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Location Date Africa 1229126400 Asia 
1222038000 Europe 1211324400 Oceania 1208818800 South America 1178060400 -
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Location Date Kathmandu 1211583600 Lukla 1211497200 Namche Bazaar
1211410800 Gokyo 1211238000 Machhermo 1211151600 Phortse Thanga 1210978800 Phakding 1210806000 Jomsom 1210374000 Muktinath 1210287600 Kagbeni 1210201200 Marpha 1210114800 Larjung 1210028400 Ghasa 1209942000 Tatopani 1209855600 Ghorapani 1209769200 Tikedungha 1209682800 -
Location Date Thu, 22 May 2008 1211449440 Fri, 16 May 2008
1210932900 Thu, 15 May 2008 1210830600
DAY 3
Namche Bazaar (3420m) to Everest View Hotel (3880m) to Khumjung (3800m) and back to Namche
Today was an acclimatisation day. Its easy to gain altitude too quickly on the Gokyo trek and suffer from AMS (Acute Mountain sickness), so we will walk on a side trip and return to Namche to sleep at the same altitude, which helps your body to adjust. Today, we plan to visit the Everest view Hotel and a couple of Sherpa villages.
We climb up to 3800m and stopped for a cuppa at the Shjanboche hotel. There is a runway and airport outside the hotel but it doesn't get used. The local Sherpas protested about it saying everyone would arrive here rather than Lukla so the villages from Namche to Lukla would lose all the tourist business and suffer. We walked up to the expensive Everest view hotel where you can get a room for $135 per person with an extra charge for oxygen or a pressurised room. Out on the hotels verander, and on a clear day you can see Everest, but today was too cloudy.
We walked around to Khumjung, a well-to-do Sherpa village. The village was prospered recently into one of the wealthiest regions of Nepal, the locals make a lot of money from all the mountaineering expeditions. The word Sherpa comes from the name of the ethnic group who live here, and is their common surname. The word Sherpa has been mixed up with people who are employed for mountaineering expeditions, almost all of the Sherpas work as porters and guides because they are hard workers, and its believed there bodies have adapted over time to work more efficiently at a high altitude. There are stories about Sherpa's who suffer from AMS high in the mountains, but such is the shame on their name, amongst their peers, if they admit to it, they have continued to ascend and died.
Khumjung is also famous because it is the site of the first school built by Sir Edmund Hilary in 1960. We visited the school and talked to some of the kids coming out. Their English was excellent, and they wanted to be mountaineers when they were older. The average price for a client to be guided up Everest today is about $80,000 USD, so you can see why they are keen to get involved. They clearly like the Western style clothes, probably carried over from Tibet/China, jeans, trainers and hoodies were in.
We walked back down to Namche, just in time for our afternoon nap.
Cooper Out
Love Dan & Kat
Namche Bazaar (3420m) to Everest View Hotel (3880m) to Khumjung (3800m) and back to Namche
Today was an acclimatisation day. Its easy to gain altitude too quickly on the Gokyo trek and suffer from AMS (Acute Mountain sickness), so we will walk on a side trip and return to Namche to sleep at the same altitude, which helps your body to adjust. Today, we plan to visit the Everest view Hotel and a couple of Sherpa villages.
We climb up to 3800m and stopped for a cuppa at the Shjanboche hotel. There is a runway and airport outside the hotel but it doesn't get used. The local Sherpas protested about it saying everyone would arrive here rather than Lukla so the villages from Namche to Lukla would lose all the tourist business and suffer. We walked up to the expensive Everest view hotel where you can get a room for $135 per person with an extra charge for oxygen or a pressurised room. Out on the hotels verander, and on a clear day you can see Everest, but today was too cloudy.
We walked around to Khumjung, a well-to-do Sherpa village. The village was prospered recently into one of the wealthiest regions of Nepal, the locals make a lot of money from all the mountaineering expeditions. The word Sherpa comes from the name of the ethnic group who live here, and is their common surname. The word Sherpa has been mixed up with people who are employed for mountaineering expeditions, almost all of the Sherpas work as porters and guides because they are hard workers, and its believed there bodies have adapted over time to work more efficiently at a high altitude. There are stories about Sherpa's who suffer from AMS high in the mountains, but such is the shame on their name, amongst their peers, if they admit to it, they have continued to ascend and died.
Khumjung is also famous because it is the site of the first school built by Sir Edmund Hilary in 1960. We visited the school and talked to some of the kids coming out. Their English was excellent, and they wanted to be mountaineers when they were older. The average price for a client to be guided up Everest today is about $80,000 USD, so you can see why they are keen to get involved. They clearly like the Western style clothes, probably carried over from Tibet/China, jeans, trainers and hoodies were in.
We walked back down to Namche, just in time for our afternoon nap.
Cooper Out
Love Dan & Kat
- comments
bornhiker Sherpas of the Everest region Sherpas are the true heroes of Everest. Without their assistance, very few would reach the summit. To learn more about this amazing tribe, read Beyond the Summit by Linda LeBlanc. Details of Sherpa culture and religion are interwoven in a tale of romance and high adventure. The story has something for everyone: a love affair between an American journalist and Sherpa guide, conflict between generations as the modern world challenges centuries of tradition, an expedition from the porter's point of view. Below are selections from reviews. To read the complete ones and excerpts go to www.beyondthesummit-novel.com Beyond the Summit, is the rare gem that shows us the triumphs and challenges of a major climb from the porter's point of view. The love of two people from diverse cultures is the fiery centerpiece of a novel that leads its readers through harshly beautiful and highly dangerous territory to the roof of the world. Malcolm Campbell, book reviewer Conflict and dialog keep this gripping story of destiny, romance and adventure moving from the first page to the last paragraph. LeBlanc has a genius for bonding her readers and her characters. I found I was empathizing in turn with each character as they faced their own personal crisis or trauma. Richard Blake for Readers Views. A gripping, gut-twisting expedition through the eyes of a porter reveals the heart and soul of Sherpas living in the shadows of Everest. EverestNews.com A hard-hitting blend of adventure and romance which deserves a spot in any serious fiction collection. Midwest Book Review LeBlanc is equally adept at describing complex, elusive emotions and the beautiful, terrifying aspect of the Himalayan Mountains. Boulder Daily Camera LeBlanc's vivid description of the Himalayas and the climbing culture makes this a powerful read. Rocky Mt News Pick of the Week A rich adventure into the heart of the Himalayan Kingdom. Fantastic story-telling from one who has been there. USABookNews.com This is the book to read before you embark on your pilgrimage to Nepal. The author knows and loves the people and the country, and makes you feel the cold thin air, the hard rocks of the mountains, the tough life of the Sherpa guides, and you learn to love them too. This is a higly literate, but also very readable book. Highly recommended." - John (college professor) Memorable characters and harrowing encounters with the mountains keep the action moving with a vibrant balance of vivid description and dialog. Literary Cafe Host, Healdsburg, CA This superbly-crafted novel will land you in a world of unimaginable beauty, adventure, and romance. The love story will keep you awake at night with its vibrant tension and deep rich longing. Wick Downing, author of nine novels Such vividly depicted images of the Everest region and the Sherpa people are the perfect scenario for the romance and adventure feats narrated. It's a page-turner, so engrossing you end up wanting to visit Nepal! Not just novel, but perfect for those seeking to get acquainted with the culture of this country. By Claudia Fournier (América, Bs. As., Argentina) Available through Barnes and Noble, Borders, amazon.com, Chesslerbooks.com, and the web site