Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Had left the windscreens wide open so that sun rays could wake me up before the alarm does. But the alarm won. And was disappoint to look outside. Pretty dull and cant even see the nearby mountain. The day would be flop and yes not Mt Everest today, by the looks of it no Tomm and never. As i will not go ahead. All the euphoria of making it till Namche gone kinda gone. It was depressing weather out there. I just lie on the bed thinking nothing. by 7.30 i had enough of it and thought of to trek till the Everest view hotel any way, as it would be bettor than sitting idle in the room. Push myself out of the bed and get ready. This time barrow an umbrella from the Hotel owner. So that at least i can take some pix on the way. It was to be a couple of hours of trek going up and up and up. go high above the town and at a army camp the soldiers pointed me to the track going way up to the top of the mountain.
Got to the start of it and it was nothing but switch backs and switch backs. Its raining and its cold. Just imagining the whole thing with bright sunlight. Get good top views of the Namche town surrounded by by snow capped mountains with the tips hidden in the fog. Its raining all the way. A group of 4 people pass me. They was also on the way to the Everest view hotel. For today lets just call it the hotel cos there is not going to be an Everest view. After the climb of the stoney switch backs get to to see the SoluKumbhu airfield. Which is rarely used. Prolly the highest airport in the world. It does not even have a black top. See a building high up. Its steep climb up with no steps. The rain gets harder and gets a bit windy. I see the group way above. As i reached the building, it was another hotel named panorama hotel and lot of walk left for the one i am going. Pass by the hotel and now have to walk on the ridge with a drop off on the side of the 3 feet path. Its windy that it almost blows of the umbrella. It such a pain to take photos, taking out the came from inside the rain gear, manage the swaying umbrella and take a pic etc. Miss many pix. After some walk its lil more climb to the hotel which i can see now. Looked pretty nice though. There was a welcome boards saying the height of 3880 meters. Man it was a 440 meter climb in just 2.5 hours!! The guys from the group ahead are already settled there. I went straight to the restaurant and look at the supposed space where Everest can be seen on clear days. And what do you know missed it by two days. As it was clear the day i flew into lukla. So close! Yes i trekked for three days and i may never get to see Mt Everest. All the people i meet are going up to the Base camp.
Talk to the group, where Dhreeraj is from Bangalore and there's a Brazilian couple and a guide. They get the hotel guys to start a fire at the fire place. It was a nice time with the much neede warmth and we spent time just chatting about our travel experiences. Motorcycle travel kinda gets people curious. But i am not hero around these base camp trekkers. Almost like 2 hours there and the time just flew. Dheeraj calls me over to join him to check out the town call Khumjung near by which had a yeti skull in the monastery! I join him. Kinda skeptical about the walking pace. But the curiosity of the yeti skull got the bettor of me. These guys comfortable walking along continuously and i try to keep pace with them all the way with out resting in between as i dint knew the way. By the time we reached the town my legs started hurting at the place which does on my previous treks without sufficient rest. I managed two and half days of trek well but this small continuous walk kinda broke me down. Get into the monastry and sure enough there is a strange looking skull from above the eye line. Even the keepers dont know the origin of it except that it was gifted from the near by town. Looked realy strange. Looked kinda real and was a cone head. Gave a small donation. And we head back as i take a few pix. once on to the track to Namche i let Dheeraj and the guide go ahead and i get back to my slow pace resting and all. But kinda bit late i guess. Leg hurting bad now. have to climb up the ridge again as Namche is on the other side. Now a bit lost my way and a local man told me to take a way. I kinda head towards the panaroma hotel to catch the trail and i have to literally walk through the bushes.
Finally on the trail back to Namche. Took a couple of pix of the air strip and start the climb down from the steep switch backs overlooking Namche. Sit at a point and just while my time viewing and soaking the panorama around. Spent quite some time there. Prolly an hour so just gazing at the view. Meet Jason on his way up. Though pretty dull for the camera the panorama was very nice. Its 3 pm by the time i am back in the town. Go to the bakery for something different. Then over hard conversation of guy could not summing Mt Everest cos of health issues. He had gone till 21000 feet. Joined in and had a look at his fantastic collection of pix. By now running out of cash and to get cash its like you swipe ur card and you get cash at some commission. Met Jason again there and his sister Ashley at the same hotel. And then it was some time in travel talk. Now that i haven't seen Everest was not knowing what i will do tomm. If the weather is good will try the view again or start back by noon till Manjo.
Got to the start of it and it was nothing but switch backs and switch backs. Its raining and its cold. Just imagining the whole thing with bright sunlight. Get good top views of the Namche town surrounded by by snow capped mountains with the tips hidden in the fog. Its raining all the way. A group of 4 people pass me. They was also on the way to the Everest view hotel. For today lets just call it the hotel cos there is not going to be an Everest view. After the climb of the stoney switch backs get to to see the SoluKumbhu airfield. Which is rarely used. Prolly the highest airport in the world. It does not even have a black top. See a building high up. Its steep climb up with no steps. The rain gets harder and gets a bit windy. I see the group way above. As i reached the building, it was another hotel named panorama hotel and lot of walk left for the one i am going. Pass by the hotel and now have to walk on the ridge with a drop off on the side of the 3 feet path. Its windy that it almost blows of the umbrella. It such a pain to take photos, taking out the came from inside the rain gear, manage the swaying umbrella and take a pic etc. Miss many pix. After some walk its lil more climb to the hotel which i can see now. Looked pretty nice though. There was a welcome boards saying the height of 3880 meters. Man it was a 440 meter climb in just 2.5 hours!! The guys from the group ahead are already settled there. I went straight to the restaurant and look at the supposed space where Everest can be seen on clear days. And what do you know missed it by two days. As it was clear the day i flew into lukla. So close! Yes i trekked for three days and i may never get to see Mt Everest. All the people i meet are going up to the Base camp.
Talk to the group, where Dhreeraj is from Bangalore and there's a Brazilian couple and a guide. They get the hotel guys to start a fire at the fire place. It was a nice time with the much neede warmth and we spent time just chatting about our travel experiences. Motorcycle travel kinda gets people curious. But i am not hero around these base camp trekkers. Almost like 2 hours there and the time just flew. Dheeraj calls me over to join him to check out the town call Khumjung near by which had a yeti skull in the monastery! I join him. Kinda skeptical about the walking pace. But the curiosity of the yeti skull got the bettor of me. These guys comfortable walking along continuously and i try to keep pace with them all the way with out resting in between as i dint knew the way. By the time we reached the town my legs started hurting at the place which does on my previous treks without sufficient rest. I managed two and half days of trek well but this small continuous walk kinda broke me down. Get into the monastry and sure enough there is a strange looking skull from above the eye line. Even the keepers dont know the origin of it except that it was gifted from the near by town. Looked realy strange. Looked kinda real and was a cone head. Gave a small donation. And we head back as i take a few pix. once on to the track to Namche i let Dheeraj and the guide go ahead and i get back to my slow pace resting and all. But kinda bit late i guess. Leg hurting bad now. have to climb up the ridge again as Namche is on the other side. Now a bit lost my way and a local man told me to take a way. I kinda head towards the panaroma hotel to catch the trail and i have to literally walk through the bushes.
Finally on the trail back to Namche. Took a couple of pix of the air strip and start the climb down from the steep switch backs overlooking Namche. Sit at a point and just while my time viewing and soaking the panorama around. Spent quite some time there. Prolly an hour so just gazing at the view. Meet Jason on his way up. Though pretty dull for the camera the panorama was very nice. Its 3 pm by the time i am back in the town. Go to the bakery for something different. Then over hard conversation of guy could not summing Mt Everest cos of health issues. He had gone till 21000 feet. Joined in and had a look at his fantastic collection of pix. By now running out of cash and to get cash its like you swipe ur card and you get cash at some commission. Met Jason again there and his sister Ashley at the same hotel. And then it was some time in travel talk. Now that i haven't seen Everest was not knowing what i will do tomm. If the weather is good will try the view again or start back by noon till Manjo.
Morning at Namche...
The mountains hiding in clouds...
The vertical climb to Everest view hotel...
More hiding mountains...
Thought that was the hotel...
but not...
More walk ahead...
Finally the hotel...
Damn it was a 440 meter climb in 2 hours...
The view point with no view...
Some fire over talks...
The expensive room at the hotel...
Everest hiding in the center...
Can only see it here...
The khamjung town...
The awesome Kumbiula peak...
In the town...
The Yeti skull gyan...
This is supposed to be a real Yeti skull from the eyebrow up!!
In the monastery...
Lot of carving kept for people to read!...
Pretty views on the way back...
The panorama hotel...
The Solukhumbu Airport and the runway does not even have tarmac!!
This was really teasing. Can see Manjo and permit office from here and i thought it was very far behind after all the walk!!
The next five pix is a panorama. Couldnt stich it!
Namche from above...
