The first day without a real destination.Woke up at 7-730 am I think. Got ready, had breakfast and i think it was finally 9 by the time we started. We had selected the smallest acclimatisation trek. The guide book said 30 minute hike to Everest View Hotel which according to the Guiness Book of world records is the highest hotel in the world.(almost 4000 metres i think).. so we trudged upwards. I took just one walking stick and didn't use it on the way up. Still the way up wasn't easy. Was a steep hike up.We met yesterday's Japanese couple and also some Swedes. The an Australian soloer who's a paramedic and some folks from Chennai.Trudged up to the hotel. Had a "false peak" moment when i thought a farmhouse on the way was the hotel only to realise that that was a mirage and the actual hotel is another 30 minute hike(atleast) away. argh! Came across the fist views of the beautiful Ama Dablam and Everest peeking (oh yes, surprise! here Everest is usually playing peek-a-boo behind other shorter peaks:)) So we finally reach the hotel and go to its roof top restaurant.
We are tired, dehydrated and famished.We decided to order a pot of hot chocolate. -some 460 bucks.Sat with the Australian dude- who had a solar panel strapped to his pack- interesting gadget to have in a electricity parched land and where every hour of charge costs a bomb. We snapped some pics of the beautiful view.
(The view from the rood top cafe reflected in the glass - nice shot taken by my trekmate)
The hot chocolate was divine, as was the price when we went to pay the bill-turns out it was exclusive of taxes- so we then paid 580 bucks!!!!5 star prices eh! Came back down faster(thankfully) and went to the room- left stuff- tried to rest for a bit. Meanwhile in the morn i had seen the sun and washed my socks and some underclothes and kept em in the sun. Ooh dry socks( oh yes they are RARE):) So we relaxed a bit and then went back down to finish shopping- Trekmate got a pair of long johns and a down jacket for 3500NR! (awesome bargain) and then went to the German bakery and freaked out on the chocolate donuts for 150 bucks a piece.The Canadian couple suggested to not have the apple pie. But i think we were settled on chocolate:)(yes yes...my trekking mate is a chocolate and nutella lover twoo!!!) Then we got ourselves a gas canister(650 NR) and some noodle packets and i went in search of masala for the cous cous(Good bye tabasco). Finally found a small local shop with a lady watching tv on her small portable thingy. She appeared grumpy at first and had to drive a hard bargain for the the masala and lump of garlic.But later warmed up and started talking bout business and India and religion and her diabetes and how they all move down to Kathmandu in December , when the valley gets covered with snow,leaving a skeletal staff at the lodge. Come back to the lodge read a bit, charge the various phones( at 100 NR per hour) and meet this guy called Rajeev who has done EBC 7-8 times. Apparently he gets kids from the US etc on this trek. He was aghast that i was carrying almost 15 kgs. Was trying to entice us to go via the Chola pass...but we passed the offer. He scared us too- what if something goes wrong and you have to descend- better to have a porter....luckily we ignored the scary pieces and listened to the rest:)
Oh and during breakfast- there was this Brit family who told us to skip lodging at Tengboche and stay lower at Debuche instead( coz not clean plus rats on the roofs all the time), provided we get the 3 pm prayers at the monastery which is supposed to be beautiful.....okay M'am advice taken!
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