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.