Blogs from Namche, Nepal, Asia - page 10

It snowed a bit overnight & there was still a few centimetres on the rooftops as we set off in the morning. Today was an acclimatization day, so we had a 'strenuous' walk up a BIG hill, to visit a fancy lodge built by the Japanese. Apparently it costs USD$200- per night to stay there & they have their own helipad so guests don't even have to trek in. We had tea on the balcony looking up at Everest & the surrounding mountains. The walk down was much easier for me as my blisters only rub going uphill. Had a late lunch back at the hotel, wrote some journal entries then the group headed off to play pool & drink beer; apparently for the last time in a while...... read more

It was decided that a hike was in order and so it was a hike that we did. Being forced to actually do all the planning ourselves (no Doris and no tour operators) we began by buying Jamie. Our good friend and reliable companion Jamie McGuiness followed us through thick and thin, sickness and health for 10 long days. Things began with a flight from Kathmandu into the town/village/tourist meca that is Lukla. Lukla is the best starting point for any treks in the Everest region because it cuts out a good week of hiking from where the last road leaves you. Skipping the lowly lowlands and taking a flight into one of the scariest runways (and airports) of all time left us with more time in the alpine. Immediately we had to cut down our ... read more

Like most trekkers, we spent a couple of days in the hub of Namche Bazar, mainly to acclimatize to the altitude before ascending even more. The higher altitude was noticeable when we walked around town. The stairs can be steep and sometimes they left us gasping for breath, especially on the steep climb out of Namche. This is one of the larger towns in the area and a center for trade. Besides trekkers and climbing teams, there are many yak trains and porters passing through, ferrying supplies for locals and trekkers up and down the trail. The last of this season’s Everest climbing expeditions are currently descending, so we saw many yaks carrying climbing gear and other expedition supplies. Many climbing teams seem to be from Korea. All trekkers pass through Namche on their way up ... read more

“So-a-you wanna go to Nepal?” “Um-yes-yes I do…” “So-a-you wanna hike Everest?” “Yes-yes I do…” Done and done. I can’t recall who asked who these important questions but it was unanimous. Nepal. Everest. A week later we were on a plane out of Delhi and into the highest parts of the Ihmalayas. Now the complete and utter lack of planning a trip into the Himalayas would mean that we would have to rent just about everything. I’ve been carrying around insulating layers such as fleeces and capilenes but there’s no room in my bag for hiking boots with and substance to them and a down jacket, not to mention, gloves, hats, and heavy weather pants. Let me tell you, two weeks in rental hiking boots is not fun. Not nice to the feet either. So having ... read more