Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Day 78 - May 25 - Phakding to Namche Bazar

May25 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Got up by 5 am and it was already bright. Pretty slow in activities cos of the cold. Met an American guy on the way to the base camp with a guide. Thought of teaming up with the guy but did not propose as he had made the previous day's trek in 2 hours while i took 4 hours. Bettor keep to my speed and take it really slow.

This was my crazy bill at the hotel:
Dinner Rice and vegetables 300 Rs
Breakfast chow Min 200 Rs
Coffee 70 Rs
Internet 45 mins at 10rs per min 450 Rs

And hold
Room rent for the day 100 Rs only !! no its not a typo its just 100, a third of my dinner expense!!

Looked like its going to rain today. Man its been happening in this trip then when every i prepare myself for some thing tough, it only gets tougher. Its supposed to be a 800 meter climb today and its looks bad above and going to get colder as well. Started from 2575 meters height. See many groups going ahead. In just a few mins i man made to use the rain gear. And man was i ill prepared. I could not wear the textile riding jacket as i would sweat in it and could not let is get well as well. The non-water proof back was supposed to go inside the jacket as well! Ohh man it turned out to be bad. The jacket on my waist, with the rain pant covering it and the rain jacket covering the back pack. Man i looked so funny. Few mins and it not working my waist getting sqweezed and its only raining. The Rain set the only thing i have keep other things dry. It was looking bad. Went to a hotel and requested for a big plastic cover. Luckily she had one. Put all the stuff in the backpack in the cover and now i could wear the back pack outside and boy what a relief. On cover made all the difference and now i could concentrate on the trek ahead.

The rain never looked like letting up and it never will for the day. See many people coming and going. Literally all the people are faster than me. I take every opportunity to find a place to sit and rest. The path gets to climbing. see these trekkers well prepared with proper trekking gear and i am stuck with riding gear. But still carry on with enthusiasm hoping for good weather ahead. See many yaks comfortable carrying things on their backs. Make it to Manjo in 3.5 hours by 11. Yes by now i am hungry. Had one more expensive chowmin and they even chareged me 50 bux for the charging my fone!! Its tough climb to namche from here. Its climbs and climbs and climbs. One by one many trekker pass me. I was shocked to see a group with few old ladies of 60-70 years on this climb! Ohh man trust me they passed me too. Well i have to deal with my mild disability of physical exhersion and take it real slow. Its many a steep switch backs ahead. If i just put my head down and climb lazily some time i end up going into a narrow path only to realize the path has switched back! Cross the river couple of times on a narrow metal foot bridges. Though strong it bounces a lot with other peoples foot steps. At one point just walk beside the river. Then i got to see the imposing long long long climb ahead. Going up from this side of the river way above cross a metal bridge and again go up up up. I just laughed. Now found a stone and sat there for a while. Let a few groups pass by and each of them had the same laughing reaction looking at the huge climb. Was feeling ok and took the the climb. Taking plenty of rest. Making it a point that i will never walk up to gasping. Just sit down till i breath normal. And move ahead. I just keep asking passers by how much more hours ahead and i just double it for me. Was a pain to take out the cam of feel bad at missing out few shots. All the while getting confident and thought what if i could carry on ahead? and get tired and say Namche would be enough! yeah with walking you get to think lot more compared to when riding. Man this is so much harder than riding. I eat stomach full and i seem to burn it off in 3 hours and hungry again.

Well yeah its raining still alright. Made the climb crossed the very high bridge. Was an amazing view of to river conluance below the bridge. Then its just switch backs switch backs and more. Now no more people passing me guessed i may be the last guy in the path now but for the occasional local peole who were walking their enviable swiftness. But i see one of the group ahead. Well looks like i am in a ok speed. Lot more climbing and reach Namche Bazar by 3.30 with 4 hours from Manjo. But looking at the valley Manjo was pretty near. just that we were moving vertically. Reached namche. Made it to namche in 8hours for the day. Felt ok without any pain but only tired. Could not believe i trekked so much and even made the 800 meter climb reaching 3440 meters. It was a pretty big town in horse show shape and lots and lots of hotels. Almost every hotel will have rooms. But its the problem of choice now. Wanted a good hotel with great view now that i have managed to come to this great place. Spend some half hour looking which hotel would have bettor view of the mountains etc. But just got into one Yak hotel which looked at couple of snow caped mountains.

Just got into the bed and soaking the achievement of reaching till Namche. Just did not get out of the cozy blanket till like 7.30 pm. Finally when i cajoled myself to take look of the town, everything was closed for the day. This is a town of some serious trekking pit stop. No parties here. people sleep early cos they get up pretty early to start the trek. Do some net surfing and get back to the hotel for dinner. Sleep hoping for some clear weather tomm so that i can steal a view of Mt Everest.

My small room at Phakding...


Way to namche...





The trucks around here...


The path up


The yaks climbing up steep.. And couldn't believe these were 60-70 year old ladies from australia ! they were faster than me!





The steep climb...





The greecy chow min and its gets burnt off in three hours!


Sagarmata Matha national park permit office...


in the park...





Climbing down from permit office...


Where is the path??


A resting horse!!


Man this is where e'one saw the climb and laughed instead of getting worried
one mother of climb up...


like this...


I am out of shape alright!!


The confluence...


Nearing Namche...


I made it...


The town....








Hehe trying to protect my riding jacket from getting wet. Cant wear it as i will get cooked. Riding gear not good for trekking... Has been raining all day.

3 comments:

Ashvin said...

Man ! the last photo is hilarious :D

manikandaanr said...

ha..ha..ha..
u look like jughead jones from archies...
hey just kidding da

Praveen said...

Ashvin: It was even hilarious in the morning when i had the bag in my jacket and jacket in my rain pant :D

Hehe yeah mani sure looks like that but had no choice had to protect the jacket inside and couldnt wear it as it would get cooked in it.