We are all now safely back in the UK after a very long trip home! Whilst the electrical storms of Kathmandu are spectacular and an awesome sight- they are not great for planes landing so ours was diverted to India for 4.5 hours. All very tired but really pleased we got to participate in such a great experience! The photos will follow shortly!!
Tracy x
Monday, May 2, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Post from Kathmandu by Alice
Ths is like catching up on my diary :)
Lots has happened since Gorak Shep:
After surviving a night at -10 degrees in Gorak Shep the 14 of us treked back down again. We were all much more cheerful.
The itinery canged due to Matty and Paula being half way down the mountain so instead of trekking down to Lobuche we skipped it and went straight down to Dingboche which is a small village next to Pheriche. It was a long trek, we were all exhausted. When we saw Dingboche we cherpped up a bit. I had a nice convesation with Seb about how much lamb we will eat when we get back and then before we knew it we were sitting in a cold Tea house with flies annoying the mind out of us!!! - We couldn't kill them because the didi was a buddist!
We were originally suppose to meet Matty and Paula there but they were moved to a village lower down because Paula was getting ill so Persal (the guide/cook) took her down. Peter was fuming and Seb was puking! Dispite this we all sat down and had a lovely meal - well everyone apart from Austin who ordered Ham sandwich yet ended up with Spam :)
The next day was to Tengboche (the poo stop.) Peter was on a mission to find Paula and Matty on the way down. We trekked for about 1hr and then came to a little village and came accross Matty and Paula - who was drowning in her trousers! We stopped for about half and hour for a tea then set off again. We were all jealous because the tea house where Matty and Paula had been was brand new and very clean! Anyway the next part of the trek was up hill to Tengboche. I was walkng with Austin and Angtu (one of our guides.) Seeing as we were chatting we hadn't realised that we were at the back so we had one last push up the hill to catch up with the others but they were too far in front. We enjoyed the ammusment from Angtu so started joking with him. By the time we finally reached the top we soon found out that everybody else was enjoying a cake and some tea in the bakery. I ignored it and went inside the tea house. I sat down with Austin who was asking me to play cards with him but I could not be bothered!!!! Persal gave us some black tea and then everybody else decided to come back from the bakery. We all eat dinner and most of the kids went exploring. After a while I decided to go to the bakery with Paula and my mum. Just after we ordered Tia came rushing in telling us to come and watch the boys play football against the monks. I was entertained by the fact that the monks were loosing yet Seb said that they were good enough top become an international team!!! With the kids narcoleptic we trotted off to bed ready for Namche in the morning.
Saturday 23rd a trek from Tengboche to Namche! We were all content because we knew that Sunday was a rest day! The trek from Tengboche to Namche was downhill then we stopped for some tea and potato chips (TC's new nickname) then it was up hil. I enjoy going up hill :) We were all dragging ourself up the hill and then suddenly Dependra (another guide) screams out "Namche, Namche." We were all laughing at his face and started walking with a better pace! When we finally reached Namche us kids begged for lunch. We were back at the same hotel as before and we seemed to remember the food being very nice. Most of us ordered chips which were very filling!!! We were all tempted to go to the liquid bar again so guess what we did... the liquid bar had a rampage of kids screaming and shouting. Andy was getting into the chess and Peter and Paula had an embarrassing dance. We were all sitting cringing!!!! After the adults finshed their beer we tried to get Persal in but his reply was "No! I'm not getting drunk tonight!!" It was quite funny coming from a 55 yr old man! Ganesh came up and called us for dinner so that left Saturday night as it was.
The rest day in Namche was lovely the kids went buying presents for easter Sunday an I got my hair washed and blow dryed at the hairdressers. Joe had started off a trend of animal hats so after a while all 7 kids were wearing hats with animals on. I had a debate with seb (who bought the same hat as me) about weather it was a cat or a cow but I am making whiskers for it when we get home so it could be either!!! While the kids went splashing their cash the adults were sitting nice and relxed in a german bakery. After writing a few postcards we headed for the liquid bar to watch a film at 3:00. It was called Everest 50 yrs on the mountain. It was a documentary about the next generation climing Everest after Hillary did. It was very interesting. When the film finished Ganesh joined us and we were all sitting admiring Peters ginourmous Yak bought by Matty. After a while we got bored and went back for dinner at the hotel. When we saw roast chicken on the menu we were left jumping for joy. It was very nice :) Joan and Martin had bought cream eggs so we had an easter egg hunt then we went to bed.
On Monday we trekked from Namche to Phakding it was all down hill :( We had one less sherpa because one was found drunk on the trail so Ganesh sent him home :) The wether was very nice. It didn't help having the sun beating down on you while you are walking but we coped with it. My mum and I were stuck behind the slowest people on earth so were last to get to Phakding. We could hardly remember what Phakding looked like until Angtu reminded us it was where we stayed on the first night of the trek. Most of us kids had roast chicken again! Tia didn't eat her pizza because it had cheese on it - we all thought it was normal though :)
Tuesdays trek to Lukla was pretty hard acctually. I think it was because we old ourselves that it was the last trek and that we are nearly home. It was up hill. It gave us a chance to catch up on the pictures we didn't take coming. Angtu was showing us the local schools. Austin and I saw a young girl trying to take a picture with a torch. She was really sweet it was funny watching her copy up as we took photo's of her! When we arrived in Lukla we were all amazed that we were there 2 weeks ago. There was a pub downstairs and all the kids were writing messages on the walls! Tia ended up drawing all of us and it made Persal laugh :) We all found it funny that Persal had, had 3 glasses of rum and coke! :) Dependra wlked through the door transformed - he was wearing clean jeans with his underwear hanging out fromon top f them with a leather jacket. He wore his sun glasses inside! (by the way he is 18 and finds his sun glases VERY stylish) Andy and Ganesh had a quick game of pool. Andy found a game he could win :) - after loosing to me in SLAM! We gave he sherpa's their tips and all sat down for dinner. I had chicken curry - yummy! We went to bed pretty early ready for the flight at 5:0am the next morning.
We all woke up this morning at 4:00. Tia hadn't had a very good sleep because she had a headache so she was very tired! We waited outside for Ganesh then had o carry our bags to the airport. They were heavy!!! We were the only people at the airport to start with then some americans came in. I was drawling over a paket of walkers salt and vinegar crisps but we had to go through security so I couldn't get them :( The airport was tiny even I could find my way around and I got lost in the lounge in Bahrain! We waited in the departure lounge for about 15minutes then went outside to board our plane. We were on a different plane from Ganesh. The run way was down hill and left you with a funny sensation in your stomach when you took off!! After about 10 minutes of being in the air we looked out of the window to find that Ganesh's plane had over taken ours!!!!! The journey seemed extremely short.
I am now in the lounge in Kathmandu. There is a strike on so we can not go into town. I'm looking outside and everyone is dressed nicely after having a shower and I am still in my trekking gear. - You would have thought I would have bagged the shower :)
This holiday has been amazing. It was completely different to what I thought it would be and I will look upon it and think 'what an amazing achievement this has been' Speak soon, Alice x :)
Lots has happened since Gorak Shep:
After surviving a night at -10 degrees in Gorak Shep the 14 of us treked back down again. We were all much more cheerful.
The itinery canged due to Matty and Paula being half way down the mountain so instead of trekking down to Lobuche we skipped it and went straight down to Dingboche which is a small village next to Pheriche. It was a long trek, we were all exhausted. When we saw Dingboche we cherpped up a bit. I had a nice convesation with Seb about how much lamb we will eat when we get back and then before we knew it we were sitting in a cold Tea house with flies annoying the mind out of us!!! - We couldn't kill them because the didi was a buddist!
We were originally suppose to meet Matty and Paula there but they were moved to a village lower down because Paula was getting ill so Persal (the guide/cook) took her down. Peter was fuming and Seb was puking! Dispite this we all sat down and had a lovely meal - well everyone apart from Austin who ordered Ham sandwich yet ended up with Spam :)
The next day was to Tengboche (the poo stop.) Peter was on a mission to find Paula and Matty on the way down. We trekked for about 1hr and then came to a little village and came accross Matty and Paula - who was drowning in her trousers! We stopped for about half and hour for a tea then set off again. We were all jealous because the tea house where Matty and Paula had been was brand new and very clean! Anyway the next part of the trek was up hill to Tengboche. I was walkng with Austin and Angtu (one of our guides.) Seeing as we were chatting we hadn't realised that we were at the back so we had one last push up the hill to catch up with the others but they were too far in front. We enjoyed the ammusment from Angtu so started joking with him. By the time we finally reached the top we soon found out that everybody else was enjoying a cake and some tea in the bakery. I ignored it and went inside the tea house. I sat down with Austin who was asking me to play cards with him but I could not be bothered!!!! Persal gave us some black tea and then everybody else decided to come back from the bakery. We all eat dinner and most of the kids went exploring. After a while I decided to go to the bakery with Paula and my mum. Just after we ordered Tia came rushing in telling us to come and watch the boys play football against the monks. I was entertained by the fact that the monks were loosing yet Seb said that they were good enough top become an international team!!! With the kids narcoleptic we trotted off to bed ready for Namche in the morning.
Saturday 23rd a trek from Tengboche to Namche! We were all content because we knew that Sunday was a rest day! The trek from Tengboche to Namche was downhill then we stopped for some tea and potato chips (TC's new nickname) then it was up hil. I enjoy going up hill :) We were all dragging ourself up the hill and then suddenly Dependra (another guide) screams out "Namche, Namche." We were all laughing at his face and started walking with a better pace! When we finally reached Namche us kids begged for lunch. We were back at the same hotel as before and we seemed to remember the food being very nice. Most of us ordered chips which were very filling!!! We were all tempted to go to the liquid bar again so guess what we did... the liquid bar had a rampage of kids screaming and shouting. Andy was getting into the chess and Peter and Paula had an embarrassing dance. We were all sitting cringing!!!! After the adults finshed their beer we tried to get Persal in but his reply was "No! I'm not getting drunk tonight!!" It was quite funny coming from a 55 yr old man! Ganesh came up and called us for dinner so that left Saturday night as it was.
The rest day in Namche was lovely the kids went buying presents for easter Sunday an I got my hair washed and blow dryed at the hairdressers. Joe had started off a trend of animal hats so after a while all 7 kids were wearing hats with animals on. I had a debate with seb (who bought the same hat as me) about weather it was a cat or a cow but I am making whiskers for it when we get home so it could be either!!! While the kids went splashing their cash the adults were sitting nice and relxed in a german bakery. After writing a few postcards we headed for the liquid bar to watch a film at 3:00. It was called Everest 50 yrs on the mountain. It was a documentary about the next generation climing Everest after Hillary did. It was very interesting. When the film finished Ganesh joined us and we were all sitting admiring Peters ginourmous Yak bought by Matty. After a while we got bored and went back for dinner at the hotel. When we saw roast chicken on the menu we were left jumping for joy. It was very nice :) Joan and Martin had bought cream eggs so we had an easter egg hunt then we went to bed.
On Monday we trekked from Namche to Phakding it was all down hill :( We had one less sherpa because one was found drunk on the trail so Ganesh sent him home :) The wether was very nice. It didn't help having the sun beating down on you while you are walking but we coped with it. My mum and I were stuck behind the slowest people on earth so were last to get to Phakding. We could hardly remember what Phakding looked like until Angtu reminded us it was where we stayed on the first night of the trek. Most of us kids had roast chicken again! Tia didn't eat her pizza because it had cheese on it - we all thought it was normal though :)
Tuesdays trek to Lukla was pretty hard acctually. I think it was because we old ourselves that it was the last trek and that we are nearly home. It was up hill. It gave us a chance to catch up on the pictures we didn't take coming. Angtu was showing us the local schools. Austin and I saw a young girl trying to take a picture with a torch. She was really sweet it was funny watching her copy up as we took photo's of her! When we arrived in Lukla we were all amazed that we were there 2 weeks ago. There was a pub downstairs and all the kids were writing messages on the walls! Tia ended up drawing all of us and it made Persal laugh :) We all found it funny that Persal had, had 3 glasses of rum and coke! :) Dependra wlked through the door transformed - he was wearing clean jeans with his underwear hanging out fromon top f them with a leather jacket. He wore his sun glasses inside! (by the way he is 18 and finds his sun glases VERY stylish) Andy and Ganesh had a quick game of pool. Andy found a game he could win :) - after loosing to me in SLAM! We gave he sherpa's their tips and all sat down for dinner. I had chicken curry - yummy! We went to bed pretty early ready for the flight at 5:0am the next morning.
We all woke up this morning at 4:00. Tia hadn't had a very good sleep because she had a headache so she was very tired! We waited outside for Ganesh then had o carry our bags to the airport. They were heavy!!! We were the only people at the airport to start with then some americans came in. I was drawling over a paket of walkers salt and vinegar crisps but we had to go through security so I couldn't get them :( The airport was tiny even I could find my way around and I got lost in the lounge in Bahrain! We waited in the departure lounge for about 15minutes then went outside to board our plane. We were on a different plane from Ganesh. The run way was down hill and left you with a funny sensation in your stomach when you took off!! After about 10 minutes of being in the air we looked out of the window to find that Ganesh's plane had over taken ours!!!!! The journey seemed extremely short.
I am now in the lounge in Kathmandu. There is a strike on so we can not go into town. I'm looking outside and everyone is dressed nicely after having a shower and I am still in my trekking gear. - You would have thought I would have bagged the shower :)
This holiday has been amazing. It was completely different to what I thought it would be and I will look upon it and think 'what an amazing achievement this has been' Speak soon, Alice x :)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Post from 1953 Everest Base Camp!!!
We made it! Picture to follow.
Unfortunately, Paula and Matty were still not to well so have stayed in Pheriche.
We are all really pleased to have made it as it was a bit touch and go to begin with - due to the stomach upsets and some of the children not eating!
No children to write the blog - again! Will make them blog from Namche.
We are on our way back down from 5160M tomorrow morning!
Unfortunately, Paula and Matty were still not to well so have stayed in Pheriche.
We are all really pleased to have made it as it was a bit touch and go to begin with - due to the stomach upsets and some of the children not eating!
No children to write the blog - again! Will make them blog from Namche.
We are on our way back down from 5160M tomorrow morning!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Post from Pheriche
Apologies for the dealy. We arrived at Pheriche 3 days ago on Saturday but weretired and needed to rest. Unfortunately the group have now had to split into two as some mebers have a stomach bug. They are all ok but unable to start again this morning. I have stayed in Pheriche with Tia as although she had been sick and recovered, I wanted an extra rest day for her to continue on tomorrow. Paula is still not so well and so is staying in Periche for another 3 days. Matty and Daniel, who were also sick are also now recovered and will be re startig the trek up to Dugla and maybe Labouche tomorrow with Martin and I. The lodge we are in is really good and comfortable so it made sense to have further rest here.The group that continued today upto Dugla were: Coxy and Seb, Claire, Alice and Austin, Joan and Joa, Tony Moore, Tony Carne and Andy Gould. We hopefully will catch up with them tomorrow! Blog more soon!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
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
Monday, April 11, 2011
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)