Lukla to Namche Bazar (UP)

Day 1. Fly to Lukla (2800m), camp at Toc Toc (2650m).

Up at 5:00, ready for pickup at 5:30 and out to the Kathmandu airport, then thru security: a curtained booth with 2 men asking questions about knives, matches and lighters. All 14 of us (including our cook Maila) flew in a Twin Otter to Lukla (2800m). This is the famous airport runway that has quite an incline (8 degree pitch) and is also very short, you land going up hill and take off going down hill and one better be airborne or else there is a hell-of-a big drop. 

The runway has been paved recently and the tarmac can handle 4 planes. We watched as the planes flew straight in, drop off up to 16 passengers, unload baggage, re-load up, taxi and take off, all in less than 5 minutes.

Lukla is at 2800m (9186’) and has electric power. Here we also picked up our Sirdar Rinzin (the boss) and his helpers, mostly family members. Most of our baggage (food, personal stuff, tents, pads, chairs, tables, etc) was loaded onto 9 zopkios (male yak-cow crossbreeds) . Later at higher elevations, yaks were used instead. These are sure-footed animals considering the path, steep in places, lots of steps, lots of rocks and loose sand/gravel. Remember this is not a stroll in the park! We hiked into the Dudh Kosi valley along the river with lots of cable bridges to cross, passed Phakding, a favorite stopping place and continued on to Toc Toc which is actually lower at 2650m. 4.9 KM total distance covered on my pedometer.

 We keep Buddhist mani stones, prayer flags and stupas to our right as we pass, out of respect.  Mani stones are stone tablets carved with mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" commonly translated as 'Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus'.  

We ate inside the lodge; mushroom soup, rice and dal bhat, cauliflower; but slept outside in our tents for the first time. Most of us were very tired and went to bed by 8:00 pm. It sprinkled during the night, but was clear next morning. Some peaks were visible in the distance. We had 5 double tents, 3 singles, 2 biffy tents and a dining tent with tables and chairs. When tenting, our cooking crew always used a “cooking” building so provided. With running water, stove and fridge? hah hah, this is just a roof over the bare ground. Our crew carried their own kerosene stoves and fuel, and water had to be carried from the nearest source.  Running water in a pipe, what’s that?

 Day 2. Toc Toc (2650m) to Namche Bazar (3446m 11305’)

Porter traffic was already moving by 5:00. One fellow was packing 9 cases of beer and he was barefoot. We headed into Sagarmatha National Park, lunched at Jorsalle (2805m) and then up into Namche Bazar at 3446m. It was cloudy on arrival at lodge “Camp de Base” for our two-day stay. A 7.8KM trek. Each room had showers with toilette except the new wing was depended on solar energy. Once the hot water is gone, its cold until the water heats up the next day. Namche also has electrical power.

 The mountains are all around but we never really saw the peaks until morning of day 3. A group of us hiked up to the Sagarmatha National Park Headquarters and saw the sunrise come up over the surrounding mountains: on the west: Nupla (5885), Kongde Ri (6187); the north: holy and unclimbed Khumbila (5761); the northeast: Tawoche (6542), Mt Everest (8848), Lhotse (8501); the east: Ama Dablam (6856), Kang Taiga (6685), Thamserku (6808). Lots of people in Namche: Germans, Austrians, Canadians, UK, Aussies, South Africans, Danes, Fins, etc etc lots to buy, even everything for trekking and climbing. Ryan’s hip started to hurt a bit on the upgrades and he purchases trekking poles.

 Namche used to be a trading center where grain from the south was exchanged for salt from Tibet, but it has remained a trading center even though the salt trade has ended. Everyday, Tibetans arrive with their yaks to trade in clothing and on Saturday, there also is a vegetable and meat market.

Internet is also available via satellite, but it’s slow and expensive: 25 rupees per minute ($0.50) versus 30 rupees per hour and 10 times the speed. To log on etc. and send a two line message took 10 minutes.

Most of us got headaches at some point but usually it would go away. Most also are taking Diamox, a drug that helps with acclimatization. Ryan and I did not use any drugs.

One also has to be careful with cuts, bruises and blisters since the healing process is slowed dramatically.

One starts to notice the absence of dogs (saw not more than 10), cats (saw 2), horses (3 riders and a few horses), and wheels. Everything moves by human porters and do they carry a lot! One man had 9 cases of beer on his back. Yaks and cows seem to be used with Trekking groups only except the Tibetan traders. There are NO motorized vehicles anywhere here. Saw a mountain bike on day 13.