Gorakshep (5140m) > EBC (5364m) > Thukla (4630m)
Suprise! Todays alarm goes off at 5:15am JOY I'm nervous, Courts is nervous - we are minus Ann now for the next few days as she's attemptimg Chola Pass. It's the only Pass openm put of the 3 passes due to weather. Courst and I have already decided that we are opting out of the passes. It's been tough.
So here we go! Kumar, Courts and I are the only one on the trial. The weather is absolutely clear although Courts and I ahev not had the most restful sleep. I cant begin to descibe the tea-house that we stayed in last night. Don't get me wriong - none of them have been 5 stars. or even three stars - bu most have been clean and tidy, this was NOT the case at Gorakshep last night. It was grubby, cold and not nice. Even afater not showring for almost a week - we felt llike we needed a sheep dip this morning to disenfect.
Anyway back to the trek.....
thsi initial climb is ok. You can definatelt fell the altitude now. Theres also a dam less amount of cow / Yak / dog poo out this way as ssupplies aren't going to EBC at this time of year. The view is stunning (of course) It's actually like something out of a picture book and its surreal. It's almost soundless. The occasional avalanche to our right as we make our way up. I'm getting slower. SUPRISE. I'm feeling WOOZY. This is new. Courts isn;t that far ahaed at the moment. I'm basically one foot in front of the other. Watching my steps looking up at Lady E. we have the clearest morning to see her. She's brilliant. I catch up to where Courts and Kumar are waiting fore me, and it hits me. i'm done.
Kumar suggests I walk a little further so I can see Everest - this is the carrot e tries to use, I'm like I've been looking at her for the past half hour. I suggest to Courets that she goes up with Kumar and I wait for her here, the waethers glorious (-5?!). we all decide to walk for another 10 minutes. I've resortred o breaking the silence by listeening to some tunes, to see if that will help me to push foward. This works for 5 minutes, and then.....
Jeff Buckely comes on with hallejuyah
I don't have the energy to sing along, but I stop, and know that thats it.
& i know that I'm at peace with that.
Courts is done too, we can literally see Base Campit's half an hour away (for normal people). But we also know the vist awe currently have i sthe absolute best and better than the one we would get at EBC. It's suprising how at ease we botha are with our decision. It's just so very peaceful here not one other person on the trail - it' sboth spiritual and all emcompasing. We all sit in silence for a good 20 minutes.
Then get up and take the obligatory happy snaps and weirdly they were just that.
HAPPY COMPLETE RESOLVED
It's been a big few days and regardless of the end result - we both feel done.
Turning around and making our way ack through Gorak shep it takes an hour before we see another trekker making their way to EBC. We're happy. we spend the next few hours trekking back up and down (Nepali fla) to Loboche we are physically and emotionally done.
and just like that I watch Courts slip in slo-mo into the freezing river at Loboche. I was on go-slow but I race across those river stones llike I'm Ussein Bolt. She hasnt hurt herself but shes upset and a bit wet. It' she time to break. I've had many moments. We walk the 100m to the nearest hotel, re-group and continue onto Thukla.
Huge Day
Huge Result
Getting to the top was always optional, getting down is mandatory. On the last stretch through the Everest Memorial it started to snow, both beautiful and lovely at once.
#CompleteionComesInMayForms
