EVEREST TREK : DAY 23

Day 23.  Bupsa to Nunthala.

Monday April 1.

Beautiful rhododendron

This trip is turning into a nightmare I had cramp in my tummy and I felt sick from the food last night, when I woke up. We are both started coughing again in the lodges I think due to the smoke. We wish we were home.

At breakfast Moira ordered toast, which should be easily digestible but it was soggy mass of dough which she couldn't eat. I just had coffee, I couldn't even face porridge. Before leaving I once again told Brin in no uncertain terms that I wanted lodges, no matter the cost, that had well heated dining rooms. Now he informs us that the lodges from here to Jiri don't have stoves in the eating areas.

Luckily the first half of today's walk was downhill. It was a steep hour's descent to Kharikhola, I took it slow and steady. I was feeling sick and terrible the whole way down. Through the long string of houses and lodges that made up Kharikhola the track followed a contour line before climbing to the Gompa at the top of the hill. We stopped there for a cup of tea, all I could face was black tea, not even a Bounty bar.

From this pass it was more steep downhill for 1.5 hours to Jubling before the suspension bridge over the Dudh Kosi. As we descended we heard a distinctive tap tapping which I though might be a woodpecker but then it may have been someone joking, it was April Fool's Day. There was no mistaking the bird we heard later, the sound of our first cuckoo. When coming up the tea house at the bridge hadn't had milk for the tea, so we had continued to Jubling then for our refreshment. This time we stopped at Jubling before reaching the bridge, though this time I didn't want milk in my tea. 

Once over the suspension bridge I didn't know how I would fair on the long steep climb to come. I had taken a pain killer with my tea earlier and this seemed to be beginning to take effect. I was beginning to feel better and managed the uphill quite well. It was long and steep and relentless. This section to Tacksindu La was the equivalent on this return trip to the ascent of Lamjura La going out, a double Munro. Again we were only going halfway up to Nanthala.

There was a tea house after an hour's walk and we stopped for lunch. I had a Bounty bar with a cup of tea and Moira ordered vegetable soup. The soup was disgusting, Moira described it as heated dish water with grass. The tea I think used the same water. Moira sent back the soup and we headed off once I forced my tea down.

The climb was relentless and seemingly never ending. We met an Australian lad coming down and we asked how far to the top, Oh, hours away, but there is a village just ahead, he told us. The just ahead was the same as Brin's, near not far. There was a big slope to go up and then it was only the start of Nunthala, our lodge was at the other end of a long strung out village.

We had stayed here on the way down, there were three beds in the room and I pinched the extra mattress for my bed. I went to bed straight away, I was dead and soon sleeping. Moira went to dinner at 6:30 pm and had Sherpa stew which she said was nice but I stayed in bed. She brought me back a cup of coffee which I had with a Mars bar. I couldn't face any of their food. I read for a bit and then got off to sleep, and slept quite well.