Day #9 - Arriving Tengboche

---

As the clouds rolled in for the first time on our trek it was with great relief we reached Tengboche. The small village of Tengboche consists of primarily the Monastery, a few lodges/tea houses and a couple of buildings for the locals - all on top of a high hill around 3860m - and one mobile phone mast next to the lodge we were due to stay in. This didn't seem the kind of place you would want to spend more than one night in.

It has been a daily surprise that there has been any mobile phone coverage at all since leaving Kathmandu. However, this luxury is tempered with the fact that due to energy shortages in Nepal they do switch the masts off, especially at night, and only sometime during the morning when the solar panels have go enough juice to power it do they come on again. This was to be the last mobile coverege until Gorak Shep.

As this lodge is only one of a few in the village it is the busiest lodge we have stayed in so far. Every table is full already, with the exception of two fairly close to the heater, which to our huge relief has been reserved for us by our Guide Leader - good one Dirge! The warmth of the dung-filled heater, and a round of black teas and our spirits are quickly restored following the long trek uphill to Tengboche.

---