31 October 2005
Day 15: Phortse Thanga - Namche Bazar (3420m). 3 Hours
Did an hour of uphill powerwalking to Mong then had an easy two hour glide into Namche. Back in the land of TV, flush toilets and motion detectors. And bakeries, spent the afternoon eating apple + chocolate + flour + butter concoctions, reading Newsweek and talking to a group that did a three week trek just to get to Namche, including three climbs. Really nice views of the terraced city of Phortse in front of Ama Dablam. It was also amazing how much more crowded and wider the trail got as the Gokyo trek merged with the EBC trek.
It is the second day of the Hindu festival of lights. In one of those grand ironies, Hiindus celebrate by arranging candles in the form of swastikas (its an ancient, pre-Hiel symbol). I chose not to try to explain this incongruity to Dipu.
30 October 2005
Day 14: Gokyo - Photse Tanga (3680m). 5 Hours
29 October 2005
Day 13: Gokyo Ri revisted (5357m). 8 Hours!
Found some rocks which formed a pretty fantastic chaise lounge chair and had a nice nap on what I imagine is the most perfect spot on the planet. Lounged for a while then watched the sun set. It was grandidlyand, first brightly illuminating the faces of the mountains then turning pink and red and then finally creating impressive, though dark, spectrum on the sky behind the Himalayas. Scampered down in the dark after a fantastic five hours on the mountain.
I am now pretty officially on my way back home. I'm back down valley and should be in Kathmandu in four easy-ish days. Then a few day layover in Pokhara, maybe an easy trek and then its back to the Kathmandu for the direct flight to Palm Springs (but not really). Another good/sappy quote: "Ships are safe in the harbor, but thats not what ships are for"
28 October 2005
Day 12: Fifth Lake (4980m). 4 Hours
27 October 2005
Day 11: Gokyo Ri (5357m). 4 Hours
The top of Gokyo is slathered in prayer flags and the waving colors and OM MANI PADME HUMs looke awesome agaisnt the blues, whites and blacks of the Himalayas. Fouind a nice place to chill out and watched the mountains, crows, vulture/eagle/flying snow leopard and the clouds. They floated in at about 5,000m leaving the towering peaks in view except for the occasional wisp which would envelop me and I was reminded of Gunter's (dive guide) saying to "stare out into the white".
Sorry if this has been a bit woordy or even lyrical, but I finished my James Ellroy novel (think LA Confidential) and picked up "The best of Outside" (from the highest bookshop in the world) and I think its changed my literary style a bit (like using adjectives other than awesome).
Also, huge shout out to Albert, Jill, Arthur and especially Julie who fed me a dinner of such delicacies as hot chocolate (excuse me, super charges) and chocolate lemon cake and let me win at hearts.
26 October 2005
Day 10: Dzhongla - Cho La (5420m) - Gokyo (4800m). 6.5 Hours
That being said, I can't think of a much more satisifying feeling experience than seeing the prayer flags that mark the top of the pass against the shimmering snow and back drop of a whole new valley. Went down, took years off my knees and had lunch in Dagnak. By then the fog and clouds had come back bringing a sprinkling of snow. We decided to press on to Gokyo. This may not have been the smartest decision I've ever made. The slight ups had me winded and hadn't even reachd the evil evil evil Ngozumba glacer.
The glacier was pretty neat at first, a crazy landscape that looked more like the moon than ice except where there were huge lakes. Apparently, said lakes have washed out the trail making us loop around on completely untrod paths. This meant repeatedly ascending, descending, skurying and scampering on the loose rock slopes. The quintessential one step forward two steps back (or worse: one step sideways six feet sliding down). But we made it finally, I was guite angry with the glacier by the end. Gokyo looks really nice, I have a big single room and don't plan on leaving too soon.
25 October 2005
Day 9: Gorak Shep - Dzongla (4640m). 4 Hours
Today was pretty easy, gorgeous while we walked down then nasty in ther afternoon. Cho La tomorrow, I want my nice gas powered, switch operated fire places in CB.
24 October 2005
Day 8: Laboche - Kala Pattar (5545m) - Gorak Shep (5160m). 5 Hours
Fumbled putting on my down jacket, popped one of every pill I had available (diamox, cirpro, alleve, immodium, codeine) and realzed my head lamp needs a bit of upgrading. Got outside and while I'd love to relate the romance and beautfy of hiking in Nepal under the stars, it fucking blew. I tripped every other step, almost went in the water (twice) and nearly hyperventilate in said down jacked. I then convinced myself I had every single sympton of HACE: naseau, light headed, loss of coordination, etc (I think most of these relate to all the pills I popped and the lovely sleeping arrangements). Then, my camel back cord frooze solid. I was not a happy trekker.
Then, as the sun came up, things started to get better. My Nalgene got Iodineized and I could once again enjoy freezing cold water. I also decided to quite being a pussy and made it to Gorak Shep feeling pretty good. Did the long climb to Kala Pattar in about an hour and forty five minutes. It was a bit of a bitch, there's not much you can do going up at 5500 meters other than put one foot in front of the other and listen to your heart pound. I have no idea how people can do this another 3000 meters up. But made it to the top and it was, awesome.
Great views of Everst next to Nuptse with the Khubmu glacier and icefall below. Also fantastic views down valley with the usual suspects and the glacier. Plus an incredible view of Pumori and mountains in Tibet. It was great, not a cloud in the incredibly blue sky and only the occasional breath of wind. Could have stayed all day but only remained for about two hours. Took a short nap on the lower slopes, got sunburned and listened to the avalanches roll of Nuptse.
In the afternoon I relaxed, got more sunburned and talked to a weirdo from Boulder who was in Nepal to work on his breathing (and had a didjeridoo to help him?). Then went back up a bit and watched the sunset. It was fantastic, the faces of Everst (left) and Nuptse (right) turned a beautiful pink/red and it was really neat watching the light fade and listening to the glacier creaking and groaning. AWESOME.
23 October 2005
Day 7: Pheriche - Laboche (4930m). 4 Hours
Did a nice hike over the northwestern ridge to see the massive Khumbu glacier. Hung out on the ridge for a while, checked out where Everest Base Camp would be if anybody was climbing and relaxed in the sun. Went up to the Pyramid research station which is the highest research station in the world (highest in the world becomes kind of a theme up here). Nothing spectacular but a cool view of the Laboche icefall.
Definitely feeling the altitude. Headache on the ascents, sore throat, freezing cold. Tomorrow, 5am for Kala Pattar.
22 October 2005
Day 6: Nagarjung Peak (5162m). 4 Hours
Clbimed for about two hours traight up a streep to quite steep incline around 5,000m. Not easy but there were great views east and the occasional buddhist cairn and paryer flags as motivations (and Dipu sprinting up the fucking hill). Anyways, made it to the top around 11 and felt pretty good. Hung out on the top in the sun, watched the clouds below roll in and out. Also watched the crows circle on updrafts then shoot thousands of feet down to the valley. Saw some sort of vulture/eagle thing.
21 October 2005
Day 5: Tengboche - Pheriche (4240m). 4.5 Hours
Got into Pheriche around noon and enjoyed about 20 minutes of sunshine before the clouds rolled back in. Bummer. Went inside, listened to the Beatles + Nora Jones and watched a sprinkling of snow. Later I checked out the Himalayan Rescue Association daily talk, most of which I had heard/read before. In the month they've been open they've had four serious cases of HACE, Viagra can be used to treate HAPE and HAFE is High Altitude Flatuent Emissions.
Lodges are getting more crowded and more primitive (bye bye western crappers), the age group seems to be getting younger and there are more people (solo + small groups without guides). Quote from the monastery: "May you journey in peace and walk in delight"
20 October 2005
Day 4: Namche -Tengboche (3870m). 4 Hours
At about 9:30 the trail started gaining altitude and I really started feeling the thin air. Pounding heart beat on the hills and short of breath for the first time. Especially when shortcutting switchbacks to pass yaks. Made it to Tengboche before noon and got one of the few rooms. Also beat the clouds/fog/rain and snow though the famous view was nowhere to be seen.
This evening went to the monastry with a nice little kata (white scarf buddhist thingamajig) almost like a real mountaineer. Dipu doubted that I could pull it off, but I still sat through two hours of chanting + prayers + "music" + a lot of other stuff I did not understand. At the end most of the monks took off but the head lama ("rimpoche" if you are being technical) stuck around to do monkly things. I took the kata, gave it to him and he blessed it then put it back on my shoulders. Pretty awesome, blessed by the main guy at the main Buddhist monastery in the Khumbu.
I also penned my first (hopefully of many) Nepali/Western song (sing along now): "Japaneese in front of me, yaks to the back, here I am, stuck in the Khumbu with you..." Also, I have to joy of saying "Hurry Dipu, before ze yaks get here"
19 October 2005
Day 3: Everest View Hotel (3900m). 3 Hours
Got up to the Everest View Hotel which charges a measly $180 for a room. Yikes. Great view of Ama Dablam shooting up from the valley floor and people with binoculars could see folks summiting. Everest was clouded over, but even that was a neat thing to see: this huge mountain shooting avoe the clouds. Overheard a guide briefing a group that was preparing to climb Ama, neat to hear real live people say "climb high, sleep low" and "from base camp to ABC to camp 1 to high camp to summit day". I want to go climbing. Spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the sun and views of Namche and tyring to find the elusive rectangular Namche Bazar sticker.
18 October 2005
Day 2: Phakding - Namche Bazar (3420m). 6 Hours
After Jorsalle the trail went up at a pretty decent clip. Altitude + pack + steep really fucked me. We did get nice views of Everest as we rounded switch backs but it was quite a struggle to get through the town to the teahouse (conviently located at the very top of the village). My quads burned like they haven't for about seven years.
Lets talk Sherpas. These people are ridiculous. They take three backpacks, duffel bags, cardboard boxes and a Japaneese woman, lash them to wicker (or rattan) baskets and strap the whole thing to their foreheads. Then walk up a mountain. Its nuts. Everything in the stores, in fact the stores themselves, are carried in by these porters.
Namche is the Khumbu region metropolis. Lots of teahouses (maybe 30), bakeries, bars, trekking stores, banks and even high speed internet. It is in some regards bigger than CB. Lots of Tibet made goods, brought over from China. There is an awesome photo of a Sherpa trekking in a dryer, how awesome would it be to see one with a satelitte dish on their back?
17 October 2005
Day 1: KTM - Lukla (2820m) - Phakding (2620m). 3 Hours
The flight was easy, over terraced hills then about 25 minutes through saw Everest which was way impressive. 10 minutes later we landed, from the seat I could see through the cockpit to a landing strip clearly intended for ants. But we touched down, going up hill, and just before hitting the big rock wall turned right and parked.
The walk today was nice and easy. Biggest problem: yak trains. I'm in ok shape, could be worse. The scenery is great, it is incredible how clear and vivid everything is. Saw some snowcapped 6,000m mountains, not even big enough to be named. The path is actually about 2 meters wide and paved with stones, it wanders past homes, tea houses and various buddhist thingamajigs. Sitting on the patio here reminds me a lot of CB with the dry air, intense sun and cool breezes.
Funny things: Italian shoes, Chineese food, Japaneese wife and American life. Also the box that was printed weirdly so it looked like "butt crack" instead of "butter crackers".
16 October 2005
Trekking Trekking Trekking
So I won't be posting for a good bit but I promise lots and lots of pictures when I get back. Also, if you haven't gotten a postcard now is about the last time you can send me your address to get one (unless you want one of beautiful Denver, CO).
NAMASTE!
Ang Steve Sherpa
15 October 2005
K'du
Here is the Bodha Stupa which is a really neat Buddhist (I think....) thingamajig, very calm compared to Thamel:
And here is a fucking fantastic view of the Kathmandu Valley, Middle Hills and Big Mountains (I think....) taken from the Pashupitchu which is an awesome Hindu cremation ground/temple/park/wandering area for heaps of monkeys, goats and cows (I hate cows):
14 October 2005
I saw Mt Everest today!
Gore
PS> Having to leave my passport at immigration, run outside to an ATM, come back to immigration, have the immigration official ask me if I had any extra (wink, wink) money, change Nepal Rupees back to US Dollars and wait for like thirty minutes all to get a stupid visa was slightly less awesome.
13 October 2005
Part III
10 October 2005
After we finished up our half day of work we set about innaguarating the BBQ. An unexpected twist for me was finding out that Thai's don't light fires with starter fluid or paper or something sensical, they like to use rubber. Adds an interesting flavor to your chicken. But the BBQ was really really good, grill worked flawlessly and Frankie inebriated us with Pina Coladas, Banana Surprise and Koh Kho Koah Island Iced Tea.
Something new and different for a Sunday, everybody was hungover! But no worries, we perservered and hit up Lampi waterfalls which were fairly awesome. We hiked the 300meters up to the top and I made the startling realization that I am in really terrible shape. I hope that whatever I end up paying a Sherpa includes carrying my ass up the steep parts.
We came back, checked out Snatch that was playing at the Khao Lak movie theater (aka the bungalow with a laptop and projector) and ended the weekend the way all good weekends should end: drinking at the Marlin and me making a fool out of myself playing pool. Special shout out to Michael and Da (the owner and bartender at the Marlin) who seemed to really enjoy the photo of me in the apron.
I lose my phone on Thursday so you guys should really bite the bullet, get drunk on a weeknight and give me a call!
Gore
Cause everytime I sleep with your mom she gives me a cookie
06 October 2005
Bangsak is Dunzo
Today we straightened, cut, bent, tied and loaded the last piece of rebar to be assembled at Bang Sak (the site I am, excuse me, was, in charge of). Its actually really awesome and shows that we are making really great progress towards completing the homes on Koh Kho Khao. The homes in Bang Sak are being painted in preparation for the dedication ceremony on 29 October (yeah, I'm using international date format and saying "I reckon" and pronouncing 'fillet of fish' "fill-it of fish"). It was also a special day because I completed work on my shiny, silver, space aged, two levels of cooking surface and a side table, completely homemade grill. I'd like to put up pictures but some doofus is using the card reader, so y'all (not so international after all) will have to wait till tomorrow.
The free clinic gave me Valium! (not joking!)
Steve
PS> This is a special shout out to me mum whom I gave a lot of shit for suggesting I bring compact washclothes thinking I would never ever ever use them. Well once again, I was wrong and used them tonight to not disturb my wound. And the most ridiculous story that someone believed went a little like this: "Woah Steve, what happened?" "Well you know those signs at resorts that say 'Beware of Falling Coconuts', yeah they're not lying"
The last truck out of Bang Sak (think last helicopter out of Saigon)
05 October 2005
Steve gets Mexican Food, Stitches
In more productive news, I served as project manager / big boss for two days this weeks while Jeremy was out cavorting. It was good fun, I'm super important. In more delicious news, we made nachos/burritos last night. It was one of the most phenomenal meals of my life. I picked up chips and cheese in Phuket this past weekend (and hiking boots, and Sizzler!!!!!), Jeremy had some beans and tortillas and we snagged some peppers and mystery chicken on a stick. You'll never appreciate having a proper kitchen until you are driving around getting cheese out of a refigerator in one bungalow, chips from another then walking into every restaurant in town trying to find one that actually has an oven (or even trying to explain what an oven is to Thai people). Finally the good folks at Viking steakhouse let us shove our tray into their oven (not a sexual euphemism) and we churned out some seriously delectable Mexican food. We also had Sangria, Tequila and the ever popular TJ Tobacco (think about it.....). Best part of the night was when Alan (who is 29) was trying to guess my age, he said 27, I burst out laughing and he went "what, older than me?". Good stuff
Jesus is my wingman
Esteban
That would be Me, Alan, Jeremy, Frankie and our deliciousness