EVEREST TREK : DAY 3

Day 3. Sete to Junbesi

Tuesday 12 March

The Danish couple that arrived at the lodge last night hadn't taken the bus on the section from Jiri to Shavalaya but walked it, faster than the bus. They continued to Deorali for the night then to Sete yesterday, all in two days. 

It was cold last night and I had to wear my track suit bottoms in bed. I had managed to get an extra mattress for my bed and it was nice and comfortable, giving me a good night's sleep. The weather was looking very nice when we went down for breakfast, blue skies over the snowy tops. We wore our boots today, Brin said there would be a lot of snow to go through.

Early morning view of the mountains

The route was very tough today and the higher we got the thinner the air and the harder it got. To distract us from the strain and the heavy breathing the views were magnificent with snowy ridges and peaks all around. This wasn't the high Himalayas, so there is better still to come. A lot of the route climbed through pine woodland and bright red rhododendron bushes, through the trees there were always enticing glimpses of the snowy tops. The Canadian couple passed us early on and we didn't see them again until our lunch break just before the pass. The Danish pair, Katrine and Peter, overtook us next but we kept meeting them again at tea houses where they seemed to be always having a break then catching us again. 

Our guide Brin

At an extremely steep section I could see a lodge through the trees. I pushed on and it was a struggle, I thought it was the top. The Danes were there having tea and the guy said there was still 200 metres to go. Unfortunately it wasn't in distance but in height. Brin confirmed this and said it was another 45 minutes to the top. I had to give Moira the bad news when she got there, we had left her behind as she wanted to take it slow and easy. The place was Goyam and it was another very steep section to the Himalayan Lodge where we met the French group who were having lunch. They had spent last night a half hour's walk after Sete.

The snow is getting close

From the lodge it was much easier as the track followed the contour of the hill. It was through snow and mud and we were glad we had taken Brin's advice and put our boots on. Big peaks were now visible behind the ridge and pass, they were sparkling white in the reflected sunlight, our first view of the really high ones. We stopped at a restaurant just before Lamjura La, Numbur View Lodge.where we had chicken broth for a change.

It was still half an hour to the actual pass and when we got there an Australian couple were busy having lunch, Dhal Bhat, the Nepali staple of vegetable curry, rice and lentil soup to pour over the rice. They were from Perth but had come out from the UK, Blackburn, 25 years ago. They had definitely lost their Lancashire accent and sounded very Aussie. Now over the top the scenery change the beautiful views of the snowy peaks disappeared and it was just tree cover slopes with a dark ridge running round like an amphitheatre. The descent was very steep at first with the track winding its way though trees. It soon eased and it a dropped gently to a wide valley with plenty of lodges and tea houses along the route, but none very attractive. Although  now gentle in descent it was very rocky and tiring on our legs. The air was presumably getting thicker but it wasn't immediately noticeable.

The high peaks are becoming nearer

Coming up to the pass it was Moira that struggled but now she was strong and I was feeling the pressure. We think we weren't eating enough and made a plan to have a good feed tonight. Brin kept encouraging me by saying it wasn't far to go, just round behind the next hill. When we got round the hill Junbesi could now be seen but it was still a long way down to where it nestled on the valley floor. There was nothing to do but keep going and Moira seemed to be taking part in a race, I struggled to keep with her.

At last Brin led us to our accommodation for the night. It was a bit better than the previous ones and there was heating in the dining room. The Danes, Peter and Katrine, the Italians, Rita and Franco, and the Canadians were there and the English/Aussies arrived later. A few other people were staying that we hadn't seen before and we assumed that they had stayed over for a day in Junbesi. We had a shower, Moira's hot, mine warm then made our way to the dining room which was as promised wonderfully hot. We had a good dinner comprising, fried noodles with cheese and tomato, a cheese omelette, and for sweet, apple pie. We both felt much better after a good filling meal.

Our lodge at Junbesi