9/4/2013
So today we would be up early for our acclimatization walk we would be going from 4260m to 4600m then we would drop back down to 4260m and spend another day in Pheriche. This climb today although hard was one of the best, the views from the summit were breathtaking, we left early and started behind or lodge must admit the hill looked big :-) and as it turned out it was lol, so on we went looking around the huge rock faces of Taweche seem to sore to the heaven the views were just bloody awesome in this valley we also had the towering south face of Lhotse in our view towering over us what a fantastic site. This also gave April and Andy a much better view of island peak it was right in the center of the valley and looked so good was so jealous ha ha it must have made them feel both well oh wow were climbing that and as i already said they did bloody fantastic well done to them so chuffed for them. The southern end of the valley was what seemed like ice walls some of these peaks were in unnamed but what a hauntingly beautiful site. We hiked up to summit and we also confronted by the fifth highest mountain in the world Makalu standing at an amazing 8481m just can't tell you how happy I was even though it was a bit hard going. Sorry the name of this well will say mountain or hill was Nagarchang it was as I say tough but well the pictures will tell you how stunning it was.
All of us enjoyed today and were prepared to even go higher but our guide said it may be to much as we had big trek coming up soon:-) it was so peaceful up their we all just sat and took in the views was like I say breath taking no one talked for while we just sat in silence I could have stayed there all day if they let me. But after a while it was time to head back down to our little village for lunch and free time to do as we please watched a bit of TV and read my book but I just enjoyed spending time with everybody. I sat beside window that had a cold breeze and gave myself touch of the cold which made it hard to sleep got some vix off Andy and April which helped. So it was off to bed again for another early start and woke to find one of us never had best of nights. We also lost two people to sickness Kevin and Eileen was sad to here they could not go on they were nice couple but good news is they managed to book a flight in helicopter which took them to base camp. One incident i will not forget was when Eileen told us she woke early one morning to find Kevin trying to ram a snikers bar in her mouth hmmmm well what could one do but laugh I looked at martin and I am sure the same thought was going through his head as was going through mines.... how did you know it was a snikers bar? Did you have nuts on your chin? Ha ha this kept us amused the rest of the trip oh and after ha ha.
10/42013
So today's trek would take us from 4240m to 4930m and the village of Lobuje trekking time 6hrs. I woke quite early again hour before everyone else nose was blocked so decided to go out take couple of photos at the memorial they had in Pheriche for those that have lost there lives on Everest was quite sad. Being out in the cod help clear my nose so that was good and apart from feeling tiered I was ok, saw mike who told me that Martin never had a great night and this probably turned out to be his hardest day but Martin is a big lad and even though it was a struggle I and the rest of us knew that he would make it and if he got to destination with bit of rest he would be fine but think this day took a lot out of him but got to say was still in good spirits. We started around 8 and ascended small ridge behind village once again Taweche and Cholatse at 6440m make for a striking scene as they seem to be leaning forward across the valley. To the north Lobuje peak at 6119m and the snow fields of Cho LA dominate the sky line. Walking now is flat which was good esp for martin who was struggling a bit but still getting on with it, late in the morning we crossed the Khumbu Khola at Dughla some 4620m high here we took a light lunch right at the foot of Khumbu Glacier which is flowing off Everest itself was s good to see. We stayed here for while as in afternoon there was a steep climb on a rocky trail to the top of the Moraine where we would come across memorial cairns built in memory of Sherpas and climbers who have died on Everest. It was a hard climb this and felt for Martin it must have been so hard but like I said with a little help from his friends he battled on and good on him. The memorials were so sad and felt quite eerie being there I fund scot Fischer's there founder of mountain madness and who I had just been reading about who died there in 1996 when storm hit everest and killed quite a few that day was sad to see, also there was one of a young climber who died just under a year ago on her way down from the summit how sad but most people who lost there lives usually are on way down but have to say it was quite moving and also RIP to them all. The views from here were once again stunning and helped you getting where you were going Pumori at 7145m Lingtren 6679m, Khumbutse at 6623m and across the border to Tibet , Changtse at 7550m are all seen at the head of the valley amazing you struggled to take it all in. At this time Everest is hidden behind the towering Nuptse and Lhotse but hey soon our views of Everest would become so good. We then followed the valley stream to our lodge at Lobuje arriving early afternoon . Today was tiring walk was good to arrive and was better to say we all arrived well done Martin hard day but he made it. Today it became harder to breath it was already hard but I noticed difference air was a lot thinner now it was weird t experience this but even weirder is that what I came to experience so in a way I was happy :-) We were all happy even I am sure Martin all I could say is if it was me I knew that everybody I was with would do everything they could have to reach our goal we were no more a bunch oof trekkers we were a bunch of friends who looked out for each other and helped any way we can. On the breathing side trying to walk and eat at times was s hard I found myself having to stop even if i was taking a drink if I did not stop my breathing became heavy and I started blowing bubbles out my nose ha ha it was weird you tried to take a deep breath but the oxygen was not there. Try running on the spot for five minutes then holding your nose and try to eat a snikers bar ha ha don't ram it in though lmao. So here we were a bunch of friends feeling probably bit nervous for what lay ahead. Lobuje was nice place had good tea and chilled I went for small walk around it was cold and was to snow over night but it suited me as it cleared my blocked nose. We sat talked for while after tea but we were in bed between 6-7 as tomorrow would push us to the limit and one off us would wake not feeling great and another would need a bit more help that took us from a high to a bit of a low. This would also be a day that will live with us forever.
11/4/2013
Today was to be the most special day for our happy band.
Having gone to bed early I could not sleep not sure if it was nerves or just the fact that it was so early bit of both I think. We were up at 2am for a 3 o'clock start it was freezing outside I knew it had been snowing as I had to get up to the toilet around midnight and the water in the barrel for flushing had frozen was no fun trying to break it brrrr bloody freezing and as the toilets were outside I could see the snow, this was perfect for me once again as it cleared my nose during our early morning start. We all had cup of tea and some had porridge you could mix in a cup of hot water that Tina and Nolan had brought with them was good way to start the day. Sadly tough Joanna had come down not feeling great and not sleeping to well felt for Jo this is not how she wanted to start a long day of trekking and got to the stage where it brought her to tears not used to see Jo like this but again the group got together and told her no matter what we will get her through this and to jo's credit she showed the grit and determination and battled through how she was feeling to reach first part of this long trek 13 hrs long. Think Martin felt bit better to but was glad to get that first part over to. So 3am all ready to go it was dark and cold so we were all wrapped up in our down jackets hats and thermals and of course head torches on and off we went first part of our mazing day to Gorak Shep the views at his time were not much but you could make out the silhouettes of the surrounding mountains it was great I loved this early start it gave you feel of how climbers going to summit of Everest must feel at that time and also like I have said I could breath through my nose :-) as daylight came you began to view all the mountains that surrounded you it really was an eerie but special moment just wonderful. We continued on to Gorak Shep and finnaly it came into view to everybody's delight although we had to stand fr about ten minutes to give way to yaks and there owners ha ha they did have signs that said this. So was into this village for breakfast of wait for it Porridge yaaaay. It was around 7-30 and as I looked around everybody seemed ok and Jo was back to having that smile on her face and think Martin although happy to see Gorak was feeling better as well. Only thing I never knew at this time was that Tina was not feeling great, more on that later. So good start and after breakfast it was the long climb to Kala pathar and to reach our goal. This was what we came for this is what all our training all our days of not feeling great we all fought hard to reach this point and this last bit would test us to our limits but our happy band would battle to our goal and take us to highs we could only have dreamed about then bring us back down as one of us had to be helicoptered out but also shows you how quickly we had become so close it brought tears to everybody's eyes.
Once again all photos are from this part of the trek but don't appear in order as blogger won't let me hope you enjoy. Par 4 soon.
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