It all started with a story about a yak and an outhouse...

Ever since I was little, I remember hearing random stories about my dad's Nepal experience with the Peace Corps. Some of them were interesting, some hilarious, and all a bit crazy, but they inspired me to follow in his footsteps and see if and how the country had changed in the thirty years between the father and daughter visit. So, armed with nothing but stories, the Nepali words for "I'm full" and "What to do??", and a vague plan to get to Namche Bazaar (a mountain town where he had lived) on my own, I booked a flight to Kathmandu.

Okay, so I wasn't THAT carefree. I did do some research and found out that I would need permits, and a flight into the mountains since I didn't have time to walk the whole way from the valley. I duly contacted a well-reputed agency in Kathmandu to arrange the permits and flight ticket, still thinking I'd be able to pull off the trekking on my own. The man was very nice, and also helped arrange a hotel for the first night in Kathmandu, with an assured airport pickup. So, I packed up, and boarded the VERY nice Thai airways flight, which included free wine with the meal!

Arrival in the airport was fairly unremarkable, I waited in line, filled out my forms, paid $40, and got my 30 day visa with no problems. Then, I turned a corner out of the airport and saw a massive crowd of people waiting behind a barrier, all shouting, all waving signs, and ALL without a sign with my name or hotel. I had a momentary freeze, and then asked the airport security guy what I should do. He said, "Hotel Nepalaya? go with this guy, he knows your hotel" A nice, young-ish looking man nodded earnestly. I shuffled my feet for a minute, asked very clearly, "Hotel Nepalaya? Straight to the hotel? $5? No stops?" and the whole time he was nodding his head. Alright, I thought, I guess I just have to go with it. Little did I know that this one decision would change the whole feel and experience of my trip. Once I was in the car with him, and the driver took off into the CRAZY Kathmandu traffic (seriously, people think Chiang Mai is dangerous...) I was a captive audience and we started to chat. I told him who was supposed to pick me up, and my plans to go it alone to Everest. He just listened for a bit, nodding and asking questions, then casually mentioned that he had just started his own agency, and if the guy I had contacted didn't come through, he could give me a good deal on a whole trip package, or just the permits and flights if I was determined to do it by myself. At first I was shaking my head and starting to say no, but then he quoted me quite a good price, and left it! Didn't push for me to do anything. Dropped me at my hotel, waited for me to sort things, and then we walked to his office (about 3 blocks away) so I could use his internet to check my email for free and call the other agency. It turned out that the other guy said his assistant was still waiting at the airport, and he had everything arranged that we had agreed, so I felt obligated to go with him. However, the new guy from the airport, Bijay, had been incredibly friendly and helpful, so I promised him that I would think about it and would get back to him either way. Without hassle I went and picked up my permits and plane tickets, but in the back of my mind was the thought of Bijay's offer, and the convenience that would come with doing a trip through the agency. In the end I decided it was worth it, walked back, and we talked about it. My whole experience with Bijay and Oasis was excellent. He never pushed, was always friendly, accomodated me already having bought part of the trip somewhere else, and provided me the MOST AMAZING guide! I didn't know that yet though. Bijay also threw in a day of sightseeing around the Kathmandu valley to all the major temples, in a car with a driver and my guide, so we could get to know each other. That first day we saw some incredible things, but I wasn't sure the guide, Kamal, and I would become great friends. He was pretty quiet.

Day 1 - Kathmandu to Lukla to Phakding
The next morning, we were off bright and early at 6:00am. At the airport and on our flight to Lukla by 7:30, and beginning our trek around 9. The first day was an easy 2.5 hour hike, but this was not to be the norm. I was told that most days we would be hiking 5-6 hours a day. At first this seems like a lot, but really, if you hike for 2.5-3 hours in the morning, stop for an hour for lunch, and then another 2.5 or 3 hours, it is a very managable day, and sometimes you even feel you got to the lodge too soon, because there isn't much to do once you arrive. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. That first day was short, but intrinsic to building a relationship with my guide, who I was about to be with nearly 24-7 for 17 days...a good relationship was essential! Fortunately, away from the polluted valley, Kamal turned into an absolute rockstar guide and friend. The first day he taught me a Nepali trekking song that I was to hear MANY more times on the trail, and he opened up about his life as a guide and told me funny stories of past clients. We reached the lodge around 11:30am, and spent the afternoon drinking tea, playing cards, and relaxing, knowing that the next day would be about 3 hours of mild ups and downs, ending with a massive uphill climb to Namche Bazaar. This is a hill every trekker dreads, especially after the easy hike the day before. I figured it couldn't be THAT bad...

Day 2 - Phakding to Namche Bazaar
Wrong.
Thailand for 1 year = dreadfully out of shape!
Got about 30 minutes from Namche and was going so slow that Kamal insisted he take my pack - not something guides usually deign to do. :p I took his, MUCH LIGHTER, pack and somehow puffed my way to our lodge, before promptly collapsing on the bench as I watched Kamal (now aka: Rockstar) wrestle and punch his greetings with the guys who run Buddah Lodge. I was comforted with the knowledge that we have to stay here tomorrow for our "rest/acclimatization day". This proved to be essential, as that evening I came down with one of the dangerous "back of the head" headaches that are your body's response to a rapid increase in altitude. They can be a signal of AMS (high altitude sickness) which is the bane of any climber or trekker. It doesn't matter how fit you are, AMS can hit anyone, on any trip, and all you can do is descend to a lower altitude before going up again. Sometimes your body rebels completely, and people just have to abandon their trips. I saw many of these cases, and was very fortunate that after my headache in Namche, I was completely fine (altitude-wise) for the rest of the trip.

Day 3 - Namche Bazaar "Rest" Day
Rest days are not actually rest days, as I learned on this day. Yes, you get to sleep in, but then your guide hikes you "up, up, up" (words I would come to dread) so your body can acclimatize better when you go back down to sleep for the night. Fortunately my guide took pity on me, still exhausted from the Namche hill, and we only hiked for about 3 hours up to a lodge near the top of the ridge, and back down...without our bags! (this makes a huge difference) On the way I was able to take a picture of Namche town which was from almost the same vantage as one my dad had taken 30 years ago. Surprisingly, the pictures are not so different...but the town has definitely changed! I was so happy to be there, seeing the same weekend market my dad had seen, but I was also aware that the numerous german bakeries, glass and steel trekking shops, and ATMs were not even imagined at the time he was living there with a sherpa family, eating loads of potatoes. It was still fun wandering around town, and having the excuse of going UP to not buy any souveniers. I also talked to people in the lodge coming down about what was next, and decided, since I had time, to go to Everest Base Camp first (an easier way, people said) and do the Gokyo mountains after. Looking back, I'm still not sure which way would have been better.

After this, most of my stories will be excerpts from a journal I kept the whole time I was in the mountains.

Day 4 - Namche Bazaar to Tengboch Monastery to...small porter house at the bottom of the hill
Left Namche after mending my pants with a girl's small sewing kit (the "trekking pants" I bought in Kathmandu had already ripped in the crotch...nice) Hiked the steep hill out of Namche and then had a beautiful, clear hike along the mountain for 2 hours. Absolutely gorgeous, and we even got a peek at Everest! Then, down to the Dudekosi river and across the bridge for a grueling hike up to the monastery at Tengboche. We are playing catch-up with Kamal's (guide) friend Japoo and his Swiss client. We made it! Had lunch (Dal Baht is the main course for most meals: rice, potato curry, lentil soup, and sometimes some steamed greens), looked around the monastery, then headed downhill for 30-40 minutes to a lodge near the river - warmer than up top. The plan had been to get to Debuche and sleep there, but I was too tired to go another 1.5 hours up. Guess who was also at the lodge? Yep, Japoo and Swiss guy (I knew his name once, but forgot it, hence: swiss guy).That night was interesting, A group showed up who had all their own food, and were forced to find small porter places to stay that would let them cook. Their agency had screwed them by saying it would be okay to cook - most lodges will charge huge prices for rooms if you don't eat at their restaurants (where they make most of their money). It was also an interesting night because as soon as the (yak dung) fire in the dining room was lit, about 30 porters piled into the tiny room! There were lots of awkward silences and glances, as I realized that I was definitely invading their territory (this would not be the case in any other lodge, but here it was normally only porters, I was told, so they were very suprised to see us!) That night...HUGE thunder storm!

Day 5 - River lodge to Dingboche
We left the lodge about 7:30am and hiked for 2 hours to Shamare. It was a bit rough, but I managed better than the days before. (I was starting to get back in shape!) Oh, I forgot, we woke up to a world COVERED in snow after the storm! I was worried about my shoes, but so many people/porters had gone before us that the trail was pretty clear. At Shamare, we again caught up with Japoo. It makes me feel better that a 40-something Swiss man is hiking slower than me. (To be fair, he was having knee trouble.) After that, we parted ways. They were going to Pheriche, and we to Dingboche - higher but, Kamal assured me, warmer. (Not true!) The 2nd half of the trip was even more managable than the first, though about 25 minutes from Dingboche it started snowing. I was happy to have my gloves! Reached Dingboche at 1pm, snow still coming down. Had some tea and lunch, taught Kamal the 20 questions game, and just relaxed under a thick blanket. (This was also the lodge where we met a Japanese group that we would see many other times on the trip, and will be referenced later in this journal.)

Day 6 - Dingboche to Lobuche
Left Dingboche around 8am and took a long and difficult walk to Tukla. (This is an understatement, even in my own journal! Maybe I was trying to be upbeat about it all, but that hike was supposed to be "flat, little bit up, little bit down" and due to my body acclimatizing to the altitude, I'm pretty sure it was one of the slower hikes of the whole trip!) The hike wasn't much up and down, but the altitude got to my breathing. Once in Tukla, a tiny one-lodge place, we were faced with the daunting view of Tukla pass - a steep steep and long climb that was likely to take 2 hours. I really didn't want to leave Tukla! But Kamal said that after the pass it was a pretty flat and easy hike to Lobuche, our next destination. Finally, I bucked up and started, and even with lots of stops (and relying heavily on my trekking poles!), and two offers from Kamal to take my bag - refused - I made it in one hour! Of course, after that I was completely on E (empty, like a gas tank) and the rest of the hike to Lobuche was: left foot, right foot...a mantra that would reoccur in the days to come. Eventually we reached our lodge - Sagarmatha Lodge (the local name for Everest) and I had some Dal Baht and everything was okay. We met up with Swiss man and Japoo, who I now call "Chicken Curry" because he is always saying "Don't worry, there is no chicken curry" or some derivative of this phrase. Sat by the fire/heater and went to sleep with a hot water bottle (courtesy of a tip from a group we met going down in Dingboche) - warm all night! A miracle. :) Still only two hours sleep though (the altitude is getting to me).

Day 7 - Lobuche to Gorak Shep (Everest Base Camp)
Left Lobuche at 7:30 - COLD! The hike today started with a flat section, but as Kamal had warned me there would be another steep pass, he was carrying my sleeping bag. (I know, I caved. He actually carried my sleeping bag almost every other day on the trip, but I assuaged my pride by not letting him carry my whole bag again until the very last day.) The bag was SO light! Kamal was laughing and commenting on my energy. Even the steep Lobuche pass didn't slow me too much, and we made it to Gorak Shep in only 2.5 hours! (He had said maybe 4!) I felt good :) We stashed our stuff and ate a late brunch -potatoes, veg, and egg...yum! Then, we grabbed our waters and my camera and set off to Everest Base Camp - a hike people assured me would take about 2.5 hours both ways. Kamal said 1.5 to 2 hours, and guess who was right?! With no bag I felt light as a feather, and we made it to EBC in 1.5 hours. Side note: Swiss and Chicken Curry left 20 minutes before us, and arrived 1.5 hours AFTER us! That made me feel good too, although he did have trouble with his knees, or ka-nees as he called them. Base camp was neat, and we could see the tents set up for the expedition teams, but we weren't allowed to go there (I guess in years before there had been thefts from people wanting a piece of an everest summit expedition, so now they limit who gets close to the tents! Imagine: Hey, where's my ice axe?!) We took the obligatory pictures by the Base Camp rock, then went down to the glacier so Kamal could take more "sexy" pictures with his shirt off. Not me though - much too cold! (The night by the heater was fairly unremarkable, and) I went to bed early because the next day...4:30am wake up for the famed Kala Patthar hike. We planned to go about 1/2 way up, see the sunrise, and then come down, have breakfast, and descend to Tukla or (a town by the river) Pheriche. (We decided not to attempt the famous Cho-La pass to Gokyo because there had been snow, my shoes weren't waterproof, and I had plenty of time to go down and around, and...basically, I chickened out.)

Day 8 - Kala Patthar to Gorak Shep to Pheriche
4:15am. I had been lying awake almost all night. I got dressed, unlocked the door, then crawled back in bed to wait for Kamal's promised 4:30am wakeup. As we walked out into the pre-dawn light, I was already shivering - in my 4 layers and doubled-up socks! - and wondering, WHY am I doing this again?? But off we walked, and then up we climbed, (and up and up and up) people passing us - me - often. I didn't mind though, and just really wanted to get to the ridge, see the sunset, and then get down! Mountain climbing clearly is not my forte. Kamal kept encouraging me up and up, even when I was sure my toes were going to fall off from the cold. I went back to my "right foot, left foot" mantra, and even to "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, pause, pant pant" I was pretty sure I was going to die, but then, surprisingly, we saw the summit above us! The summit! I had no idea we would even get close. With it in sight, I couldn't go down without touching it, so tricky Kamal helped me up the last rocky bit and an icy blast hit me as I put my hand on the prayer-flag decorated pole. Wow! I can't believe it. The view was beautiful, but honestly, Everest didn't look THAT different, and all I could focus on was getting down and eating breakfast. (Not the most glamorous thoughts for the summit, I know.) After a long trek down the mountain, my toes finally un-froze and I was thankful to note that they would not fall off anytime soon. (After breakfast we had a pretty difficult hike back, mostly because I was getting sick, losing energy, and HAD JUST CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN! We made it down the Tukla pass - much easier than going up it! - and decided to push on to Pheriche.) Finally, we made it, and I cursed Kamal as he led me to the only lodge in town with steep stairs leading up to it. (I made it up, barely, and then promptly fell into bed.) At 5pm, Kamal came to tell me that the fire was started in the dining room, and confess that he had run into a friend and had a few drinks. This became obvious, as he led many rousing renditions of "Resumpirire", and even got our Japanese friends to dance! The night was fun, and then we went to bed and, drumroll please...I actually slept all night! I woke up and looked at my watch with a smile on my face: 5:45am. Amazing! I then promptly turned over in my warm bed, and went back to sleep for another hour.

Day 9 - Pheriche to Phortse
After my amazing night's sleep, today's hike should have been easy. It was, and I quote, "little bit down, cross the bridge, then little bit up, then flat, then up, down, up, down, then up, up, up, and down, down, down to Phortse." While this description sounds pretty mild, the hike to Phortse was one of the hardest days yet. It was all exposed, on the cliff edge, big ups and downs, with wind burning my throat even through my Buff - side note: Buffs are one of the most amazing things EVER! - yeah, it was hard. Eventually we began the descent to Phortse. I'm not sure if these are real trails, or just Kamal's preference, but again we descended through fields of crops, past kids playing in the trees - the back door of the town, as it were. We walked into the lodge and I literally collapsed onto one of the benches and just sat, blowing my nose and sucking on a cough drop, until lunch came. Across from me are some friendly Koreans who fixed my headlamp with super glue, and gave me an apple. I look forward to chatting with them around the yak-dung fire tonight. Tomorrow's forecast? Little bit down, then up, up, up, up, to Dole and Machermo...goody :(

Day 10 - Sick Day in Phortse :(
(After another rough night, we decided to stay here and rest today, in the hopes that I will get some energy back for the big climb tomorrow). It's been interesting being at the lodge during the day, as I've gotten to see a glimpse of daily Nepali life. The dad/owner went to Namche for the Saturday market, and the mom has cooked breakfast, done some washing, and cleaned every surface of the dining room. Her mop? A bristle brush broom on top of a rag...genius!
Rewind to last night: The Korean guy who fixed my light turned out to be an amazingly friendly and chatty fellow; the only one of his group who knew how, or was inclined, to speak English.There were 5 of them, plus and guide and a porter, and they were a Paragliding team on a mission to paraglide across the entire Himalayan range! Their being the only other guests in the lodge gave me an experience I never would have imagined in Nepal: that of eating South Korean soup with seaweed, dumplings, and tiny fish..in the Himalayas! I love traveling! Kamal (with encouragement) tried one bite of the soup and pulled the worst face! Hehe. (this made me think a lot about how much CHOICE we have) The Nepali people don't grow up with any variety, so (for the most part) Dal Baht is all they know to like.
The bad part about a rest day is that I have time to notice how gross I am! My nails are filthy, my hair, which I've finally wrestled into an oily braid is...oily, and my nose is beyond help. Sunburnt and dry from my cold and the wind...I don't really have a clue what to do. Maybe I'll splurge on a shower this afternoon and emerge a new person.
----
Well, the shower didn't happen. I was lazy all day. Some French men, a father and son, came in and I talked a little with the son. It turns out they were from Quebec and he was a monk there for NINE years! He had just recently decided to give back his robes and re-join "real life". (I wanted to keep talking to him, but) then two little Sherpa sisters came out and I was preoccupied making sure the little one (2 yrs) didn't burn herself on the (very hot) heater. She was really shy, but her sister (5 yrs) was very outgoing, joking with Kamal and making faces with me. It was nice to hear kids laughter, but it made me realize how much I am missing with K, J, and A. (I miss you girls!) That night, again no sleep. :(

Day 11 - Phortse to Dole to Machermo (very, very slowly)
Got up this morning, still feeling sick, but I knew we had to move on. I dragged myself through the morning, dreading the up, up, up, that lies in store today. It turns out I have good reason. After a brief down to the river, we are climbing a forest trail that is windier and steeper, with more obstacles, than Kala Patthar! I am reduced to a snail's pace, as my energy flees in the first 10 minutes. Today, Kamal is amazing, only going a few meters ahead before stopping to wait (and encourage) and he won't accept any apologies for being slow. Eventually, he takes my bag, "till Dole, you are sick, that's why", but I know it is more because he can't stand to go so slow. The relief of the bag's weight helps, but only a little, and I am still reduced to a gasping mess at the top of any hill or set of stairs. The benefit of having to go so slow is that I really stop and appreciate the scenery. I am in the Himalayas! Today we are more in a forest than snowy mountains, but there is still evidence of the cold, as we walk past ice falls and our eyelashes get tickled by snowflakes. This sounds picturesque, but thankfully those flakes didn't turn into a blizzard because that might have done me in. Eventually, we made it to the top of the "difficult part"and were winding our way along a "Nepali flat" (read, slight ups and downs) part until we finally made it to Dole - our LUNCH spot. After lunch, I decided to go on, really wanting to be on schedule, and feeling better after the Dal. We pushed on, Kamal again insisting on carrying my bag on the "ups" and I took it for the flats and downs. It was rough going. Snowing harder, cold hands, zero energy. Finally, we crested a rise and saw it - YAY! We both hugged and did a little dance, then descended to one of the busiest lodges we had stayed in yet! There was a group with an Irish girl, a Swiss girl, and a guy from Washington, a group of Chileans, and a group of Thais! (That night, I got to practice my Spanish, AND my Thai!) It was great to flex my language muscles. After dinner I sat by the fire talking to a friendly German guy, who suggested I write a book! A blog is one thing, but a book...I'd never thought. Finally, the Nepalis were yawning - suggesting to us that they wanted the dining room for sleep. What a great night!

Day 12 - Machermo to Gokyo

Miracle! I slept soundly until 5:45! I had a happy face on this morning while I was eating my chapati with peanut butter and honey. I'm feeling much more like myself. Let's go to Gokyo! The hike to Gokyo started out alright, but almost everyone left the lodge at the same time, so it almost felt like a race, which I did not like one bit! This made me realize I probably would not enjoy trekking during high season. I even had Kamal slow up a bit to let people pass us, and we stopped at the first teahouse we came to for some tea and sunshine (and to let everyone rush past). After the break, the hike got a bit harder, always tripping over stones in the path and clambering over bigger rocks (I would come to HATE rocks in the next few days! It is not nice hiking on rocks; your feet do not thank you.) I'm not sure if my poles were a help or hinderance, but I kept them anyway, and they definitely proved useful on the up, up, up, rocky stairs to Gokyo 1st lake (there are 5). I was flagging by then, but made it over the rocky terrain to the 2nd lake, and finally to Gokyo lake (the 3rd). We settled into the most famous guesthouse in Gokyo and had some Dal Baht. I was surprised to enter the dining room and see 7 teenage boys! It turns out they were from an international school in Bangkok. I chatted with the two teachers, and observed the teenage dynamic "that's what she said!". After some nice conversation about food with a French guy (who was doing a really cool masters thesis on how tourism in Nepal affects villages that aren't at all on the tourist path by stealing away all of their men during "the season"...fascinating!) and learning from the lady owner of the guest house that her husband is a lazy drunk, and the best time to visit Gokyo is in the spring when there are lots of flowers, I went to bed, cozy under 2 blankets.

Day 13 - Gokyo to 5th lake to Dole (down, down, down....)

I was awoken at 4:15 by a herd of elephants over my head. I just lay, seething, until Kamal came to get me for our early morning start. Today we were planning a hike out to the 5th lake, because I really couldn't make myself summit another mountain at this point (though I really WISH I had been able to see the view from Gokyo Ri...next time). I had been told that this hike would be easier than the one to EBC...false! The whole hike was over rocky terrain, and I wasn't feeling tip top (my first stomach issues of the trip). Even so, we got there in decent time and got to see a pretty spectacular view of Everest and Lhotse. At the 5th lake, Kamal and I took some photos to commemorate our final success (EBC, Kala Patthar, and 5th lake). We took nearly 3 hours to come back to the lodge, and I was extremely reluctant to move. However, we left Gokyo at 11:30am, with the goal of reaching Dole or beyond (because going down is easier...yeah, tell that to my knees!) I was going strong at first, but by the time we got back to Machermo I was REALLY tired of walking on stones and having uneven footing. My feet and knees were starting to hurt, but after lunch in Machermo I figured I could make it to Dole. Dun dun dun... I did NOT anticipate the length we still had to walk, and about halfway to Dole my feet, knees, legs, and hips just decided to stop working. I was a sniffing mess, thoroughly tired of rocks, trails, going down, and walking in general. I suffered through because I had to, and Kamal thankfully didn't say much about my slower than slow pace, but I could tell he was getting fed up with walking through the cloud, and even more at my pace. Finally, FINALLY, we reached the final descent to Dole. At this point I was overtired, and near tears every time I slid a little. Somehow, I managed without having a complete meltdown. I feel an early night tonight.

Day 14 - Dole to Khumjung

Slept again! I stayed cozy in bed until 6:30, then got up for an egg sandwich and hot mango juice (really good!). Surprise! The heater was on in the morning! I wish all the lodges did that. Today we are on our way down, but apparently that involves a lot of UP...? We went down the steep climb from the river to Dole in about an hour - it took me 2.5 hrs to go up it a few days ago - then we started the steep climb up to Mong-la. As soon as we arrived, it started to snow. We could just barely see the path we were supposed to head down, so we decided to wait a bit. This does not bode well for our flight out of Lukla, so we may give up our rest day in Namche and head to Lukla a day earlier in the hopes of getting a flight. --- We made it to Khumjung! The hike actually wasn't bad at all after Mong-la. It stopped snowing as we began our descent, and the downhill was fairly gradual, so it wasn't too bad on my feet and knees. We saw a town below us and Kamal said "If you're hungry, we can go down down and then up up up to Khumjung, but if not, we can take this gradual ascent up to Khumjung, maybe 1 hour." You can guess which I chose - knowing my aversion to up up up - and it only took us 45 minutes to reach the town. After lunch - dal baht, of course! - we went for a stroll to Khunde, which is basically the same town but for an empty field between them. Khunde's claim to fame is the only hospital in the entire surrounding region, founded with the help of Sir Edmund Hillary, along with the Edmund Hillary school in Khumjung. We strolled back and visited the school. There weren't any classes going on, but a group of kids were playing what I am told was cricket in the "field" behind the school. (I will NEVER understand this game). We watched for a bit, then back to the lodge where Kamal put on the TV...weird. Finally they started the fire, and now we are all being warm, the French group playing cards, and the odd sound of the TV in the background. I guess we are getting back to civilization after all. I have to smile as I write that, and the owner comes around with hot towels before dinner. Some of the lodges do this - luxury! I cannot wait for another luxury tomorrow; a hot shower and clean hair! Alright! I've only got Namche and the trip back to Kathmandu to go! Tomorrow morning :)