Namche - Tashinga - Pangboche

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28 April Namche - Tashinga
Nothing like a one hour straight uphill climb to wake you up in the morning! What a great day we had today.. we climbed right up above Namche to the Everest View Hotel which is a very civilised Japanese Hotel with the most spectacular views of Everest, Lotse and Ama Dablam. We had some Hot Lemon took some pics then set off downhill for about half an hour to Khumjung. Here we went to a Monastary where they were saying their annual prayers (Phuza - No Cath thats not booze!) and making offerings for world peace. There are so many prayers and they are so long that i suspect it takes an entire year tp get through them so its actually just a cycle and we weren't witnessing anything special really! After that is was off to a school that Edmund HIllary funded which was really interesting. We came across some children from Namche who go to school in Khumjung and have to climb that steep mountain twice a day just to attend. Boy do our kids have it good. Another good lunch and a pleasant 2 hour walk to Tashinga where we were to rest for the night.
Now my punishment for complaining about the toilets arrived. My stomach was not playing the game and unfortunately i was feeling most uncomfortable. By midnight my loving husband was making me rehydrate drinks and we were scrambling in the medical kit for the heavy stuff... imodium just wasn't cutting it. After that i fell into a fitful sleep and we were up at 6 and ready for breakfast.

29 April - Tashinga - Pangboche
What a day! Half an hour steep downhill took us to the river which we crossed then had a killer 2 hour climb up to Tengboche.. Namche Hill was just the nursery slope as we discovered today! Upon reaching the top we visited the Tengboche Monastary which is very impressive and famous in the area. Another half an hour downhill took us to our lunch stop after which we commenced another 2 hour (flatish according to our guide, I beg to differ) climb. It was a really long day and we arrived in Pangboche exhausted (well, i did anyway) We are starting to feel the affects of the altitude as we are now at 4000m above sea level and Trev and i both have a mild headache... not to mention even typing leaves you feeling out of breath!! It is bitterly cold and we are wondering what is in store for us over the next few days.. From tomorrow, i understand showers are a thing of the past, as is changing your clothes, its just too cold.

Our days are quite routine now and we generally arrive at our destination at around 2pm after which we snuggle in our beds and read until dinner at 6.30, we are in bed by 8 and up again at 6 (bar all the wee stops) the next morning to begin it all again. The trail today was really mountainous and at times we were literally walking along a ledge - its hilarious when the yak trains pass as you have to stick yourself mountain side to aviod being pushed over the edge!

So, more tomorrow or the next day, thank you all for your comments and encouragement, we feel so far away from home and its great to hear from you!

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