Thu, 4th October – Kathmandu, Nepal (Hotel Manang, Thamel)
A great flight transported us safely to Kathmandu. The end of the flight was quite stunning as we flew through the dense clouds looking at the snowy mountain peaks as they poked through.
We were greeted by Kumar, rep at Private Expeditions, with the customary welcome of flower garlands. The drive to the hotel was a busy one, although not on the scale of what we’ve been used to of late. The Hotel Manang is a quaint place and we discover it is a Trekkers’ paradise – it’s been a while since we have been in the company of so many westerners!
We unpack and freshen up before finding the bar for refreshments and sustenance 🙂
We then catch up with our nearest and dearest to let them know of our safe arrival and catch up with news from home. Wifi is free here, as is the use of the computer in the lobby – we find this uplifting and are already realising that in the higher rated hotels everything is charged for! What is consistent though is the level of service – staff are so polite, friendly and courteous – some establishments back home could learn a lot here.

Fri, 5th October – free time in Thamel, Kathmandu
Kumar brings one of our guides to meet us this morning. He is a very friendly, happy chappy and we warm to him straight away. He informs us that flights to Lukla are hit and miss at the moment due to the foggy weather – in extreme cases a helicopter may be used but this would have to be agreed by the group due to the extra cost. Our group is made up of two guys, another couple and us. He will be back to meet us again tomorrow to do an equipment check and briefing.
Neil is very excited now and cannot wait to get started. I, however, am starting to feel very nervous but the guide laughs and tells me that in a few days time I will wonder why I didn’t do this years ago … And I think I believe him 😱😁😨
We take off to explore Kathmandu and are pleasantly surprised. Unlike any of the places we’ve been to recently, it is stress free and there is no pressure to buy buy buy! Despite the dust and exhaust fumes, it is a pleasant walk around – the streets, whilst cramped, are clean and generally calmer. It is a medley of bazaars, trekking and trip outlets. The market place is colourful and vibrant. The clothes outlets are great here – we could spend some money here if we were going straight home! Already, we are thinking that we’d have liked more time here as the trips from here sound amazing.

Neil needs a haircut and we come across a ‘salon’, a room off the main road no bigger than our kitchen in Meander Close, lol. The clippers come out and we soon realise that they have seen better days – they keep stopping and only an application of oil or a good whack get them going again. We laugh as this is the scenario for a good half hour and, after much patience on the part of the hairdresser, it is over and she has done a great job! Well, we think it is all over but no, it isn’t. Neil is ushered to the basin for a face/head wash and a neck massage all for 300NR (£2.15) – he has enjoyed it too much I think as says he might need his hair cutting again tomorrow, pmsl.

We amble around a little more before refreshments are required and find a lovely place to stop. We meet another couple, Sue and Graham from New Zealand, and stay to chat for a good while – we are already meeting some great people on our travels and people are eager to share experiences – it’s great😀 and we add another contact to our list for our future travels.
A Rickshaw ride back to the hotel is a big mistake – there is a protest march and travel here comes to a standstill at the crossroads. Even people walking have to climb through empty Rickshaws to move on! Only the young, very mischievous and cheeky driver make the time pass interestingly.

Sat, 6th October – free time in Thamel, Kathmandu
We lounge about today and spend time blogging, picking up last minute medication and trying to sort stuff out – banking, Loz’s birthday, accommodation in Goa – as we will not be able to do so over the next couple of weeks.
We meet with our guide tonight and the rest of our group. There are four other guys – RJ and Johnson (Canada), Etienne (North Devon), Jim (Ireland), me and Neil. So with 2 male guides and 3 male sherpas, I guess I am in the minority here!!!!! We are briefed about the trip and I am happy that nobody else has done this sort of thing before and even more happy that we are instructed to walk slowly but safely 😊
After our equipment check, the group arrange to meet for dinner which was a good idea as we got to know each other a little better. Here’s to 9.30am tomorrow and the start of this BIG adventure.

Sun, 7th October: Flight to Lukla – Trek to Phakding (2656m)
The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla takes 45 minutes and is an adventure in itself with great views of the Everest region (from the left of the plane) and ending with a hair-raising landing on a steep mountain runway. We start our trek by heading up the Dudh Koshi Valley on a well-marked trail to Phakding and stay overnight at a teahouse.

We were apprehensive this morning about our flight to Lukla, me more so than Neil I think. However, after waiting at Nepal airport for a good couple of hours before flights were classed as safe to go, we were huddled on this little plane (OMG) and, believe it or not had a great flight through the mountains into the tiny, and I mean tiny, airport that was Lukla @ 2860m.

We gather up our belongings and file into a local ‘restaurant’ and do lunch before descending 2600m to Phakding for our first night’s stay. We encounter many scenes along the way including a brother and sister who accompanied us on their way home from school. They were beautiful and, despite the language barrier, we managed a good ‘conversation’. We also encounter our first suspension bridge – a taste of things to come! Due to the flight delay, the last hour of the trek is by torchlight – scary stuff but we make it! We are very impressed with the accommodation as it’s not like the ‘tea houses’ we expected but cosy bedrooms with a communal area – and fire 😊 – we have a good first night. As I get my sleeping bag out and my silk liner, I think of home as I see for the first time the message embroidered on it by my very nearest and dearest friend; “LEAP AND THE NET WILL APPEAR” followed by lots of love; this alone warms me immensely. Thank you Angela, I love you too 😘

Mon, 8th October: Trek to Namche (3450m)
From Phakding, we cross and re-cross the river on high suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park. We then take a steep hike to Namche. The weather is clear and we get our first glimpse of Mt Everest. Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and we enjoy a coffee and amazing brownies here!

Yesterday took its toll on the eldest member of the group, Jim, and we are told he wants to turn back and head home – it is completely the right decision for him and Dorchi accompanies him back to Lukla Airport.
A 7.30am breakfast and 8.00am start begin today’s trek. Neil and I arrive in Namche at 4.00pm (!) – one hour after the boys. It is a steep steep steep climb to Namche today – the boys, Etienne, RJ and Johnson lead up front whilst Neil and I hold up the behind accompanied valiantly and patiently by Pimba. Three suspension bridges later and I am not buckling at the knees but am still holding on to Neil. What an accomplishment – my fear will not stop me … … … Neil is my rock today, ensuring my pace is slow, and we continue in that vein.

We meet lots of lovely like minded people on the way and the ‘chats’ really spur us on. The locals are welcoming and the children fascinated by us. We are still walking at school home time and many children pass by us – most interested in the bears we are carrying on the back of our rucksacks. A glorious day enables us to get our first view of Mount Everest in all her glory. What an overwhelming moment this was – to see it with the naked eye!
Once at our Teahouse – Hotel Hill Ten – we enjoy a hot shower (the last one available for a while, according to a couple who are on their way down) and join the world of Trekkers in the communal room for our tea.
After dinner, we learn that our Guide Pimba becomes Doctor Pimba to ensure that we are healthy and doing ok. He takes readings of our pulse and of our blood oxygen level and completes a questionnaire; how are you feeling? have you had a headache? are you eating ok? do you feel tired? have you had any dizziness? did you sleep well the previous night? is your appetite ok? Our answers accumulate points on his chart which, if we reach level 7, is an indication of whether we are showing signs of altitude sickness. There are warning signs all over the place about this serious life threatening condition and we are reminded of this as, when we meet another couple this evening on their way down, they tell us of a body being airlifted out of Gorak Shep (5140m above us). Apparently, the person had just fell asleep (coma) and that was it – a very stark reminder to be careful and listen to your body !!!!!!!!

Tue, 9th October: Acclimatisation day in Namche Bazaar (3450m)
Namche is tucked away between two ridges and has lots of lodges, tea shops and souvenir shops. It is a great place to spend a day acclimatizing before heading off towards Tengboche.

A cloudy, cold day welcomed us as we got up this morning and prepared for our 300m acclimatisation ascent. This was tough going as it was just a steep climb – remembering the mantra, slowly and safely 😳 Again I hold up the rear with Pimba steadfastly at my side. Neil is golden as always looking out for me and later tells me that he too is grateful for my frequent stops. There are many people ascending today and we all yoyo past each other in between spurts of climbing and resting.

Although it is cloudy, the view of the surrounding scenery is pretty spectacular. Once at the top we have our next glimpse of Mount Everest as she poked through the clouds. Sitting there we get cold pretty quickly and soon sleet begins to fall.

Once we descend back into Namche (3 1/2 hours later) we take lunch and the afternoon is free to chill out. As the boys go down into the village to explore, I have a bit of Theresa time – a hot shower!!!!!! Lol! It’s sooooo cold now and the down jackets are out 😁 . We look forward to meeting up in the communal room with the fire for our ‘group tea’, a few games of cards, a catch up and bed – we have two solid days of trekking ahead of us before our next acclimatisation day. OUCH!

Wed, 10th October: Trek to Tengboche (3867m)
From Namche, the trail contours on to the side of the valley, high above the Dudh Koshi. We get great views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, we descend steeply to a bridge over the river at Phunki Tenga. The village is an ideal stopover for lunch. Here we rest before making the steep climb to Tengboche, famous for its legendary monastery, the largest in the Khumbu.

Waking up this morning with heartburn Neil picked up some medicine for me in Namche before we started the long trek to Tengboche. I couldn’t eat much of my breakfast so wasn’t fuelled up properly for the day ahead. After 2 1/2 hours we stopped for lunch in Phungi Thanga before the really steep 2 hour climb to Tengboche. It was here at the start of this climb that I started to feel worse and the climb, with many many rest breaks, took its toll over the 2 1/2 hours it took to complete.
It was extremely rewarding as, when we finally reached the top and walked into Tengboche, we faced a magnificent view of Mount Everest and Lhotse (the 5th highest mountain in the world at 8516m). It was here that we saw the famous Tengboche Monastery in all its glory.

As our planned hotel was fully booked we walked an additional 20 minutes downhill through a forest to our accommodation, The Rivendell Hotel in the village of Deboche. Again, stunning views of Everest and Lhotse. As stunning as it was I was unable to enjoy this part of our journey as by now I was just so exhausted – my heartburn had increased so much that it was too uncomfortable to eat. I ‘lost’ the night here and became very emotional. In fact I did myself no favours by worrying myself silly about it – I had to take a valium tablet to calm myself down and get a good night’s sleep. It was so bad that Neil tells me he was already thinking we would be turning back the next morning.

Thu, 11th October: Trek to Dingboche (4410m)
Again we wake up to clear blue skies and incredible views of the sun shining across the top of Mount Everest and Lhotse. It was a 7.30am start to today’s 6 hour walk to Dingboche. In view of the fact that tomorrow was another rest day we thought we’d try and push on with a view to me recovering there. However, after a great start to the trek, we stopped for lunch which for me was disastrous. Despite my stomach lurching at the thought of eating I really tried to and immediately felt acid indigestion and heartburn. The second half of today’s trek was very difficult – I collapsed on the hillside and was sick – this took what little energy I had left. We finally arrived in Dingboche (4410m) at 2.30pm and I collapsed on my bed! When I got up I was violently sick – by now I knew I was beaten 😦

Fri, 12th October: Acclimatisation day in Dingboche (4410m)
A day for rest and acclimatisation. We also have an opportunity to wander up the valley to look at the Tshola Tsho lake and the perpendicular walls of Cholatse and Tawache. Our guide will take us up onto the ridge overlooking Dingboche for the view of the Imja Valley and the incredible south face of Lhotse.

Being too exhausted I decided not to do the acclimatisation walk and instead just rested all day. We had a little breakfast and sat in the sun and enjoyed the views of the surrounding mountains and the village itself. Late in the afternoon we decided that we could no longer continue upwards and made the decision to start heading down in the morning. That night however, I was able to enjoy a little food and the company of other Trekkers in the communal room where we played cards.

Sat, 13th October – trek back to Tengboche (3860m)
2 days short of Base Camp, we have no choice but to start our descent back to Lukla 😞. It is a very emotional and sad day as we have come so far. We decide to start our journey back via Pheriche where I can see a doctor. In doing so, he gives me a clean bill of health as far as altitude sickness is concerned and I have no symptoms of HACE or HAPE which is great news. What he does say is that my illness is symptomatic of a peptic ulcer and confirms that our decision to go down is the right one as l am too weak to finish the last couple of days trekking. He prescribes me medication that will stop my stomach producing acid enabling me to eat and get stronger.
The descent today goes really well and whilst we were only planning to walk the short distance to Pangboche, we actually make it back to Tengboche 6 hours later – with much reflection along the way. There is a great bakery here and we treat ourselves to a latte and a piece of chocolate cake and they were great!
We are in good spirits as we unpack for the night and head down to a bakery here and enjoy a latte and a piece of chocolate cake – what luxury at this height! On the way back Neil sees the locals playing football – not one to miss out, he ends up playing, one white guy with a load of Buddhist Monks and Sherpas, pmsl. After tea we played cards with Dorche and Dukes and became friendly with a Canadian couple, Nadia and Chad. We were feeling the most relaxed we had been in days.
Since leaving Kathmandu, this was the first opportunity we had to charge Neil’s phone and get a signal. Those of you who know me well will know that I am a big believer in fate so imagine our concern when the one and only message to come through is from Lauren asking us to call as she had some bad news! My dearest, lovely Uncle Tommy had unexpectedly passed away this morning …. may he rest in peace xxxxx Having descended already meant I was in contact with my family which, in hindsight, I am so grateful for.

Sun, 14th October: trek back to Namche Bazar (3440m)
After a heavy night we awoke and asked the boys (Dorchi and Dukes) if it was possible to have ‘breakfast’ at the Bakery. This was okay and we had latte, with a chocolate croissant for me and chocolate doughnut for Neil – NOM NOM!
We were on our way by 8.30am and it really was a relaxing trek – the boys were keeping an eye on us but stayed back most of the time. This meant the trek was a very personal one for us and we thoroughly enjoyed this as it was very intimate.

At Phungi Thanga, the boys stopped for lunch but we weren’t ready so we casually strolled on – they would have no problem catching up with us anyway!
After 1/2 hour we sat on a rock outside somebody’s home to catch our breath and eat some chocolate. Well, we just weren’t prepared for what happened next – a little boy appeared and watched Neil as he opened up a toblerone. As Neil offered him a piece, the whole family appeared from nowhere, lol. This was a very humorous time – the kids LOVED the chocolate and were very intrigued by my videoing them on my iPad and, before long were heading over to me to see what I was doing! I played the video back to them and they were soooo delighted at seeing themselves. This was really refreshing and made us chuckle – it was a priceless moment.

We stopped for refreshments at Kyangjuma and sat there for 1/2 hour enjoying the sunshine. Dorchi appeared and whiled away the time with a drink with us before we moved on. After another couple of hours, having been accosted by a group of Yaks who came a little too close for comfort, we reached the familiarity of Namche Bazar where we stay for two nights.

After catching up with folks back home, we ventured into the village (we didn’t have time on the way up) and discovered the Liquid Bar – a bar showing movies of mountain escapades. We caught the end of Into the Void and took a group back at 7.30pm to watch the 1996 IMAX film of the Everest climb, share a couple of beers before heading back up to bed.

Mon, 15th October: relaxing in Namche Bazar (3440m)
We have a lazy day today – 9.00am brekkie followed by a blog update and cards with the boys. After lunch we head back down to the village to the Liquid Bar with our new friends again to see the National Geographic’s film, Everest – oh yeh and a couple of beers! This was very intriguing and educational for me and Neil just lapped it up, loving it as he does ☺
Following this, Neil and I headed for the cafe for a famous Illy Coffee. However, we opt for a latte and a hot chocolate, with two chocolate muffins – these were delicious, a real treat up here! For anybody visiting in the future this is a must place to visit. We bump into Dorchi and Dukes on our way back and the boys opt for a game of pool whilst I go back to Hotel HillTen one last time to start to pack.

Tue, 16th October – descend to Phakding
After a great couple of days in Namche – which we were able to appreciate it a little more this time as it was so relaxed and we did not have to rush off anywhere – we started our trek down to Phakding. We had a really good trek today – the weather was great and the scenery much more lush which I don’t think we appreciated how much as we passed through the first time. We were very comfortable with Dorchi and Dukes by now and were like a group of friends joking about, playing music and generally enjoying each others company. We stopped at Munjo for lunch and, once finished, relaxed for 1/2 hour in the sunshine and taking in the ambiance of the area around us. We arrived at Sunrise Lodge, right on the river in the lower region of the Himalayas. Again, since we arrived here on the first night of our trek in the dark, we were able to fully appreciate this place. It really is very pleasant – another place like so many here where you could just forget everything and while away the hours. Having walked for 6 hours today in this beautiful environment and encountered many yaks, trekkers and suspension bridges, we are in good spirits and ready for our tea when we arrive. We plan an early night as we feel tired following a great trek!

Wed, 17th October: trek to Lukla
Again, we had a great trek – this time, back to Luckla. We arrived early afternoon and the boys arrived later on having caught up with us. Their pics of base camp and the summit of Khala Pattar were very impressive – they did so well. We ate together and enjoyed a few ‘happy hour’ drinks and some games of pool before finally heading back for our last night with our porters. We stayed up a while longer playing killer on the pool table with them before saying our goodbyes.

Thu, 18th October: Lukla Airport – flight back to Kathmandu (Tenki Hotel)
Great flight !!!!!!! Apparently we’ve been fortunate enough to have had two brilliant flights here. We are told that they can normally be quite hair raising!

We arrive at our hotel and freshen up to meet the group for dinner. We choose the New Orleans Bar (as we’ve been here twice already!) and they don’t let us down 🙂
We then ‘chill out’ with RJ and Johnson in a bar with live music before heading back to the hotel for bed – a great evening to end our trek.

Fri, 19th and Sat, 20th October – Kathmandu (Kantipur Temple Hotel – a Heritage Property)
We spend our last two days in Kathmandu just relaxing in this beautiful hotel and the surrounding area, milling around the streets, once again taking in the ambiance of the area before we have to leave.

Sun, 21st October – leave Kathmandu for Goa
Pimba collects us, RJ and Johnson for our journey to the airport. After dropping us off he presents us with beautiful prayer scarves which we receive gratefully. It is emotional as we say goodbye to him – he really is a great guy – but we have discussed our return trip with him … watch this space …