Felt a lot better crawling out of the sleeping bag as I'd bought a yak-wool beanie and worn it to be! A bit of a rushed pack, apple pancakes and we were off to Thangboche!
Karma had described todays walk as a gradual downhill then "Nepali Flat" after lunch. His descriptions proved to be accurate as we went down to the river then going back up just as high as the Everest View Lodge!
The mountain was alive with other trekkers, which has me worried as to how busy the trail would be as we go higher! Thankfully it seems there are a lot of unadventurous tourists that dont go much further beyond Namche Bazaar - some are even helicoptered to their own private resort on another mountain with oxygenated rooms and the like!
The trek was also ridden with stops to take pictures of goats, eagles, yaks and of course the mountains!]
For lunch we stopped at a lodge by the river. Now experienced, I avoided the soups and went for Tibetan bread which was raelly nice. Luckily we had arrived just before the crowds and didn't have to wait forever for our meals! I was surprised to see the others still ordering soups, omelletes, cheese and meats - not good foods for trekking!
A japanese group went past with every kind of technology you could imagine. They probably made all the gadgedts but still it was overkill! One guy even had a big solar panel stretched out over his day-pack! Definitely overkill as there is power in most villages.
Along the way I played a word game with Marjorie and Dorothy but we had to pause uphill as we would run out of breahte! I would feel as though I am getting used to the fitness demands of trekking but then the uphill would make me realise how unfit ive gotten from overeating in Thamel!
Before the "Nepali Flat" we had to cross a newly constructed bridge - we could see the old one rusting in the river! We all had a good laught but it was not easy to summon the courage and cross!
Everyone was glad to reach Thangboche but the lodges are going downhill as we head uphill! It is still acceptable in my very low standards but our rooms are freezing - concrete floor and plywood walls! It was warmer outside in the evening breeze! I am wearing all my clothes to bed tonight.
We had arrived just in time to see the monks praying at the monastery. It was interesting and the Monastery was beautiful but it felt a little tainted by all the tourists taking pictures, the flourescent lights and the monks themselves were wearing watches adn North Face gear under their robes!
Paul and I checked out a bakery but decided against it, leaving to find a nervous Karma! Apparently the lodges fine us 1000rs if we eat outside them. Still we later discovered that everyone else in our group and the swedish group (with amadablam) had already been with no fines!
The sunrise from Thangboche is meant to be quite spectacular so we scouted around for good vantage points. It was horribly cold with the wind so downjackets, gloves and beanies were out in force! we found a few ok ones but had to drop down to Paul and I as the only people keen to climb up to a stupa. We had great fun but, saw heaps and vowed that the 10min walk would be worth it tomorrow morning! The prater flags were everywhere, older ones stuck in trees that were bent over due to the winds!
We got back a little late and at the end of the qeue for dinner. This wasn't too bad as it allowed us to hang by the fireplace for longer! I played a game called shithead with the swedish group - with my beginners luck i won 4 games but lost the last and retained the title of the game! I vowed we would play again at the next village. Luckily i taught my group how to play and managed to pass the title onto Marjorie - quite a pompous reaction to the title so we aren't overly game to honour the tradition of calling her, the loser, shithead!
Our group also met a lone Canadian girl whose name i didnt catch so we refer to her as robyn #2.
Marjorie and I had a sore throat due to the altitude and took up Pauls offer for a soothing tablet before bed. I took mine as she went back to her room and Paul went to the loo. It had a fizzy orange flavour and i quickly realized that it was a tablet he had used this morning - for rehydrating his water! They are designed to be dissolved in 1.5L of water so i was quick to spit it out but unfortunately Marjorie had swallowed hers by the time I told her! It did soothe our throats and kept us hydrated for a few days but Marjorie had stomach problems all night!
