Nov 24, 2011

EBC BBC News Article

Our story made it onto BBC Asia's news!  Here is the article written about our "rescue."
 

BBC News Asia
7 November 2011 Last updated at 05:48 ET
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-15617567

Trekkers stranded by bad weather on Everest rescued
Hundreds of tourists and Nepalis who were stranded for days in the foothills of Mount Everest are being rescued as bad weather eases, officials say.

About 2,000 foreign trekkers and Nepalese guides and porters were stuck when poor weather halted flights in the area last week. The Tenzing-Hillary airport in Lukla is the gateway for trekkers wishing to scale the world's highest peak.

About 20 packed flights took off from the airport on Monday, one report said.

Lukla is a small airport with only one runway and limited space for planes.

Nevertheless, more than 500 trekkers had already arrived in Nepal's main airport in Kathmandu by mid-morning, a manager at the airport told the Associated Press news agency.

The government was leading the evacuation and some private helicopters are also involved in the rescue effort.

"It has been misty and cloudy for the whole week, but everyone has been fantastic keeping us fed and giving water," UK tourist Megan Freese told AP.

But correspondents say that many tourists had been crammed into overflowing hotels and food was running out.

Some Nepalese guides slept outdoors as tourists took up all the spare capacity at hotels.

Last year a similar bout of bad weather stranded tourists for about 15 days, resulting in a severe food crisis.

Thousands of tourists visit the Everest region during the peak season in the latter part of the year.
Nepal has eight of the world's 14 highest peaks including Mount Everest, which stands at 8,848 metres (29,029 feet).

EBC: Day 19 & 20

EBC Trek Day 19: Still in Lukla. Planes start flying today!


It is now the 8th day I have been stranded in Lukla, Nepal due to bad weather. The boys from the U.S flew out yesterday on Tara airlines, but my airline, Agni Air, had fewer planes so I am still here.  After the airport closed for the night, I struggle at the airport ticket office to have my name put again on the flight waiting list, then head straight to the only bar in town to "celebrate" another night in Lukla with Barry and the others left behind. 



"Celebrating"


EBC Trek Day 20: Still in Lukla.  Planes have been flying for 1 day!

Waiting...
I wake up before sunrise, stuff the few things I have back into my pack and spend the morning in the airport, tired and hungover, trying to get a coveted spot on a departing plane.

Everyone wants onto the next flight...survival of the fittest!


I fly out of Lukla at 12:42pm on the third Agni air flight from Lukla to Kathmandu!
Getting on the plane to Kathmandu!



Email to my dad (edited): November 8, 2011

"I am in Kathmandu and showered and about to go eat a giant dinner and have some fruit and then sleep in a good bed NOT wearing everything I own...I will start looking for flights home tomorrow, am quite worn out by the day...Love, anna"

EBC: Day 18

Day 18: Still in Lukla. No planes have flown out in 7.5 days due to bad weather

Email sent to my family November 7, 2011 (in the morning):


"Hi all!!!! Woke thus morning as per usual, pushed the curtains of my room aside and GASP!!!! Clear! Perfect skies. Then the airport siren went off indicating an incoming plane!!!!!
Planes have been flying out all morning! The military sent a helicopter but rumor has it is $700 or 800 to get on it. I have been told I have a good chance to fly out today... Still waiting on details if I get a flight... 

I am so happy. I watched the planes fly in for an hour this morning and every time one lifted off my heart lifted :) People are running to the airport with bags, and when u see someone in the street u have been stuck with for days you smile and hug or high five!

And there is SUN! I haven't seen sun in 7 days. And it is warm. It has been below zero everyday and no places have heat so u try to find places with many ppl to sit because it is warmer.
Stoked to see blue skies and planes!
:)
planes!!!!!!!!
Yeah!
Yesterday only 2 planes flew... 1 in the morning and 1 around 4:30pm in 2 windows of clearing that quickly fogged over. But the SUN is out today!!!! No more fog!

Will keep u updated! Maybe my next email is from kTM????
Love,happy anna"


No Agni planes or person at the desk, but the mob crowds anyway

First thing in the morning...bags stacked everywhere and ready to go





Email sent to family November 7, 2011 (in the evening)

"Didn't make it today onto a flight. I have had a long day in the airport and don't really want to talk about it. But people are angry and thier were fights breaking out in the mob infront of the Agni air office trying to confirm tickets when nepalese tried to cut in line infront of tourists. The police / military eventuallly had to come. I have some on video. It is chaos here. But, I have a flight "confirmed " for tomorrow if the weather is good. 
Wish me luck....Anna"



EBC: Day 17

Day 17: Still in Lukla. No planes have flown out in 6.5 days due to bad weather

Email sent to family: November 6, 2011:

"Hi all! Day 6 and the weather is starting to clear! Last night around 4:30 you could actually see the runway and the mountain side... For half an hour. the fence around the airport was lined with hundreds of people just watching. And the incredible happened! one plane took off to cheering from the crowd!!!However, the clouds closed in again and a report came back that the plane had to made an emergency landing between here and KTM because of the low visibility.

Planes don't fly after 5 pm here or before 6 am. I asked why and my guide ( a few days ago when he was still here) said its because it's dark. 
I said, " don't the planes have lights?" 
he said yes, but they are usually not working LOL.

Today is the clearest it's been all week... I can see a mountain in the distance! Planes will definitely fly today. The thing is, I am low priority on the list to get out: first priority are ppl that have flights actually scheduled to leave today (since Trekkers continue to arrive from down the mountain). Then, rumor has it, either ppl who were supposed to fly out on the 31st, ppl who can still make international flights and ppl who I'm sure have power/influence/throw money around. There all kinds of tourists here, but most are over 40 and rich. And let me tell you, to have all ppl here be in the same boat with no influence or money to make a difference... Well... Let's just say ppl were very upset and making many loud speeches about the difference between third world countries and first world countries. 

K! Going to the airport!!!! I hear a plane I think!!!!!!
And don't worry about me... We are really not running out of food. Restaurants are out of meat and some out of eggs but no one is going without."

EBC: Day 16

Day 16: Still in Lukla. No planes have flown in or out in 5.5 days due to bad weather

Email sent home November 5, 2011:

"Hi all,
No flights or helicopters yesterday. Today still storming, but there is a rumor it might clear on Monday. Our plight apparently is making the news around the world... I read one article from the Washington post. The info is a bit wrong though... No one is sleeping in the airport because the gate to the door is chained shut. Most guides and porters have left town to be with their families. Some have set up tent towns waiting for their clients to fly in from Kathmandu to start treks.


People wait for the Agni Air office to hopefully open          
The airline offices have stopped opening regularly because ppl are upset so there are regular crowds that are standing in front of the offices at all hours. My money situation is okay now. I almost started crying when I found out my credit card does not work in any card reader in all of Lukla. But the guys from the US loaned me some cash. They officially missed their flights yesterday so we celebrated our misery by splurging on a bottle of Nepalese rum, Pringles, and a Toblerone.



Comfort food: chocolate and booze.
We hit up the Irish bar in town (where a can of Guinness is 750 rupees= $10!) and there were only 5 of us there because no one can afford to drink. On the "bar" there is a laptop where u can play songs so I made a playlist of Journey and Queen and Guns&Roses, got them to turn on the flashing lights over the "dancefloor" and rocked out. Lol. Until 9 pm, though because that is my teahouses' curfew so to bed.

The ongoing joke is that we are stuck in the movie Groundhog Day, because everyday is the same.


Here is my routine:
6 am wake up... Check out the weather. Storming. Back to bed.


7 am wash underwear for day-after-tomorrow wear in toilet water (the bucket of water I use to flush waste down the toilet).     Groom. 

Put on same clothes as yesterday, hoping underwear is dry.

8 am go to coffee shop for Internet and cup of coffee. One US guy meets me here, the other sleeps in till 11 usually.


10 am boiled egg and bread for breakfast


10 - 5 pm play card games. Big pot of tea.


5pm plain spaghetti with boiled cabbage and tomato for dinner



6 - 9 pm play more cards or scrabble on US guy's ipad (if charged)
9 pm bed


last year when ppl got stuck here with bad weather, after 8 days the Nepalese government sent military helicopters. There is talk that the military are going to come again and rescue us. People are even joking about starting to line up now.


FYI, the price of a private helicopter ride is now $3500 for 4 people to KTM.


Love you guys, hope you don't mind my rambling emails...Anna "

EBC Journal: Day 15

Day 15: Still in Lukla. No planes have flow in or out in 4.5 days

Journal Entry November 4, 2011

A.M: Still cloudy. Got email from dad last night that he will cancel or reschedule my flight home for me. Re-did my budget and realized I did not take into account the days I ALREADY spent in Lukla, which means, minus my room, I only have 420 Rs/day to spend on food to last 3 days and 3 nights.

Couldnt sleep last night so took the coldest bucket wash ever using my toilet water. After I washed my hair in the bucket--it was so cold I had to stop twice to hold my hands on my head to stop the ice cream headache. After I realized I was involuntarily crying. I have to find $ today--use my visa or something. Tomorrow I will be unable to afford to get a coffee = no internet :( No planes this a.m which means the guys are still here at least. One of the US guys tried to download Kitten Mittens Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia for me last night--I was feeling pretty down--but it was downloading at 1/2 mb/sec.

At "Starbucks"now--Internet is not working :( Rotator cuff man is still here = no helicopters flying today. Lukla is officially full--people have to hike back to the closest town for rooms 1 hour away or continue down to the next town 5 hours away. People are sleeping in tents and in guesthouse dining halls. I think today I will learn gin rummy. Tonight I also want to get pissed--will have to borrow $ from the boys to drink. The departures gate of the airport was actually chained up this morning. LOL This is a nightmare. Things that would make this better: having money. Having clean clothes. Sun?
If wasnt for the boys I dont know what I would do...I guess I would trade $ and cleanliness for good company anyday--I guess that is why I couldnt sleep last night--If they fly out today I am trapped here alone.

Email sent to boyfriend (edited): November 4

"...It does not look like I will get out of here until maybe Monday but I don't know...I don't have enough money to make a call or use proper Internet so I can do nothing from here. I can't even buy a coffee anymore so am hanging around outside a coffee shop now stealing Internet...tomorrow I will try to find out if I can find a shop that might take visa and bribe them to change visa dollars for rupees... With the cost of the room, I am down to $5 a day for food, which buys some boiled eggs and some bread that I can put peanut butter I bought earlier on on. I can survive 3 days like this then am Completely broke.
I miss you. Xo.Anna"

EBC Journal: Day 14

Journal Entry Day 14: Still in Lukla. No planes have flown in or out in 3.5 days
Cold and foggy streets

View of the runway

AM: no flights yet. Worse weather today :( I am actually LAST priority it turns out now. Sent an email home inquiring for help on canceling/ rebooking my flight home. People here are getting anxious. Many are starting the walk to Jiri. Rumor is that the hike is 5-6 days, 8 hours a day and is not downhill, but up to 3500m and down again! The rumor mill here is bad and mostly bad news. When the planes start flying there is going to be a BIG problem because of all the people here now waiting to get out.





People are still arriving from treks and desperately looking for a room--Im glad I have a room! (even if it smells like a dead animal from the open sewer drain in the bathroom). Today I am wearing damp but clean underwear. Tomorrow...sigh. I hope my underwear dries.

Email sent to family: November 3, 2011

"Hi everyone.
Well... It's day 3 that all planes have been cancelled to and from lukla due to bad weather. If I don't fly today then I will have to postpone my flight home. People keep coming back from thier treks. Tea houses are full. The people scheduled for that days flight get first priority on to the planes, then those that didn't get on 4 days ago and so on so I am last priority now.

Lukla is at 2805m elevation and is a very small mountain town arranged around the tiny airport. Planes take 12 people only. The only way out, aside from the planes is a 5 day hike down to a town called jiri then a 12 hour bus ride to KTM. Alternatively, 4 people can hire a helicopter to fly to ktm. Yesterday they were $400/ person but everyday they get more expensive. Yesterday 4 took off but at least 1 came back due to low visibility.

It sucks here. It is cold and damp due to all the surrounding clouds. No sun. There is no bank or ATM so I am trying to save as much ad I can just in case.... I have enough to live for 5 days then after that.... Well, hopefully I'm out by then!!! 

My room is just a bed and I have an "attached bathroom "thAt is just a toilet really. There is no running water, so I flush by pouring a bucket into it. There is no heating here in any place... Just stoves in the dining halls that they light only at night, on request lol. Breakfast is eggs and fried bread, lunch ramen noodle soup, dinner rice and boiled cabbage and carrots and a soup of a type of lentils called dahl. I also have the option of fried ramen noodles with boiled veg or momos or spaghetti with chopped up tomatoes and boiled veg. Lol 

I am sitting in a fake "starbucks" where I can get free wifi and nice coffee.... It is my treat. I tried getting chocolate cake yesterday but the cream was rancid and I still had to pay for it which was very disappointing. All I do all day literally is play cards with 2 guys from the US who are jehovahs witnesses. I was commenting that I regretted not bringing a book, so one of them gave me thier bible... So, I have been Reading the bible. I have finished the first part so far... 

I haven't washed in over 10 days. I have 1 wet wipe left actually, which is a problem if I don't leave today! I would have to pay the equivalent to 1 nights board to get a bucket of hot water, which I totally would do at this point but it is so cold that nothing dries so I would have cold wet hair for days. I washed my quick dry underwear 2 days ago ( I am out of clean underwear) and they are still wet. So yes, I am currently wearing wet underwear. I also have been wearing the same 2 set of clothes Since nov 21, the same clothes I hiked in. They are smelly and dusty and very dirty. So another reason not to bucket shower because my clothes are so dirty. Lol.

People are really freaking out here. Seriously, there is palpable tension as more people keep coming and are stuck without knowing when and if they can leave. The first plane that comes in I think might get mobbed.

Weather report for Kathmandu says rain till sat. Weather report for lukla is funny cause it says 50% chance of rain/ snow for everyday into future. 

I am in a town surrounded by a cloud that won't lift. And feel like I am in a Stephen king novel....anyone read "the mist"?
A person beside me is having the conversation that they are spending a week "vacation "in lukla and it is cold and disgusting and they wished they never came to everest and all their clothes are wet so they don't know if they can do the walk to jiri and they must be a dr because they had to cancel all of thir patients next week 
K I have to go... Save the battery on the iPod! Lots of love!...Anna "

EBC Journal: Day 13

Journal Entry Day 13: Still in Lukla. No planes have flow in or out in 2.5 days



Celebrating the end of our trip
Went to the Irish Pub last night with the British and the U.S guys. Played pool badly and danced and was drunk off 3 beers (Fosters LOL ew).













Clouds roll in...doesnt look good

Woke at 5:30am today and the weather was clear--flying out! But by the time 6am rolled around clouds were back in--no flights have flown today (yet?) The British are hiking down to Jiri to catch the bus to Kathmandu. The helicopters have started flying people to Kathmandu--for $400/pp. Otherwise we are stuck. Rooms are filling up and prices are going up on toilet paper and snacks.


The "Starbucks" in Lukla
Going to spend another day in "Starbucks" playing cards and scrabble with the U.S boys likely. Have to conserve $ because no bank or ATM in town. Washed 3 pairs of underwear today in my toilet bucket. Havent washed in 11 days. May do a bucket shower tomorrow, but I dont want to wash my hair because it wont dry and it is very cold here because no sun








The weather gets worse instead of better
P.M: No flights today. Bumped to tomorrow then if no flight tomorrow will be last to fly out. Waited all day with the boys playing cards--learned how to play up and down the river. Will have to check on cancelling my flight to Toronto. Trapped and it is cold and raining and crappy and no ATM. Ive got 5000Rs which will last me 5 days more. I really hope Im not here for 5 more days...

There is a runway here? 

Last on in the airport

Email to family: November 2, 2011
"Hi all! I made it to everest base camp and kalapatar and am back in lukla today waiting to get a flight back to Kathmandu. I am supposed to fly out tomorrow. The weather was beautiful my whole trip but turned yesterday and no flights have been able to come in and out Of lukla most of yesterday and none have left today which is not good. Luckily I have some time before I fly home so I will not be in dire straits if I don't leave tomorrow but I need to get an Indian transit visa it turns out to fly home and it takes at least 1-2 days so the sooner the clouds clear the better!
I love you all and miss you like crazy and am super ready to come home! Xoxoanna"

EBC Journal: Day 12

Journal Entry Day 12
Descending Phakding to Lukla


Hiking to Lukla today--if weather is good, will try to get a flight out today. If not, will have to wait. People were arriving at the teahouse last night, hiking in by headlamps in the dark because of delayed flights due to bad weather. That could have been me when I first got here! I definitely do not pee as much at this lower altitude BTW. Walked the last 45min of yesterday in light rain. I almost gave up in the end but we made it :)

Finished the trek!

Made it to Lukla--10:50am! Still bad weather, no planes have flown either way. Not sure if there will be a room because of the flights not leaving. Im on my last pair of underwear and almost run of toilet paper--I hope I fly tomorrow. Got in just in time though--its now pouring rain!

Too cloudy for planes to fly



P.M: Rumor has it there is 3 feet of snow in Gorek Shep now. No planes flew today.

EBC Journal: Day 11

Journal Entry Day 11:
Descending Nambche Bazar 3440m to Phakding


Today's walking song: Every Morning by Sugar Ray


Hat from Namche Bizarre
I am tired of walking. I cant believe I walked so much uphill on the way here. I have a bit of a cold, which I feel in my lungs when walking uphill. The weather was bad this morning--they say it was raining in Lukla pretty bad. So far the weather has held for the walk down but there has been no sun--it is very cloudy.

Sitting at lunch now--many groups here, obviously not friends. SO glad I did not go in a group!
Asked the girl beside me--going up or down?
She said Up.
"Im going down." I said.
"I know, I can tell." She said.

LOL I hope its not cause Im smelly. Saw people taking pics of the bridges along the way--I remember when that was me! lol. No more of that. Or pics of yaks.



Me: "How far to Phakding?"
Guide: "Almost close!"
Me: "What does that mean?!"

Nov 22, 2011

EBC Journal: Day 10

Journal Entry Day 10
Pheriche 4243m to Nambche Bazar 3440m



Yesterdays word of the day was DOWN because going down is SO much easier than going up! Although there was quite a bit of wind I could breathe way easier. I hiked with Justin and Raleigh--we discussed good food, good beer from the U.S (I need to try Stone's Arrogant Bastard) and what a yeti might look like--they choose a Harry and the Henderson's version while I was more into the Claymation Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer version. And although he tried Raleigh couldnt get Nelly's, "Going Down Down Baby" song stuck in my head!

I persuaded my guide to let me stay at the same lodge as the the guys and it is great! Warm and they play rock music like the Beatles. We played scrabble again last night. This morning waking up isnt so cold and I actually slept the whole night! No more Diamox for me anymore.

Today's plan is to head down to Nambche, about 7 hours walking. And it means going down that terrible hill from Day 2! The guys said they are probably going to sleep in today and run into me later.  Justin is from Long Island and Raleigh is from Minnesota (not Missouri which I mistake accidentally). The bad thing about hiking down is it makes my feet and my knees really sore and if it is loose gravel and small rocks and loose dirt I have to go REALLY slow because I slip. It will be sad to leave the guys but hopefully will catch up with them again. Also sad that yesterday was Matt's Halloween party and I missed it. Okay, time to start the day. I cant wait for chocolate cake or pie at Tyemboche! Im going to make an effort to smile at every single person I see going up today.






Today's walking song: Everybody by Backstreet Boys (a.m), Return to Innocence by Enya (p.m), Last Friday Night by Katy Perry (midday)


The sun is hot and the wind is icy cold, which is nice except I know both are burning me! I am taking big beautiful breaths today--I feel like I could run the rest of the trail. There are evergreen trees again and the air sometimes smells like Christmas. Above 4000m there were just juniper bushes, which smelled sweet when the wind blew the right way. I have to remember to look at the scenery OR walk. Not both! I almost walked off the mountain.



British army at Tembouche
Today's hike was long--but not as bad as yesterday because it was so free and easy to breathe and it was warm in the sun. After having to stop so many times on the way up for people taking up the path coming down or just stopping and taking up the whole path I made a point of staying out of the way for all the people going up. Especially the porters...I dont know how they do it. I tried to smile at all of them and let them know how much farther to the top (many said thanks). Ran into the British at Tembouche--they are staying somewhere else tonight in Nambche :( The U.S boys are hanging out tonight at some bar but I dont know--Im really tired.

EBC Journal: Day 8 & 9

Journal Entry Day 8: 
Lombuche 4930m to Gorak Shep 5140m and Everest Base Camp 5364m

Today's walking song: Shake me Down by Cage the Elephant





The water in my water bottle was completely frozen this morning. Started walking at 6:30am before the sun came up--and thought I actually might not make it due to the cold. I couldn't even hold my trekking pole my hands were so frozen. Every stop was cold and painful, the breath coming in icy and constricted my chest. I really didnt think I would make it to Gorak Shep. Then the sun started to come up and I literally ran toward the patches of it. I met Barry, Raleigh and Justin at the Yeti teahouse and Raleigh, Justin and I walked to Everest Base Camp together (Barry went to Kalapatar). Spent the night playing scrabble on Raleigh's Ipad and eating cookies.

Yeti teahouse
On the way to EBC

EBC!

Journal Entry Day 9
Gorak Shep 5140m to Kalapatar 5545m then descend to Pheriche 4243m

Songs up to Kalapatar:  Last Friday Night by Katy Perry, In One Ear and Right out the Other by Cage the Elephant, I will Survive by Aretha Franklin


There's Everest!
Justin, Raleigh and I mutinied against my guide (who wanted us to leave at 4am) and left at 7:30am to head up to Kalapatar. I just wanted to walk in the sun and not be freezing like yesterday. And although he warned us such a late start would be bad photos and windy etc etc it was awesome! We had our Everest beer at the top and took tonnes of photos (Everest beer #2 because the beer that Justin and Raleigh got for me in Lambouche to drink at the top my guide offered to carry for me and drank it instead).  It was totally worth it.   And now we are done! No where to go but down.  Barry left us this morning to do the pass to Gyoko lakes.
Drinking an Everest beer on Kalapatar...very very fizzy!

 The picture on the can matches!

EBC Journal: Day 7

Journal Entry Day 7
Dingboche 4260m to Lobuche 4930m



Today's song: Dog Days are Over by Florence and the Machine




So hard to breath. Cant keep my chest strap done up on my backpack. Its like a bag over your head. Every step is a focus. Its like walking after running a sprint. And the air is cold which doesnt help. All the cheese now is yak cheese and smells like dirty feet but tastes okay (if you dont smell it--which is hard).

There is snow on the ground here and the rivers have ice on them. There is a chance that in Gorukshep, the next town, there will be no rooms. The problem is that no one will take a reservation for 1 person because they loose $ on food by half so they keep double rooms empty rather than renting to a single person. People also get sick so they many not leave on the date given. If there are no rooms in the town my guide says we rush up the mountain to base camp then back down to here. The British army guys were super nice to offer me the extra bed their group has--which I might have to take. We will set out early tomorrow to try to get there before the other trekkers and hopefully get a room.


My room 
The tea house Im staying in right now SUCKS. Wind is blowing through the walls and it is so cold. The chimney for the stove got blocked up tonight and my room is above the dining hall so my room smells like smokey burning yak poo.











Burning yak poop for fuel

After the chimney gets blocked...yak poop smoke

Cards with Barry, the US guys and the Everest Beer!
Met up with the U.S guys today--they bought an Everest beer for us to drink at the top! :) Tomorrow is up above 5000m. I hope for a good sleep tonight.

EBC Journal: Day 6

Journal Entry Day 6
Dingboche 4260m + Acclimatization Day and Hike to 5000m


Cold and tired
Another crappy nights sleep. Started getting back of the head headache so took Diamox--not because it was that bad but mostly because everyone else is taking it and are surprised Im not LOL peer pressure. One of the side effects is pins and needs in my fingers, which is quite uncomfortable--they feel like they are perpetually defrosting and freezing.

Got up to pee twice last night...seriously, right after I pee I have to pee again!  At night the water to rinse the toilet in the outhouse with is frozen. Starting putting rehydration salts pack in my water--hopefully that helps. The stars last night were incredible--so clear and bright and a million of them.

My toothepaste is so cold it hurts my teeth to brush them! Today my goal is to not get wind or sunburnt and to drink at least 4 L of water. I have definitely NOT been drinking enough.

Today's walking song: Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People

Start of the acclimatization hike 

Top of acclimatization hike

Climbed to about 5000m today. No problems really at the top--windy and short of breath but otherwise good. Had a hard time walking down though because it was loose dirt and rocks/pebbles. Tomorrow its suposed to get even colder at night my guide says. Oh man. Spent the rest of today reading the bible--so far finished Genesis, Exodus and most of Joshua (its a bloody chapter!). Sanmuel is next but skipped ahead to Matthew cause I miss Matt. Having stomach cramps tonight which worries me a bit. Took a gravol--secretly hoping it will knock me out so I can get some sleep


EBC Journal: Day 5

Journal Entry Day 5:
Tyengboche 3867m to Dingboche 4260m


It's cold at night! Frost on the windows now
Its getting colder. Frost on the ground. My camera is going funny. I dont want to drink my water because its so cold! You have to eat really really fast or your food gets icy cold. Only 4 hours of hiking today to get to 4000m.











Sign on the trail
Today apparently I find out if I get AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). If no symptoms today or tomorrow my guide says I dont need to take Dimox. Starting to see people now coming off the mountain--super burnt noses and charred lips. Even now on the way up people have burnt necks and faces. Im putting on 60SPF sunscreen religiously. Wish I brought a sunhat. I put sunblock on the noses of the 2 guys from the U.S this morning because they are only wearing 30 SPF and they are RED.








20 min more of todays' hike left. Im at 4000 something meters. I feel SO slow. Doing up the clasps on my bag takes +++ concentration. The wind is strong and cold but the sun is hot but you can feel it burning you.







Walking with the US guys


Today's walking song: We used to wait by Arcade Fire

Have to cover all skin on face from wind and sun now
Learned I need to cover my face--suffering from windburn on my nose and cheeks from todays acclimatization hike. It is VERY cold here. There is snow in patches and you can see your breath. When the clouds roll through you cant see anything. Everyone at this teahouse is old and German so I spent the evening reading the bible give to me by Justin, one of the guys from the U.S I met last night that are also Jehovah's Witnesses.
I hope they are okay--they were pretty sunburnt and today I met them resting on the trail because they both had bad headaches. Last night they gave me a multi-vitamin, a bible and a Tylenol PM that helped me finally sleep. My guide gave them some advice because they have no guide and I forced some sunscreen on them. Tomorrow is an acclimatization hike--I hike up to 6000m or until I get sick. Then next day Delrukshi. Then Gorek Shep and Base Camp. Then Kalapatar and descend as far as I can---probably back here.

Its really really cold! Geez! I am sleeping with my camera in my sleeping bag tonight so hopefully it works in the morning. My eyes hurt. I need to drink water but it is so cold I dont want to. I pee up here like crazy--I always have to pee. Maybe that is what dehydrates people?
Yak!