Up to Namche
Khumjung, Nepal
Khumjung, Nepal
Somehow, Ed woke up before the first rooster. He was up and at it by 445, which even for me, is way to early. He packed like a Chinese guy in a hostel and finally asked what time it was. I told him it was 530 and he goes, oh bummer I didn't realize it was that early! So he went off into the common area to hangout while I tried to get some extra sleep. Especially since we weren't due to start hiking until 8...
At last, I woke up and started my packing and knock on the wall and jenny also was up by then. We had a tasty yet simple breakfast and finally started our hike only 15 minutes late! Quite good in Nepali time! Unfortunately, while hiking is extremely fun, there isn't much to write about besides I walked and then I walked some more.
Our first leg (before lunch) mainly consisted of the famous "Nepali flats." Therefore, one would expect it would be flat ground... turns out, Laxmi is a little prankster and it was up and down for 3 hours. It wasn't hard, but it also wasn't easy! There were a lot of people on the trail. During one Jenny bathroom stop, we ran into our other American friends. They mentioned our friend who was complaining a lot about how ed and I went 100 yards further and "ditched" her behind with the guide. We had a good laugh as that is a pretty accurate description of Jenny. "Your friend was complaining..."
Once Jenny caught up to us, she was louder than the tens of yak bells along the path. Typical.
Once Jenny caught up to us, she was louder than the tens of yak bells along the path. Typical. Also, since she has been having stomach issues, half our conversation revolves around using the bathroom. I guess we don't have much else to discuss... throughout the trek, we would pass groups and then they would pass us and so on. It happened so frequently so we have become friends with several people from Australia, American, and other places in Europe. We finally hit our lunch spot and rested and ate up before the big afternoon.
According to several people, this is the hardest stretch as you go up and up, well over 3,000 ft before Namche. Lunch was good but I need a break from fried rice. I think it is finally getting to me, but there isn't much else on the menu as one can imagine! Food is good, but repeats...
On our way out, jenny found 1000 rupees on the ground! We were ecstatic and declared we would have a candy / snack party once we got to Namche! The afternoon hike consisted of many suspension bridges and gorgeous views. Because of the tough elevation gain, we didn't really chat that much. We did meet some new friends and that was pleasant. They were somehow surprised when we heard of their hometown, Budapest, Hungary!
Another strange sight during this trek is this (sadly) American couple who are total hippies. They don't wear any shoes and carry a full pack (40+ pounds)! After seeing all the yak and mule poo and **** on the ground, I am disgusted at this... I just can't imagine doing it! Plus the ground is very rocky and full of holes and surprises. Also, if the locals don't walk around barefoot, neither should you.
One of my favorite parts was the last suspension bridge! It was so high up and it was exhilarating. Jenny was terrified and Ed just took some action shots. Sadly that is the last one until our journey down. We reached a bathroom where supposedly you could see Everest on a clear day... lies! So Jenny and I both took pictures pointing to "Everest" in the clouds. I hope the weather clears up! The weather hasn't been bad, but it hasn't been clear in the mountains. There is a weird hazy or fog surrounding the peaks.
Never Before Seen Footage!
We finally reached the outskirts of Namche and I was thoroughly exhausted. Those last steps leading to our tea house were the hardest. Mainly cause it was all stairs and I wasn't ready for it. I think all of us felt the exhaustion and then altitude when we sat down in the teahouse. To avoid the nap, we ventured out and bought the supplies for the candy party and warmer pants for Jenny.
We went back to the teahouse and feasted on candy bars (Snickers, Mars, and Bounty - think almond joy without the almonds). Even Laxmi was thrilled with the party! It certainly was a treat. We somehow ate dinner soon after the party. Partially because we were so tired that we wanted to go to bed at 8... I kept it easy and just ordered a veggie sandwich. Sticking to my vegetarian diet! Sadly, dinner ended at 6:30 so we still had an hour and half to kill before bedtime. We decided to play Uno and yet again, Laxmi destroyed us. She is so good despite "not knowing it." Similar to Cinderella, once the clock struck 8, we all passed out in our sleeping bags!
