Yak Dung Stove

5:55 am:  Awoke to lots of activity in the hall.  Guys served up Sherpa tea and hot wash water.  After brushing my teeth, I finished packing and put on sunscreen.  Soon the Sherpas were back to pick up my duffel as well as the wash bowl and my mug.

During med check after a quick breakfast of oatmeal and omelet on toast, I confided in Annie that I was anxious about today’s long-day uphill trek–even got teary-eyed from fear.  Annie comforted that I was doing fabulous:  “You’re strong, your oxygen level is high, you did fantastic on the acclimatization walk yesterday – and it’s okay to cry.  I cried last night.”  What great encouragement!  Later I told her (and prefaced by) “Not to seem like I’m kissing up, but I want to tell you that I am so glad that there’s a woman leading this trek.  I could never have told my guides on the Mount Kilimanjaro trek that I was on my period, or scared.”

A little after the start, Ming suggested I hand over my backpack to Rima.  He said I shouldn’t wait until I’m exhausted, especially the terrain we’ll be covering today (and my bad ankle).

The day was crisp and clear.  The mountains were so beautiful, they looked 3-D!  After crossing a wood/log bridge, we arrived at Gre for lunch.  Lunch consisted of hot dogs wrapped in tortillas, Tibetan bread and French fries.  I sat by Dan.  I had taken my jacket off during the trek and was wondering why I was the only one not wearing a jacket.  I soon found out.  It was really cold in the dining room.

We made a brief stop in the Khumbu Glacier valley at a place containing Sherpa memorials.  We took photographs of a line of memorials for Sherpas who died on Everest in the 1990’s.  Among the memorials was Scott Fischer’s.  Scott Fischer died in an avalanche in 1996.

More trails descending to Lobuche.

Over another hill, we arrived in Lobuche before 2 pm.  We had gone from 14.2K feet to 16.2K feet to Above the Clouds Lodge at 4930M.  High fives, hugs and kisses on cheeks congratulating each other on a job well done.

I was assigned to room 114.  The same type of room as at Pheriche:  two beds in a cold room with a light that won’t work until sundown.  The toilet down the hall consisted of a bowl, lid and no tank, just a barrel of water and a coffee can to pour water down, hoping there’s enough to execute a flush.  I updated my calendar to match our new itinerary before meeting my fellow trekkers in the dining room for popcorn, cookies and beverages.

Ming announced that wash water was delivered to our rooms.  I washed my face, neck and upper body and then applied lotion on my hands and legs.  With a little time before dinner, I got under my covers to journal and read.  Although I was still cold, I nodded off a few times while trying to read.  I awoke with a cough due to the smoke coming from the yak dung stove lit up in the dining room and vented to our adjacent rooms.  Lily knocked on my door.  When I opened it, she said, “Let’s go downstairs where it’s warmer.” 

Indeed, the dining room was much warmer.  I read and listened to lively conversation – mostly about altitude/altimeter calibration.  Still no two watches agreed.

After med check, tomorrow’s briefing ensued:  6 am wake up; 7 am breakfast; 8 am head out for 3-4 hours trek to Gorak Shep.

Dinner:  Tomato soup with shrimp chips, spaghetti with yak meat sauce and slaw.  Dessert:  Warm chocolate pudding.

After dinner, I filled up my camelback and went back to my room to rest.  The small florescent lights were on and off throughout the night due to a short in the wiring.  We all made good use of our headlamps.

10:10 pm:  Thought of the kids, hope they were thinking of me at the same time, as we planned.