EVEREST BASE CAMP TREKKING, DAY 4 - 6

DAY 4: 7^th June 2014

Namche Bazaar (3480m) to Tengbochye (3860m)

9 km (6hrs) + monastery visit

Hotel Himalayan

I had diarrhoea twice this morning. Its not bcos of the food, but bcos of cold feet and my bloating tummy. For breakfast, I just had a cup of hot tea, afraid to eat anything due to the diarrhoea. My friend, Nathan didnt look very good. As a matter of fact, he already experienced AMS since Day 1 itself. But somehow, I admired his spirit. He fought his terrible headache and was always heading among the fastest in our group.

We started at 8.30am. The first 15 minutes were steep climb on steps, the same as yesterday. After that it was a gradual ‘Nepali flats’ on a narrow dirt trek, with crevasse on my right hand side. It was unfortunate as the views are meant to be incredible on this day but it was such a cold and foggy morning that I couldnt see anything. 

A monastery somewhere along the trek

For whatever reason, the poor weather and lengthy day had not bothered me at all.

The walk was very nice, until we reached 3700m, when after that it was down, down, down. Adoiiii!!! Two days of really hard work were wasted just like that!!! Reason for this was because there was no suspension bridge to connect the mountain we’re climbing, to the next mountain, so we had to go down the valley until 3200m, and then climbed up again. Haihhh, what to do. Redho jer la...but well, keep that until after lunch. I choose vege noodle soup for my lunch, but what was served for me was actually instant noodles.

Rs280 (RM11)

After lunch, the gruelling ascend began. It was up, up, up on a loose rocky trail. There were parts of dirt and sandy trek as well. Thank god that after 2 hours, we reached Tyengboche, our destination for today.

At 4pm, we went to the famous Buddhist monastery to witness the monks ritual prayer. It was a very surreal experience, until the horns started blowing. They started with their prayer songs and drumming and after that something like zikir using their prayer beads. Pics were not allowed in here.

Hotel Himalayan

Later, we gathered at the heated (thank god) dining room, waiting for our dinner. The heater was a traditional one (dont expect anything fancy up here). It was similar to what I had seen in Kyrgyzstan. The hotel staff put branches of sticks and dry animals shit inside a container with smoke chimney as fire source. It was nice to feel the heat and the warmth.

After dinner, we managed to get our first glimpse of the Everest. We rushed outside, braving the cold, to get a better view. It was so stunning, well, perhaps bcos I’m seeing it from here after climbing for 4 days, so the psychological effect contributed to how I felt at that time. While standing outside in the cold, then only I realized that we were higher than clouds!!!

 I was given extra blanket so I was not so freezing during the night. However, my bloating tummy disabled me to sleep, until it was already midnight.

DAY 5: 8^th June 2014

Tengbochye (3860m) to Dingboche (4350m)

8 km (7.30 hrs)

Sonam Friendship Lodge

I woke up at 4.30am for Subuh prayer and after that waited until 5am hoping to see any good view from the window, but there was none. I continued sleeping and at 6.15am, someone knocked on my door. I lazily shoved my sleeping bag and opened the door but there was no one. I got back to my bed and then only I noticed how heavenly the Everest view was seen from my window.

The red arrow is Everest peak. Now u see why it took 8 days to reach the Everest base. This magnificent mountain was located at the behind most of all the other mountains in front of it.
This was the reason why u hv to go up down, up down for many days to reach its base.

Ama Dablam, view from my room window

We started at 8.20am. Trekking from Tengbochye to Dingboche was for the most part, fairly calm. It was chilly, gloomy and foggy again, which always brought the mood down. The trekking day it self though was fairly easy (in comparison to previous days). The first 15 minutes was going downhill along a trail which looked like a scene in Harry Porter movie. Even with the fog, we were walking in the midst of the fully bloomed white and yellow rhododendron forest, which seemed so magical. According to the guide, there were 12 different colours of Himalayan rhododendrons, but at this time of the year, only two colours were left for me to feast my eyes.

Very soon after, the climbing on the dirt trek began, but it wasnt so bad. This time, we were walking alongside of Dush Koshi river. Now I realized how fast the current was. It really amazed me. The trek next to the river was very narrow with lots of loose gravels. I need to watch my steps. If I tripped and fall into the freezing river, that will be the end of me. 

A collapsed suspension bridge

The trek ascends and descends gradually, and there were pretty fair flats as well. We stopped for lunch at Pyangboche. It seemed as if we had to wait forever for our meals to be served. As we were now at higher level, cooking took longer time as lack of oxygen resulted in poor combustion.

4000m, yayyyyy

Rs380 (RM15)

After lunch, we ascended up, up, up and sometimes flat, following the fast current river which by now was far below. This was the day when we passed the tree line and the geological landscape completely changed. When starting the day, we were still surrounded by rhododendron forest and as we walked, and as the hours passed, the trees turned to bushes, and bushes into rock, and rock into dust. I was already huffing and puffing even on flat trail, not to mention when I had to climb!!! That was the point I came to realize that I was really heading towards the highest mountain in the world.

Honestly, I felt ashamed when comparing myself, with the porters. They each carried 25kgs load and yet, they were faster than me. They could even chat and sing while walking. I couldnt imagine how efficient was their respiratory system and how big was their left ventricle.

The porters

By now, the weather had improved by lots. The sun was shining, the sky was so blue and Everest could be seen very clearly. Even though tired, I captured the view as much as I could. Everest seemed to be calling my name and I eagerly carried my tired legs and moved forward excitedly while the rescue helicopter flew above of my head. I wonder who was the unlucky climber who had to be brought down?

Sooo near, but yet too far...

Allahuakbar, Allah the greatest creator!!!

It was always a relief to see where you are staying from a distance; light at the end of the tunnel. In this particular case, it was just rest that I strived for. After walking for 7.30hrs, we finally checked in at the lodge. The room was very basic, but its okey as Dingboche was a nice cushy 2 nights stay…and again, yayyy free day!

The small settlement of Dingboche in the background

The guide warned us not to take a short nap during the day to prevent from difficulties to fall asleep during the night. Bcos of that, we had to stay awake. It was soooo boring to wait until dinner, with no entertainment at all. My dinner of fried vege noodle (again) came in a big portion, but the noodle didnt taste fresh. After dinner and praying, I went straight to bed, but the freezing room didnt allow me to sleep as I kept repeating the toilet. I finally dozed off but woke up at 11.15pm feeling so sick in the stomach. I knew it, it must be the noodles. Thank god I managed to get back to sleep as the sleeping bag was heaven, but my sleep was filled with nightmares – a very common AMS indicator.

DAY 6: 9^th June 2014

Dingboche free day (4350m)

Hike to view point (4710m)

As per the previous day, Yayyy free day! And on this day…we awoke to clear skies and we saw MOUNTAINS! and not just any mountains, we were surrounded!  The day before, you wouldn’t even think there were any with all that fog! It was really the first day you came to realize how vast the Himalaya region really was. 

Despite it was a great time for a free day, I felt weak due to the many days of poor sleep. Free days during this trek didnt mean that u can just lazed around. There was another acclimatizing trek to a view point to be done today. My biggest issue with these free day treks is that they seem to be a road to nowhere. I get their purpose, and I understand that the view is great… but after days of trekking in the past, and days of trekking for the future, the motivation just isn’t there. I would have been happy relaxing, healing my knee, and mentally prepping for the upcoming days.

The women planting potatoes

Regardless, it was a beautiful day and the weather was lovely to begin with. Todays trek varies – rocky, sandy, dirt and sometimes grassy, but it was another tough trek all the way up. In the words of my fellow trekker, “this is F*@%ing hard!” That is no word of a lie, it really is. I got tired very easily. Even on flat ground, I was panting and catching my breath due to the low oxygen level. At times, I almost tripped due to exhaustion. MINTAK NYAWA!!! At certain places, we crossed the river where the bridge was actually made of rocks lined together. It was pretty dangerous as some of the rocks moved when I stepped on it.

Geng 6 Jahanam....hihihi...

Somehow, I managed to see some really beautiful yaks.

Thankfully the viewpoint was not too far, because at this point you started to get towards real altitude. I started to get the AMS signs – mild headache and puffing on my face. 

We managed to reach the tea house after trekking for 2.15 hrs. After a short break of nice hot tea, we made it down. My friends walked very fast. I tried to catch up, but no matter how fast I walked (and I was known as a fast walker), I was still behind them. I had to run in order to catch up. At one time, I almost fall after tripping over loose stones. Finally, after sprinting for 1.25hrs, we arrived the lodge.

Lunch was a tasteless vege fried rice. I cant even see the vege. It seemed that the higher we get, the price of food gets more expensive, and the taste sucks.

Rs450 (RM18)

After lunch, I tried to get some sleep, but only managed for 20mins. It was hard to sleep at high altitude. Then I joined the rest at the dining, watching Nathan made fancy animals with his balloons. He was very skillful and really entertained the kids. How they loved him for that.

Vege fried potato for dinner, Rs300 (RM12)