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A local flight by Gorkha Airlines from Kathmandu to
Lukla, the closest airport for Mt. Everest. (Though it takes about 10-12 days of full-day walk just to get up there.....)
It was about $100 one way.
The flight was originally scheduled to depart at 6:30am, but it actually departed around 11am due
to fog over the Kathmandu Valley......This is what makes the flight famous throughout the world, for tourists from all
over the world (like me) suffered from this and tell this to everyone back home.
Lukla Airport, starting point of this trek. On the way, I met a local man going toward the
same direction for a couple of hours together and learned how to say some Nepalese, taking notes for the future use.
Local porters carrying towards mountain lodges ahead. They are the real macho men; sometimes
they carry over 100kg loads and hike the mountains, whereas I am struggling with just 15kg......
Yak.......and Yak. They are the symbol of Tibetan asset. As soon as I saw the first yaks(the
picture), I suddenly realized/remembered that I came to a land of Tibetan culture. And good-old memories of Tibet trip
came back in mind.
A Tibetan local house. I love this curtain's symbol;
it is called "Kitsho" pattern in Japanese and sought to bring the house happiness. I bought a cushon cover with
this symbol for souvenir to self...... I need happiness too!!
Om mani....
A mother and a daughter overseeing my dinner (bottomless Dal Bhat) at kitchen of Namaste Lodge
in Phakdin. After 4 hours of hike from Lukla, I decided to stay at Phakdin for the night. Those macho porters
eat about 3-4 rounds of this Dal Bhat...........da core energy.
Actually I was the only guest that day. The owner (the 3rd man from your left) told me that
now(Dec.) is the slow season with the most stable weather. during busy season, trekkers have to "Race" to the next village
as soon as they wake up, for there are limited number of lodges and too many trekkers around..............now is the time,
future trekkers!!
On the 2nd day, on the way, I heard loud Tibetan pray session and was invited to join the funeral
ceremony. The family member told me that they asked monks to come to the house and to send the dead's soul
to heaven safe and sound. The monks stay 10 days praying everyday for hours and hours.
No, they are not smoking big, it's Tibetan Horn. They are drinking Yak butter tea and
let me try some..........ah, the taste were better than typical ones I had in Tibet, but a half cup was enough. I need
more practice
Yak butter lamps. The room is filled with the butter's smell that is kind of soothing if you
get acquired.
Vegetable fried rice for lunch
Taken at a local eatary's kitchen. Like the grandma piercing nose like cows...
Bridge like this is everywhere, can't remember how many went through. When porters or yaks
come from the opposite side of the bridge.......good luck
At the end of 2nd day of the trek, after the steep hike, finally arrived at Namche Bazar.
So exhausted that early mountain sickness came up and decided to get acclimatized by staying here 2 nights.
Dal Bhat with meat curry for the dinner at Hotel Namche. This one tasted the best throughout
the trip, well worth the money (300RS=aroud$4)....
150RS=about$2/night room. This village is the last place where you can send e-mail
Sherpa soup and Vegetable chowmein for.......breakfast. Yes, human need to eat most at breakfast.
The view from above the Namche, the acclimatization program
Namche receives electricity from nearby village's water power plant so that there is even pizza restaurants
using the abundant electricity for their huge electric oven to bake.
After 2 nights at Namche, heading for Tengboche in a cloudy morning.
Lunch at Phunki Thanga. (150RS)=about$2
Kantega (6685m), human never be able to summit this. If you look carefully, it looks like a
dog crouching on the right and a monky scratching his head on the left.......
Finally Tengboche. Can you see the golden Mt. Everest on the left top? Just like the
hike of Namche, Tengboche also has a steep hike, making trekkers altitude sickness including me......Treatment plan includes;
Acclimatization day, deep breath meditation, forceful eating, sufficient sleep and chiropractic care.
Part of the treatment plan, Sherpa stew at Trekker's Lodge in Tengboche.
Tibetan Tengboche monastery with Mt. Everest in the back
Tibetan style solar-powered stove, saw the thing in Tibet two years ago. If you put your hand
close to the center of the stove on the monitor, you will feel warm..........at least I felt it.
Mt. Everest (8850m) on the left and Ama Dablam (6856m) on the right.
Part of the treatment, acclimatization. Tengboche seen on the right lower side. This
mini-sidetrek was about 400m vertical ascend and offered very picturesque view like this
"Mikaeri Yak"
Inside the Trekker's Lodge. Inside, the manager prays with San(special incense for Tibetan
Buddhism) around 7am so that I had to wake up anyway.
Inside the Tengboche monastery. Hmm......I did't know that the Buddha likes Miso soup (seen
on the bottom left)......
Huge Mani wheel. No need to say "Om mani...." because the wheel has the word carved, and spinning
the wheel once is considered the same as saying the word once........very practical way.
Power breakfast.......Rara instant noodle soup (above) of which the noodle is still hard due to low
boiling temp. and Indian Samosa(below)
All stuff members of the Trekker's Lodge and me. I was very touched by their kindness and hospitality,
will be back some other time!
Stupa on the left and Ama Dablam on the right on the way to Dingboche from Tengboche, the 5th day
of the trek
In the mid afternoon, clouds start coming down ahead, better hurry.
Dingboche (4343m). Another altitude sickness came out here so that tomorrow is another
acclimatization day....
On the 6th day, heading to Chukung for the mini-sidetrip as an acclimatization. Around
here are already above the tree line, so the view became harsh and rocky like this.
Baked potato with Yak butter for the lunch at Chukung. Oh, by the way, the mineral water on
the left cost about 10 times more than Kathmandu. 150RS vs. 15RS
Himalaya's secretly famous Kang Leyamu (6430m). Many experienced trekkers told me that
they prefer coming here to overly crowded Kala Patthar.
Look at these fluted wall of Kang Leyamu, never seen mountains like this!! (Above and below are continuation
of the mountain)
Room at Island Peak View Lodge in Dingboche. Here water bottle freezes just by sitting in room
temperature..... have to wrap with blanket to keep it liquid.
Typically, I went to bed around 8-9pm waking up around mid night for the toilet, slept again and
woke up around 3am for another toilet staying awake afterwards. Mine was better off though; some even can't sleep
at all due to altitude sickness.....
Aftermath of the power breakfast of the 7th day to get up to Lobuche (4930m).
A shot with Mr. Miyamoto(far right) and his Japanese speaking guide. He gave me Diamox for
the altitude sickness, and it helped me a lot. He comes to the Everest area all the time, well experienced trekker.
Thanks for the help, Miyamoto-san, hai!
Beautiful Cholatse (6440m) on the top left.
Tomb for the sherpas who have died at the Mt. Everest attempts in the past.
Pumori (7145m) on the left. It is hard to explain, but the view since this point on the
picture became silver shining looking. If you come here, you know what I mean though.....come to Nepal.
After arrived at Lobuche, I decided to cerebrate for coming here without major problems so far.
I ordered pizza that is the most expensive dish (350RS)..... and this is it.
Preparing to start trekking on the 8th day to Gorak Shep (5140m), the last and the highest lodge
in this area.
"Oh, man I don't wanna go up this hill", the voice of a young porter on the left...
"I'm a professional porter and know what I am doing", the voice of a man on the left.
The last part of the trek to Gorak Shep has a glacier passing seen on the picture. It looks
like going through moraine (above), but if you see carefully there are evidence of glacier (below). The glacier is constantly
moving so that the trail changes every year.....
The last steep hill to Gorak Shep.
Gorak Shep (5140m), consists of only 2 lodges of settlement. Pumori (7161m) on the left and
Kala Patthar (5545m) that is brown looking hill in front of Pumori.
Almost to the Kala Patthar. The hike from Gorak Shep is about 400m vertical ascend, and one
footstep required me to take a deep full breath for at least 3 times to be able to make a next step.
Famous view from the top of Kala Patthar on the 9th day of the trek(Dec.28,2005) at around 4pm.
Mt. Everest (8850m) on the left and Nuptse (7855m) on the right. Nuptse looks higher, but it is due to the closeness.
Mt. Everest on the right.
Top of Kala Patthar on the left with Pumori in the sunset. I put prayer flags bought in Tibet
2 years ago on top of Kala Patthar. During busy season (Oct. through Nov. and March), this place is filled with
people, waiting in line for long time to take turns to take picture at the top........
After the sunset, the sky suddenly became purple-silver curtain and the view brightened like this
pic, what a surprise.
Mr. Shigeo Osawa, 82 years old Japanese man, who has been coming to Gorak Shep every year for
the past 26 years, was preparing his 27th swim in the frozen lake here. He does on the Jan. 1st for the year's peace
and hapiness through the world. He is also famous for his volunteer plantation of Fuji apple trees in the Himalayas
so that everybody here knows about and respect him; always some local people voluntarily hire an expensive horse or yak for
his ride. He told me lots of stories I could never hear otherwise and inspired me. His creased face
with diamond-like shiny eyes that were brighter than any was registered in my brain forever along his words. After
the trek, on the taxi I took in Kathmandu when I fly back to US, a taxi driver told me that he read a newspaper saying that
Mr. Osawa succeeded his swim for this year.
And this is the hole for his swim in progress.....
Morning light on the 11th day at Dzongla. This day was the toughest, for glacier crossing of
Cho La pass was there. At Dzongla's lodge, there were a tour group who came from opposite side the day before and people
told me detail route for the easiest/safest way. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to make it on my own.......
"Keep it to the left, keep it to the left, avoid the glacier", rephrasing the teaching from the last
night.
The danger zone; this glacier hill requires you to be a pseudo-rock climber whether or not you want,
and I was pretending like a spider man here telling to the self, "Hook your left hand to the edge of ice, and slide your body
on ice not forgetting to hook your right foot to another edge of ice while sliding.....and if you miss, you slide down all
the way...."
Prayer flags=top of the pass!!
The edge of the glacier just passed.
Looking back after going down the Cho La pass to the Gokyo side. I was already looking up about
45 degrees to take this picture, and the picture still looks steep.... unbelievable steepness.
At the end of the 11th day, arrived at Tashi Friendship lodge in Tagnag through the Cho La pass (5420m).
The 12th day, finally saw the Gokyo village(4790m) ,hiking from Tagnag for 3 hours. Gokyo
peak (on top of the hill on the left) is visible.
Momo for lunch. Then as the last acclimatization for tomorrow to Gokyo peak, I start heading
to the Gokyo 5th lake.
This frozen Gokyo 3rd lake always makes deep base sound never heard of. Nothing sounds like
it.... come to Nepal, my friend.
Cho Oyu View Lodge where I stayed. 50RS/night
Walking towards Cho Oyu (8153m)
Cho Oyu on the right. The other side of the mountain is already Tibet.
Mt. Everest from near Gokyo 5th lake
The 13th day of the trek, January 1st 2006, the new year's day. I headed for the Gokyo peak.
On the way to Gokyo peak, a lazy yak was laying like watching TV on sofa or something like that....
looks so comfortable.
The view of Mt. Everest from Gokyo peak (5360m).
Burning-like sunset of the Everest. To see this, I was waiting at the top of Gokyo peak for
3 hours listening music, eating munches, taking pictures, stretching body, etc. I should have come here little later....
14th day was the downhill day. From Gokyo, I went down all the way to Namche (it is usually
2 day trek down) because I was desperate for the electric-heated hot shower that I haven't taken since the last
time in Namche.... 12 days ago. It took about one full hour to wash top to bottom, clean. That moment was called
enlightenment.
Hotel Namche and a street in front.
After taking about 1 hour of heavenly electric unlimited hot shower, this is the dinner. Ox
steak with garlic, rice and Dal soup. These were another heaven in mouth.
15th day, the washing day, breakfast of overly artificial looking custard pudding, eggs and pancake
with honey.
For the lunch, mushroom pizza that was fresh baked in oven. Unbelievably tasty.
On the 16th day, before checkout at Hotel Namche, realizing that I spent a lot for foods, I sold
my CD walkman to the hotel staff ending up covering all the expenses plus some cash.
Noodle soup at Boudhanath. After the trekking, I went back to Kathmandu and met Ryo, a Japanese
friend I've met in Litang, Tibet 2 years ago. Then we went to Boudhanath together because of its Tibetan cultural
consentration, yes we are like iron attracted by the magnet of Tibet.
Boudhanath stupa. "Mandala" is actually a view of the stupa from above the sky, and "Stupa"
is a representation of a human mind complex, like that of Freud. There are deep meaning to these, but I did not know
until recently...
Dinner at The Japanese restaurant "Itta" in Thamel with friends from the same guesthouse and the
Everest trekking.
Oh, my, my. Not-on-the-menu Bento box (250RS=about$4) I had for the dinner. After 17
days in the mountain, this food was an enlightenment.
Other friends eating Tempura and Katsudon...... hmm.....both are very nice choice too.
Everest Beer. During the trekking, not a single sip of alcohol was consumed into my stomach.
Now is the time..... free your mind
Ryo, with his cool Tibetan Chuba jacket. I was looking for the jacket in Boudhanath but
no luck. His Jacket is from Amdo, the central Tibet. Tibet is calling me again.....
In front of a guesthouse with friends before the taxi to the airport. I had a lot of fun with
them in Kathmandu though it was only 2 days, thanks all, see you some other time somewhere!!
The end of Nepal trip with Boeing777's engine. Scary if look up close.
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