a porter for the following two days of ascending. In fact, I had made my decision of asking for one after being told it cost only 1000 rupees per day (10$), but unfortunately none were available until the following afternoon. It didn’t make sense to wait all this time when I could simply take it slower from now on if I needed it. The rest of the afternoon passed slowly – we were getting a bit bored, but we did meet a friendly Austrian man, Emmanuel, which would continue the trek with us. The night in Thukla felt very cold indeed! 

Everest Base Camp Trek Day 7 – Acclimatisation Day in Dingboche

I felt great when I woke up in Dingboche and was ready for an acclimatization trek to Chhukhung with a 320 metres increase in altitude. The wind was very strong and I was glad to be wearing a Gortex layered wind jacket. Around every corner in the Himalayas you see something different, and as you get higher into the upper Himalayas the views get more spectacular still, as the panorama of ridiculously tall peaks gets more and more impressive.

We were surrounded by famous mountains: Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Makalu… The sight of nearby glaciers was breathtaking and the air felt crystal clear. It took three hours to reach the town which was buzzing with climbing expeditions preparing to ascend Island peak. We had lunch and contemplated going up a view point which was recommended to us but felt like the extra climb would be a bit strenuous so we instead chose to go back down after our food. It took a quick hour and a half to get back down to our lodge, to Chris’ relief as he was once again experiencing altitude headaches.

In Dingboche, we started noticing many helicopters circling the area, some landing in the village. We were told that about three of them come every day to rescue trekkers with serious AMS symptoms who had to go down in emergency! This reinforced our will to take our time, use all recommended rest days, be aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness and take them seriously. You have so much thinking time in the mountains, whether just when walking, or during the inevitable numerous times that you are awake in the night due to the altitude. You can easily over think things and get a bit paranoid!

                                                                                                                                 

Nighttime was very cold and I was so pleased to have a warm sleeping back to tuck into! My skin was getting very dry, my nose felt sore and my lips cracked up at night. I was sure glad to have brought some moisturizer to help the situation! 

Egard distracting the chidren from their homework

Everest Base Camp Trek Day 6 - Pangboche to Dingboche

When I woke up, I had a filling breakfast of Tibetan bread with peanut butter. It tasted amazing and gave me the carbs I needed for the morning trek. We walked in direction of Dingboche in an easy dirt trail surrounded by fields and mountains. The only issue I had was the extreme pain from my back which consumed my every thought. I suppose carrying my bag every day was starting to take its toll.

Carrying my load

Showing off

Memorial

In only two and a half hours, we had reached Dingboche which sits at 4410 meters in altitude! Since we had climbed the daily recommended 500 meters already, that was it for the day. We had the afternoon to ourselves, met fellow trekkers in our lodge, caught up on laundry and reading. At this height, many are starting to feel the altitude and experience various discomforts. Doctors based in Dingboche were doing survey on AMS (altitude mountain sickness) and the possible effects of acetaminophen versus ibuprofen to relieve the symptoms. They were looking for trekkers to take the pills in a randomized controlled trial and test their symptoms before and after trekking in higher altitude. We chose not to participate but enjoyed getting our heart rate tested (mine was 110 bpm) and levels of oxygen in our blood aka blood oxygen saturation (mine was 85% - lower than 80% isn’t great).

In the lodge - taking notes for my blog! 

We had a good time in the lodge which was held by a lovely family. The elderly couple was friendly and chatty, the younger ones efficient in the kitchen. We especially enjoyed the spring rolls made with veggies from their garden and the tuna and yak cheese pizza. We also discovered a local specialty called seabuckthorn juice. It is a local bush which is planted to prevent erosion and the berry was found to be high in vitamin C, full of nutrients and bioactive ingredients. It is prepared like a tea and served warm and sweet, very delicious and great to get some vitamins so high in altitude where fruits are hard to find.

Everest Base Camp Trek Day 5 – Acclimatisation Day in Pangboche

Overnight in Pangboche, I struggled to fall asleep and found it very difficult to breathe: the effects of high altitude were starting to show. We were now nearly 4000 meters above sea level. We chose to be conservative and take the recommended rest day in Pangboche. I certainly needed to rest, recover and stretch my muscles after punishing my body the day before. Chris and I spent the morning reading and resting, before visiting Pangboche Monastery in a short hour and a half walk.

Still smiling after a rough night

Enjoying the fresh air during our acclimatisation trek

We reached the monastery after a short uphill climb. Here, Tibetan prayer flags sanctify the air and pacify the gods. They are adorned by pictures of the wind horse which carries the prayers to the four corners of the earth. The flags are five colours which all have a different meaning: white for air, yellow for earth, red for fire, blue for space and green for water. Along the way, there are walls of carved mani stones with the Tibetan Buddhist mantra Om mani padme hum.

Mani walls and Tibetan flags

When we returned from our walk, we took an afternoon nap. Taking it easy definitely felt good! We were in bed at 8pm and sound asleep soon after. Oh the life in the mountains! 

Everest Base Camp Trek Day 4 – Namche Bazaar to Pangboche

After a breakfast of muesli and apples, we got an early start and left at 8am. It started easy as I felt strong and dynamic. After the initial climb to exit Namche, the trail went flat and winding with dramatic valley views and snowy peaks. It was easy to walk and get lost in your thoughts, breathing the fresh air and clearing your head of mundane worries while following your footsteps.

Flat trails are fun!

Sharing the way

Love these beautiful mountain flowers - they almost look unreal!

After two and a half hours, the inevitable came to us in a steep incline of crumbly gravel trail. The ascent seemed never ending and the path changed into knee-bruising stone steps. We were still climbing two hours later. At that point, something had to give and I started feeling weaker and weaker. It was discouraging to ask guides on the way and to get told the next village was ‘one hour away’ over and over again. I had to sit down on the side of the path and get some stamina back into me. I felt so weak I could barely hold the water bottle Chris was handing me. I remember staring at my hands and thinking something was very wrong. After ten minutes of sitting and being force-fed a granola bar, I found the strength to carry on and we finally reached Tengboche (3860 meters) on shaky legs after nearly 5 hours straight. Our friends had been there nearly an hour waiting for us. I collapsed on a chair and ordered lunch. 

I'm struggling

I don’t know why or how I got convinced but we actually carried on after lunch and pushed on until Pangboche (3930 meters) which took another two and a half hours including a hard 40 minutes uphill. I had gathered some energy over lunch and felt fine during the afternoon hike, despite a sharp pain shooting from my right shoulder blade to my neck. It felt so good to have arrived and to reach a destination further than originally planned! We were tired, but proud.

 

Reaching Pangboche

What are you looking at?

I rewarded myself with a hot shower which was a humbling experience: my hosts put over 6 massive kettles to boil on their iron stoves and carried it to the roof to pour the hot water into a container for me to have my shower. They ran back and forth while I was able to wash myself (three times over) from the hot water coming out of a simple pipe in the bathroom. They certainly deserved the 300 rupees it cost me for this luxury. At this altitude up in the mountains, wood is scarce and expensive so cow dung is the logical (and ecological) option for fuel. Afterwards, I sat by the fire in the dining room while the owner’s four year old daughter played with my drying hair with her hands stained from the cow dung she had been playing with earlier. So much for staying clean! There are dung cakes drying all over the village of Pangboche: on the walls and in the fields. Our host would make them all day behind her house by hand and without gloves before going in the kitchen and making our dinner – sanitary!    

Drying dung cakes

Piles and piles of shit!