It was 5.30am and I was up before my alarm- I didn't sleep that well, not because of the altitude (4200m) or that even fully clothed with 2 duvets and a blanket it was still a bit cold. No, I was wide awake as it was the day we visit mount Everest! Before the trip started there were 2 sights in Asia that we had been dreaming about- the Great Wall of China and Mount Everest Base Camp in Tibet! The first one certainly didn't disappoint and some 2 weeks later we were already on the verge of fulfilling another of our lifetime ambitions!

The Tibetan name for Everest is mount 'Qomolangma' which means goddess mother of the universe. The tallest mountain in the World at 8,844m straddles the border with the north face in Tibet and the more famous south face across the border in Nepal.

We had already had a glimpse of the mighty mountain in the distance from the road the day before. As we climbed and turned along the valley road from Shigatse a range of big white peaked mountains came into view, then after turning another corner, we saw a pyramid shaped peak towering above everything else. I don't think we really knew what Everest looked like but when you see it for the first time the shape and way it dwarfs all mountains in it's vicinity is unmistakable. It can only be Mount Everest! We had arrived at the viewpoint before any other tour parties and with only a light wispy cloud on the West face of the rock we couldn't believe our luck and the camera shutter was in overdrive. By the time we had completed the full portfolio including close ups, scenery, colour, black and whites and Alex's 'selfies' all other tour groups had come and gone and again we had the viewpoint to ourselves. Our guide and driver began to look like they had settled in for the night before we agreed we may have captured enough of the mountains magnificence in the distance...for now anyway!

The night before we had stayed in a sleepy desolate town in the valley- a mere 3 hr drive away from base camp. Unable to escape the icy valley winds and with no heating the hotel was a little bit cold- a power cut late at night prompted the generator to kick in but there was no hot water to wake up to, in fact no water at all...but this wasn't going to be enough to spoil our big day!

The night sky we saw before heading to bed was perfectly clear- as close as we had ever been to the stars and it literally felt like we could reach out and touch them, they were so bright. After 2 clear days and a starry night this was surely a good sign for the morning! The question was would it hold overnight? As I jumped out of bed at 5.30am the question was still firmly in my mind- I pulled back the curtain to see the same star filled sky with the street glowing from the full moon and punched the air with excitement- 'Get in' was the cry! Excitement was building!

The mercury had crept below 0 so there was a chill in the air when we set off under the moonlight at 7am...3 hrs from base camp and counting! Banter was rife and excitement building as each kilometre roadside marker was passed- we turned off the main road and we reached 'Qomolangma National Park' checkpoint. It was light and we thought we were close...

The tarmac road changed to gravel and we began our ascent. We twisted, turned, bumped and rolled our way up the valley, the track occasionally cutting into a cliff with a sheer drop to the stream below. The lunar looking landscape barren with Yak and Chivu (antelopes) running freely around yet 2hrs later we still couldn't see anything resembling a 8800m mountain. We knew she was there somewhere but how could she tease us like this? We climbed and twisted further up the valley the road continuing to snake it's way before us, gravel track turning rockier, but still nothing- a mountain that big cannot just hide behind some brown rocky outcrops- where was she?

As you know i do have this habit of building things up in my mind and getting a little excited. The adrenaline had been flowing all morning and if truth be told I had peaked a little too early. I was starting to feel tired, my head feeling heavy and then finally the road bent around a corner and there standing before us was the roof of our world. A majestic mound of rock and ice glistening in the sun dominating the valley as we approached the North Face. Any headache we were experiencing disappeared in a flash as we gazed in awe at not only the size of the mountain but it's sheer beauty before us!

So there we were on this fine October Tuesday morning at Tibet Everest Base Camp with the tallest mountain on the earth standing in front of us filling the valley end. We were at 5200m but this mountain and it's pyramid peak still rose magnificently above us. There wasn't a cloud in sight, just the occasional puff of snow off the ridge where the wind had momentarily disturbed it. Mount Everest- a mountain we had only ever dreamt about seeing was not just there in front of us close enough to touch, but it was showing us all it's glory against a perfect blue sky. When we had finished the ritual photo taking from every angle possible, we could have sat there for hours in total admiration of this beauty & beast of nature!

It was another 4-5 days from base camp to the summit but as our Tibetan permit ran out today we would have to leave that for another time...so reluctantly we took one final look and got back into the land cruiser for some more bone shaking back to the valley road! In some ways we felt a little cheated that we were unable to stay the night up there and enjoy more time with our new friend but in all honesty I think we were happy to accept how lucky we were to have spent such a wonderful hour in her acquaintance!

Ok we didn't do a 21 day trek, 3 day trek or even trek at all so you could say we cheated a little but after 3 days travelling across Tibet, getting up at 5.30am freezing cold and 3 hrs off road there and back over bumpiest road I have ever seen with occasional sheer drop, not to mention the immense altitude, I think we earned it!

Incidentally after Sally & Alex had starting adding layers, gloves, face masks etc in the last hour before of arrival at base camp they were both quick to admit Paul was correct in his prediction that it wouldn't be that cold when we got up there! Admittedly it would have been chilly had we stayed in the Monastery as originally planned. With very little wind chill it was indeed very pleasant under the midday sun.

After our meeting with the great mountain we thought it would just be a leisurely 200km drive to the Nepalese border town of Zhangmu and time to reflect on what we had just seen.... How wrong we were! Just when you think you have seen everything Tibet has to offer this country surprises you, the car turns another corner and everything changes again!

The first 100km was typical Tibetan plateau where time has stood still- farmers busily tending to their crops or ploughing fields with horse/yak drawn ploughs, herders following their yak around the vast open wilderness or Tibetan women scraping yak pats off the floor and sticking them to their house walls.

Then the road climbed and before we knew it we were back at 4800m and the Great Himalayan Range once again poked itself up out of the desert. Mt Shishapangma gloriously close on our right hand side. Another 8000m plus monster- the only one of which lies purely in Tibet!

We then descended and quickly climbed our last Tibetan pass at a mere 5000m for more Himalayan views before beginning the drop....the guidebook said our destination some 80kms below was at an altitude of 2400m so the next 50 miles or road would include a descent of roughly 1.5miles...it wouldn't be much fun to climb but what a 2 wheeled descent that would be!

The barren dry rocky landscape gradually turned greener and greener as we dropped into the valley. A river appeared below which we followed lower and lower. As the road cut into the side of the mountain a crash barrier protected us from the sheer drop to the river below and the valley had become a gorge. We were dropping off the edge of the plateau....lower and lower and the barren mountains had become green with trees hanging on to the steep mountain sides, streams turning to waterfalls on either side! We were still 20 miles from the border but it didn't feel like Tibet. How can a barren rocky plateau some 30 mins earlier have transformed into the most mesmerising of green gorges? Why had the dry thin air now become clean with a hint of Alpine air freshener? After spending the last week between 3600-5200m above sea level with a constant reminder of the altitude affecting our breathing, mild headaches or dry skin we were relieved to be returning to near normality. As the road continued below, a town appeared amongst the trees, cut into the mountain- Zhangmu. Not exactly what we were expecting as the border town but a bed for the night (with a view) and at only 2400m an opportunity to enjoy a couple of much needed Lhasa beers and toast the end of our Tibet experience before we cross the border in the morning and take our first steps into Nepal. Our tour company messed up and our Tibet permit had actually expired yesterday so join us next time to see if the panic fax is accepted and we are allowed to leave China......

P.S Apologies to anyone who received a text from base camp at 4.30am GMT- the moment captured all of us and the fact we had phone reception seemed an opportunity not to miss!l