“What day is it?” asked Pooh.  Why do we go to bed so late? How do you fill your hours? Remember the days of lying on your back, as a kid, watching the clouds pass overhead and noting which ones looked like Simpsons characters and which ones looked like race cars or airplanes? When did we stop looking up? When did start teaching more analysis instead of creativity? In Nepal, we went to bed around 8pm every night and woke up between 6am and 7am. We had breakfast - porridge, eggs and toast, or an occasional pancake, and a cup of hot tea. More than half of the time, we were successful at forcing down a liter of water, each, saving a couple sips for brushing our teeth. Meanwhile, we both filtered another two liters for the trail, repacked our bags (a daily task!), laced our boots and started walking.  Our first breakfast, in Lukla.  Our first of many suspension bridges. Day 1.  Room with a view. After our first night, in Monjo. Day 2.  Unedited morning view, around 0700, in Dingboche, after a night of snow. Day 6. We walked between five and eight hours a day, stopping in a village for a warm bowl of garlic soup and a hot cup of lemon tea, or perhaps just snacking on granola bars and apple pie - our favorite ration that we acquired, in both directions, passing through Namche Bazaar - and pushing onwards.  It doesn't look like much until you haven't had a shower in 8 days and you know there is hot water here. And beer (descending, only!). And apple pie.  The kitchen of Namche Bakery. Across the street is Everest Bakery.  Butter cookies from Everest Bakery. Yummy trail snacks.  Lemon tea = hand warmer  Lemon tea & Milk tea = Warming you from the inside out We traveled unplugged.  Permits are logged by hand in three of the four checkpoints.  We sent postcards from the highest post office in the world.  No GPS. Paper maps and asking the locals. And I have no idea how they came up with some of these trip times! See below for ours. We listened to the birds singing and felt the wind find every slice of bare skin between mittens and coats, scarves and hats. We swallowed every breath of fresh air to overcome the toxic fumes of kerosene that saturated the kitchen and bled through each unsealed crack in the doors and windows. burning our lungs just as the wind stung our skin. Climbing higher, we gulped thin air in search of oxygen to ease the pressure in our heads and the swelling in limbs and joints and even in my face.  View from Dughla Pass If I am flying an airplane, I am required to use oxygen if I spend more than 30 minutes at cabin pressure altitudes about 12,500 ft (3810 m), and at all times above 14,000 ft (4267 m). We spent five nights above 14,100 ft (4300 m). Even in the moments we stood still, in awe, our bodies remained in motion, internally, adapting and acclimatizing.  "Live on the centerline or die off of it."  Arrival in Lukla  First Love Yourself. FLY shirt by oneplanejane.com  Mind Body Spirit Airplane. Wake Turbulence leggings by baseturn.com We heard each breath and felt each heartbeat. We climbed to a cadence rather than a melody, tuning in to our thoughts and feelings and to each other  Acclimatization hike from Namche to Khumjung. We found the old airstrip.  From llamas in Peru to yaks in Nepal.  Yak yoga  Yak yoga  Yakity yak We are so small. We were reminded of this every day by looking up. Four of the 14 peeks over 8000 meters are in the Everest region.  Our first and last view of Everest, between Monjo and Namche  Note to self: Do not just follow the group without asking where they are going. This group was on its way to Lobuche, while we were on our acclimatization hike in Dingboche.  Love notes from A to C. We have nothing to complain about. Trekking prodded us to give more thanks for all - the obvious, such as family and friends and love - and the little things, the details, the formerly expected that will no longer be taken for granted - potable water at the turn of a faucet, daily hot water to bathe, paved streets, reliable refrigeration, conditioned air and central heating, washing machines, ventilation fans in the kitchen, window insulation, recycling, emissions standards, government services, cheap and fixed prices for toilet paper and soap.  Washing socks in a waterfall between Monjo and Phakding. Day 12.  Define "heavy." These are porters. Anything that does not grow on the mountain arrives on the back of a porter, a horse, a donkey, or a yak.  How your Snickers climbs the mountains. On 5 March, we commented about how we had not yet showered that month. No one in the room had. We bathed in baby wipes, dried with baby powder, and wasted not a drop of water between hydration and teeth brushing. We tasted kindness, in the form of hearty second helpings of dal baht, the most typical and fulfilling meal of the land, and gifts of sherpa cookies, leftover from a recent festival.  Dal baht, before.  Dal baht, after. Every evening, from around 4 or 5pm until bedtime, we huddled around the stove, thawing our fingers and drying our socks, once even burning a sock to the stove (the things that happen when your love tries to be kind while you go to the bathroom!). We read books, without distractions. And we talked. We learned about local birds from the Belgians and talked airplanes with the Australians. With the Germans, we discussed nationalism. We took turns with the group from Singapore in asking questions of their guide, Lal, about his two trips to the summit of Mount Everest, without oxygen. We cut a bar of Spanish Turrón (traditional almond candy) into enough pieces to feed the dining room, and bid many thanks for offerings of homeopathic altitude pills and hand warmers after the mountain had its way  Drying socks and shoes around the stove. We played leap frog with our new friends the whole way down the mountain. Though we may never see them again, the invitations are open. Should anyone arrive in the other's hometown, our shared experience on the mountain will feel like yesterday and we'll pick up where we left off, listening to new stories of the adventures had in-between.  With Kate and Constantine from Kazakhstan.  Lal summited Everest twice, without oxygen.  The Germans, Chris and Andy.  The Aussies.  Emmanuel, the gentleman from Romania.  Olga from Spain and Juan Jose from Chile. Many more people were coming up the mountain, as we trotted down. "You can do it. It's worth it," we would tell them, as we slowed to pass each other with care amidst the loose rocks tumbling underfoot. Namaste.  KTM-LUK  Seats 1A and 1C. The left side of the plane, departing KTM, is desirable for mountain views and vise versa departing LUK.  I was so excited we had a female pilot!  The trail begins from Lukla.  Mani wheels.  Turn them clockwise.  More bridges through Phakding.  Our backpacks were about 12-15kg, with water.  Refrain from taking life. Refrain from anger. Refrain from jealousy. Refrain from offending others. Refrain from taking excessive intoxicants. Enjoy your visit!  Entering Sagarmatha National Park.  These get pretty interesting with animals crossing. And with porters carrying wide loads that you have to duck under. NB: After crossing the second suspension bridge from Monjo to Namche, take a sharp left to follow the trail by the river and avoid the trail with herd animals.  Taking a breather. We think the climb to Namche was the hardest set of stairs. Tengboche was long, but gradual. And Gorak Shep was high. But up to Namche was just hard.  Tengboche Monastery  Tengboche Monastery  Stupa. Tengboche to Dingboche  Hala Madrid! Everest Base Camp.  FLY. Everest Base Camp.  Namaste. Everest Base Camp.  What it takes to fly: willpower + teamwork. Everest Base Camp. 6 March 2018.  We spent two days in Kathmandu at the beginning of our trip, mostly picking up supplies and adjusting to the time change.  If only "scratch and sniff" existed online...  Until next time...  LUK-KTM  The Paradox of Our Age The following was our actual itinerary in the mountains. We arrived 24 February in Kathmandu and departed 26 February for Lukla. At the end of our trip, we departed Kathmandu on the same day we arrived from Lukla. This was only possible because of our ability to fly standby/space-available and we would not recommend it to confirmed passengers due to the unpredictable weather leaving Lukla. Many of those who became ill on the mountains could attribute their discomfort, pain, or sickness to the pressure of an imminent return flight and thus ascending too fast. Above 3000 m, it is not recommended to ascend/sleep more than 300-500 m per day. For more details on where we stayed and how to prepare, contact us. We encourage any general questions in the comments and we will gladly follow-up with a FAQ post.
  My hero. Infinite thanks to Angel for carrying my bags for an entire day downhill from Gorak Shep to Pheriche. RELATED POSTS Comments are closed.
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AuthorsChristine & Angel 
Aisle or windowHe likes the window; she likes the aisle. Match made at FL350. Here are some other travel preferences. Full disclaimer: These are affiliate links, meaning the authors are rewarded for referrals (usually in the form of a credit to use more of the product/service themselves). Pinky promise: Recommendations are simply the best.
The Art of Strength is our sister site, with all of your fitness needs. Whether you are training for your next adventure, to avoid shopping for bigger clothes so that you can save money for your next adventure, or to have more energy with your kids, there is a training program for you. Click the photo below for the latest training special.
When we are not hitchhiking through the airport and landing in foreign lands, Christine is teaching English in Spain. She also offers classes via Skype, allowing you to learn from the comfort of your home, with flexible scheduling. Click the photo below for more information.
We are in the coffee business. Because wherever we go, we drink coffee. And let's face it, some hotel coffee leaves a lot to be desired. So now we can pack our own. Click the link below to have your coffee delivered to your home, to drink there and on the go.
Away makes thoughtful luggage featuring unbreakable shells, interior compartments, and built-in USB chargers. Click the image for $20 off your order.
Airbnb is the preferred accomodation for Christine & Angel when they want to connect with locals, want to keep their entire group under one roof with the privacy of separate bedrooms, or when staying in a place known for expensive hotels. Click here or on the photo below to save on your first stay.
New users, click the photo below, or sign-up with code christineh8502ue to get your first Uber ride for free.
Make your travels meaningful with Pack for a Purpose. Simply use a small amount of space in your luggage to pack supplies needed by community projects around the world. Click the photo below to find a project in your destination.
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