Going Down...

Well, I’m happy to report that last night the MacBook charged up in an hour! We sat and read, played cards and talked to other trekkers for the entire afternoon and evening, it was really relaxing. Dinner was a gentle affair, soup and boiled eggs for me whilst Q opted for the traditional Dal Bhat and loved it! We were all sleepy by about quarter past seven and so headed off to very cold rooms. Periche is known for being the coldest and windiest place in the Khumba Valley and it lived to the reputation! We were tucked up in sleeping bags by half seven with my tummy seemingly retuned to normal…thankfully just a 24 hour tummy bug, phew!

I slept solidly until 7am! A great night’s sleep, I was warm and toasty in my sleeping bag. I’ve worked out that being naked is the best way to get and stay warm, no need for fancy thermals. We had a lazy start as today’s walk was relatively short, just around 4 hours to Tengboche, so we had a lazy breakfast at 8am. Soup and eggs again, with a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar!

We set off at about 9.15am and headed down the valley, stopping at Pangboche for a wee stop and to eat some tuna before the climb up the other side of the valley to Tengboche. En route we stopped to look at the bridge that we used last year, which had been damaged in the monsoon this summer and ripped from the mountainside. Some young locals were trying to take some of the metal off, but had climed part way down the dangling bridge before starting the dismantling process. Mental, hanging off the side of the mountain precariously and evidently taking off the bolts above them rather than below. An accident waiting to happen!!

We arrived at Tengboche at about 12.30pm to find that our planned lodge had decided to close. There have been no flights out here since December 22nd so the place is very quiet and desolate. We unpacked our rucksacks and enjoyed lunch – my favourite of fried veg included cauliflower, such a treat from the usual cabbage and onion.

Q and I are sat outside in the sun, wrapped in down jackets and many layers of clothing, whilst Paul has decided to conquer another peak on the east side of the valley from the lodge. Nutter!

We plan to rest, relax, I’m going to do some more work and then we will enjoy some supper and another early night before the longer trek to Namche Bazaar tomorrow.

Much later…after reading and working and waiting for the MadMan to come down the hill, we headed to the Monastery for 4pm to see the Monks praying. The Tengboche Monastery is the largest in the mountain regions and young monks come from afar to learn the prayers and Buddhist ways. We entered the Monastery, took off our boots and followed the Monks inside. It was a very moving ceremony, with music and unusual clothing and the recital of prayers. Very different to when we came here last year on Christmas Day.

We then went back to the Lodge and worked / read until dinnertime at 6pm. A supper of Dhal Bhat was warming and very filling! We headed off to bed not much longer after 7.30pm…having slept nearly 12 hours last night, I bet I can’t sleep tonight!