26 Days in Nepal
Pre-Everest Base Camp Trek
Had a great time with Charlotte (friend/classmate from back home) and her friend Asmae in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital city. We spent a couple days shopping and eating in Thamel. Visited the Monkey Temple - climbed a lot of stairs which was good 'training' for our trek (read: the ONLY training we did for the trek!) and got a great view of Kathmandu.
Everest Base Camp Trek
-Landed in Lukla which is apparently the 2nd most dangerous airport in the world: sloped runway with a cliff on one end and a mountain on the other so there is zero room for error.
-We woke up early every morning to start hiking before the clouds rolled in in the late afternoons.
-We hiked along a river for most of the trek. Got to cross many suspension bridges.
-Met some neat people along the way, young and old, including many Canadians.
-We really didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. On the 2nd day we met an experienced trekker from South Africa who asked us if we did much trekking. When we said "no", he replied "So you decided to start with the most challenging mountain range in the world?" err...I guess so?! Again - no idea so many people get sick and die on this mountain trek to Base Camp.
-Experienced my first altitude headache at about 4700 m, but KT loaded me with Advil and I never had a headache again!
-It got more difficult to breathe as the air got thinner, but I continued to sleep fine (with the exception of crazy dreams apparently caused by the high altitude). Our guide kept telling us that we wouldn't be able to sleep, but I think with the asthma developped in Singapore - I was used to not being able to breathe properly while sleeping, so it actually worked in my favor.
-We arrived at Base Camp on Day 8. It was cold. We were so happy we made it, especially meeting all these people who had to go down the mountain due to sickness. When we arrived to Base Camp, KT and I got a giant hug from a 66 year old Danish trekker and a snicker's bar from his guide - definitely good rewards for an accomplished goal of getting to base camp: hugs and food.
-We decided to boot it down the mountain in 3 days. It was snowing when we left to go back down, windy, then turned into rain. We were wet, cold, stinky, and I was limping with a damaged foot.
-In Namche, with one day left to get to Lukla, I got sick. Had all the symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) but it wasn't that since we were only at 3400 m. Spent Day 11 in Namche trying to get better. By the end of Day 11 - was still sick and by this time dehydrated.
-Day 12: a helicopter came to get KT and I to bring us back to Kathmandu. Got escorted to a hospital. After the fluids and meds were pumped into me for the rest of the day, overnight, and into the next day - and after much complaining to be let go, they finally discharged me. Thank you SunLife insurance.
-Overall, the trek was AMAZING. Definitely recommend it :)
I've posted pictures of the trek on picasa.
Post Everest Base Camp Trek
-Showered. Put on clean clothes.
-Took a 7 hr bus trip (which took about 9 hrs) to Pokhara.
-Spent a few days in Pokhara: quiet, laid back, hippie town with lots of good food and a lake.
-Walked along the lake and rested.
-Took another 7 hr bus ride back - super bumpy. Definitely got some air in my seat!
-Shipped stuff home - hopefully it arrives!
-My travel/health insurance expired yesterday and I didn't organize well BEFORE leaving Canada - so I had to spend quite a bit of time figuring out how to get insurance while overseas. Hopefully by tomorrow, I will be covered again.
-Planning for China.
We leave for China tomorrow. Flying to Chengdu. Then Xi'an. Shanghai. Chengde. Beijing. Korea. Shanxi. That is a very rough outline, however there will likely be stops in between and many changes. We'll see what happens!
Had a great time with Charlotte (friend/classmate from back home) and her friend Asmae in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital city. We spent a couple days shopping and eating in Thamel. Visited the Monkey Temple - climbed a lot of stairs which was good 'training' for our trek (read: the ONLY training we did for the trek!) and got a great view of Kathmandu.
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| Charlotte and I in Kathmandu |
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| View of Thamel (Kathmandu) from our hostel rooftop |
Everest Base Camp Trek
-Landed in Lukla which is apparently the 2nd most dangerous airport in the world: sloped runway with a cliff on one end and a mountain on the other so there is zero room for error.
-We woke up early every morning to start hiking before the clouds rolled in in the late afternoons.
-We hiked along a river for most of the trek. Got to cross many suspension bridges.
-Met some neat people along the way, young and old, including many Canadians.
-We really didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. On the 2nd day we met an experienced trekker from South Africa who asked us if we did much trekking. When we said "no", he replied "So you decided to start with the most challenging mountain range in the world?" err...I guess so?! Again - no idea so many people get sick and die on this mountain trek to Base Camp.
-Experienced my first altitude headache at about 4700 m, but KT loaded me with Advil and I never had a headache again!
-It got more difficult to breathe as the air got thinner, but I continued to sleep fine (with the exception of crazy dreams apparently caused by the high altitude). Our guide kept telling us that we wouldn't be able to sleep, but I think with the asthma developped in Singapore - I was used to not being able to breathe properly while sleeping, so it actually worked in my favor.
-We arrived at Base Camp on Day 8. It was cold. We were so happy we made it, especially meeting all these people who had to go down the mountain due to sickness. When we arrived to Base Camp, KT and I got a giant hug from a 66 year old Danish trekker and a snicker's bar from his guide - definitely good rewards for an accomplished goal of getting to base camp: hugs and food.
-We decided to boot it down the mountain in 3 days. It was snowing when we left to go back down, windy, then turned into rain. We were wet, cold, stinky, and I was limping with a damaged foot.
-In Namche, with one day left to get to Lukla, I got sick. Had all the symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) but it wasn't that since we were only at 3400 m. Spent Day 11 in Namche trying to get better. By the end of Day 11 - was still sick and by this time dehydrated.
-Day 12: a helicopter came to get KT and I to bring us back to Kathmandu. Got escorted to a hospital. After the fluids and meds were pumped into me for the rest of the day, overnight, and into the next day - and after much complaining to be let go, they finally discharged me. Thank you SunLife insurance.
-Overall, the trek was AMAZING. Definitely recommend it :)
I've posted pictures of the trek on picasa.
Post Everest Base Camp Trek
-Showered. Put on clean clothes.
-Took a 7 hr bus trip (which took about 9 hrs) to Pokhara.
-Spent a few days in Pokhara: quiet, laid back, hippie town with lots of good food and a lake.
-Walked along the lake and rested.
-Took another 7 hr bus ride back - super bumpy. Definitely got some air in my seat!
-Shipped stuff home - hopefully it arrives!
-My travel/health insurance expired yesterday and I didn't organize well BEFORE leaving Canada - so I had to spend quite a bit of time figuring out how to get insurance while overseas. Hopefully by tomorrow, I will be covered again.
-Planning for China.
We leave for China tomorrow. Flying to Chengdu. Then Xi'an. Shanghai. Chengde. Beijing. Korea. Shanxi. That is a very rough outline, however there will likely be stops in between and many changes. We'll see what happens!
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