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Telephone: +44 (0)1822 880277 • E-mail martin@spirit-of-adventure.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1822 880277 • E-mail martin@spirit-of-adventure.com
On a cold English winters day we made our way to Gatwick. There was snow lying and the roads were icy - was this a taste of things to come?
Our group was an interesting mix of 10 people, Greg and Lucia, Sally-Ann and Andrew (Swampy), Chris and Maggie, Graham and his step daughter Sarah and Sandy (Spirit of Adventure) and his wife Gilly. Age range was from 24 to 53 with 2 Australians, 1 New Zealander, 6 Brits and an Italian/Australian mixture. This made to lively discussion and banter on many occasions.
The group relaxing on the way down to Namche Bazaar from Thangboche.
From left to right: Gilly; Sarah; Graham; Chris; Maggie; Swampy; Greg; Lucia; Sally-Ann; Dawa Nuru (assistant Sherpa); Ang Nima(trek Sirdar).
Our flight by Royal Nepal Airlines was uneventful and we arrived full of anticipation in Kathmandu. Our base in Kathmandu was the Hotel Tibet. A comfortable hotel about 10 minutes walk from the centre of the city.
Kathmandu is a fascinating city, narrow streets full of traders and thousands of people all on the move. In Thamel, the centre of the city, you can buy anything from a Tibetan carpet or a yak wool hat to jewellery or Buddhist artefacts all at prices you would not believe.
Our aim on the trek was to see the Millennium Sunrise over Everest from Kala Pattar and our planned itinerary was:-
Our two nights in Kathmandu saw us sampling the gastronomic delights of first KC's Restaurant and then Rum Doodles. These would probably be our last true 'a la carte' meals for over 2 weeks. Garlic steak and chocolate pudding plus wine and beer for £4 - can't be bad.
An early call (0530) on the 22nd saw us on the way to the airport for a 07:30 flight to Lukla. After what can only be described as a chaotic check-in we settled down in the departure lounge. 07:30 came and went and gradually the departure lounge filled up with people flying to various parts of Nepal. On the 'grapevine' we heard that the cloud was down at Lukla and that take off time was unknown. Our flight was eventually called at 12:30 and out to the runway we were taken where we waited for the incoming flight and as the passengers got off we got on and the plane was probably only on the ground for 15 minutes. The flight into Lukla is exciting to say the least - a small mountain airstrip running uphill into the mountainside with a runway of grass and loose stone.
In Lukla we met our Sherpas - Ang Nima and Dawa Nuru. Ang Nima has been a member of many high mountain expeditions and Dawa Nuru is a true mountain man. They proved to be excellent guides and very good company throughout the trip. After a quick lunch we were off to Phakding for our first night. Unfortunately the mist was down and with the late start it was dark before we arrived in our lodge. The wood burning stove was already hot with a couple of other trekkers relaxing and keeping warm. Supper for me was a little hazy - I was the first to succumb to the dreaded lurgie - Montezumers revenge or Delhi Belly or any other name you wish to call it. My supper was Imodium pills and Lomotil!!
Up at 7 and on the road by 9 for the start of one of the hardest days of the trek to Namche Bazaar. Breakfast of porridge, eggs, toast, pancakes or any combination of these plus copious quantity of tea gave most of the team plenty of energy - unfortunately Graham joined me on the pills!!
The trek to Namche took us into the National Park and towards the high peaks. We dropped down to the valley floor and followed the Dudh Kosi (Dudh - means milk and Kosi - means river) which spawns from the mighty glaciers in the Khumbu Region. From the valley floor we started the long climb to Namche taking almost 3 hours. Some arrived in better shape than others, I had run out of energy having not eaten all day and Graham was just as bad. We had walked most of the day in mist although we had the odd glimpse of the peaks of Kussum and Khumbila. Khumbila sits at the head of the valley after which the valley is named. Khumbila means God of the Khumbu.
Next morning was again misty and we spent our acclimatisation day exploring the markets in Namche. We visited the newly opened Everest Museum which gives an excellent history of the mountain and an insight in to the Sherpa culture. Mags and Chris then departed for the Tibetan Market where they were hoping to bargain for a Tibetan carpet. The crowds gathered and the contest began with both sides thousands of rupees apart. With the cut and thrust of the contest the crowds were getting quite involved. Periodically Mags and Chris retired to their corner to take instructions from their trainer - Ang Nima. After 10 minutes or so the contest was declared a draw and Mags raided Chris's wallet and passed a few thousand rupees across in exchange for a carpet. The cost of the carpet was less than half you would expect to pay in the UK.
Thame is along the valley leading west from Namche and on the main trading route to Tibet. The morning was clear and the views were fantastic. Unfortunately by midday the mist came in and we were walking through scrub with ice forming on the leaves. The Austrian Government in conjunction with the Nepalese Government and the local people have constructed a hydroelectric system to bring electricity to the valley and the villages around Namche. This has vastly reduced the deforestation and is a boon the women of the valley. Above Thame is an old monastery which took a great deal of mental effort to climb up to after what turned out to be a strenuous days trekking. However the effort was well worth it.
At altitude it is essential to drink at least 5 litres of liquid per day, this stops dehydration and helps prevent altitude sickness, this means drinking 4 or 5 cups of tea in the morning, 2 or 3 mug of juice at lunch and 4 or 5 mugs at dinner, in addition we would drink 1 litre of water from our bottles during the day and a similar amount during the night. A happy trekker pees clear!! With this amount of liquid passing through us there were frequent diversions into the bushes - fine for us men - a little more difficult for the women and it took courage to get out of your sleeping bag in -10deg in the middle of the night!!
Unfortunately during the trek to Kungjung and then onto Phortse the mist came down at about midday after relatively clear mornings. The trail was high up on the lesser used northern side of the valley, which gave great views across to Thangboche and into the valley floor a couple of thousand feet below. The morning of the 28th dawned clear and we had spectacular views up the valley to Nupse, Lhotse and the summit of Everest and our trek to Dingboche through Pangboche in the sunshine was fantastic. We spent two days at Dingboche acclimatising, we walked about 1000 feet up the ridge to the north of the village and had spectacular views of Makalu, Nuptse and Lhotse. The nights were now very cold and we were glad of the warmth of the lodges in the evening and some of the team became quite expert at stoking the burner with dried yak dung.
Swampy, Sally and Chris on route to Dugla. Cholotse in background.
The 30th again dawned clear - at last the mist was left behind - we would now have clear days for the rest of the trek. We started the trek to Lobuche in the cold before the sun had risen above the mountains. We were in remote country dominated by the huge mountains and glaciated valleys. We arrived at Dugla about lunch time where there is a small lodge. We settled down in the sunshine for a well earned rest. Sarah had been suffering from excruciating headaches for the last couple of days and was not acclimatising well. At Dugla she again developed a debilitating headache and could not continue with the group and it was considered dangerous for her to go any higher without further acclimatisation. I therefore stayed at Dugla with Sarah whilst the rest of the group set off for Lobuche.
We had heard rumours that there were going to be hundreds of people on Kala Pattar to see the sunrise and that one of the lodges at Gorak Shep was shut and space was limited. Throughout the trip we were supported by both Dawa Nuru's and Ang Nima's sons, so to ensure we had space in the lodges, Dawa's son was our advance scout and went ahead to book our places. He went to Gorak Shep 2 days before us and booked 10 spaces thus there was room at the Inn!On New Years Eve Sarah seemed OK so we began the trek to Lobouche. About an hour latter we met two of our Yaks coming down loaded with bags. Some way behind we saw Greg and Lucia. Greg, who normally gets an upset stomach on a beach holiday in Spain, did not really stand much chance in Nepal and he had suffered most of the trek with the 'runs'. This made him a little weak and he struggled to get to Lobuche, he therefore decided that he would be better off retreating to Dingboche. Lucia, who was acclimatising well, decided to 'stick by her man' and come down with him. I felt that we could not split the group anymore so Sarah and I joined Greg and Lucia and started the trek down to Dingboche. Meanwhile the rest of the team trekked to Gorak Shep and prepared themselves for the trek up Kala Pattar in the early hours of New Years Day.
Last sunset of 1999 Nuptse with Everest far left
We arrived back in Dingboche in the late afternoon and Sarah was not very well, she was physically sick, had a massive headache and was unable to keep any food down. However with the loss of height and and some well earned rest her condition gradually improved and by late evening she was well on the way to recovery.
The team at Gorak Shep were sharing a communal dormitory and were planning to leave at about 3 am for the 3 hour ascent of Kala Pattar. The lodge was very cold in the evening and the lodge owner would not light the fire, however Ang Nima undeterred, went out and gathered the wood and yak dung and lit the stove for our group. The room very quickly warmed-up but was soon infiltrated by the French who, as soon as one of our team stood up, immediately took their place. This put a great strain on the entente-cordial but they did not quite come to blows. At 3 am the team donned almost all the clothing they owned and fearlessly went out into the freezing night air - it was probably -25 deg. and colder than anybody had previously experienced. The ascent was hard, with the lack of oxygen at 18,000 feet you are continually sucking in very cold dry air which quickly cools down your inner body. However everybody reached the summit (or very near the summit) and waited for the first rays of the millennium sun to strike Everest. There were no crowds - only 18 people, 8 of whom were our group.
Millennium Sun Pumori
Meanwhile, back at Dingboche, the magnificent four made ready for their night ascent of the north ridge (it was just as cold as Kala Pattar) to see the sunrise. To achieve a night ascent you need a torch, unfortunately Greg whilst conducting his morning rituals in the toilet dropped his head torch into the pile. The toilets in most lodges are normally a room with just hole in the floor - those in Dingboche were typical but were not the most celubrious. I agreed with Greg's decision not to retrieve it! However, what we have not discovered is how the head torch fell from his head into the hole - it is not easy to achieve such a feat. From our vantage point on the ridge we had views to the east toward Lhotse, the north towards Cholotse and to the west Khatang. A magnificent place to see the sunrise.
The team on Kala Pattar decided that they had had enough of the altitude and thus did not go to Base Camp but trekked down to Dingboche to join us. The following day we had a short trek toward Island Peak and Chukung and then on the 3rd we trekked down to Thangboche. We arrived in the late afternoon and Sally, feeling fit at the lower altitude of about 13,000 feet tried to race Dawa Nuru to the top of the hill into Thangboche, it was a fantastic effort (I could not run anywhere) but Dawa would not let her pass and after about two minutes Sally was completely out of breath and rested for the next 15!! Thangboche is dominated by the most famous monastery in the Khumbu. It burnt down in 1989 and has since been rebuilt with the help of Funds from the Hillary Himalayan Trust. This is a trust set up by Edmund Hillary after his successful ascent of Everest and is used to help the Sherpa people build schools and facilities that they want (not necessarily what the Government wants).
Gilly New Years Day - Everest in background to right
Back in Namche Greg and Lucia, after the success of Mags and Chris in the Tibetan market decided to barter for a carpet. Again they took Ang Nima as their trainer, who gave them advice and tips. Unfortunately something must have got lost in the translation along the way, as having beaten the carpet man down to a price that everybody was happy with he gave them two carpets, when they thought they were bargaining for one. After a pause, the carpet man, realising that Greg and Lucia though it was only for one carpet, tried to get twice the money. Greg and Lucia, after some coaching from their trainer, were having none of that and took the two carpets and made a hasty retreat.
From Namche we retraced our footsteps to Lukla only to find a backlog of people waiting to depart. During our absence there had been a high-jacking of an Indian Airways flight and there had been a crash of a small plane on an internal flight. This caused the Nepalese authority to clamp down on security and to check all small planes for safety. Our flight was scheduled for early the next morning by Yeti Airways. We were ready to fly by 07:30 along with a couple of hundred others, however Yeti Airlines was the first plane in and we were the first people out. The take-off is probably more exciting than the landing, gathering speed over a very rough airstrip heading for a drop to the valley floor if the plane does not reach flying speed. We survived!!
This was a great trip, well away from the millennium hype, we had excellent company and for the most part good clear weather. Everybody was able to see the Millennium Sunrise from a remote and beautiful part of the world.