www.EdonEverest.com
Blog Backlog!
I am now back in Kathmandu after an excellent final training trek and climb in the Kanchanjanga region. I will subsequently be trying to get this blog up to date and fill in the blanks as soon as internet connection and power supplies allow, please bare with me and keep coming back for more news. Photos will also be uploaded soon I hope.
06/04/10 Last day in Kathmandu
Location: Kathmandu
Met Kenny again for breakfast as we are staying in the same hotel. The guy who serves us breakfast has found out our plans and insists on punching me in the stomach after breakfast as he seems to think I must be 'very strong man' which is nice of him.
Head to the office and we check some new solar panels which have arrived and they should charge the laptop no problem, saving me the $100 needed for the adaptor costs with shipping, great news as money is slipping through my fingers like sand in Thamel (Compeed would be nice but at about £12 a pack I can do without). I've been tasked with getting the medicine together for the trip and Jen has, as always, been an angel getting me the info I need. Showing endless patience as our phone call constantly disconnects after less than a minute. Meds are bought for about £75, including heavy haggling for a bigger discount, but the team from HE seem happy with the price of the potentially trip (and life) saving drugs. I'm just relieved I've got them sorted in time. I've also been asked to carry a banner up for the British Embassy in Kathmandu, it arrives and thankfully its relatively small and lightweight. Last night in Thamel, great place but I'm itching to get going now. I will be sending updates to Jen who will put the info onto here when she gets it. Many thanks to everyone for your enormous support. I will leave you in Jen's capable hands...all the best. Ed
Met Kenny again for breakfast as we are staying in the same hotel. The guy who serves us breakfast has found out our plans and insists on punching me in the stomach after breakfast as he seems to think I must be 'very strong man' which is nice of him.
Head to the office and we check some new solar panels which have arrived and they should charge the laptop no problem, saving me the $100 needed for the adaptor costs with shipping, great news as money is slipping through my fingers like sand in Thamel (Compeed would be nice but at about £12 a pack I can do without). I've been tasked with getting the medicine together for the trip and Jen has, as always, been an angel getting me the info I need. Showing endless patience as our phone call constantly disconnects after less than a minute. Meds are bought for about £75, including heavy haggling for a bigger discount, but the team from HE seem happy with the price of the potentially trip (and life) saving drugs. I'm just relieved I've got them sorted in time. I've also been asked to carry a banner up for the British Embassy in Kathmandu, it arrives and thankfully its relatively small and lightweight. Last night in Thamel, great place but I'm itching to get going now. I will be sending updates to Jen who will put the info onto here when she gets it. Many thanks to everyone for your enormous support. I will leave you in Jen's capable hands...all the best. Ed
05/04/10 Packing the drums
Location: Kathmandu
Met Kenny over breakfast and he seems like a really nice guy. So with John, the three of us and the great fellas from Himalayan Ecstasy we should have a good time together. Spent the day going in and out of the office and the hotel doing last little bits and pieces and buying odds and ends like balaclava, zinc lip balm, climbing slings etc. The expedition drums are packed and ready to go. I checked the www.everest1953.co.uk website and my name and activities are included in the dispatches page with the other expeditions - though I've seen nothing of them. The majority of people I know going up the south side have left already and one of the bigger north face teams are staying in a very nice hotel way out of Thamel, nice for them! In the evening we go for an expedition meal together in the Third Eye restaurant. Anil runs through the team, climbing experience etc and then talks us through the plans for the expedition. Its all very real now, we are going to go and try and climb Everest! Time for one last 'Everest' beer before the off which seems appropriate and I savour the steak as it will be a while till the next one, though there's still tomorrow night....
Met Kenny over breakfast and he seems like a really nice guy. So with John, the three of us and the great fellas from Himalayan Ecstasy we should have a good time together. Spent the day going in and out of the office and the hotel doing last little bits and pieces and buying odds and ends like balaclava, zinc lip balm, climbing slings etc. The expedition drums are packed and ready to go. I checked the www.everest1953.co.uk website and my name and activities are included in the dispatches page with the other expeditions - though I've seen nothing of them. The majority of people I know going up the south side have left already and one of the bigger north face teams are staying in a very nice hotel way out of Thamel, nice for them! In the evening we go for an expedition meal together in the Third Eye restaurant. Anil runs through the team, climbing experience etc and then talks us through the plans for the expedition. Its all very real now, we are going to go and try and climb Everest! Time for one last 'Everest' beer before the off which seems appropriate and I savour the steak as it will be a while till the next one, though there's still tomorrow night....
04/04/10 Satellite Phone test
Location: Kathmandu
Felt a bit groggy this morning after being woken at 6am by the dogs in Thamel. Not sure that nights out that end in a casino are standard Everest training methods but I enjoyed it nonetheless. After breakfast at the Hotel I walk over to see our friends at the HRA. They are grateful for all the fantastic and generous donations from everyone back home and give me some HRA and Everest ER patches for my down suit. They also have framed letters of appreciation for the limited roles Jen and I played in the Nepali Minister's climate change meeting in Namche last December - that was a weird day I can tell you!
After the HRA its back to the Himalayan Ecstasy office to check out the satellite equipment, after a bit of playing around by John (a climber from the US) who thankfully turns out to be an expert with computers we are up and running. Now all I need to do is get hold of an Apple Mac car charging adapter so we can use the solar panels at advanced base camp and not rely on the generator at base camp. The expedition drums have arrived and I take mine back to the hotel for packing, I also put a large 'ED' on the side in Duct tape, this makes me smile. Time for food and sleep now, I'm writing this from an internet cafe in KTM as the power is down again and nowhere else has internet connection - love this place. Kenny our climber from Hong Kong arrives at midnight tonight so hopefully I'll meet him tomorrow. Night all.
Felt a bit groggy this morning after being woken at 6am by the dogs in Thamel. Not sure that nights out that end in a casino are standard Everest training methods but I enjoyed it nonetheless. After breakfast at the Hotel I walk over to see our friends at the HRA. They are grateful for all the fantastic and generous donations from everyone back home and give me some HRA and Everest ER patches for my down suit. They also have framed letters of appreciation for the limited roles Jen and I played in the Nepali Minister's climate change meeting in Namche last December - that was a weird day I can tell you!
After the HRA its back to the Himalayan Ecstasy office to check out the satellite equipment, after a bit of playing around by John (a climber from the US) who thankfully turns out to be an expert with computers we are up and running. Now all I need to do is get hold of an Apple Mac car charging adapter so we can use the solar panels at advanced base camp and not rely on the generator at base camp. The expedition drums have arrived and I take mine back to the hotel for packing, I also put a large 'ED' on the side in Duct tape, this makes me smile. Time for food and sleep now, I'm writing this from an internet cafe in KTM as the power is down again and nowhere else has internet connection - love this place. Kenny our climber from Hong Kong arrives at midnight tonight so hopefully I'll meet him tomorrow. Night all.
John enjoys the view
03/04/10 Food shopping and Casino Royale
Location: Kathmandu
A great day today and the excitement is definitely building. Spent the morning talking about gear etc and sorting out oxygen cylinders, regulators etc. Some of the kit, including the O2 is to go ahead of us so is being packed up now. We've also been sourcing some more expedition drums (essentially large plastic barrels) to transport our gear in. Then this afternoon we went shopping for food, but not the dull volume stuff, we were shopping for treats on the climb. This involved trying to find the most calorie laden food imaginable and buying loads and loads of it - chocolate bars, cookies, crisps, cereal bars, sweets - all the bad stuff which will give us the energy we need at altitude. It took longer than expected so I couldn't meet up with friends for food but did catch up with some other friends in Tom and Jerry's Pub for a few beers and we ended up in the Yak and Yeti's Casino Royale. Last time I was here I came out 4000rps up, not so lucky this time but I'm still up overall. They give you free champagne while you play, Jen would like it.
A great day today and the excitement is definitely building. Spent the morning talking about gear etc and sorting out oxygen cylinders, regulators etc. Some of the kit, including the O2 is to go ahead of us so is being packed up now. We've also been sourcing some more expedition drums (essentially large plastic barrels) to transport our gear in. Then this afternoon we went shopping for food, but not the dull volume stuff, we were shopping for treats on the climb. This involved trying to find the most calorie laden food imaginable and buying loads and loads of it - chocolate bars, cookies, crisps, cereal bars, sweets - all the bad stuff which will give us the energy we need at altitude. It took longer than expected so I couldn't meet up with friends for food but did catch up with some other friends in Tom and Jerry's Pub for a few beers and we ended up in the Yak and Yeti's Casino Royale. Last time I was here I came out 4000rps up, not so lucky this time but I'm still up overall. They give you free champagne while you play, Jen would like it.
Missing days to be filled in asap...promise.
18/03/10
Location: Kampuchen 4145m - Lhonak 4792m
Woken early by the chatter and rustling up of breakfast, Patrick is feeling better which is great news. I take a stroll to escape the smoke and come across some snow leopard pugmarks, looks like a mother and one cub and as its snowed overnight the prints must have been made early in the morning. This explains why the dogs went crazy around 3am. The days walking is great, there is very little vegetation around at this altitude so theres a barren beauty to the place. The river we have been following is now a glacier and we cross a side glacier on the way, stepping through the pinnacles of ice. The sun is beating down from above and glaring up from the snow. I've given Wangdi my second pair of glasses otherwise he'd be blinded, category 4 lenses but it's still bright. Arrive in the three hut town of Lhonak adjacent to a larger tributary glacier. There's no one there but luckily the Tibetan from Kampuchen has given us a key to one of the huts. Its noodle soups all round and we are joined later by a friendly German couple. They are the first other trekkers we have met so far - though to be honest there is hardly anyone, including Nepalese and Tibetans, up here. They are both struggling with the altitude a little, in fact only Dipin and I are feeling no ill-effects so far. The clouds close in and it begins to snow as the sun and the temperature drop.
Woken early by the chatter and rustling up of breakfast, Patrick is feeling better which is great news. I take a stroll to escape the smoke and come across some snow leopard pugmarks, looks like a mother and one cub and as its snowed overnight the prints must have been made early in the morning. This explains why the dogs went crazy around 3am. The days walking is great, there is very little vegetation around at this altitude so theres a barren beauty to the place. The river we have been following is now a glacier and we cross a side glacier on the way, stepping through the pinnacles of ice. The sun is beating down from above and glaring up from the snow. I've given Wangdi my second pair of glasses otherwise he'd be blinded, category 4 lenses but it's still bright. Arrive in the three hut town of Lhonak adjacent to a larger tributary glacier. There's no one there but luckily the Tibetan from Kampuchen has given us a key to one of the huts. Its noodle soups all round and we are joined later by a friendly German couple. They are the first other trekkers we have met so far - though to be honest there is hardly anyone, including Nepalese and Tibetans, up here. They are both struggling with the altitude a little, in fact only Dipin and I are feeling no ill-effects so far. The clouds close in and it begins to snow as the sun and the temperature drop.
17/03/10 Moving on up
Location: Ghunsa 3415m - Kampuchen 4145m
White over this morning from a hard frost but it's great to be on the move again. I managed half of the huge breakfast Abirol, our cook, had made for us. It was enough to feed ten men, or one nepali porter. Goodbyes and Tashi Deleks to the lodge's Tibetan owners then we follow a tiny path that climbs slowly along the river's bank. The sun is shining yet again and there are snow capped peaks all around us. We cross the river then gain altitude quickly moving up and across a huge landslide before dropping slightly to Kampuchen. The place is practically deserted apart from a Tibetan couple who open up a stone hut for us. We sweep it clean, light the fire and make some chai. Patrick isn't feeling great, probably mild altitude sickness, and wants to get his head down. Unfortunately there's nowhere suitable for the tent outside - so the obviously solution is to open up the huts other small room and put the tent up in there. This works fine except that it's where they store the hay for the yaks, and in the night one gets peckish and lumbers into the room - scaring the life out of Patrick, merde! I settle down on the floor with the others and get a great nights sleep despite the cold.
White over this morning from a hard frost but it's great to be on the move again. I managed half of the huge breakfast Abirol, our cook, had made for us. It was enough to feed ten men, or one nepali porter. Goodbyes and Tashi Deleks to the lodge's Tibetan owners then we follow a tiny path that climbs slowly along the river's bank. The sun is shining yet again and there are snow capped peaks all around us. We cross the river then gain altitude quickly moving up and across a huge landslide before dropping slightly to Kampuchen. The place is practically deserted apart from a Tibetan couple who open up a stone hut for us. We sweep it clean, light the fire and make some chai. Patrick isn't feeling great, probably mild altitude sickness, and wants to get his head down. Unfortunately there's nowhere suitable for the tent outside - so the obviously solution is to open up the huts other small room and put the tent up in there. This works fine except that it's where they store the hay for the yaks, and in the night one gets peckish and lumbers into the room - scaring the life out of Patrick, merde! I settle down on the floor with the others and get a great nights sleep despite the cold.
16/03/10 Rest Day
Location: Ghunsa
A rest day in Ghunsa to allow our bodies time to acclimatise to the altitude. The weather starts warm and sunny so we get some emergency washing done (trekking socks) and grab a bucket shower. Patrick and I climb up one of the hillsides adjacent to the village which sits on a flat piece of land next to the river. Get back to camp and read in the sunshine till the clouds arrive then duck into the teahouse to play cards. The owner has a tv and dvd players and we watch an entertaining Nepali film over Dhal Bhaat. Lots of badly choreographed fighting and intense facial expressions. Barely followed a word of it but great fun nonetheless.
A rest day in Ghunsa to allow our bodies time to acclimatise to the altitude. The weather starts warm and sunny so we get some emergency washing done (trekking socks) and grab a bucket shower. Patrick and I climb up one of the hillsides adjacent to the village which sits on a flat piece of land next to the river. Get back to camp and read in the sunshine till the clouds arrive then duck into the teahouse to play cards. The owner has a tv and dvd players and we watch an entertaining Nepali film over Dhal Bhaat. Lots of badly choreographed fighting and intense facial expressions. Barely followed a word of it but great fun nonetheless.
15/03/10 Snow
Location: Gyabla 2752m - Ghunsa 3415m
Awake to a bright morning, at some point during the night the storm turned from rain, to hail, to finally snow and a layer of the white stuff covers everything, including the tents. Quick wash at the hand pump gets the blood pumping and once we've cleared the tents and packed them away we are off. Still following the course of the Ghunsa Khola upstream we pass through dense rhododendron forest before lunch in the Tibetan village of Phale at 3215m. After that the altitude shows and it's a thinning larch forest all the way up to Ghunsa. The village is the Kanchanjanga region's equivalent of Everest's bustling Namche Bizarre - but the contrast is marked, I think we might have doubled the population on arrival. The views are stunning though and they even have electricity occasionally.
Awake to a bright morning, at some point during the night the storm turned from rain, to hail, to finally snow and a layer of the white stuff covers everything, including the tents. Quick wash at the hand pump gets the blood pumping and once we've cleared the tents and packed them away we are off. Still following the course of the Ghunsa Khola upstream we pass through dense rhododendron forest before lunch in the Tibetan village of Phale at 3215m. After that the altitude shows and it's a thinning larch forest all the way up to Ghunsa. The village is the Kanchanjanga region's equivalent of Everest's bustling Namche Bizarre - but the contrast is marked, I think we might have doubled the population on arrival. The views are stunning though and they even have electricity occasionally.
14/03/10 Following the Ghunsa Khola river
Location: Sekathum 1650m - Gyabla 2752m
There's a pattern developing for the days, early start, big breakfast then walking through stunning scenery in great weather, its really hard going as we gain height and I'm determined to carry as much as I can for training, but you can't complain when the views are this good. Stop in Amjilosa (altitude 2498m) for lunch of chips and spaghetti which was totally unexpected and delicious. The clouds have come in when we reach the three buildings of Gyabla and the rain starts soon after, hide in the teahouse and drink Tompa round the fire before scurrying out to the tent.
There's a pattern developing for the days, early start, big breakfast then walking through stunning scenery in great weather, its really hard going as we gain height and I'm determined to carry as much as I can for training, but you can't complain when the views are this good. Stop in Amjilosa (altitude 2498m) for lunch of chips and spaghetti which was totally unexpected and delicious. The clouds have come in when we reach the three buildings of Gyabla and the rain starts soon after, hide in the teahouse and drink Tompa round the fire before scurrying out to the tent.
13/03/10 Another baking hot day
Location: Chirwa 1185m - Sekathum 1650m
Really tough days walking in blistering heat on a path wildly adverse to anything resembling Lincolnshire. Up and down all day crossing back and forth over the river and its tributaries on some good bridges, some not so good. Great training and everyone is enjoying themselves. Enter the Kanchanjanga Conservation Area and finally get to Sekathum for a rest. Beautiful spot next to the rapids of the river, smaller than Chirwa by a factor of eight, but the village's two inhabitants make excellent soup. Only the mosquitos want to dampen our moods, we won't let them. Erect the Vango tent for the first time and it gets approval from the group's Everest Summiteer Dipin.
Really tough days walking in blistering heat on a path wildly adverse to anything resembling Lincolnshire. Up and down all day crossing back and forth over the river and its tributaries on some good bridges, some not so good. Great training and everyone is enjoying themselves. Enter the Kanchanjanga Conservation Area and finally get to Sekathum for a rest. Beautiful spot next to the rapids of the river, smaller than Chirwa by a factor of eight, but the village's two inhabitants make excellent soup. Only the mosquitos want to dampen our moods, we won't let them. Erect the Vango tent for the first time and it gets approval from the group's Everest Summiteer Dipin.
12/03/10 Trek Begins
Location: Handewa 1300m - Chirwa 1185m
Huge breakfast of fried potatoes and three eggs each to power us through the day. Trek took us along beautiful green valleys and the banks of the river with the path constantly climbing then falling (known locally as Nepali flat) surrounded by lush undergrowth. Met a local Moaist leader with his four henchmen, he barked questions at Dipin but was very nice to us. The Moaist have publicly stated their support for tourism in Nepal thankfully. Also met another uncle of Dipin's who was delighted when I told him in broken nepal how much I liked his country.
Arrived in Chirwa mid afternoon, at about eight buildings it was the biggest place we had seen all day, it even had its own football pitch. Stayed in a nice tea house and watched them burning the hillside to clear it of old plants and stimulate new growth, an impressive sight at night.
Huge breakfast of fried potatoes and three eggs each to power us through the day. Trek took us along beautiful green valleys and the banks of the river with the path constantly climbing then falling (known locally as Nepali flat) surrounded by lush undergrowth. Met a local Moaist leader with his four henchmen, he barked questions at Dipin but was very nice to us. The Moaist have publicly stated their support for tourism in Nepal thankfully. Also met another uncle of Dipin's who was delighted when I told him in broken nepal how much I liked his country.
Arrived in Chirwa mid afternoon, at about eight buildings it was the biggest place we had seen all day, it even had its own football pitch. Stayed in a nice tea house and watched them burning the hillside to clear it of old plants and stimulate new growth, an impressive sight at night.
11/03/10 Arriving in Taplejung
Location: Chirwal - Handewa
We just managed to catch the bus in time and immediately settle back into the old bouncing routine. Kanchenjanga is in the far east of Nepal on the border with Sikkim so we have had to travel south from Kathmandu to the Terai (plains) region, cross to the end of the country, and now we are headed back into the hills again. Tarmac disappears and the road quality nose dives. I've finished one of my two books already. Break for momos in a roadside cafe around mid morning. Everyone stares at us as we tuck in greedily, the food is excellent and people (as is almost always the case in Nepal) are warm and friendly. Back on the bus, more jams etc etc and we finally come to a stop behind another breakdown an hours walk down the hill from Taplejung. We all agree in no time to get out and walk, the suns shining and I break into a wide smile as we climb.
Quick stop for lunch and we head on to the village of Handewa where the lads from Himalayan Ecstasy grew up. Anil is building a school near the house from company profits and we meet his uncle who's the local headteacher to dispense with books and pens for the kids, they crowd round and love seeing their photos on our cameras. The house is basic by western standards but family and community are strong here and we meet many relatives over chai. Everyone one is again immensely welcoming and a gaggle of kids follow us around.
We just managed to catch the bus in time and immediately settle back into the old bouncing routine. Kanchenjanga is in the far east of Nepal on the border with Sikkim so we have had to travel south from Kathmandu to the Terai (plains) region, cross to the end of the country, and now we are headed back into the hills again. Tarmac disappears and the road quality nose dives. I've finished one of my two books already. Break for momos in a roadside cafe around mid morning. Everyone stares at us as we tuck in greedily, the food is excellent and people (as is almost always the case in Nepal) are warm and friendly. Back on the bus, more jams etc etc and we finally come to a stop behind another breakdown an hours walk down the hill from Taplejung. We all agree in no time to get out and walk, the suns shining and I break into a wide smile as we climb.
Quick stop for lunch and we head on to the village of Handewa where the lads from Himalayan Ecstasy grew up. Anil is building a school near the house from company profits and we meet his uncle who's the local headteacher to dispense with books and pens for the kids, they crowd round and love seeing their photos on our cameras. The house is basic by western standards but family and community are strong here and we meet many relatives over chai. Everyone one is again immensely welcoming and a gaggle of kids follow us around.
10/03/10 Travelling
Location: Chirwal - Phidim
We catch the 9.00am bus when it arrives at 11.00am and its even more crowded than yesterdays with the aisle and roof packed full. Luckily we've booked seats but three of us have to share a double. We bounce around like sardines for hour after hour with the inevitable traffic jams and breakdowns providing the chance to get out and stretch all our limbs. One bus breaks down right in front of us and most of its passengers somehow find a space to squeeze onto ours. I have enough room to inflate my lungs but that's about it. Sounds like agony but everyone's chatting away happily and it's good fun (mostly). We are making slow progress so at 5.30pm we make an unscheduled stop for the night in the village of Phidim. Patrick has developed a taste for Tompa - a home brew millet based tipple that you drink through a straw out of a wooden mug (a bit like Argentinian Mat`e), after the dust of the journey it's mild nail polish aroma doesn't put me off. We start at 4.30am so its an early night in our wooden guesthouse.
We catch the 9.00am bus when it arrives at 11.00am and its even more crowded than yesterdays with the aisle and roof packed full. Luckily we've booked seats but three of us have to share a double. We bounce around like sardines for hour after hour with the inevitable traffic jams and breakdowns providing the chance to get out and stretch all our limbs. One bus breaks down right in front of us and most of its passengers somehow find a space to squeeze onto ours. I have enough room to inflate my lungs but that's about it. Sounds like agony but everyone's chatting away happily and it's good fun (mostly). We are making slow progress so at 5.30pm we make an unscheduled stop for the night in the village of Phidim. Patrick has developed a taste for Tompa - a home brew millet based tipple that you drink through a straw out of a wooden mug (a bit like Argentinian Mat`e), after the dust of the journey it's mild nail polish aroma doesn't put me off. We start at 4.30am so its an early night in our wooden guesthouse.
09/03/10 Kanchanjanga North Base Camp Trip Begins
Location: Kathmandu - Bus to Chirwal
Hectic day of unpacking all the expedition gear then sorting into a pile of stuff needed for Kanchanjanga and a pile to leave behind. The weather is baking hot and a sharp contrast to the north of England. Bought a bag for the porters for 1000rps and stuffed that and my Vango Rucksack with everything I hoped I'd need. Having done many previous treks helps with the packing, but three weeks worth of walking and climbing gear inevitable leads to me standing with an item in my hand bouncing it up and down to feel the weight and trying to work out if I really need a trekking towel or not - no is the answer, its what old t-shirts double up for. There's no power in the hotel (or hot water) so I can't charge anything up like camera, ipod etc, just have to hope for the best.
Meet the guys in the Himalayan Ecstasy office and we're off to the bus station. Patrick the Parisian is joining us and he turns out to be a great guy and good company - which is a huge relief. He's an ex-pro French baseball player (I didn't know they had them to be honest) which means he should be in good shape for a fast trek. The bus is hot, dusty, noisy, slow and crowded. The 12hr journey turns to 14hr but we arrive in Chirwal in good spirits around 5.30am and crash out at Dipin's Uncles house.
Hectic day of unpacking all the expedition gear then sorting into a pile of stuff needed for Kanchanjanga and a pile to leave behind. The weather is baking hot and a sharp contrast to the north of England. Bought a bag for the porters for 1000rps and stuffed that and my Vango Rucksack with everything I hoped I'd need. Having done many previous treks helps with the packing, but three weeks worth of walking and climbing gear inevitable leads to me standing with an item in my hand bouncing it up and down to feel the weight and trying to work out if I really need a trekking towel or not - no is the answer, its what old t-shirts double up for. There's no power in the hotel (or hot water) so I can't charge anything up like camera, ipod etc, just have to hope for the best.
Meet the guys in the Himalayan Ecstasy office and we're off to the bus station. Patrick the Parisian is joining us and he turns out to be a great guy and good company - which is a huge relief. He's an ex-pro French baseball player (I didn't know they had them to be honest) which means he should be in good shape for a fast trek. The bus is hot, dusty, noisy, slow and crowded. The 12hr journey turns to 14hr but we arrive in Chirwal in good spirits around 5.30am and crash out at Dipin's Uncles house.
08/03/10 Back in Nepal
Location: Kathmandu
First of all apologies for the brevity of yesterday's blog, I was showing family how to update it in case I end up phoning in the updates and didn't get time to finish it properly.
Well I am now in Kathmandu after a couple of long flights and a long wait in Bahrain. Good news is they didnt charge me any extra for the luggage which was a massive relief though it did require quite a bit of chat to convince them. Its great to be back here in KTM but we are short(ish) of time and the Kanchenjunga trip is going to be longer than expected, so I need to leave tomorrow for another 20 odd hours of traveling. Still it will be nice to be back up in the snow and I know I'm lucky to be here so no complaints. Unfortunately the satellite internet isnt sorted yet so there may be a bit of a wait till my next blog, but if thats the case hopefully I will have lots to tell next time I write.
All the best to everyone back home.
First of all apologies for the brevity of yesterday's blog, I was showing family how to update it in case I end up phoning in the updates and didn't get time to finish it properly.
Well I am now in Kathmandu after a couple of long flights and a long wait in Bahrain. Good news is they didnt charge me any extra for the luggage which was a massive relief though it did require quite a bit of chat to convince them. Its great to be back here in KTM but we are short(ish) of time and the Kanchenjunga trip is going to be longer than expected, so I need to leave tomorrow for another 20 odd hours of traveling. Still it will be nice to be back up in the snow and I know I'm lucky to be here so no complaints. Unfortunately the satellite internet isnt sorted yet so there may be a bit of a wait till my next blog, but if thats the case hopefully I will have lots to tell next time I write.
All the best to everyone back home.
