Team Cooper - Everest Base Camp - Day 6

Okay so it's Monday 8th October and after a good evening checking out Namche, having cappuccino, a good dinner, shower, internet and an okay'ish sleep, it's time for us to leave this nice town.  
The children are getting ready for the start of the week at school

The day starts off with a steep climb, with the trail leading enticingly towards the heart of the highest mountain landscape in the world.  The views of the ice chiseled  peaks and glacier - scoured valleys are breathtaking...apart from the climb. 

 As we walk along on our journey, there is not much talk to start. We are busy taking in the views or catching breath.
There are so many photos we all want to take, and I was impressed with this line up of mountains

 We carry on around a few corners when suddenly we are presented with Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Ama Dablam, with Thyangboche's Monastery as a speck on the horizon.  Oh boy, so far away with a lot of ascent...and descent.  


 

All are doing okay at this point, some have stiff necks...myself included.  We don't know if this is more due to the altitude or our rucksacks that we've been carrying on our backs for many days.  But it's not too much of a problem.  We have to rest and drink more water.  

The trail winds around the steep hillside until we reach a white chorten that was built to commemorate 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest and to honour Tenzing Norgay and the Everest Sherpas

We continue along the path until we reach the small village  of Sansa at 3580m with some tea houses and a High Mountain Bakery is and its a good place to stop and rest. I treat Roy and I to an apple spice cake and cookies. 

We are now passing many yaks with loads on their backs

And locals carrying supplies

 

 

 

Away back for more

Leaving here, we continue a steep descent through a mature forest to the Dudh Kosi, thus reaching the lowest point on the trek since the approach to Namche Bazzar. We pass a tree nursery financed by the Ed Hilary's Himalayan Trust. We reach a settlement called Phunki Tenga at 3250m where we stop for lunch. 

Looking at where we have to go

Yes uphill

 As always there is a very big climb after lunch and we're all left a bit breathless, though the path is going through forest we find ourselves under the glare of the hot sun in gaps.  

We eventually get to Thyangboche at a height of 3867m to a Buddhist monastery. The monastery was built in 1916, however, in 1934, it was destroyed by an earthquake and was subsequently rebuilt. In 1989, it was destroyed for a second time by a fire and then rebuilt with the help of volunteers and international assistance.   

 

 

 

 

This is a great place w here lots of paintings, silk banners and ornamental scrolls hang. People doing Everest will visit here to receive a blessing from the head lama before making a start on the mountain.

 

  The monks were to have their prayers 45 minutes later and some of the group stay but it's a long wait so we decide to head down to our camp. But before we left I lit a candle for safe passage

 

We head down through pine, birch and tall rhododendrons until we reach our camp at Deboche at 3757m and where our bags were waiting. We can see Everest and other peaks from our tent

 

 

Some of the blokes, along with guide Roy entertain us with song and guitar.  We're all still doing okay and are not too tired.  

 

It has been very warm during the days, for example 34 degrees centigrade on the Friday, and pretty much the same on all the other days, with temperatures dropping in the evening.  Today was very hot, and as daylight goes, it becomes very cold and you rely on your thermals to keep you warm.  You need to get into your sleeping bags very quickly, and I don't know if I want to get undressed. :)