Mt. Everest Base Camp Hike

Day 1- Phakding

My flight left out of Katmandu at 6:30 am; it was a 16-passenger plane; the smallest I’ve ever been on! The stewardess handed out candy and cotton balls (for ear plugs) before take off. I rifled around in the seat pocket in front of me to find an airsick bag with a very graphic picture of a cartoon woman vomiting; just incase you weren’t sure what it was for. The view was amazing, cascading over the Himalayas, it was early, though, so I dozed off for a short time. That is, until the plane made an abrupt upwards jolt, just missing a mountain peak—um, was that supposed to happen? Needless to say, I was alert until the landing, which also isn’t very comforting, especially from the back because all you can see is a cliff getting closer as you land on an inclining runway. Phew! I dropped my plane ticket off at t Hotel Sunrise and headed off!

The first day is mostly downhill to help acclimatize; I stayed in a village named Phakding which is at an elevation of 2610 meters. I found a room for 100 rupees ($1.30) and passed out. I was sick in Katmandu and hadn’t been sleeping well. I got in a total of about 15 hours of sleep with a little reading and dinner break in the middle.

Daily Candy bar intake: 1
Candy bar total: 1

Day 2- Namche Bazaar 3440meters

I left at seven am to head to Namche Bazaar (3440meters). This trek was extremely tough and probably one of the more difficult days of the journey. It was basically an upward climb for four hours. I was supremely annoyed with two guys o passed me on horses, GAH! Lazy! Come on, guys, you can’t be any older than I am, get off and walk. Anyway, Namche Bazaar is like a thriving metropolis of a village. Everything is there, shoe repair, bakeries, grocery stores, bars, pharmacies, massage parlors, shops—most itineraries have you stay an extra day here to acclimatize so I guess they figured out how to capitalize on that. I sat outside of a bakery in town reading and watching everyone struggle to make their way up the final push to a guesthouse. I sat there with some tea and way too many 50 rupee snickers bars (the bargain of the trip) while making small talk with some people on their way up and or down. PS. The view out of my room was outstanding! I had two windows where I could watch the sunrise through the Himalayas, over the village—a totally uninterrupted sight.

DCBI-4
Total-5

Day 3

Acclimatization day! In order to ward off Altitude sickness, you’re supposed to take breaks at certain altitudes or if you have gained a certain amount of height in a day. At breakfast I met a Canadian couple who invited me to go with them for a walk up to the viewpoint to catch a glimpse of Everest. Though we took the steep steps slowly, we were all out of breath and had to take numerous breaks before we made it to the top (This is another part of acclimatizing, “hike high, sleep slow”). I spend most of the rest of the day reading and chatting with other trekkers.

DCBI-5
Total-10

Day 4- Tyangboche 3860meters

Time to move on! I headed off to Tyangboche at about 6:30 in the morning. This is another very tough day. The stops out of Namche were so difficult! After that, the trail was flat for about an hour. I was following a porter with a couple Jobcas who was chanting Buddhist prayers. A Jobca, by the way, is a porter animal that is a cross between a cow and a yak; personally, I think they should either be named a Cak or a Yow, but I think it’s a little late to be throwing in my two cents.

Along the way, I ran into two people from Austrailia; Bernie, a middle-aged man and Amy. They were working on catching up to the other fourteen members of their group because a few had to stay an extra day in Namche because they were sick. Bernie told me to hang out with them so I did for half the day. We talked about the leadership program he was running, as well as about my trek and random philosophical questions about life. We met up with two others from their group, Steve and Paige, at lunch time, right before the steep three hour climb to Tyangboche. On the way out, Paige started vomiting, so they decided to rest the night and sent Steven and me off.

The climb up was long but not as bad as heading into Namche. We arrived at around two pm and found a cheap room about 25 minutes down the hill in a nearby village. We trekked back up to see the monastery service, only to realize we were an hour late. Instead, we watched all the monks played soccer with some Kiwi (New Zealand) kids.

DCBI- 2
Total- 12

Day 5- Dingoche 4300 meters
Another early morning, out the door by 6:30 am to get to Dingboche to meet Steve’s group. The beginning was steep and windy, kind of like a human pinball machine. It’s difficult to catch your breath or function normally at high altitude; everything is a labored effort. A lot of the climb was either pretty flat or a gradual incline. We walked along the river, occasionally seeing the peak of Everest surrounded by other, closer towering mountains. We arrived at 11:30 am; quite speedy! Bernie insisted I stay with the group and get a few good free meals since they had a personal chef cooking for everyone. They gave me my own tent and all day we drank tea, ate real food and played cards. The group is so sweet and I got along with them right away. Early that evening Bernie, Paige, and Amy showed up which was a big surprise! That was a long trek to do in one day after being sick—so inspiring! However, I then felt really awful because I was taking up their space. Bernie said not to worry, but the guilt was still there.

Day 6

The Aussie group took off but I decided to follow my itinerary and take a rest day, though they wanted me to join them. I was having fun but I missed trekking alone; I don’t feel like talking about myself to others, though it’s nice to learn they’re finding me interesting and inspirational, I want to be in my own head. Plus, I felt too guilty sleeping and eating for free. I took a nap and did a little acclimatization hike. Other than that I just wrote in my journal, read, and napped; the weather was pretty uninspiring, the clouds were so low and thick that you couldn’t even see the building next door. Plus, there was NO ONE in my guesthouse to talk with.

Day 7- Labuje 4930meters

I hiked from Dingboche to Labuje and it was a struggle! The altitude was getting to me and every step caused incredibly labored breathing. The first half was relatively flat; I had lunch in a little village to warm up (Instant noodle soup, per usual) and then it was supposed to take an hour and a half more to get to Labuje. Ugh. There is a steep hill of rocks to climb with took me an hour and fifteen minutes! I just couldn’t catch my breath. I think I sprawled out on rocks at least five times, and not just sitting, either, pack off and on my back with my arms over my head; sad really. Afterwards, it was basically flat again. I sat watching a group of porters having a rock-throwing contest for a while before making the final move. I rolled into Labuje around 11 and plopped down at the first place for some hot cocoa (I was dying for some sugar and basically ended up just eating it off of a spoon). I was struggling to muster the strength to move on to Gorekship. A porter told me there were no rooms available because of a cricket tournament. Someone else told me it was a bad idea to go so high in one day, so I figured I'd listen to all of the signs and stay in Labuje. Good thing, because a little while later it started snowing!!!

Day 8- Gorekshep 5184 meters

I was physically glad to have listened to all of the signs to stay in Labuje, but I was a bit upset on the flip side because I missed the last day of the Cricket tournament! Not that I know anything about Cricket because, well let's be honest, Americans couldn't give a hoot about that "odd" sport, but I missed the game and tall the celebration (read: cute, sporty guys) as well as my Aussie friends. However, the trek that day was brilliant@ I couldn't help but smile the whole time; the weather was perfectt, bright blue, hardly a cloud and no wind, not to mention I had the first half to myself. If I sat down and relaxed my breath, it was silent; just a few birds chirping and distant water rushing, perhaps the jingling of the bells on a Yak's collar. I spent too much time enjoying myself because porters and other trekkers soon caught up with me. It wasn't too busy, though, maybe a half hour before I arrived in Gorekshep, I ran into my Aussie family. We sat and chatted for a while, giving both groups a much needed break. They unloaded all of their extra candy bars and granola snacks onto me (thank god!). I skipped my way down the hill into the village; so excited to be in Gorekshep! Sadly, it was 9:30 am, so I had a long day of nothing to do, oh well. I wanted to be up at around 4:30 am to get to Kala Pattar so I figured I deserved a big rest. Bedtime, 5:30 pm.

DCBI- 3 (one full, two minis)
Total- 15

Day 9- Everest Base Camp 5357 meters

I woke up early but couldn't get myself to function at 4:30 am to hike Kala Pattar. I decided to sleep in and walk to Base camp instead.. I met two Brittish girls who were going, as well, so I tagged along with them. The hike is maybe two to two and a half hours to Everest Base Camp, but you only gain 200 meters in altitude, so it's fairly flat most of the time. At first, you hike through a valley and for the next third or so you're on top of a ridge between valleys of rocks created by the movement of the Khumbu glacier, where the EBC sits. On this ridge, we decided to take a break and look at the view. One of the girls wasn't paying attention and accidentally kicked her jacket in it's carrying case down into the valley. A guy we were talking to volunteered to help her get it; this took over an hour because it was so steep and the rocks fell away with every step. After the ridge, you walk over the glacier to get to base camp. Mud is covering melting ice, making it very slippery, but the terrain was like nothing I'e ever seen. There are ice towers sticking out of the ground, massive rocks on solid ice platforms and lakes in between; it's amazing. Luckily, right as I was getting onto the glacier, I met Simon an older man from the UK was who leaving to try to summit the next day. He helped me weave through the puddles and crevices to get to the main camp and more importantly, the bakery! That's right, at 5380 meters there's a tent with fresh baked deliciousness waiting to be purchased; cookies, croissants, banana bread, and apple pie! I decided to wait for the girls before I went in. They strolled over maybe ten-minutes later with one of the summit guides they had met in Namche. He invited us all up to his camp for tea. They unfolded some chairs out of the wind and in the sun and served up some chai and ginger snap, yummy. There are hundreds of tents in this area and everyone is here for a few weeks to acclimatize before the 3000 meter climb to the summit. Apparently it only takes five days but way too many people die in this time due to altitude sickness and frostbite. Apparently, at the fourth and last camp before the summit, Southcol, there are bodies of thos who have died and have yet to be brought back which is sad and disgusting that people you know could leave you to die to make it to the summit, to make the $80,000 goal worth it. After tea, we ate in the bakery for a bit before finally trekking back an hour and a half to Gorekshep. The other girls started to head down, whereas i had to tackle kala Pattar in the morning before I could finally decrease in altitude. I grabbed my book and a blanket and st in the common space/restaurant until dinner. There I met two older guys from Colorado, Dave and gary. They were also hiking to KP in the morning. We chatted for a while about our travels/home/whatever and had some dinner before turning in early for the crack of dawn wake up call.

Day 10- Kala Pattar 5643meters

At 4:30 am I rolled out of bed and bundled myself together to head 400 meters up to Kala Pattar. When I first got to Gorkeshep, an Aussie woman pointed to the steep hill behind the guesthouse and said, "I'm pretty sure that's it." I slowly made my way, one full in and out breath each step, up the hill, only to get to the top and find another and another. By this time, I could barely see the three that started before me and the group that began a half hour after me had passed on by. I crouched down in a ball to catch my breath and try to warm up a bit since the sun still hadn't completely rise, so, sipite all my physical efforts, I still couldn't warm up. The other group's guide stopped by me and asked if I was ok, if I needed hot water or anything. I probably should've said yes, but for some reason I didn't. Instead I asked how far to the top to which he replied maybe 45 minutes. What??? I thought it was only supposed to be an hour and a half "tops." At this point, I almost lost it, I seriously wasn't sure if I could keep going, but deep down, I knew the problem was my mind and not my body. I shed a couple of tears and the guide said it was ok to go down if I needed. I let me know I could do it, I just needed to pull myself rogether. I stood up and took a deep breath as the sun finally came up. Before taking off, the guide said in broken English, "you know story of the tortoise and the rabbit?"

Lol, yes, I do.

Slowly, slowly, just go slowly, slowly.

I smiled and started slowly walking, again. The last bit, you just have to crawl and carefully maneuver over big bloack rocks to get to the peak, evered in peace flags. I collapsed on a flat rock in front of Dave and gary; they laughed and their guide handed me some cookies where I desperately needed. I hadn't eaten sicne my instant noodle soup at 7pm the night before and I thought I'd go cross eyed and fall off the rocks. Once I sat up and turned around, however, the two-plus hour verticle hike was worth it. We were surrounded by stunning snow capped mountains, over to the left we could see the EBC 200 meters down and gehind that, Mt. Everest looming behind, the world' highest peak just waiting to be conquered. I sat on Kala Pattar (Black Rock) staring at the crystal clear sky contrasting with the illuminated mountains before heading back down--30 minutes tops! I sat in the guesthouse--numbed by tmy efforts for a while, mustering up the courage to start finally heading down.

After some hot instant noodles, I packed up my belongings, making the decision to leave my heavy food behind. When I was in New Zealand, I made up this trekking concoction of Muesli, peanut butter, and jelly; I made three massive bags of this stuff before I left and had hardly touched it. I just couldn't get myself to consume it, I was revolted by it and would rather be hungry. My pack was so much lighter! I piled my clothes back on and headed toward Pheriche. Thank God it was mostly downhill. The majority of the trip I remembered, but Pheriche is down in a valley where I hadn't been yet. I walked along the river through the most fertile vegetation I've seen in a while. I hopped over rocks and mud and yak dung (which, when dried, they gather to use on the stoves to heat the restaurants) towards a little stone village where families were playing with the kids in the grass and an old woman was lifting stones to mend her "fence." I saw a couple of cute, fluffy baby Yaks, but when I went to take my camera out Papa starting inching closer, snorting and stomping. I stood for a while, trying not to make eye contact and figure out how to pass. Eventually, he turned around and I made a break for it--totally unnoticed. I met up with dave and Gary and immediately passed out, exhausted. They woke me up for dinner and I figured today was the day to try Dahl Baht. This is basically like an Indian Thali--rice, curry, dahl (a thick lentil soup), and spicy pickled vegetables, but it's unlimited! I could barely move by the time I had finished and had never felt more satisfied. I slept like a rock.

Day 11- Tyangboche 3864meters

We took our sweet time getting ready to leave today, why not, right? The owner had the cutest little daughter of maybe two years old and has so much personality. We all took loads of photos of her before finally heading off. The boys left around eight; I always give them a bit of a head start because A) though they have 30 plus ears on me, they're still way faster and fitter than I am and B) Kelly does not trek well with others. I just like to be by myself when I'm wondering through nature; I like to be in my own head. I got lost at the very beginning because i wasn't sure if i crossed the river or not and then it didn't seem to make sense to hike up a massive hill to go down a mountain but, the porters all assured me I was on the correct path; they know way btter than the girl with no map or sense of direction. I got to reverse conquer the rock hill that destroyed me a week earlier. I started heading down, excited and saying out loud (like a crazy person) "you're MINE!" I was so wrong. I started slipping on everything and tripping over nothing until I finally admitted that I was still inferior to the hill.

I ended up staying back in Tyangboche so I could see the monk ceremony I had missed on the way in. I read in the sunshine for a few hours ("Three Cups of Tea"--phenomenal book) and then went into the monastery at four. Monks were cloaked in crimson robes, sitting cross-legged on cushioned benches chanting and drinking tea for 20-30 minutes. Visitors are allowed in to watch and take photographs after. Maybe 30 in and I was appalled by the disrespect that was shown--flash photography, talking, and worst of all, people getting up and leaving. REALLY????? You can't sit for twenty minutes? What else do you have to do? There's nothing else but to keep hiking. I was sick and so was the woman next to me who shared my distaste. The ceremony was simple but beautiful--I don't even know how these men and boys make the sounds that they do; I closed my eyes and felt the vibrations move through my body. The inside of the room was decorated in the colors of the peace flags (red, white, blue, green and yellow, with gold accents and the walls have intricate murals painted with the scenes of Buddha's life.

Day 12- Namche 3440meters

I took off early to try to get to Lukla, which was supposedly about a six hour hike. First, however, I needed back to Namche. The three hour one-third down, one-third up, and one-third mostly flat hike to Namche was touch and I wasn't sure how I could keep going. Luckily, I found $6 in my wallet and a money exchange, so I could afford to stay the night. First think I did was buy a few snickers bars and inhale them--ahhh, sweet, sweet chocolate. It was a good think I found this, because it turns out the hike from Namche to Lukla ITSELF it six hours, not 3-4. Early bed time, again:)

DCBI- 2
Total-17

Day 13-Lukla 2900 Meters

I left around 8 to make my final moves. I was so pissy for the first half to Phakding. I was just ready to be done after 13 days; plus, I hate taking the same path both directions because it always seems to take longer/be more difficult than you remember. Luckily, I ran into Dave and Gary at the halfway point and they filled me with trail mix, energy bars, and palin good psirits to finish the uphill hike to Lukla. Though the clouds had rolled in and everwhere looked gray, I was feeling much better and performing far superior to the morning. I tackled the uphill climb, no problem and basically ran through town, past the Starbucks (how there's a Starbucks and no ATM in this little village, I don't quite understand) to Hotel Sunrise to get a room. For 100 rupees I somehow ended up with a real, QUEENsized bed and comforter--ahhh; passed out instantly.

After my nap, I found Dave and gary on their way to a bar for happy hour--free beer? Why, yes please:) I was pleasantly intoxicated after two beers (not sloppy, just pleased--hey, I deserved it!) altitude+hard work+barely drinking=:) I went back with Dave and gary to eat dinner; we shared some greasy french fries and then went back to the bar. I watched them play pool for a while and then went to bed at the late late hour of 8pm.

DCBI-1
Total- 18

Day 14

I was so paranoid that I wouldn't wake up for my flight that my eyes were wide open around four when it was still dark! I left for the five minute walk to the airport at 6:45 in order to search for the man with my ticket. My flight was to leave at eight but didn't shop up until ten. At this point, I was so pissy, I just wanted to get back and have a shower. We landed and got a prepaid taxi, but had no money; we stopped at three ATM's before I could finally wrangle some cash. Then, the highlight, the longest, hottest, most desperately needed shower of my life. Ahhh. I smell like flowers and no longer look like Kenny from South Park.