Phortse to Namche

Last night was pretty cold for being at a lower altitude and I shivered most of the night. Our room had frosted over by the morning. It was one of my least favorite teahouses, the walls may have well been fabric. Still, I had a bed, right? I DID get a chance to talk to the boys for a few minutes before their game. Happy :)) Some of the clients played dice and Uno with the Sherpas. Our main guide Deanna teaches us Nepali phrases and short stories about the history and government of Nepal. She came here at 28 with the Peace Corps. Chris and Katie tried to teach the Sherpas how to play Bullshit but only half of them got it. First they called it "Yak Shit" but then one of the staff seemed uneasy so they changed the game to "I doubt it". I'm still laughing about that.

I'm still really congested and this cold is kicking my a**. Last night in Phortse (the village in the above photo) a few of us tried menthol and steam inhalation stuff for some relief...nope. It's an evil formula called SANCHO. Really strong, thought it would for sure work. I coughed all night long and have a wicked sore throat still. I'm a total snot factory. Combine that with the lack of sleep and it just made this morning difficult. Oh, that and the 90 minute uphill climb right out of the starting gate. I get it: GREAT VIEWS!! But I'd rather be walking downhill at this point. Granted, tackling the ascent at this altitude is better than at 17, 000 feet. At least I don't have to stop and catch my breath. I just walk really slow. We are all thankful when we have to stop for the yaks to go by so we can catch our breath (dirty little secret!). When I made it to the top, I think it was called Mong La, it was one of the most glorious views on the whole trek...felt like I had a 360 degree view of the Himalayas. I had to go to the bathroom so bad by the time I got to the top, I accidentally set my pack down in a bit of yak dung. Which got on my strap. Which touched my pants. So I had to unleash some swear words. I shed a layer of long underwear,had some water and started the 2 hour descent to lunch. Since I am eating less and less, I'm starving by 10am (like I can hear my stomach gurgling with every step) and I am tiring of trail mix and power bars. And cough drops. And water. Lunch was just ok, I managed to eat some tuna fish (gag, I know. But I need the protein) And some flat bread smeared with peanut butter. Just before we left lunch in the little village, I paid for a Snickers bar and chowed it in 5 minutes. Man, what a difference that made in my disposition! I crave peanut M and M's and Doritos too. But, nowhere to be found. Besides a small incline of 15 minutes, the trail after lunch back to Namche followed the contour of the mountain around to the village at a fairly level state. I spent the afternoon talking to Jon and the twins about food banking and religion. We also had our last views of Everest, which saddened all of us. Today we were fast hikers and arrived at our destination by 2pm instead of the targeted 3pm. We are staying in the same teahouse as when we came through Namche on the ascent. Remember?? Hotel Camp de Base. Hot shower and flushable toilets IN THE ROOM. Namche Bazaar just has a happy air about it. Here it is warm enough for a light fleece jacket tonight while walking the alleyways between shops, but I will be in several layers in my sleeping bag and the room will be crisp and cool by 9pm. We had tea in the kitchen and discussed Middle East Politics before heading out to the internet cafe. The sun is shining and the town is bustling and the air is thicker here. All of this together puts us in a joyous mood. We are happy to come to mealtime to talk about the day and show our photos to each other. There is a sense of accomplishment for having reached Base Camp even though at times things were less than desirable. But we laugh about the funny things that happened higher up on the mountain and we marvel at the scenery some more. It is phenomenal and breathtaking around every corner. After dinner we all head to the room Katie and I share to divide up our money for tips for the staff. Nepalese rupees seem like Monopoly money and we have stacks and stacks of it in different piles all over the room. Steve has graciously agreed to be the "treasurer" and did a fantastic job. Tomorrow is spent descending all the way down to Lukla where we started the trek. It will most likely take 8 hours. We will have a party with the staff and give them their tips and any gear we no longer want. Every day from dawn til dusk, they bust their butts for us. It is amazing. Being on a trekking staff is a very desirable position for young Nepali men. The ANNUAL per capita income for Nepalis is less than $1,000. Some of our staff live in brick huts with tin roofs and mud floors. One of them had damage to his home in a recent earthquake and it is mostly uninhabitable. They are very simple, very happy, and very gracious. It has been enjoyable to interact with them on the trail and at mealtimes.

Our last night will be in Lukla and the next morning take a 7am flight to Kathmandu and leave the mountains behind.