The world according to K

I was one of the organised Trek group ( Intrepid) – 12 of us plus porters – and three guides who had decided that the ideal way to spend 15 days was to trek 100 odd KM
( 60miles uphill mostly) climbing to a height of 5300 metres to get to Everest Base Camp. Oh yea and rough it on the way.

It started with the the most terrifying flight ( for me – and those of you who know what I’m like at flying) from Katmandu to Lukla 2800 m where our trek started.

We flew in a 2 engine tiny plane which seated 24 – and the name of the Airline was YETI AIRLINES. They had a hostess who handed out a boiled sweet when we took off. 45 mins later we are flying through and on top of a valley with the most incredible snow capped peaks either side. At last it was first sight of the Himalayas and they wee beautiful to see. Everest was spotted and we all got excited but that soon turned to worry when we looked ahead through into the cockpit – yes we could see the cockpit and what was ahead very clearly.

The airstrip we were headed for is perched on top of a mountain – it is the highest and shortest airstrip in the world- and it just stops at an edge over the top of the mountain with a huge cavernous drop below into well..an abysss. The plane suddenly descends – very very ( and I mean very )very steeply with groaning engines and I am fairly sure that I emitted a stifled scream and closed my eyes. It was absolutely terrifying. As soon as we desended we seemed to level out quickly and the wheels touched land and we had the brakes on very sharply. I looked at my fellow passengers and the sense of relief on their faces was hysterical. Amazing flight and views – but not sure if I could stomach that landing again now that I know whats ahead.

Lukla itself is a tiny town – village which is dreary – dismal and has only one purpose – to house trekkers coming in or hoping to fly out of the famous Airport ( a shed) . We didnt know it then but it is also the place were trekkers may have to stay a couple of nights until weather improves enough for flights to take place- this can be a delay of a couple of days…

We did not stay in Lukla this time – but met with our guides – and porters- geared up and suddenly the trekk started- we were on our way…downhill – steeply downhill..down stone steps and a path that seemed to descend for forever.

My roomie who I was to share a room with and any future pain was Annie an Aussie with a brill sense of humour. We got on like a house on fire. Others on the trek were Nick SA, Chris from Norway, Vicky and Andy Pseudo Aussies but orig from UK, Simon and Trudy UK, Toshi from Japan, Jon and Scott from Canada and the always ever present Irishman (there has to be someone from bloody Ireland)- Reid. A great bunch and we all got to bond together very quickly by sharing our toilet experiences ( nothing is private at 2000-5000 metres).
Our guides were ( Ram – Prakash- Bibek – and Jangbu who were superb)

The prize from me though goes to our porters.These guys ( Dipak, Nima, Lakpa and Dhan Kumer) were tiny but with incredible strength. We trekkers all struggled to carry our day packs l, they in turn carried 3 rucksacks each with all our gear probably weighing in excess of 80 k) Also add in to the equation that they ran most of the way – or did it in flip flops or trainees. I’ve never seen anything like it . I took lots of pictures of these guys and other sherpas – porters carrying these huge loads. It never ceased to amaze me. One of funniest sights I saw was a porter being helped to stand upright by one of our porters ( he had fell backwards whilst resting on the way up) and rather like a tortoise on its back he couldnt get back up – so waited patiently until a passerby came to help. Another memory is watching porters carry huge loads such as gigantic planks of wood ,building materials stacks of bamboo chairs piled on top of each other ( I counted 8chairs on one load balanced precariously) , gas cannisters, and crates upon crates of beer……it all had to be taken up to higher villages by the only way means – carried on backs in baskets.

Our porters were paid an excellent going rate from Intrepid – but others we were told get 25 rupees per 25kilo they carry ( that is around 25pence ,may be less ) so they pile it on.Some loads are over 100Kilo- unbelievable.

The trek day one was three hours – and the path itself was like a busy motorway at timnes- I was suprised at how busy it was. Loads of trekkers- sherpas – and yaks – loads of em.At times we had to queue at long swing river bridges- or narrow parts of the path. Thankfully it wasnt always this busy on the route – thehigher we went the fewer we saw.

Our first nights stay was at avillage called PHAKDING- Freezing ( I say in my diary but recall on way back I found it very warm,,…..). At the bottom of the valley is this amazing bluey white river – called the Milky River and that is what we crossed over long metal suspension bridges that seemed to swing in the wind – and arent for the faint hearted)

We arrived at 2.30pm and that was it nowt else but to explore the tea house- chat and go to bed early- the shape of things to come. Tea houses ( large wooden huts )on the route were our mainstays – here we could buy meals – some limited supplies ( BOUNTY BARS) and sometimes get a shower. Rooms were often tiny -and beds incredibly hard. You can hear next door as though they were in the same room – in fact they may as well be. warmth in main dining are was a stove – fuel was YAK DUNG- so you can imagine the smell and how smokey it could get.
but the view – Ogh God the views- they will always be incredible- perched on a precipice- or in the middle of nowhere but stunning views of the Himalayas- fab when brushing your teeth in the morning to see this – and a Yak perched precariously on a ledge staring you out. Fantastic.

to be cont…

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 19th, 2007 at 4:55 am and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.