Saturday Oct. 9, 2010.Nothing is Constant but Change!

Hilary's Picture of Everest

Prayer flags at Base Camp.

Ladies at the top! Thanks to Hilary for the pic! We made it back in the dark. Head lamps were helpful and the Yak bells helped to warn us of the local herd that was being taken down a crossroads in the dark and converging on our path! It had started snowing when we could see a glimpse of our tea house in the distance. I was completely done physically and it was just pure will with one foot in front of the other and the power of my fellow Trekkers that got me back. We each had a huge hug from Rabbin, our mountain guide. I really think he was worried about us and was very thank-fulthat we made it back safe and sound!!

Sunset on Nuptse.

Base Camp 7 hours into the day!! 17, 594 feet.

Most expeditions to the top are done in the spring. There was one sole climber awaiting to summit in the tents below.

Lunch at Gorak Shep. 17,350 feet.

Ten Gruk contemplating the next phase to the Base Camp and worrying if we would make it back in daylight.... we didn't and I think he knew at this point that we would be Trekking back in the dark. He was pretty serious this afternoon.

Marc with the girls.

The mountains are luminous and we are ready for the climb. It was almost lunar like with so much rock and no vegetation!!

A Peak at the top!!

Leaving Lobuche we were all on edge. Plans had changed and today was going to be the day to get to Base Camp!! Wow, that was a big change!!We had to adapt to weather changes and adjust to changing conditions on the Trek. The wind, sun and reflection from the snow and glaciers had a profound on many of us that are suspectible to the sun. Zinc Oxide was our friend. At one point, they were making a sign for me to wear around my neck when I returned to Canada. They were worried my husband wouldn't recognize me at the airport!!!!! We left another team member here as she was also showing signs of altitude sickness. In total 10 members of our group did not reach the final height but did have amazing experiences in the Mountains.

Friday Oct. 8, 2010. John, I found a Cottage for us!!

Here it is honey, all we need to "get away" from all the stress in our lives!! Our cottage in the Himalyas. There actually are Nomads who live high in the mountains. These are their homes for the winter months. They descend and hibernate until the spring comes. Again, I guess French River is looking like a spa!!

Pfizer Korea had a successful trip to Base Camp in 2008!! When you are in bed by 7:30/8:00 pm this dinner request is not unusual. Click on the image to expand and read the message!


Khumbu Cough: As we Trekked through this day we would start to cross the Khumbu Glacier. It is very dry and dusty. The Sherpas wore either a buff over their mouth and nose or just simply a kerchief. This dust irritates the villi in your bronchial tubes and causes a bad cough. I got it as well as many of my team members. Camping is another alternate to Trekking in Tea Houses and reduces the incidence of upper respiratory infections. It is a good idea to bring throat lozenges on the Trek. They are the only thing that really helps and always travel with a buff, just like they use on Survivor. My cough went away as we descended in altitude and I didn't develop an infection.

Lunch with Rabbin, Debbie, Lesley and Janice. A nice rest before another brutal climb for the afternoon. At the end of the day we would reach Lobuche at an altitude of 16,170 feet. Every effort was now putting you out of breath. Rolling over at night in your sleeping bag put you out of breath. The comfort zone was gone and some of us were starting to get panic attacks in the middle of the night. Luckily I didn't experience it but when you are in thin air, you awake suddenly and feel that you can't get a full breath. It's a pretty scary feeling.

My feeble attempt at Yoga at High Altitude and wearing hiking boots!! The truth is that after I climbed this big rock, I realized I was completely out of breath and couldn't believe I thought I could climb with the kids on the Trek!! It was all I could do to hold on to my balance!!

Leaving Dingboche and pausing to look back at the village in the valley:Periche. We would stay here on our return down the mountain. It is the host for the Himalayan Rescue Center and would be the health center where 2 of our team members who would become very sick would be treated. The sound of helicopters is very common at this altitude. Any signs of pulmonary or cerebral edema and they get you off the mountain. One of our Sherpas told us the story of a man he helped Trek to Base Camp and then to Kalapatthar. The man was not feeling well but refused to go down and didn't listen to the Sherpas advice. When he got to the top of Kalapatthar, he collapsed and died right beside the Sherpa before they could even get oxygen to him. Altitude sickness happens fast and can even happen when you are descending if you were starting to have signs while going up.

Ten Gruk and Pasan awaiting the day. The Sherpas served us all our meals and were always ready to help. Three more team members made the decision to descend this morning due to altitude sickness. They would join the others in Namche Bazaar where medical help was nearby if they needed it.

Leaving Dingboche. This was the routine. Wake-up call at 6:00 am and bags were to be ready by 6:30 am. Whatever you needed for the day had to go in your day pack. These bags would not make it to the next destination until the Yaks arrived!!

Thursday Oct. 7, 2010. The Rules of the Dingboche Hotel!!

Yes, language was a bit of a barrier but surprisingly, there were many in the Himalayas that spoke very good English. Just to give you a bench mark, $1.00 Canadian was approximately equal to 70 rupees. The average salary for a Sherpa is $200 annually. This fine would be approximately $25.

Hilary in the middle with her sweater made from Yak wool. We both bought one in Namche to keep us warm. They are hand made and are lined with fleece. Notice the Sherpas with the jackets and scarves. This is how they slept!

Water was a big issue. In Canada we were told boiled water and/or treated water was safe to drink. When we arrived in Nepal we were advised to drink only bottled water. This 40 cent bottle of water in KTM became a very pricey $6.00 bottle at Base Camp. . Some people were showing signs of altitude sickness.

Hydration Tips for Altitude: The Sherpas told us to drink lots of warm liquid to help with the altitude. Drink lots of tea and soup. Try to drink at least 4 liters of fluid/day.We were served garlic soup a few times. I had only seen this once before....with the Russians at my husbands camp in French River. I didn't eat it then but I did eat it on the Trek. Many did not eat it but I believe there was a reason the locals ate this soup. It probably helped to kill some kind of bad bugs in the water/ enviornment.
Altitude affects your appetitie. Many were not eating and this was also contributing to people getting sick. I seemed to be the only one still eating a lot!!:) This part did not affect me!!

We are now at Dingboche after a nice day of Trekking and are at 14,985 feet. These pictures give you an idea of how damp and cold it was. This is how we dressed inside the Tea Houses.

Leaving Phakding with beautiful skies ahead.
We would lose the tree line today but some vegetation was still evident on the trail.

Leaving Phakding 2 more members of our group would decide to stop their climb. Both also had pre-existing health issues and realized it was a safer decision to stay at lower altitudes and wait for us to return. The pressure was on for the rest of us.

The porters. The stick they carry is actually a seat for them to rest. Many are paid by how much weight they carry. We saw some pretty sad sights that I didn't capture on camera. Men carrying far too much weight for their body size. In one scary moment we saw 4 young men carrying a generator up the mountain. Our Sherpa was so shocked he kept staring back at them to make sure they were OK. Shepas start as porters and that's how they get to know the trails and become experts in weaving in and out of the Trekkers and managing the uneven ground beneath them.

Mice don't just crawl inside the walls and the concept of the Bucket Shower!!!Wednesday Oct. 6, 2010.

The Bakery was our little piece of heaven in this very damp but scenic town of Thyangboche. We had now climbed to 12, 683 feet. The baker was very talented as I'm not sure how she managed to make the apple streudel rise at such altitudes. The apple pies are well known to Trekkers and apart from the German Bakery that Hilary and I found in Namche Bazaar, this was the next best bakery on the Trek. ( the one in Namche had a flush toilet with toilet paper...luxuries that don't exist on the Trek )


I did not devulge but some seemed to enjoy the bucket shower. Much to my room-mates distain, I chose not to shower until we came down the mountain. I just didn't want to get cold. The cabin at French River which my husband loves and I never really enjoyed was starting to seem quite spa like to me.

We basically stayed in a farm house with lots of animals just roaming everywhere. No one really slept here. There were so many mice racing around at night it was like the 401 in rush hour. I saw them on the floor as well as hearing them in the walls. We stayed at this Lodge both on the way up and then dreaded the return on the way back down the mountain. On our return, Lesley felt something on her back and when she turned on her headlight in the middle of the night , a lot of people that had managed to fall asleep were suddenly awoken. Lesley was screaming because she did in fact have a mouse inside her sleeping bag and it crawled up her back and raced back down the ledge ( aka bed ) that she was sleeping on.

I guess Laura and I were lucky that we slept high that night and shouldn't have complained that our room was next to the family that ran the Lodge, including their 2 year old who was charming except when she didn't want to sleep! They told me that they will host 8, 000 people from September-November. The other peak time to Trek is in the spring. I asked what they did in the off-season and the answer was very clear.....WE REST!!

We were allowed inside to watch the ceremony but I did not have permission to take pictures. The permission involves getting pre-approval and making a donation to the Monastery. The shrine to Buddha was spectacular.

Buddhist Ceremony banishing the Black/Evil and Blessing the White/Pure Space.

The Buddhist Monastery. Rhododendron Tea to help with all ailments is made by the Monks here. Rabbin, our Trekking Guide spent a few months here as a boy of 10 years. It is very common for families to place their sons in a monastery for a short time to improve their discipline and humble their attitiude to life and compassion to others. The parents of Nepalese children don't want their kids to get better marks, to win awards or to attain materialistic things. They raise their children to be above all else : loving , kind and compassionate to other people and living things........

Lunch was by the River today and we had a culinary treat...Yak Cheese/ aka Nak Cheese which was very tasty and provided some much needed protein that was missing from our diet. All the food has to be carried up the mountain. There was some vegetation and gardens at lower altitudes but once we got higher, the snow line prevented any vegetation to grow. We found out at lunch that one of the ladies in our group collapsed on the Trek and had to have oxygen. The only way to treat altitude sickness is to go down to lower altitudes. She had come on the trip with a pre-existing respiratory infection which proved to weaken her enough that she could not continue. One of the Sherpas stayed with her until we would return down the mountain and pick her up to go home. One can never under-estimate the power of the Himalayan mountain range and it's humbling shadow cast on our group. I became even more serious about slowing my pace to help with the acclimatization. The slower you go, the less chance you will get sick.

Yes, the suspension bridges continued but now I was almost getting comfortable!! I could look down and not feel as if I was going to throw up. Small victories!!

Our small group heading east today to Thyanboche. We have already " claimed " Ten Gruk as our own personal Sherpa. This would be the amazing group of ladies that helped take me to the top, literally one step at a time. I was so very lucky!!

One of my favorite pictures. Very pleasant but cold day to Trek. Stunning view to start our day. The mountains have shown their beautitude. Nice easy pace compared to yesterday. This is not a postcard, it really is my picture. When I get a chance I will post all my pictures on a web link. The Blog doesn't really do justice to the pictures.

With a Little Help from my Friends!! God Bless Wendy Graham, the Chocolate Gu and the Maritimers who helped me through the 7 Suspension Bridges today

We have already entered the Sagarmatha National Park and are still seeing trees and huge rhododendron bushes . The mountains are just coming in to view. We are now at 11,300 feet. I have increased my dose of Diamox to help with the altitude.

It was Wendy's care package that got me through the afternoon! I was really feeling the altitude and we couldn't look up, it just made it worse. We just kept going slow!! This was one of the first Nepalese words I learnt....Bistare, Bistare. Please Sherpa, go slowly!! I needed the energy from the Gu she gave me and finally we saw the signs of the trading center of the Sherpas, Namche Bazaar. The toll of this day would mean some in our group would not carry on....we would not know this until the next morning. After today, I always carried some extra carb energy in my backpack. It helped our group get through the tough climbs.

A glimpse of Namche Bazaar. This was a blessing after a brutal 6.5 hour climb. When the Sherpas tell you it's going to be a hard climb, they are not kidding. I hadn't realized yet but they would tell us approximately how long it would take us to Trek to a certain destination. I was quickly learning that 2 hours for them meant 4 hours for me!! When you look at the map, we did not Trek that many kilometers but we did climb over 3, 000 feet this day. It was the most difficult climb of the Trip. It went on and on and on. Everytime we turned a corner, there was another hill to climb. It was very hot today and would be the last time I would be warm until we descended down the mountain.

I'm not smiling , I'm very scared as this picture does not do justice to the height of this bridge and the swift current of the Bhote Koshi and Dudh Koshi Rivers converging below. The Maritimers helped me cross my first suspension bridge. Apparently my screams are still being echoed in the mountains. To cross this one, I had to hold on to Ten Gruk's backpack. Lesley took my picture crossing it. I'll have to wait to see her share her pictures with the group from the GTA in November.

Suspension Bridge Tips: Don't look down. Don't stop. Let the Yaks have the bridge to themselves, wait for them to pass. Make sure you have gone to the washroom before you pass on the bridge!!

With one of the Sherpas, PaSan and one of the beautiful waterfalls which are so abdundant, we have almost become complacent about them. I keep pinching myself to realize that it's not a dream. every corner is a beautiful scene which pictures don't really do justice. All Sherpas are Buddhists. They don't harm any living creature. They are vegetarian and are very kind, compassionate human beings.

Leaving Phakding. Still rolling hills and "Canada like" conditions with the trees and paths. Are we still in the Georgian Trails??? The afternoon would prove us differently.

These are not Yaks. The real Yaks are at higher altitudes. The real Yaks are huge beasts who command the rough stones and pathways as you climb to higher heights. These are a halfbreed called Dzo. Loading them up with our bags was a daily routine. This along with human porters are the only means of transportation in the monutains. The animals are well taken care of and along the way we passed a Yak Sanctuary. I'm not sure the criteria of how a Yak qualifies for the Sanctuary but they are respected and it is so important to give them respect when you are trekking. Never allow the Yak to walk close to the mountain. Let the Yak walk close to the edge and always give way to the Yaks. They will not fall off the edge....you will and it has tragically happened in the Sagarmatha National Park.

Oct 4...afterthe flight : Preparation for the first Trek to Phakding

The kitchen at Phadking!! The cook apologized for the mess!!!

A room with a view!! Our first Tea House which we thought was pretty basic... the best was yet to come!!!!!!!!

Crossing the Dudh Koshi River to reach the quaint village of Phakding. I would not see my first suspension bridge until tomorrow !!!!!!

Getting to know our crew that would be our lifeline throughout the Trek.

The excitment of starting the Trek still in the foothills and amongst the tree line we set off.

Preparing the bags and getting ready to Trek "down" to the GHAT Village at 8, 700 feet. As you stepped off the plane you could feel the altitude and momentarily take a few really deep breathes to catch yourself from gasping.

Lukla, Nepal.

Lukla, Nepal.

Laura and I at KTM Airport.