Previously:
24 May 2018, Thursday
Namche Bazaar (3440m) - Lukla (2850m)
Trek time: 9 hours instead of 7 hours (due to strained right heel)
I woke up quite early in order to start hiking at 6.30am. Dave and Dhinesh were really kind to accompany me as early starters. I had a strained right heel, which took the wind off me quite substantially the day before. I felt in-debt and blessed to have met them. The rest of the team would start at the usual time of 8am. It was vital that I get to Lukla before night-fall, and fly out of Lukla the next day.
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| Amazing views on the way down |
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| (From right) Dave, Dhinesh and I |
Interestingly, after a good night's sleep and lots of muscle cream, my right heel actually felt good. It still feels when I touch it, but I was able to walk without much fuss. Boy was I relieved.
It took around 2.5 hours to reach Monjo (which was faster than the 4-hour estimation) from Namche, the landmark entrance to Everest Base Camp.
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| I would reach Phakding at noon |
From then on, the landscape would change dramatically. There were more vegetation, felt increasingly humid, while the ground was wetter. There were visibly more manure, which stink. There were no more yaks, but donkeys were aplenty. Yaks require colder climate.
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| The last day seeing yaks |
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| Kids going to school |
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| You've got to respect these kids (they've strong limbs) |
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| Spotted a very very posh lodge |
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| My sunburn - Always wear gloves |
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| Lots of suspension bridges - My admiration on the people who designed and built it |
Walking among donkeys
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| Donkeys would also rest and enjoy a tea-break - Eating grass |
The last kilometer heading into Lukla was excruciating, with high steps and continuous ascend. I took numerous breaks, admiring the landscape, and reach the hostel at around 3.30pm. I felt great being back in Lukla. It was like going back into civilization. However, there were 2 bad news that came in. Mat, a jovial English guy, who was from another team apparently danced on some rocks, slipped and hit the rock face down. He bit his lips, fractured his shoulder and nose, and was sent to the hospital in Lukla. He would be one of the first hikers leaving Lukla the next day.
Neil, a teammate of mine twisted his knee, also due to slipping while crossing some rocks on the way down. These were timely reminder to never be complacent, especially when descending. Reaching the summit or Base Camp is only half the job done. We need to keep our composure, and steady ourselves until the job is done.
As the last batch of flowers bloom under the summer sun, the last week of hiking season officially ended (last week of May). We were the last few groups of hikers in the mountain, before the monsoon season arrives.
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| It was a fantastic adventure |
Just as I thought that reaching Lukla would signal the start of the end of my adventure, I couldn't be more wrong. Leaving Lukla for Kathmandu was not straight forward. There were news that some hikers were stuck in Lukla for the last 3 days, due to the bad weather.
On Day 11, our flight would be cancelled again, while there were no helicopters flying to Kathmandu. As the demand surged, helicopter tickets cost USD 600/pax, which was crazy. Lukla became like a refugee center, with hikers vying to get out as fast as possible.
Stay tune...
Up next:
https://weesertan.blogspot.com/2018/11/from-johor-to-everest-base-camp-day-11.html
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