Day 6 :: Namche Bazar :: Everest View

Still in Namche for our aclimatization
Still with surprisingly good food
the milk rice for breakfast was like Thai stciky rice desert
yumms

*Headache*
The climb up to EverestView was a short 400m
But it was a steep and hard climb
Heavy breathing, dusty trails, cold cuttign winds
A side pressure pain developed as I descended
Flitting forwards and backwards around my temples
Finally it decided to settle in front of my eyes
Pounding ferociously with a vengence.. *groans*
Itslike eye strain magnified my a gazillion times

But the view
ohhh the view
was worth the cut-throat price of hot chocolate
although wine would have gone better with the view
or perhpas nice chilled champagne

But somehow Everest seems much less spectacular
for being so far away
with its small disctinct peak
Compared to nearer mountains like Thermserku
which loomed down at us..
I can see their snow trails
some melting and slipping down mountain passes
reminding me of what I may be facing in the days to come
dangerous but thrilling..

I am not sure it was the whole "being-spiritual-in-Nepa" thing going
or the constant reminder that our lifes are in the not-so-safe-hands of
Little-Miss-Indicisive Nature

But that night:
I dreamt that my grandad called me
He had passed on about a year ago
In my dream I had knew that he was dead
And that was my only chance to talk to him again
I woke up with tears streaking down my face

Saddening but werid at teh same time...

Day 5 :: Namche Bazar::

Our route went a was a constantly winding route
Which meant that everytime I think a flat ground is up ahead
I turn around and find another long flight of rocks awaiting
It seriously f*s with your mind ;p

Like a f*ing steep zigzag maze
A constantly labourous climb
breathing deep panting breaths
I had spent much of the climb looking at the ground
at least I dont have to see whats up ahead ;p
Thank god for my inhaler ..

My poor baby had his first bougth of AMS today..
He looks cold and pouty
Thankfully the lodge today is a 100% improvement from yesterdays..
It was like an upgraded from a shophouse hostel to say a passable 3-star hotel.

Right now enjoying life is >>
lounging beside the furnance
radiating with heat from a fire fueled by yak dung
drinking hot chocolate with honey..
watching my socks dry while waiting for dinner
>> sooooo exciting huh ;p

But this feels like the calm before the storm
before the cold, the pain

When I am trekking
my focus shifts inwards
I am contained
But yet I am expanded
Open to let nature in
and fill me with its splendor
I become one and everything all at the same time

Stop rolling your eyes there ;p
Very cheesy-pop-karate-kid-ish I know..
but it is from the bottom of my small-sugar-maddened-heart.

Day 4 :: Phakding :: lower expectations are always better

::7.20 am :: And we are still waiting to fly...

A long start
A long mid day
A long ponderous walk to the end
After seeing a wonderful looking resort
As we entered Phakding
Our rickety little lodge seemed to pale in comparison
Its like walking past Raffles Hotel
Then stopping for the night at a 2 storey shop house hostel
with flickering light bulbs leading to your room.

It seems like everything is "rickety"
Well I guess that's what we get when we go budget
Perhaps I have forgotten about my backpacking days
Or even Kilimanjaro, where we dint even have beds to sleep in
Its all about managing expectations as usual...

The first of many freezing ass nights to come
The cardboard-thin walls look too flimsy for comfort
I hope my feet don't freeze
I wonder how the poor animals keep warm
I see a few stray-looking dogs outside :(
Brrrr...


The real voyage of discovering consist not in seeing
new landscapes, but in having new eyes...
~ by Marcel Proust