It was a very doughy start this morning and our group photo showed a bunch of people trying to look enthusiastic about walking up mountains when they all would have preferred to still be in bed. At least the guides looked enthusiastic and that’s what they are paid to do. 😊
Don’t get me wrong, I was very happy to be there and walking at last, but after a long, tough day yesterday, I was a tad nervous about what our first ‘normal’ day of walking would bring.
Day: 6
Date: Monday, 7 October 2024.
From: Monjo (2,850m) To: Namche (3,440m)
Daily Km: 8.7km Walking Time: Not recorded
Progress: 23.5km
Ascent: 744m Descent: 126m
Weather: Hot and clear again – chasing patches of shade.
Terrain: Constantly up steps, stairs and washed away paths. More amazing suspension bridges.
Stayed At: Sherwi Khang ba Lodge
General Comments:
- When we compared notes, we had all had a rough and restless night. You would have thought we would all have slept like logs, but maybe there was simply too much going on both mentally and physically to enable us to relax drop into deep sleep.
- From here on in, our steps would be leading us ever up, so we started taking the Diamox tablets last night. Not everyone decides to take medication to help adapt to the altitude, but as this was a whole new world for me, I was an early adopter! 😊 The side effects can be annoying (pins and needles in your fingers and toes, and the need to pee often) and I was hoping the benefits would outweigh any downsides.
- Sadly, one of our Group decided that he and the Himalayas were completely incompatible, and the only acceptable course of action was to head home. We all hoped he would change his mind although, as it turned out, he definitely made the right decision.
- After our farewells, our remaining group of six, loaded up and headed out of camp. A relatively gentle start to the day with a scenic stroll next to the raging river was no preparation for the rest of the day of up, up, and more up.
- At times we had to leave the path as the track had simply disappeared courtesy of said raging river. There was nothing left to do but follow raw, rough dirt tracks almost vertically up the mountainside to avoid the completely missing sections that had been swallowed by the torrent. These rough tracks are especially challenging when you have both human and animals wanting to head downhill towards you at exactly the same time as you want to head up.
- I like to think that I am a pretty experienced walker. That experience counts for nothing in the Himalayas and my pace slowed dramatically as the day warmed up. Why did I think the Himalayas would only be cold, not hot? And, as the day wore on, I really started to question whether I should have turned around and headed home too. This was turning into the biggest challenge of my life.
- I way, way underestimated the terrain and the fitness required to walk it. I know I wasn’t the only person feeling this way and, if I was going to turn around, it needed to be sooner rather than later.
- The main issue was my complete inability to catch my breath. Yes, this was partly fitness-related, but mostly connected to the ever-increasing altitude. I felt like something was pressing on my chest the whole time and I was never able to get just the right amount of oxygen.
- So, it was 20 steps, then rest, 50 steps, then rest, 10 steps then rest. The rare small patches of level ground were very welcome, before looking up and facing the next section of steep ascent. My Big Girl Britches were pulled up so high by this stage they almost reached my armpits! 😊 Not quite the delightful way you walk on Mondays, is it Jo? 😊
- Today’s scenery was again spectacular and there was plenty of opportunity to stop, and admire it. The lush and thick trees are magnificent, and provide wonderful relief from the searing sun.
- Suspension bridges were another astounding feature of the day, including the highest one we would cross on this trip. I loved the fluttering prayer flags and banners dancing from the edge of the bridge, and the views down to the confluence of two rivers far below – one coming from Everest and one from Tibet. There was no hanging about on the bridge though, as there was an endless flow of people and animals needing to cross.
- Note: there is also the opportunity to bungy jump off another bridge beneath the main suspension bridge, if so desired. Not for us though as we still had a large mountain waiting for us to climb.
Highlights & Tips:
- Namche: is a fascinating and bustling town. It’s simply amazing that such a substantial place exists so high up considering everything must be carried in on foot or expensively delivered by helicopter.
- The mule and dzopko (yak/cow crossbreeds) packs are a sight to see. They know the track so well that they just plod along without any sort of control or leadership from their handler. A whistle or a shout from their human well at the back of the pack is enough to stop them grazing on someone’s garden and to keep them moving. Apparently, we will start to meet yak trains above Namche as they do not thrive below this altitude.
- Tip: if an animal road train is on the track, make sure you stand well to the mountain-side of the track. The animals don’t care who they bump into and with one bump, over the side of the cliff you would go.
- Traffic: I was surprised by the amount of both people and animal traffic on this stretch of path – a key section of the Everest Highway. Please be considerate of other people (not everyone is) and stand aside to let faster people move past. This is especially important for the hardworking porters who have incredibly heavy loads on their backs. They are a marvel to watch.
- Tip: Merino clothing is essential on this hike as it is both comfortable AND it doesn’t smell. You can do handwashing as you go along, but it is very difficult to get things to dry.
- And, later in the day after a conversation with our guide where I shared my doubts about being able to complete this trek, Roy told me that I was ‘thinking too much’ (nothing unusual there) and he was sure I could do it all by walking ‘slowly, slowly’. I just had to take his word for it and hope for the best.
- Tomorrow is another day.
#travelinspo #EverestBaseCamp #multidayhikes #adventurebeforedementia #longdistancewalks #Nepal #Namche #WorldExpeditions # epicadventures #greatoutdoors #crosscountry #exploreonfoot #exoticdestinations #suspensionbridges #hikingadventures #Namchebazaar #Everestviews #Sagarmatha #swingingbridges #Everesthighway
Life...one big adventure 
Amazing adventure. I do not do heights well. I admire your fortitude!
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It’s amazing what you can do when you have little choice but to move forward! 😉
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Sounds fabulous. Only place I had the altitude problem was up a mountain in China but I was on a horse! Bon chance!
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Interestingly, there were plenty of horses about this neighbourhood too. Those ponies could fly across the rocky mountain paths with the greatest of ease.
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An adventure in endurance, Mel, and an absolute joy to witness from the comfort of my settee. Who would have thought it would be such a busy trail? There can’t be that many Mels out there, can there? You hear horror stories about altitude sickness and they put the fear of God in me. Did the meds combat that well for you? Bravo, my dear! You are the better woman, for sure.
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You are so right, Jo. This trek taught me a whole lot about myself. (A) I truly am insane, (B) I am way, way out of my comfort zone, and (C) that is a good thing! Yes, the meds did the trick and took away the headaches. Unfortunately they didn’t give me any more oxygen, so it was just ‘slowly, slowly’ the whole way…
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Know what? I’m very glad I’m not a mule or dzopko. What if I were one of those animals with a fear of heights and had to walk across those suspension bridges? I am very happy to see this beautiful area – through your lens, thank you Mel!
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That’s my pleasure. I got the feeling that it was just ‘another day in the office’ for these animals. They looked very bored and just wanted to get home to their paddock. 🙂
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This looks and sounds tough. How did The Husband cope?
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The Husband was struggling as well and carrying an extra 3kg of camera gear didn’t help him at all. He would have these really bizarre dreams at night and he was thinking that was due to the lower oxygen. The altitude seemed to affect us all, one way or another.
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That doesn’t sound too healthy, but saying that I have bizarre dreams all the time!
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🙂
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Beyond a certain altitude I find that my nights are always rough and restless. One just gets used to it
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You’re really making me miss Nepal! Busy or not, you can’t beat the views on this trek. Maggie
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Yep, the views just kept on giving. Sometimes (well, often really) I would just stop and shake my head at the scenery. How can Nature generate such beauty?
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It’s a tough day the climb up to Namche when still getting acclimatised. Hope you had a rest day there and started feeling stronger. Looking forward to the next instalment! 😀
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Nope, no rest day until Gokyo. By this stage I thinking…what th%$#@ have I done? 🙂
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OMG, Mel you’re a weapon 😉 Well done, for sticking with it. Scary stuff when you lose confidence in your ability to finish a trek.
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Nah, I’m not a weapon, just a wee bit crazy and a whole lot pig-headed! 🙂
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I live in the Rocky Mountain West of the USA and when we climb 14ers (mountains at an elevation of at least 14,000 feet) we typically do 40 steps, then rest, then another 40, and so on and so forth. It helps with managing the altitude. But you are probably at a higher altitude than that! I can imagine it is pretty challenging.
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Oh, that makes me feel so much better. I thought I was the only person who counted their steps. 🙂
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What an excellent trek! Altitude sickness is indiscriminate. Regardless of age or fitness, it can happen. I haven’t experienced it yet but know of a few that have during treks.
This trek looks busy with tourists. The towns/villages look lovely.
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I just couldn’t believe how it impacted every aspect of my being and made me marvel at how the ‘serious ‘ mountain climbers handle the pace. No wonder so many of them carry/use oxygen. And Yep, it was very busy on the trail in these eat stages. Thanks for following along…
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The serious mountain climbers are relentless. I remember climbing Volcano Villarrica in Chile.
Several climbers in our group including my partner and I were a little slow, so the guide didn’t want us to climb the last 500 mt. We had to be up and back down the volcano before dusk. Only the serious climbers kept going but when they got to the top, they had to turn around and descend only after 10 minutes as the smoke was too great.
A couple of weeks later, this volcano erupted!
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WOW! Turning around early was a good plan and who needs to see views covered in smoke or clouds, for that matter? Safety first.
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I’ve never heard of a dzopko. Interesting. It’s hard to believe how busy this route is (although I guess not really, I’ve heard many tales of its growing popularity). Altitude is a beast. We struggled a lot when we first moved to Colorado. Hopefully you start to feel better with more time up high!
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I had also heard of the Everest Highway, but even I was surprised at the constant flow of traffic
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Oh, wow, Mel. I would struggle, too. I’m sure if you could convert your group members’ doubts and misgivings into oxygen, you’d all be suffering from hyperoxia!
So, a logistical question: when someone leaves like that, do they just descend by themselves, or does a porter go with them? I shudder to think how much $$ he lost, but in the high Himalaya, you gotta do what you gotta do.
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Lucky he turned back on Day 1, so wasn’t too far from Lukla. One of our guides went with him and they walked about 1km back down the track where he could meet a helicopter for the short flight back to Lukla. He decided to use that helicopter opportunity to do some sight seeing as he said it was a close to Everest as he was ever going to get! He won’t be back. Needless to say, our porter caught up with us again in a blink of an eye as we made much slower work of the terrain. 🙂
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Well done. My daughter went on a solo trip and went up these Nepalese mountains as well and I am so proud of her. Proud of you too!
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Thanks so much Teresa. It certainly was a challenge!
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Another fascinating post – thank you 🙂 I admire your determination in keeping going when you felt like giving up, and I’m so glad that you didn’t. I wonder if that man who left early had any regrets afterwards? I guess he underestimated the challenge – but it is clear to me and equally clear that this is something that I could never undertake!
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I am so glad I didn’t give up too as the whole trip was quite impactful. I would like to say life-changing, but that’s a bit of an overused cliche, even if the sentiments are accurate. And No, the chap didn’t regret leaving. He knew it wasn’t for him from the get go. While it would have been disappointing, it was definitely the right call. Thanks for following the adventure.
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Oh wow, I can’t imagine how tough it must be for that level of ascent at altitude. Like that guy who turned and went home, I know it wouldn’t be for me. I admire you so much for continuing…wow. I always think pushing a comfort zone and proving you are more capable than you think is a good thing…you’ve done that and more here!
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Maybe I was suffering from FOMO or stubbornness and just HAD to keep going!? 😉
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Thanks again for sharing. A lot of what you report rings true for us. We used Diamox when hiking in Peru back in 2008 but found the tingly extremities disconcerting. Our guide in Nepal didn’t want us to use them. He was a big fan of garlic soup every night. For breathlessness he advised breathing in and out over a count of five which got us into a good slow rhythm. Can also identify with having trouble sleeping and bad dreams. Hope things got better. Looking forward to reading more. Cheers, Mark
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We all had the tinglies too, but it seemed to come ago. It was more weird than worrying.
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I’ve been away but carefully filed your blog e mails and am now going to have a binge read. Number 6 and I’m in the mountains gasping for air and standing on the mountainside so i don’t get bumped into followed by a flight home in a bag. Number 7 coming up, will you make it, of course you will. You must do I’ve seen at least 4 more e mail blogs.
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Sorry, those subsequent emails do give the game away a tad. Thanks for following the trail with me.
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