Namche Bazzar

12th April 2011 AKA Alice's Birthday Sorry guys, Tracy posting again as kids all watching movies and eating popcorn in the 'Liquid Bar' in Namche. We left Monjo at about 845am and started out for Namche as this is one of the most difficult days as the zig zag trek is never ending! lots of yaks, donkeys and a few horses trotting by us as we walked. The adults in the main found it a bit difficult but nothing major. The children however are very much putting us to shame and the main Sherpa is making them stop to allow the adults to catch up! Arrived at Namche for lunch about 1pm and it was great! The Bazar is awesome. We have lots of pictures to share when we get back. After lunch a few of the guys decided they wanted a cut throat razor shave and they enjoyed it (apart from Tony M who got a cut lip!) Seb, Dan and Austin went off to see what they could buy and ended up finding a bar where they were showing movies about Everest. This happened to be called the 'liquid bar' and sold beer and cocktails (and hot chocolate and sprite for the kids) but also gave you popcorn! WE were joined later by the rest of the group and Matty and Joe had also been buying - they bought Yak bells for around thier necks! The sherpa's are finding that very funny! Dinner is at 7pm every night and so far they have been great! Coxy had arranged ahead for a birthday cake to be purchased for Alice after dinner so we all sang Happy Birthday and gave Alice her presents. She did look very pleased. Bed time is usually about 9pm as we are far too tired for any later! We stayed up playing connect 4 and go fish. Tony C retired as the day's current connect 4 champion! 13th April 2011 Rest day - Far more leisurely than the previous days! we had breakfast at 8am and set off to look at the buddhist temple in Namche (the locals call it Nauche). We met a tibbetan monk who resides here and explained all about prayer flags and the budda forms. The kids had thier picture taken inside the temple and all where spinning the prayer wheels. After this we went to the Sherpa museum and Everest Documentation centre. That was really great and anyone who is the 'first' of thier country to asent Everest get thier picture on the wall. I noticed there was no UK female up there so maybe one for Alice or Tia! There was lots on Hillary and all thegood work with the schools that he and his wife set up. Lots of history in 1 hour. Well that all for today as I'm joining the children in the 'liquid bar'! Off to Thengbouche tomorrow. Notsure if they have internet so maybe a while before a new post! Tracy