October 21, 2012

 Day 11.  Lobuche (16,207'/4940m) to Lobuche Base Camp (17,356'/5290m)

I was pretty cold in my little room in the lodge last night.  I had to put the comforter on over my sleeping bag during the night.  I slept about 10 or 11 hours, and had to get up to pee three times (thank you, Diamox).  The cough suppressant pills work well but only last for the span of a normal night, so I started coughing again about 3am.  I feel badly for Helen and Steve who had the room next to me.  

Here's a picture of a poster at the lodge in Lobuche.  It is of the Canadian woman who died on Everest earlier this year.  I guess she stayed here before heading up the mountain.  

Today was probably our easiest day of hiking yet.  The terrain was pretty much level and we were done in under three hours.  I had an egg and a Lara bar for breakfast because I just couldn't eat the porridge they were offering.  The coughing still leaves me really tired.....

We had great views all day again and our base camp is in a lovely setting.  I'm not sure yet if we're here for one night or two.  Two would be really nice.

Leaving Pumori behind us...........

The tall pointy peak on the right is Cholatse.  We will continue to see it for quite a while.......

The slanted peak in the middle is Lobuche East.  We'll be on top in a few days.

Cholatse is on the right.  Chola Tsho (lake) is in the foreground.

I had a nap before lunch and another one after.  And - I could easily take another one as I write this, but I'm trying to let my hair dry.  After lunch (french fries still seem to go down OK), tents went up and we were able to get some hot water for a bucket bath and a first hair wash in many, many days.  I think it's my first one since Namche - yikes!  Some of the porters and guides were out in the field playing frisbee for a while.  I was tired just watching them.....

Our dzopkios have wandered off to graze but their bells don't let them hide.  A lama has come from Lobuche and we will have a ceremony (puja) for our climb.  The purpose is to pray for a safe expedition.  As is customary a cairn was constructed with a chamber inside where the juniper twigs were burned, and the team made an offering of special foods and drinks and bought our climbing gear to be blessed for the journey.  There was lots of chanting during the ceremony.  The lama dipped a juniper twig in a bottle of rum and tossed drops in many directions - all of which were apparently meaningful, but beyond my understanding.  A plate of apples, biscuits, and cough drops was also blessed and then we all had one of each.  Our climbing ropes (and a Canadian flag) and our ice axes were laid out.  A bit of butter was put in with the ropes - apparently a way of blessing them.  Looks like we're good to go now!

And then - time for dinner.  I'm still not eating very much and what I do eat is done very slowly.  Then we sat around in the dining tent for a while telling jokes.  Dan and Helen had the most and best jokes - and kept Liba very busy translating.  A nice end to a fairly relaxing day marking a change of pace from trekking to climbing.  It was a busy night and a late night - I didn't get to the tent until after 8pm!  There was wonderful moonlight (just under a half moon) on Lobuche Peak as we were heading to bed.     

  

October 20, 2012

 Day 10: Gorak Shep (16,962'/5170m) to Kala Pattar (18,448'/5623m) to Lobuche (16,207'/4940m)

I had a pretty good sleep in the tent last night.  I was in the tent shortly after 7 and only got up to pee twice.  The toilet was really quite raunchy.  We had tea and wash water at about 7:30am.  After the good sleep I was all packed up and ready to go by then.  I even got the sleeping bag in the stuff sack without having to stop and rest!  It probably helped that we only gained about 200m yesterday.  And - I could eat a fair bit of breakfast.  I had granola and a fried egg. 

Lots of these Tibetan snowcocks roaming around the campsite. 

I started heading up Kala Pattar by about 9:15.  Sangye kindly got my sleeping bag out of my kit bag to dry it out a bit.  It was a bit frosty last night so the bag was a bit damp.  My Camelbak tube was frozen solid this morning.  I took my time going up KP; there were amazing views to be had!  Views of Everest, of course, but also many other mountains including Nuptse and Lhotse flanking Everest and Pumori straight ahead.  I still can't believe I'm here!  Since Everest is still quite far away, some of the closer mountains still look bigger.  

You know you've been at altitude for a while when you hear a helicopter and you automatically look down for it.....................

It took me about 2 hours to get to the top.  Steve and Helen got up top shortly after me.  Although I was slow, I didn't feel too bad going up.  I am glad, though, that we'll be going a bit lower to sleep tonight.  

We had soup for lunch in Gorak Shep and then we were off for Lobuche.  There was a bit more uphill going back than I remember from the reverse trip.  It took about 2 hours to get back there.  We're in very rocky terrain - both the landscape and the trail.  

Dan and Lenka went a bit further today.  They went to Pumori base camp with Sangye.  Apparently there are great views from there too, but I just didn't have it in me.  Liba and Vladka seemed to be suffering the most today.  

I think I'm a bit dehydrated.  I must try to drink even more although I know that with the Diamox I'll end up getting up to pee more often.  

I asked to stay in a tent tonight, but Sangye said "no"; it was too dirty.  I do seem to sleep better in the tent, though.

I was really tired by the time we got back to Lobuche so I had a brief nap before dinner.  It will be an early night to bed again.  I can't believe how full I always feel, yet I'm not eating a whole lot.  

October 19, 2012

 Day 9.  Lobuche (16,207'/4940m) to Gorak Shep (16,962'/5170m)

I am finally committing this to the computer many, many years after 2012.  Although my lasting memories are of the incredible experience, people, culture, landscapes and scenery, it seems that in the moment most of my writings are of just how crappy I felt.  Oh well...............

Vera gave me some more pills last night - a nighttime cough suppressant this time.  It really does pay to trek with doctors, even if we don't speak the same language.  It seemed to work for about 8 hours; until about 4am.  I woke up with really no energy.  I had to take 4 breaks just to get my sleeping bag into the stuff sack!  

We decided to leave some things behind that we won't be needing in the next two days.  We are due to come back through Lobuche so we will pick them up then.  Paule and Dennis left all their stuff as they are due back tonight before they head off to the Annapurna area.  

We left about 9am and it took us until almost 1pm to get to Gorak Shep.  Once there, I was just too wiped to even think about going up a further 400m to Kala Pattar.  I went into the lunch stop and put my head down before I could even consider drinking my hot juice.  Oh - and on top of everything else, diarrhea struck today; great!  I don't think I've ever had so many different drugs in my system.  I was soooo slow today, but there were a few others struggling as well.  Dan and Lenka, though, were well ahead all day and made it up Kala Pattar.  Paule and Dennis also went up because this would be their only chance.  Good on all of them!  Paule & Dennis didn't get back to Gorak Shep until almost 4 and then they still had to get back to Lobuche tonight.  Liba took her first Diamox today and felt pretty chipper all day, then crashed and felt crappy at the end of the day.  She's staying in the lodge as are Vera and Vlaka.  

Just when I thought I couldn't get any slower, I did!  Going uphill I was sitting down about every 10 steps - unbelievable.  I also felt quite light-headed at times, almost like having an out-of-body experience - wierd!   My cough is still there.  It is not a lot better or worse, but coughing makes my head ache too.  It's hard to tell if it's an altitude headache or just a coughing headache.  

We had great views all day!  

Once the tents were set up I was in mine like a shot and into my sleeping bag.  I took an Advil and a nap, and it was difficult to respond to the call for tea at 5:15.  Tea ran into dinner, which was dahl bhaat and potatoes followed by fruit salad.  I ate about half of it and I'm stuffed.  I don't exactly feel sick but the sight of food certainly doesn't excite me.  Who thought that would ever happen?!?  

I'm not sure what the plan is for tomorrow.  Hopefully we go up Kala Pattar, and then maybe over to Lobuche Base Camp.  During today's trek we saw Lobuche Peak from yet a different angle.  I'm still thinking OMG about the prospect of us getting the top of it!  We can see Everest Base Camp in the distance, but I'm not sure whether it is the old or new one.  We also have great views of the Khumbu Glacier and all the little melt ponds.