Made to (5,350m)on the 20th December A spectaaacular journey that was personally the hardest physical challenge ever. Managed to avoid altitude sickness as we acclimatised at 2 points along the way. Despite the lack of evidence of a base camp('tis winter and climbing Everest starts again in the spring), therefore the ground was shale, no snow, but the most arresting feature was the glacial ice formations at the bottom of the incline. Alongside the absolute silence the colours of the formations were highlighted by the sun shining through, absolutely unforgettable. The base camp is also on the Khumba Glacier but the site is covered in shale and dust and only identifiable as a glacier if you scrape away the layers or slip on the ice, which needless to say I did with great style!
We (my guide Phodi and Nema, the porter) came down to Lukla by the 26th and until then the weather held and was clear and sunny - daytime temperatures reached 20C but nighttime went down to -15C at the highest lodge/tea house, 3 hours from base camp. Fortunately had taken advice from Pam and Steve (archers) and purchased a down jacket which I wore day and night (after trekking) though it was a tight squeeze in the sleeping bag but necessary for survival. Christmas Day was celebrated whilst walking the last 3 hours to Lukla, I gave various renditions of Christmas carols I could remember the words to.At Lukla the weather broke and it sleeted and froze, I was convinced I'd be stuck for days before a plane could land, but my luck held and I flew out the next morning. The experience of taking off from Lukla was pretty similar to how I imagine it would be taking off from an aircraft carrier, the runway was the same length and dropped away to nothing at the end. Took full advantage of looking through the cockpit window as this 16 seater Douglas 227 (?) took off as it did not even have a curtain between the pilot and passengers. We waited to board hanging around on the tarmac watching other similar planes land - all very informal and in keeping with the Nepali 'Heath Robinson principle. After one days R&R will be going to a 4 day retreat run by the Osho organisation at Topoban, a few miles outside Kathmandu, and then a final 10 day trek to Jomsom before India. Am looking forward to meeting some of the people from the Everest trek at Pokhara, for dinner at the Jazz Cafe at Lakeside on the 3rd before flying to Jomson. Have many photo's of the amazing scenery from this trek and will be including them when I reach Thailand.
Photo 1 Everest Memorial to a group of climbers who died on Everest, sadly there are many of these in a 'Memorial Park" on the way to the last village, Gorak Shep, on the way to base camp.
Photo 2 Lukla Airport and the 16 seater Douglas 227 that flew me down to Kathmandu
Photo 3 Lukla Airport Very small and very cold!
Photo 4 Sagarmatha Gate (on its side, unable to right it!)The entrance to the National Park, Everest is part of this park.
Photo 5 Everest (middle peak) on way to EBC from Gorak Shep, viewed from about 5,300m. elevation.