Post from Tengboche 3867m by Alice and Tia

We have just arrived at Tengboche. It is freezing cold and we are currently in an internet cafe next to a bakery where we just had cinemon rolls and biscuits. We are all wearing our down jackets seeing as Ganesh, our guide, told us to (to be honest it is very cold)
The walk today was the hardest day so far. We walked a total of 7hrs all up hill. Looking back at where we came from was motivating for us. It is unbelievable to think that we walked so far!
Tommorow morning we will have to get up very early to attend a Buddist ceremony at the temple here which is the most important Buddist temple in the world.
When the cloud finally clears we will be able to see Everest and Lotse, the highest and forth highest mountains in the world. :) Alice.

If Meghann is reading this keep taking good care of Annie. I hope everyone is having fun and hope Emily's birthday goes well on Saturday at Chester Zoo. Happy Birthday to Emily. We hope everyone is having a good half term. See you in May. The views have been amazing and it was snowing today when we arrived.
Tomorrow is meant to be an easier day so I am looking forward to it.  I hope everybody is enjoying reading this as it takes quite a while to type and costs alot of money! Tia x

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

Post by Seb, Austin and Dan

hi its seb we are having so much fun in monjo our second day it was a lot harder than the first.

but it is going to be even harder tomorrow because of namche bazzar but its still going to be fun.

Photos from Monju

Entrance to Sagarmatha National Park - Monju

AKA 'Gateway to the top of the World!'

Arrived at Monju

Tracy here as the children are too busy playing!

Lukla Flight

Yesterday we had the infamous Kathmandu to Lukla Flight! OMG - never have I experienced anything like it. The adults and children were very quiet; Tia, Matty and Alice even managed to sleep through it!! It was a 16 seater plane with propellers, it was a very bumpy ride and the seats were made of aluminium frames with some heavy duty cotton as covers. Arriving at Lukla was amazing. the airport runway is like nothing I have ever seen before and the pictures do not do it justice. We were greeted by Ganesh and the other 3 guides, 4 children porters and 4 yaks!

We had gone to bed at midnight (children at Eleven) as we had a meal at KC'd in Kathmandu, where you sit on the rugs on the floor to eat! Food was good. Adults then had to stay up as still hadn't finished the 6L of wine brought from the UK. Unfortunately though we had to be up, showered and dressed ready for leaving at 5am so all were tired!

Phakding

We trekked from Lukla to Phakding, which is one the villages along the trek. The Teahouse was basic but comfortable. We were all so tired (and wet and the heavens opened!) when we arrived there so basically had something to eat, showered and went to bed at 8PM.

Trek to Monju

Today has been beautiful, sun has been shining all day and a light breeze has kept us all cool. Best experience today was watching two little boys playing marbles it was hilarious as they were very competitive and loving every minute of it.

We are staying in another tea house that has built against the mountainside. I've had my first Solar shower and that was great! This internet connection is also at the teahouse we are staying at.

Still no children to add anything to the blog! Still they are having a good time!

Post again from Namche Bazzar! Which is also Alice's Birthday!

Tracy