EVEREST TREK : DAY 10

Day 10. Namche to Tengboche

Tuesday 19 March

We both wakened at 5 am, Moira said it was somebody's alarm going off that disturbed her. It turned out to be the alarm on my watch that was the culprit, it had somehow got set. We both read until 6 am then got up and packed. We went for an early breakfast and were on our way by 7:30 am.

Everest, just at the back

Out of Namche it was the same climb as yesterday, the tough uphill through the streets. At the end of the town instead of the uphill track that we climbed to the view point we turned right and followed the contour path that was back on the course of the Dudh Kosi. It was undulating but nothing taxing and we made good time. As happened yesterday suddenly we came round a bend to be presented with the whole Himalayan panorama in crystal clear sunlight and in glorious CinemaScope. All the way I kept photographing this magnificent spectacle especially Ama Dablam which was becoming my favourite mountain. Each turn in the path gave a different and intriguing aspect of this white pyramid of rock. 

Ama Dablam

Ama Dablam Lodge

We stopped at Kenjoma for a cup of tea and a Mars bar. While sitting absorbing the scenery a large tour party arrived. They were English but just ignored us. After our break we set before this tour group. The path continued on an easy profile until it dropped sharply down to the village of Phunke Tenga which we could see down by the river since our tea break. It was a long way down on a rocky winding path then over the Dudh Kosi by a suspension bridge. Below the waters churned white as they cascaded over the rocks. On the other side of the bridge we stopped for another cup of tea before the climb to Tengboche. We had a lump of yak cheese with our drink, we had bought more gcheese in Namche yesterday. While sitting in the warm sunshine a yak train passed down the street in front of us. These were real yaks with long hairy coats that nearly touched the ground. The ones we though to be yaks were probable a cross with cows. 

Hairy Yaks

I thought it was to be an easy climb after our break but it was very steep at first then steady once we cleared the tree line. A notice before dropping to Phunke Tenga said two hours to Tengboche but when we stopped for a break in a clearing about halfway up to admire the mountains, Brin said there was still an hour to go. Other than the hold up for yaks we kept a slow steady pace. I speeded up when I saw a communication mast at the top of the hill, it was the village of Tengboche.

The lodge wasn't far from the village entrance gate and was basic but all right. We dumped our bags in our room, changed and quickly went down for a late lunch, it was 2 pm. We had bowls of soup and that made us feel better. After our lunch we went to our room and lay on our beds in sleeping bags to relax and read. Brin came round and asked if we would like to go to the Buddhist monastery for a visit. We arranged to go at 4 pm.

Tengboche

Luckily we wrapped up well for the visit as there was some sort of ceremony on. Once the monks all paraded in the visitors followed and after taking off our shoes were seated on rugs around the outside of the central area where all the monks were seated. There was lots of chanting and repeating of mantras accompanied by ringing of bells, banking of drums and the blasting horns like vuvuvelas.  While we were sitting freezing on the cold floor the monks were served with tea at regular intervals. After their third serving of tea and 45 minutes on the cold floor we got up and left. I was worried about being disrespectful and later apologised to Brin, he said it was no problem. Other people in the lodge who attended the service also left early, seemingly it was going on for more than 2 hours. Anyway we had to be back at the lodge to order dinner before 5:30 pm.

We had potatoes and vegetables on one plate and spaghetti with cheese and tomato on the other. It was our normal procedure now and we shared each plate between us. They had the fire going in the dining room and it was quite warm so we stayed there and played at cards for an hour before heading to bed. It was a very cold night and luckily Brin had managed to get some duvets for us, he also supplied me with an extra mattress. We both slept well, there wasn't any noise. 

TODAY'S MAGNIFICENT MOUNTAIN SCENERY