Trek Day Six

18.01.10 – 5.45pm (12.04pm UK)

I think I’ll give up commenting on when & where the next blog update will be uploaded. Having arrived at Dingboche guess what? The man with the key isn’t here…! Apparently that’s it now until we stop off at Namche Bazaar for lunch on the decent & I can’t remember what day that is – but I guess you’ll know because all of a sudden there’ll be days & days of blog info to read through!

The internet points from here on are only open in high season – which isn’t now – so my hopes to connect at ‘the highest internet café in the world’ at Gorak Shep have been dashed. Nevermind. On with today.

The usual 7.00am-9.00am schedule ensued this morning. We’re all getting really streamlined with our yak bag preparation in the morning now – so much though that we’ve got the ‘squeezing every last moment out of being in our nice warm sleeping bags’ off to a tee. This was particularly useful this morning as last night was one of the coldest so far, & they’re only going to get colder now as we approach our goal. Even the barrel in the loo with the water for flushing in it had a thick layer of ice on it when we went to use it this morning.

Today was a seven hour trek with only 2 stops – one for fluid at about 10.45am, the other for lunch at about 12.30pm. We started walking downhill along a very cold, very enclosed tree lined path which was barely concealed ice most of the way. There was a very cold wind too, so everyone had their warm hats on. I couldn’t help but feel we were undoing all the hard work of our uphill trek of yesterday, but it was necessary to get down to the bridge to cross the valley. After about 45 minutes we broke out into glorious sunshine & the temperature changed immediately. Although not ‘hot’, it was quite pleasant & we continued, now uphill, to regain the height lost by the start out.

It wasn’t long before we again split into groups & for some reason most found today a hard day – harder than normal – with many complaining of tiredness. A few of us have suffered with altitude sickness, a few a finding it just hard going & a few are struggling to sleep – which is a killer when you consider the massive exertion each day.

Out of all the mountains we have seen during our journey, the most picturesque by far – & one many of you would recognise if you saw it – is Amadablam. It’s a very distinctive looking mountain, but today we travelled around its perimeter & it totally changed its appearance! It was amazing. It now, as we look at it from our new dwellings, bears no resemblance to its former shape at all. It’s now no longer our favourite!

After a hearty lunch, we trekked on towards our next stop, Dingboche, which is where we will stay until Wednesday morning.

We arrived ahead of schedule, at 3.00pm, & were greeted with the customary cup of black tea. Many of the group have taken to drinking it at mealtimes actually, but for me it’s a no no. I’m just a bit too set in my ways – I’ve tried it & I’ll have the free one, but that’s as far as it goes!

Dingboche sits at 4260m (14,000ft), which is 400m (1320ft) higher than yesterday. The lodge seems nice – basic, as the others, but nice – & wait for it… it has a sitter loo! There was great excitement at this & suddenly everyone was desperate to go!

Tomorrow is a ‘day off’ to acclimatise. So, true to form, we’ll be leaving at 8.30am for a 2 hour trek to 5100m (16,830ft) which, if you do the maths, is an 840m (2,830ft) climb! We’ve seen it – & yes, it’s every bit as daunting as it sounds…

We’ll get back in time for lunch & then the afternoon will be our own… it is our rest day you know! I’ll let you know how we get on.

Anyway, back to today. After finding our rooms – & the sitter – some went off for a bit of an explore while others availed of the ‘facilities’ & spare time before dinner to wash hair/shave/unpack/prepare bedding/have a nap. Dinner was served at 6.30pm & for some, bedtime followed shortly after! I think the latest anyone has been in bed all trek is 9.30pm – the earliest 7.00pm. The days are just so gruelling, sleep is very welcome.

Well, it’s nearly my bedtime, so I’ll love you & leave you & catch up with you ‘tomorrow’. Night night.