The Going Gets Rough and Tough

During the night, I heard Dan retching.  I hope he’ll be alright.

I awoke very thirsty, yet needing to pee.  It’s a side effect of the Diamox.  I had forgotten about that.

6:06 AM:  Sherpas made their round of hot tea/coffee/Sherpa tea and a bowl of hot wash water.  I asked for Sherpa tea.  When we’re finished with the wash water and tea, we were to leave the bowl and mug outside our door for the sherpas to retrieve, wash and reuse.  We were also instructed to have our duffel bags ready for pick up by the sherpas to wrap up and begin transport to our next destination.  All before attending breakfast.

During breakfast, I commented that I lent Lily my sunglasses, because she lost her expensive sunglasses the other day at the deck of the restaurant where we stopped for lunch.  Since I had my prescription set, I would just forego wearing my contacts, until she purchased another pair.  Besides, I probably shouldn’t be putting my fingers in my eye knowing the water was not potable.  To which Dan said he wasn’t wearing his contacts because he had contracted Giardia in Kathmandu from the faucet water on his finger when he put on his contacts.  – That was the cause of Dan’s retching.  His roommate/son recalled Dan requesting that he open the window because the vomit smelled so bad.  Annie diagnosed that Dan had Giardia ordering him to take his medication.

8:00 AM:  Head out after a map review with Ming.

Stopped briefly outside a nunnery at the Pema Choling Monastery, and then continued to the next village for lunch.

As we trudged along to Namche Bazaar, Ted asked how I was doing, to which I replied, “I’ve done trails like this, but not at 8,700 feet.” Ted looked at his watch altimeter and corrected, “We’re at 9,000 feet now.

At the top of some stairs, where I usually break to catch my breath, Annie borrowed one of Sharon’s poles, adjusted it for my height and handed it to me to use.  Slightly embarrassed that I left my new set at home because they didn’t collapse small enough to fit in my luggage, I promised to return it unharmed.  Annie suggested that I pick up a cheap set at Namche Bazaar.

During a rest stop, I asked Sherpa Kumar where was Namche.  Kumar pointed to a not too distant town on the horizon, telling me that our lodge was the one on the higher terrace, saying “half hour.” 

A half hour later, we reached the stupa of Namche Bazaar.  I was crestfallen to see more steps and cobblestoned paths.  I had hoped the streets of the town would be flat and smooth.

After many stairs uphill, we reached Zamling Guest House, about four tiers up the hill.  My fellow trekkers were either in the lodge’s restaurant at tea, or gathered around Ming to collect room assignments and keys.  Getting to the rooms required two more levels up the hill and more stairs through the lodge, and then up to my room, which was on the top level – of course.

The room was clean with tiled bathroom (no toilet paper).  The beds were supplied with thick comforters of patchwork silky polyester.  Plastic slippers were supplied to avoid tracking in yak dung dust around the room.  Water for my bird bath was delivered about the same time Ted came to my door to announce that there’d be a shower tent set up tomorrow.  He did not recommend using the en suite shower and definitely not the tap water.

I joined my fellow trekkers for tea in the main dining room.  I actually brought with me a trekking pole to assist me with the stairs from and to my room and the dining room.  Annie and Ted entered and set up for med check, which followed.

Before dinner, Annie went over tomorrow’s agenda.  Annie recommended that we pack in our daypack “water, a tuque (Canadian for cap) and a puffy jacket (Annie-ese for down jacket); if we felt a headache coming on, take Advil”.

When we retired to our respective rooms, the sherpas came door-to-door with hot water for our hydration packs.  I slept using both comforters on my bed in addition to my silk bed liner.  Nice.