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CooperTroopersTravels
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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
DAY 4
Namche Bazaar(3420m) to Phortse Tenga(3680m)
It was difficult to leave the bustle, the attractions, the good food and the hotels of Namche. From here on it would be back to small plywood thin hostel rooms and food that rarely involved more than three ingredients.
We walked out of town and past a pile of mud bricks on the side of the street, I realised it was actually big piles of collected yak poo. They will get burnt in the fireplace of someone's home later providing them with some valuable cooking fuel and warmth. An environmentalist would say its better to leave the **** on the fields because they are valuable nourishment for the plant life which in turn holds the soil together and stops erosion of the mountain and paths, which is evident all along the trail. But try explaining this to a poor, cold Nepalese family. I am an optimist however and would point out the Himalaya's are still rising, due to plate tectonics, and so as the solid is eroded down the mountains are still rising up, it'll be alright.
We walked up into the cloud level, which was obscuring good views of the mountains. A very narrow path wound its way along the steep side of a mountain. An accidental wrong step would tumble us down screaming to the river about 1000m down. In rock climbing language this type of fall is actually called 'a screamer'. Along the way we meet a family team working on the path, making it more wider and stable. They had a painted sign that explained they were doing this work with no government assistance and could we please help them financially. Granddad sat guarding the donations box, father was doing some chiseling and son was too young to help so he relaxed in a box. It was refreshing to see some Nepalese people displaying some initiative, as most just seem to copy business ideas, so we all dug into our pockets and gave them a donation.
We set-off with Tom & Emma and talked with them for most of the morning about the UK, its coming up to two years since we left so there was plenty to find out about. Their guide Khem, led the way and told us jokes, he had one for each country depending on which nationality he was guiding. Khem, we learnt over the next few days was an absolute legend of a guide. He looked after Tom & Emma all the way, he knew the best hostels and the best food in each hostel and the nicest rooms. I watched him in the kitchens making sure the hostel owners cooked the food well, I even watched him once send food back that he believed had been over-cooked and wasn't fit for his clients. His English was excellent and he was very knowledgeable about the area. If anyone is thinking about getting a guide in Nepal then I wouldn't hesitate in recommending him, we heard enough stories about dodgy guides in Nepal. Here is his email address: Khem Rana: [email protected], mobile: 9841404231. Tell him you got the email address from Daniel, Son of Hippies. :) The name he called me following a conversation about my parents traveling in Kathmandu over 30 years ago.
We climbed up to a high pass called Mong La and stopped for a cup of tea that tasted of dirty dishwater and ate a mars bar. Feeling tired we walked down off the pass to the ridge and reached our final destination Phortse Tenga and stayed in the River view hostel. The owner showed us to a room, walking down the corridor of bedrooms it looked and felt exactly like a prison. There was the bile yellow paint everywhere, the clanging echo of every sound rang down the corridor which was completely feature-less apart from a line of numbered doors that all had huge padlocked bolts on them. At the end of the corridor was a toilet room with exposed electrical wiring hanging down at face level, I guessed a light socket had never appeared. I made a mental note, next time I visit the bathroom in the night, make sure to duck.
We had rented some feather down jackets from Namche, a bargain 30p a day, Kat could only find mens medium which looked hilarious on her, but they did the job, as the night time arrived the hostel owner put another poo on the fire, we tucked into a fresh serving of spaghetti and cabbage and felt warm in our down jackets. We joked about when it would be 'lights out' in our new prison cells and then realised there was no light switch, just some loose wires hanging down.
Cooper Out
Love Dan & Kat
Namche Bazaar(3420m) to Phortse Tenga(3680m)
It was difficult to leave the bustle, the attractions, the good food and the hotels of Namche. From here on it would be back to small plywood thin hostel rooms and food that rarely involved more than three ingredients.
We walked out of town and past a pile of mud bricks on the side of the street, I realised it was actually big piles of collected yak poo. They will get burnt in the fireplace of someone's home later providing them with some valuable cooking fuel and warmth. An environmentalist would say its better to leave the **** on the fields because they are valuable nourishment for the plant life which in turn holds the soil together and stops erosion of the mountain and paths, which is evident all along the trail. But try explaining this to a poor, cold Nepalese family. I am an optimist however and would point out the Himalaya's are still rising, due to plate tectonics, and so as the solid is eroded down the mountains are still rising up, it'll be alright.
We walked up into the cloud level, which was obscuring good views of the mountains. A very narrow path wound its way along the steep side of a mountain. An accidental wrong step would tumble us down screaming to the river about 1000m down. In rock climbing language this type of fall is actually called 'a screamer'. Along the way we meet a family team working on the path, making it more wider and stable. They had a painted sign that explained they were doing this work with no government assistance and could we please help them financially. Granddad sat guarding the donations box, father was doing some chiseling and son was too young to help so he relaxed in a box. It was refreshing to see some Nepalese people displaying some initiative, as most just seem to copy business ideas, so we all dug into our pockets and gave them a donation.
We set-off with Tom & Emma and talked with them for most of the morning about the UK, its coming up to two years since we left so there was plenty to find out about. Their guide Khem, led the way and told us jokes, he had one for each country depending on which nationality he was guiding. Khem, we learnt over the next few days was an absolute legend of a guide. He looked after Tom & Emma all the way, he knew the best hostels and the best food in each hostel and the nicest rooms. I watched him in the kitchens making sure the hostel owners cooked the food well, I even watched him once send food back that he believed had been over-cooked and wasn't fit for his clients. His English was excellent and he was very knowledgeable about the area. If anyone is thinking about getting a guide in Nepal then I wouldn't hesitate in recommending him, we heard enough stories about dodgy guides in Nepal. Here is his email address: Khem Rana: [email protected], mobile: 9841404231. Tell him you got the email address from Daniel, Son of Hippies. :) The name he called me following a conversation about my parents traveling in Kathmandu over 30 years ago.
We climbed up to a high pass called Mong La and stopped for a cup of tea that tasted of dirty dishwater and ate a mars bar. Feeling tired we walked down off the pass to the ridge and reached our final destination Phortse Tenga and stayed in the River view hostel. The owner showed us to a room, walking down the corridor of bedrooms it looked and felt exactly like a prison. There was the bile yellow paint everywhere, the clanging echo of every sound rang down the corridor which was completely feature-less apart from a line of numbered doors that all had huge padlocked bolts on them. At the end of the corridor was a toilet room with exposed electrical wiring hanging down at face level, I guessed a light socket had never appeared. I made a mental note, next time I visit the bathroom in the night, make sure to duck.
We had rented some feather down jackets from Namche, a bargain 30p a day, Kat could only find mens medium which looked hilarious on her, but they did the job, as the night time arrived the hostel owner put another poo on the fire, we tucked into a fresh serving of spaghetti and cabbage and felt warm in our down jackets. We joked about when it would be 'lights out' in our new prison cells and then realised there was no light switch, just some loose wires hanging down.
Cooper Out
Love Dan & Kat
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